Dr. Christopher Paige
Board Chair
Christopher was the Executive Vice-President of Science and Research at University Health Network (Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and The Michener Institute of Education) where he presently runs an anti-cancer immunotherapy program. He is a Professor in the Departments of Medical Biophysics and Immunology at the University of Toronto. Christopher received the 2017 Leadership in Advocacy Award from Research Canada. He has served as a director on numerous not-for-profit boards including the Terry Fox Research Institute and Centre for Commercialization in Regenerative Medicine as well as boards of private sector biotechnology start-ups. He was a scientific co-founder of NASDAQ listed Avrobio. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Heath Sciences.
Ron Schlumpf
Vice-Chair and Secretary
Ron is a recently retired financial services professional, with over 20 years experience in a senior business role in the capital markets division of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Mr. Schlumpf holds a Bachelor of Public Administration from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Civil Laws from McGill University. He holds both Canadian and Swiss citizenship and speaks English and French. He and his wife Marie currently divide their time between Toronto and their farm property in Warkworth, Ontario.
Elise Orenstein
Treasurer
Elise has enjoyed a long-standing career as a lawyer, corporate director and active charitable volunteer. Elise specialized in corporate/commercial law with special emphasis on intellectual property and its commercialization. She was a founding member and Chair of the Artists’ Health Centre Foundation. Her academic credentials include a B.A. from McGill University, an M.Phil. from Oxford University and a J.D. from Osgoode Hall School.
Dianne Azzarello
Board Member
Dianne is a pharmacist by training and recently retired from the pharmaceutical industry. She held senior management positions in Regulatory Affairs and the safe use of drugs, and is a guest Lecturer at the University of Toronto Pharmacy School. Dianne believes music plays a critical role in bringing people together and is committed to ensuring Baroque music continues as an art form for people of all ages. Dianne has been listening to Baroque music since she was a child and attending Tafelmusik concerts for more than 35 years. She is on the Boards of the Toronto Botanical Garden and Friends of the Markham Museum as well as the Executive of the Toronto Master Gardeners. Dianne is leading the Strategic Plan implementation for the Toronto Master Gardeners, is a Toronto Botanical Garden tour guide and in the past was on the boards of the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada and Pharmacy Alumni Association.
Fernando Martinez-Caro
Board Member
Fernando is a graduate of Universidad Politecnica de Madrid with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and Masters in Engineering (Civil) degree. He also holds a Masters in Business & Administration from IESE Business School. He is a native Spaniard and naturalized Canadian where he moved with his family in 1999. Fernando’s professional career spans 30 years in such different industries as heavy civil construction, mining and, more recently, investment funds. Throughout these years he held postings in Spain, Canada, UK, US and Brazil. Since 2014, Fernando has worked for Brookfield Infrastructure, a Toronto based global owner and operator of infrastructure assets. He is currently Chief Executive Officer of Quantum, an energy transmission platform fully owned by Brookfield in Brazil.
Peter Carver
Board Member
Peter is the president of The Carver Group, a private real estate investor based in Toronto, Ontario, with interests in assets in British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Peter has 30 years of institutional and entrepreneurial real estate ownership and asset management experience, as well as real estate advisory activities, including: Managing Principal of an institutionally backed development fund; the Director of Canadian Asset Management for GE Capital Real Estate; and SVP of a private multi-family residential development company. Peter is the former chair of the Memorial University’s GTA alumni association, former chair of Courcelette PS parent council, along with other volunteer activities.
Bingbin Cheng
Board Member
Bingbin Cheng is a Senior Development Officer at the University of Toronto. Her core focus revolves around nurturing lasting donor relationships and driving philanthropic support and accomplishments that have earned her recognition in the arts and higher education sectors.
Bingbin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Studies from Trent University and a Master’s in Arts Leadership from Queen’s University, providing a solid academic foundation for her professional endeavors. In addition to her roles, she actively engages with the Gardiner Museum’s Young Patrons’ Circle and the Asian Arts community in Toronto, reflecting her unwavering commitment to the arts.
Martin Cheski
Board Member
Martin Cheski is an Investment Director at TELUS Ventures where he leads portfolio strategy and advises growth stage companies as they scale their business within the TELUS ecosystem. Martin was previously Director-Investment Management at TELUS Communications. From 2012 through 2022, Martin directed over $35B of investment in market development, technologies and infrastructure across core telecom, health, agtech and emerging businesses delivering world class ROIC and growth. Martin is a CPA, CMA and has board observer status with a number of TELUS Ventures portfolio companies.
Andrew Forde
Board Member
Described as a modern-day polymath, Andrew Nathaniel Forde is a notable, award winning Canadian engineer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and violinist. Efficacious by nature, Andrew continues to successfully apply technology to empower both people and organizations that drives humanity forward. He is determined to leave an insightful and important impact on the world, yielding long term positive gain for future generations.
Andrew has over 15 years of technology industry experience solving complex, operational problems in markets across North America and Europe. He is an Associate Partner in the Data, AI, and Technology Transformation practice at IBM.
Heather Howe
Board Member
Heather A. Howe was a corporate lawyer specializing in securities law, qualified and practicing in Ontario and New York with McCarthy Tetrault and at Debevoise and Plimpton. She retired as a Partner of McCarthy Tetrault in 2000, and then worked in a number of part-time positions including legal counsel on copyright matters for the recording industry. Prior to her legal career she worked for National Museums of Canada.
She has extensive experience serving on, and chairing, Boards of Directors of non-profit and charitable institutions, including the Art Gallery of Ontario Foundation, Arthritis Society of Canada, Bishop Strachan School and others. She was also a member of the Advisory Committee to the Carleton University program in Non-profit and Philanthropy Leadership.
She received the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal for her work with the Arthritis Society.
Robert Hunter
Board Member
Robert Hunter is a retired Government of Canada senior executive. An art and architectural historian, Robert worked for the governments of Ontario, Alberta, and Canada during his almost forty-year public sector career. As Director in the Arts Policy Branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage he led policy and program development regarding the arts and was responsible for federal legislative, policy, planning, research, and program initiatives. As a volunteer he has contributed his experience in policy development, organizational leadership, communications, and stakeholder relations in strengthening local, national, and international not-for-profit organizations.
Diana MacKay
Board Member
Diana MacKay’s career has taken her from plastics manufacturing in Japan to advising The Aga Khan University in Pakistan and East Africa, with a decade at each the World Bank in Washington and The Conference Board of Canada in Ottawa. She has degrees from Wellesley College and Harvard University and the designation as a certified Chartered Director from The Directors College, a joint venture of The Conference Board of Canada and McMaster University. She has published a book on the natural health philosophy of W. Gifford-Jones, called No Nonsense Health—Naturally!
Shirley Murray
Board Member
Shirley is a seasoned human resources expert operating Shirley Murray & Associates, a full-service Human Resources consulting firm. The firm is the Canadian agent for the LIFO(R) Method, a behavioural styles effectiveness enhancement tool and program to improve productivity, interpersonal communication and collaborative teamwork.
Nirvan Nuckchedee
Board Member
Nirvan is a consultant in Spencer Stuart’s Toronto office and a core member of the firm’s Industrial, Natural Resources, Energy, Infrastructure and Manufacturing practices. He has a deep background in operational leadership, project delivery, project development, and strategy. With over 15 years in industry, Nirvan has roots in the nuclear, mining, emissions and commodity trading space internationally. As a professional chemical engineer, Nirvan also holds a biochemistry degree and a Master’s in Business Administration. Nirvan has had a passion for music from an early age, with exposure to both eastern and western classical forms. After discovering baroque music, and Tafelmusik in particular, decades ago, Nirvan is keen to support the organization in its mission.