Every year CUCOH brings a diverse group of healthcare professionals to speak during our case challenges and panelist segments. Get to know a bit more about their background and how they are making an impact in the healthcare industry below:
Dr. Oyedeji Ayonrinde
Dr. Oyedeji (Deji) Ayonrinde is a psychiatrist, educator, and advocate whose work sits at the intersection of clinical care, global mental health, and equity. An Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at Queen’s University and Clinical Director of Community Psychiatry Programs at Providence Care, he provides care through an Assertive Community Treatment Team with certification in both general and addiction psychiatry. His broad clinical experience spans addiction and substance use, emergency and intensive care psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, psychosexual medicine, and cross-cultural mental health. As Chair of the Commission on Black Medical Students at Queen’s, he plays a key role in advancing equity, representation, and institutional change within medical education.
Dr. Ayonrinde’s research and advocacy focus on global mental health and the experiences of marginalized and equity-seeking populations, including individuals with severe mental illness, racialized communities, and people living in poverty. He has led and contributed to local, national, and international collaborations, with particular interests in stigma reduction, physician and occupational wellness, and cannabis education across the lifespan. His work includes game-based learning innovations to help learners understand complex health behaviours and diversity issues, and he has received multiple awards for education and knowledge translation. Trained at the Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry in London, UK, he holds an MSc in Research in Psychiatry (UCL), an Executive MBA (Imperial College London), and a Diploma in the History of Medicine. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), an International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Member of the Society of Apothecaries, and a recipient of the Freedom of the City of London. Across his roles, Dr. Ayonrinde is known for his compassionate, non-judgmental approach and his conviction that supporting mental health means fostering safety, belonging, and dignity for every person.
Dr. Danielle Macdonald
Dr. Boris Zevin is an Associate Professor of Surgery and SEAMO Medical Education Scholar in the Department of Surgery at Queen’s University, and the Medical Director of the Kingston Bariatric Centre of Excellence at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. A fellowship-trained bariatric and minimally invasive surgeon, his clinical practice focuses on laparoscopic bariatric procedures and surgery for benign upper gastrointestinal conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal and paraesophageal hernias. He completed his MD and General Surgery residency at the University of Toronto, where he also earned a PhD through the Institute of Medical Science with a focus on medical and surgical education, specifically the use of simulation for training and assessing minimally invasive surgical skills. He went on to complete an Advanced Minimally Invasive Upper GI/Bariatric Surgery and Endoscopy fellowship at The Ohio State University.
As a medical educator, Dr. Zevin is dedicated to optimizing how future surgeons are trained. He draws on theoretical frameworks and evidence-based educational practices to design learning experiences that are rigorous, relevant, and responsive to individual learners’ needs. His work emphasizes deliberate practice, simulation-based training, and the development of both technical and non-technical skills, with the goal of preparing health professionals to deliver the highest standard of patient care.
Sandra Heller
For over 25 years, Sandra has had the privilege of providing leadership on innovation and growth in the pharmaceutical sector improving the lives of Canadians. As the General Manager at Astellas Canada, she leads with a desire to impact the healthcare industry for the better. Building on Astellas' transplant and oncology legacy with a keen focus on women's health and ophthalmology, she is committed to bridging gender gaps and generating patient-centric action. Bringing in her past leadership experience with Seagen Canada, her philosophy is rooted in fostering a positive corporate culture that values collaboration, innovation, and productivity from and for all areas of the health organization. Before joining Seagen, Sandra also worked for Gilead, Roche, and EMD Serono in various sales and marketing roles in therapeutic areas such as breast cancer, melanoma, bladder cancer, lymphomas and multiple sclerosis. She also has extensive experience in patient support programs where she started her career.
Sandra is deeply passionate about transformation, learning, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders within the industry to explore how to enhance outcomes for different patient groups. Creating lasting impact is always at the forefront of her mind and she looks forward to building the tools and resources to create an equitable healthcare environment for all.
