Who we are
CASCADES’ staff and executive leads are located across the country, from Vancouver to Halifax.
Partner Organizations
Executive Leads
Our executive leads each represent one of the founding partner organizations.
Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, and Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto
The Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care, the leading organization for this project, housed at the University of Toronto, is committed to working with health sector partners to support environmentally sustainable healthcare and health systems. As a research and innovation lab, a training shop, and a network of allies and partners, the Centre serves as a proving ground for a transition to truly sustainable health and social care.
Fiona Miller
Director, CASCADES; Director, Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care; Professor
Fiona Miller
Director, CASCADES; Director, Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care; Professor
As Director of the Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care at the University of Toronto and CASCADES, Miller leads and supports efforts to improve the sustainability of health systems, through research, education, practice change and policy advocacy.
As a policy scholar, Miller brings a critical political economy perspective to the analysis of technological innovation and sustainability transitions. Her work aims at sustainable ‘demand driven’ innovation.
Nicole Simms
Executive Lead & Training and Education Lead, CASCADES
Nicole Simms
Executive Lead & Training and Education Lead, CASCADES
Nicole holds a PhD from the Department of Geography, Environment & Society at the University of Minnesota, and an MA in Geography/Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto. She has taught various courses related to environmental sustainability at the University of Toronto, the University of Minnesota, and Macalester College.
Healthy Populations Institute
Dalhousie University
The Healthy Populations Institute (HPI) is a multi-faculty research institute at Dalhousie University that aims to improve population health in Atlantic Canada and beyond by understanding and influencing the complex conditions that affect the health of communities.
Sean Christie
Professor; Neurosurgeon
Sean Christie
Professor; Neurosurgeon
The Planetary Healthcare Lab
University of British Columbia
The Planetary Healthcare Lab—representing the first of its kind in Canada—not only examines the environmental effects of healthcare delivery and services in British Columbia, but generates solutions to chart a path forward to net zero emissions.
Andrea MacNeill
Clinical Associate Professor; Surgical Oncologist
Andrea MacNeill
Clinical Associate Professor; Surgical Oncologist
Colin Chan
Regional Leader, Sustainable Clinical Services, Vancouver Coastal Health
Colin Chan
Regional Leader, Sustainable Clinical Services, Vancouver Coastal Health
Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care
The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care strives to build capabilities and capacity in individuals and organizations to enable the development of green health policies and practices.
Linda Varangu
Senior Advisor, Climate Change
Linda Varangu
Senior Advisor, Climate Change
Patient partners
Terry Hawrysh
Patient Partner
Terry Hawrysh
Patient Partner
Amy Ma
Patient Partner
Amy Ma
Patient Partner
Staff
Connor Brenna
Research Assistant, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Connor Brenna
Research Assistant, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Arianna Cruz
Strategy and Innovation Lead (British Columbia)
Arianna Cruz
Strategy and Innovation Lead (British Columbia)
Katy Devitt
Project Manager
Katy Devitt
Project Manager
Naba Khan
Knowledge Mobilization and Administrative Coordinator
Naba Khan
Knowledge Mobilization and Administrative Coordinator
Ivy Lam
Pharmacy Innovation Lead
Ivy Lam
Pharmacy Innovation Lead
Ivy earned her Bachelors of pharmacy degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelors of science from the University of Ottawa. She gathered over a decade of experience in perioperative care at Unity Health Toronto before developing the pharmacist role in the Comprehensive Hemophilia Care Centre at St. Michael's Hospital.
As a co-lead in sustainable procurement at the Canadian Association of Pharmacy for the Environment and as part of the Environmental sustainability Advisory Committee at Unity Health Toronto, she is a part of initiatives that bridge the gap between healthcare and ecological preservation.
Aileen Liu
Research Assistant
Aileen Liu
Research Assistant
Sarah Machane
Innovation Lead (Quebec)
Sarah Machane
Innovation Lead (Quebec)
Jaclyn MacNeil
Administrative Coordinator
Jaclyn MacNeil
Administrative Coordinator
Shugri Nour
Clinical Specialties Associate (Kidney Care)
Shugri Nour
Clinical Specialties Associate (Kidney Care)
Sage Mosgrove
Healthcare LCA Associate
Sage Mosgrove
Healthcare LCA Associate
Jamie Park
Pharmacy Associate
Jamie Park
Pharmacy Associate
Nicole Simms
Executive Lead & Training and Education Lead
Nicole Simms
Executive Lead & Training and Education Lead
,br>Nicole holds a PhD from the Department of Geography, Environment & Society at the University of Minnesota, and an MA in Geography/Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto. She has taught various courses related to environmental sustainability at the University of Toronto, the University of Minnesota, and Macalester College.
Cate MacLeod
Communications and Events Lead
Cate MacLeod
Communications and Events Lead
Innovation champions
Allen Bridge
Chair, Health Care Waste Management Community of Practice
Allen Bridge
Chair, Health Care Waste Management Community of Practice
Janet Craik
Rehabilitation Lead
Janet Craik
Rehabilitation Lead
Anita Rao
Innovation Champion, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Anita Rao
Innovation Champion, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Dave Smith
Innovation Champion, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Dave Smith
Innovation Champion, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Valeria Stoynova
Climate Conscious Inhalers National Spread
Valeria Stoynova
Climate Conscious Inhalers National Spread
Stephan Williams
Innovation Champion, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Stephan Williams
Innovation Champion, Sustainable Perioperative Care
Our committees
Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee:
- Reviews activities and plans to achieve objectives and meet Key Performance Indicators
- Identifies opportunities and guide the development of clear plans of action to address opportunities
- Advises on strategic directions given objectives, activities and opportunities
- Contributes to success by promoting CASCADES activities, facilitating outreach and advising on key challenges identified by the CASCADES leadership
Penny Ballem, Chair
Vancouver Coastal Health
Penny Ballem, Chair
Vancouver Coastal Health
Dr. Ballem is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She has had a 35-year career as a health leader and academic clinician in British Columbia. She served as the B.C. deputy minister of health from 2001-06. She also served as the city manager for the City of Vancouver from 2008-15.
She has extensive board experience, having served on public sector, non-profit and private sector boards. She has received significant public recognition for her work in medicine and public service, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for Public Service, the 2012 Wallace Wilson Award for leadership, the Marion Powell Award from Women’s College Hospital for leadership in Women’s Health, the Cannell Award from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada for her contributions to leadership in reproductive health and others. She advises governments across Canada on health policy, health systems and health human resources.
Emily Follwell
HealthCareCAN
Emily Follwell
HealthCareCAN
Terry Hawrysh
Patient Partner
Terry Hawrysh
Patient Partner
Vishal Jain
Health Standards Organization
Vishal Jain
Health Standards Organization
Maria Judd
Healthcare Excellence Canada
Maria Judd
Healthcare Excellence Canada
Tyler Levitan
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Tyler Levitan
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Sarah Lowden
Canadian Medical Association
Sarah Lowden
Canadian Medical Association
Amy Ma
Patient Partner
Amy Ma
Patient Partner
Fiona Miller
CASCADES
Fiona Miller
CASCADES
As Director of the Centre for Sustainable Health Systems at the University of Toronto and CASCADES, Miller leads and supports efforts to improve the sustainability of health systems, through research, education, practice change and policy advocacy.
As a policy scholar, Miller brings a critical political economy perspective to the analysis of technological innovation and sustainability transitions. Her work aims at sustainable ‘demand driven’ innovation.
Kathleen Morris
Canadian Institute for Health Information
Kathleen Morris
Canadian Institute for Health Information
Amy O'Brien
Canadian College of Health Leaders
Amy O'Brien
Canadian College of Health Leaders
Jodi Sherman
Yale New Haven Health
Jodi Sherman
Yale New Haven Health
Dr. Sherman is an internationally recognized researcher in the emerging field of sustainability in clinical care. Her research interest is in life cycle assessment (LCA) of environmental emissions, human health impacts, and economic impacts of drugs, devices, clinical care pathways, and health systems. Her work seeks to establish sustainability metrics, paired with health outcomes and costs, to help guide clinical decision-making, professional behaviors, and organizational management toward more ecologically sustainable practices to improve the quality, safety and value of clinical care and to protect public health. Dr. Sherman routinely collaborates with environmental engineers, epidemiologists, toxicologists, health economists, health administrators, health professionals, and sustainability professionals. Dr. Sherman is a member of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change and was contributing analyst for the UK National Health Service Net Zero Initiative, and serves on the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative for Decarbonization of the U.S. Health Sector.
Scientific Evaluation Committee
The Scientific Evaluation Committee:
- Reviews submitted applications for support for test innovations
- Recommends test innovations that should be supported by CASCADES
- Makes recommendations regarding the level of support a test innovation requires from CASCADES
- Recommends experts for additional evaluation and feedback during the selection process
Jodi Sherman, Chair
Yale New Haven Health
Jodi Sherman, Chair
Yale New Haven Health
Dr. Sherman is an internationally recognized researcher in the emerging field of sustainability in clinical care. Her research interest is in life cycle assessment (LCA) of environmental emissions, human health impacts, and economic impacts of drugs, devices, clinical care pathways, and health systems. Her work seeks to establish sustainability metrics, paired with health outcomes and costs, to help guide clinical decision-making, professional behaviors, and organizational management toward more ecologically sustainable practices to improve the quality, safety and value of clinical care and to protect public health. Dr. Sherman routinely collaborates with environmental engineers, epidemiologists, toxicologists, health economists, health administrators, health professionals, and sustainability professionals. Dr. Sherman is a member of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change and was contributing analyst for the UK National Health Service Net Zero Initiative, and serves on the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative for Decarbonization of the U.S. Health Sector.
David Bligh
Efficiency Nova Scotia
David Bligh
Efficiency Nova Scotia
Vincent Boisvert
CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal
Vincent Boisvert
CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal
Kori Jones
Vancouver Coastal Health
Kori Jones
Vancouver Coastal Health
Fiona Miller
CASCADES
Fiona Miller
CASCADES
As Director of the Centre for Sustainable Health Systems at the University of Toronto and CASCADES, Miller leads and supports efforts to improve the sustainability of health systems, through research, education, practice change and policy advocacy.
As a policy scholar, Miller brings a critical political economy perspective to the analysis of technological innovation and sustainability transitions. Her work aims at sustainable ‘demand driven’ innovation.
Steven Young
University of Waterloo
Steven Young
University of Waterloo
Alumni
We thank the following for their contributions, which have helped make CASCADES what it is today:
- Kelechi Agu
- Arina Bogdan
- Lihani DuPlessis
- Negar Ghasemi
- Victoria Haldane
- Enoch Lam
- Stefan Navarrete Lansall
- Ryu Lien
- Jonathan Lin
- Drew Nart
- Luz Paczka Giorgi
- Ellen Petrie
- Grahanya Sachidanandan
- Maliha Tariq
- Navisha Weerasinghe
- Arbella Yonadam