2022 Composition and Membership

Term: July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2024

See: https://www.mcgill.ca/chancellor/

Current Term: April 1, 2023 

See: https://www.mcgill.ca/principal/

Member at-Large Term: May 1, 2016 June 30, 2026

Chair of the Board Term: July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2026

Previously served as Vice-Chair of the Board from October 4, 2018  to June 30, 2022

For more information about the Chair of the Board, please visit https://www.mcgill.ca/boardofgovernors/membership/about-chair

Term: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2026

Mr. David is the Chief Executive Officer of GRI Capital Inc., a private investment management firm that he has led since its inception in 2005. Mr. David serves as a Director at Dollarama and Roots Corporation. From 2002 to 2005, he served as the Senior Vice-President for Business Development at Dollarama. Prior to that, from 2000 to 2002, Mr. David served as a Financial and Strategic Advisor to private and public companies. He worked at Claridge Inc. from 1998 to 2000 and at McKinsey & Co. from 1996 to 1998. He holds Bachelor of Commerce with Honours from Queens University, Bachelor of Laws from McGill University, Bachelor of Civil Law from McGill University, and Master of Business Administration with Distinction from Harvard Business School.

Mr. David currently serves on the Finance Committee of the McGill Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2027

Mr. Deckelbaum currently serves as a member of the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility of the McGill Board of Governors.

Member-at-Large Term: January 1, 2010 - June 30, 2023

Vice-Chair Term: Jan 1, 2014 - June 30, 2023

For more information about the Vice-Chair, please visit: https://www.mcgill.ca/boardofgovernors/membership/about-chair/about-vice-chairs

Term:  December 13, 2012 - June 30, 2023

Mr. Stephen Halperin was born in Montreal and raised in “various working-class neighbourhoods, as part of a family of typical Montreal renters.”

Both editor-in-chief of the student newspaper during his political science undergraduate degree at Sir George Williams University and a college sports writer for the Canadian Press, Mr. Halperin deliberated long and hard between journalism and law for post-graduate studies. Finally, his father provided some sage advice: “‘You can always be a journalist with a law degree, but you can’t be a lawyer without one.’ So, I chose law and I never looked back.”

To say he made the right choice is an understatement. “As soon as I started McGill Law School, I knew I wanted to be a practicing lawyer. I just found it fascinating.”

That fascination has rewarded Mr. Halperin with great work and impressive results. As counsel at Goodmans after more than 30 years as a partner and more than 20 years as a member of the Executive Committee, and co-chair of the corporate securities group at Goodmans LLP, in Toronto, his practice has for many years been focused upon transactional corporate and securities law, with particular emphasis on domestic and international corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters.

Mr. Halperin is at the top of the corporate dealmaker ladder not just in Canada but around the world. Among his many, many accolades and high rankings, he has been selected as Toronto Corporate Lawyer of the Year and Corporate Governance Lawyer of the Year in consecutive editions of Best Lawyers in Canada, has been named by Euromoney as one of the 30 best capital markets lawyers and 30 best mergers and acquisitions lawyers in the world, and has been described by Chambers Global as “universally acknowledged to operate at the very top level,” a “go-to guy, particularly for complex, larger-scale corporate finance and M&A” and “as good as it gets in Canada”.

Mr. Halperin has a strong commitment to legal education. He has taught and lectured at the law schools of the University of Toronto, Queen’s and McGill and at the Ontario Law Society’s Special Lectures. He calls legal education “a tremendous door-opener for many things in addition to conventional law practice: journalism, government, working in the corporate and in not-for-profit sectors, investment banking and management consulting, among others”.

The framed sketch of McGill’s law school hanging by his office window attests to his fond memories of his time there pursuing his double law degrees in the mid-’70s. “McGill has a very special spot in my heart. I’m proud to have a degree from McGill and have been happy to be able to give something back in terms of my time.”

A long-time member of the McGill Law Faculty’s Advisory Board, the university’s Board of Governors also benefited from his financial expertise on the Audit Committee. He has served on various corporate and charitable boards.

As generous with his money as his time, Mr. Halperin and his wife, a graduate of McGill’s School of Social work, have donated both to the dual-degree program in law and social work and have designated funds for innovative teaching in corporate and business law at his alma mater’s Faculty of Law.
He characterizes himself as “an ardent, struggling golfer” who took up the sport at 50 and usually scores in the 90s. When not on the links or at the office, Mr. Halperin enjoys travel with his wife and spending time with his six grandchildren from his two daughters, both McGill alumnae.

Mr. Halperin currently serves as the Chair of the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee of the McGill Board of Governors.
 

Term: July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2025

Mr. Fred Headon is General Counsel, Labour and Employment Law, at Montreal-based Air Canada, and was the first in-house counsel to serve as President of the Canadian Bar Association and continues to serve as Chair of the CBA’s Legal Futures Initiative.

At Air Canada, Mr Headon leads a team of in-house lawyers, paralegals and support staff who are responsible for all aspects of labour and employment law, including administrative law, human rights, privacy and workplace health and safety matters. He also represents Air Canada in proceedings before various courts and tribunals and advises on matters ranging from collective bargaining to strategic corporate initiatives.

Prior to joining Air Canada, Mr. Headon worked in private practice in Montreal in the areas of labour, employment, human rights, privacy, and administrative law, as well as civil litigation. He has also taught Social Law and Administrative Law at the Faculty of Law of the National University of Rwanda.
Mr. Headon has served the Canadian Bar Association in a number of capacities, including as a member of its Canadian Corporate Counsel Association Board from 2007- 2012. His work with the CBA, and in particular, the Legal Futures Initiative, which he chairs, were cited by Canadian Lawyer magazine when it included him in its 2013 and 2015 list of Canada’s 25 most influential lawyers.

Mr. Headon earned his LL.B. and B.C.L. degrees from McGill University in 1996 and his B.A. from the University of Winnipeg in 1992. He has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1997.

Mr. Fred Headon currently serves as Chair of the Human Resources Committee and as a member of the Committee on Sustainability and the Executive Committee.

Member-at-large term: July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2027

Vice-Chair term: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2024

For more information about the Vice-Chair, please visit: https://www.mcgill.ca/boardofgovernors/membership/about-chair/about-vice-chairs

Member-at-large term: January 1, 2014 - June 30, 2024

Served as Chair of the Board from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022.  Mr Panda was appointed as Chair Emeritus as of July 1, 2022.

A member-at-large of the Board of Governors since 2014, Ram Panda understands and appreciates the values of the University, and is devoted to the vitality and well-being of the McGill community.

Mr. Panda, who is originally from India, came to Canada in 1968 to study at McGill. After graduating with a Masters in Electrical Engineering, he stayed and launched his career in Montreal. In 1978, he co‑founded Invera Inc., which is now a leading resource planning software provider for the global metal industry. He is dedicated to giving back to the community in recognition of “the hospitality I experienced and the level of acceptance I encountered [that] helped me to settle down quickly and integrate easily into Canadian life,”

Passionate about sustainability and McGill’s role in the community, he is one of the philanthropic drivers of the Institute for Sustainability in Engineering and Design, and has been a member of the Faculty Advisory Board for the Faculty of Engineering since 2007. Mr. Panda also holds a Master of Business Administration from McGill University.

Mr. Panda currently serves as a member of the Building and Property Committee, HR Committee, IT Committee and the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee of the Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2018- June 30, 2028

Ms. Maarika Paul is Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial and Operations Officer at Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) . She is responsible for monitoring financial performance, completing treasury operations, applying best practices in financial governance, and managing business services. She also oversees HR and talent management as well as operational activities and technologies. She is a member of the Executive Committee, in addition to being a member of the Board of Ivanhoé Cambridge, the institution’s global real estate subsidiary.

Ms. Paul is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCPA, FCA) and a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) with more than 30 years of experience in financial management. She initially spent 10 years with KPMG. In1994, she joined BCE, where she worked until 2011. Her responsibilities included, in particular, performance evaluation of BCE subsidiaries, financial planning, mergers and acquisitions and investor relations. She was also Senior Vice-President, Corporate Communications and, subsequently, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) from McGill University.

Ms. Paul’s contributions to the community are numerous. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) . In 2008, and again in 2015, she was named to Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 list by the Women’s Executive Network. In 2013, she received the Leadership Award from the Association of Québec Women in Finance.

Ms. Paul currently serves as the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of the McGill Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2026

Ms. Prando was Managing Director, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary and member of the Executive Committee of the Canadian operations of Société Générale, a French bank with a global presence and operations in 78 countries, having spent 21 years with the bank from 2000-2021. She was a member of the Board of Directors of Société Générale (Canada), and was responsible for managing the Legal team, the legal and banking regulatory affairs of the SG entities in Canada, as well as the Corporate Secretarial functions. She played a key role in strategic business and corporate development in Canada, and practiced in the areas of financial institutions, securities and derivatives, corporate and commercial law, employment law, privacy laws and managed litigation matters. She was also very involved in ensuring appropriate governance in a continuously evolving multi-jurisdictional structure.
Prior to that period, she was counsel with Pratt & Whitney Canada, a Quebec based aircraft engine manufacturer with an extensive international presence, where she was involved in significant contractual negotiations with clients, suppliers and partners across Europe and the US. She was involved in competition and litigation matters as well.
Ms. Prando is fluently trilingual (English, French and Italian), and holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA 1983), and Bachelor of Civil Law and Bachelor of Laws (B.C.L, LL.B 1987) from McGill University.

Ms. Pando currently serves as member of the Human Resources Committee and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the McGill University Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2027

Ms. Sakhia joined Knight Therapeutics Inc. as President in August 2016 and assumed the additional responsibility of CFO in October 2017. Prior to Knight, Ms. Sakhia served as the CFO at Paladin from 2001 to 201S. At Paladin, Ms. Sakhia was responsible for the finance, operations, human resources and investor relations functions. During her employment with Paladin, Ms. Sakhia was instrumental in executing in-licensing and acquisition transactions of Canadian and international pharmaceutical products and businesses. In addition, Ms. Sakhia led several M&A and strategic lending transactions as well as equity rounds on the TSX and completed the sale of Paladin to Endo International for over $3 billion.

Ms. Sakhia holds an MBA and a Bachelors of Commerce degree from McGill University. Ms. Sakhia serves on the boards of Grupo Biotoscana SA., the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the International Advisory Board of McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management and is an independent Board member at the McGill University Health Center.

Ms. Sakhia currently serves as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Finance Committee of the McGill Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2027

Mr. Sigler currently serves as Chair of the Building and Property Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee of the McGill University Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2024

Mr. Bob Babinski is a freelance TV producer and broadcast performance trainer, having coached more than 500 broadcasters. He works regularly with commentators and hosts at Hockey Night in Canada and Rogers’ Sportsnet. A sportscaster for CBC Montreal in the 1990’s and a part-time journalism instructor at Concordia University since 2000. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from McGill in 1986. He was a long-serving Chair of the McGill News Advisory Board and has served for years as Master of Ceremonies for the McGill Sports Hall of Fame Luncheon. Mr. Babinski is also past President of the McGill Alumni Association as well as of the Board of Directors of the Montreal Oral School for the Deaf and past co-Chair of Hockey Without Borders.

Mr. Babinski currently serves on the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the McGill University Board of Governors. 

Term: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2027

A proud graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Arts, class of 1999, Luciano is the immediate past president of the McGill Alumni Association.
Luciano was born, raised and currently lives in Montreal where he owns and operates a corporate/commercial real estate brokerage agency, CDNGLOBAL Quebec.
He is often asked to speak and represent the real estate community on local media and at industry events.
Luciano is passionate about his community as he also sits on the SDC Montreal Centre-Ville, Caisse Desjardins Mercier-Est-Anjou and is the co-founder of the Tiny Survivors fund with the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Mr. D'Iorio currently serves on the Building and Property Committee of the McGill University Board of Governors.

Term: September 19, 2019 - June 30, 2024

Inez Jabalpurwala is Global Director of the Viral Neuro Exploration (VINEx), a non-profit corporation launched by the private medical device company Rocket Science Health. VINEx sees to advance understanding of how viruses impact brain health, with an initial focus on SARS-CoV-2 and Long COVID. She is also ‎Senior Advisor on Brain Initiatives for Rocket Science Health.

Inez was the Founding President and CEO of the Brain Canada Foundation, from 2001 to 2020. Brain Canada is a national non-profit organization that supports and advances brain research. In 2006, the organization received The Conference Board of Canada/Spencer Stuart National Awards in Governance award in the non-for-profit category. In 2011, the Government of Canada established a public-private partnership with Brain Canada, through which it has committed a total of $160 million in matching funds. Over 20 years, Brain Canada invested $250 million in research involving more than 1,000 scientists and clinicians based at 115 institutions across Canada. To achieve these results, Inez managed multiple stakeholders, and secured more than 100 partners, including donors, institutions and organizations.

From 2007 to 2012, Inez was also the Executive Director of the Graham Boeckh Foundation, a private family foundation that supports research and programs in the area of mental health; and Senior Investment Analyst with Boeckh Investments Inc.

Prior to these appointments, Inez worked for ten years in public relations, communications, marketing and fundraising.

Active in her community, Inez has volunteered with a number of organizations, including the Montreal General Hospital, Mount Royal Classic breast cancer run, Farha Foundation (an organization dedicated to improving outpatient services for people with AIDS), Prometheus Project (a mentoring program) and Leave Out Violence-LOVE (youth violence prevention organization). She has also been a mentor with the McGill MBA program and the Women’s Executive Network.

Inez joined the Board of the McGill University Alumni Association in 2013 and has served as President since 2018. She joined the Board of Governors of McGill University in 2019. She has served on the board of Equitas—International Centre for Human Rights Education since 2006 and is a member of the Executive Committee. She is a mentor through the Loran Scholars Program.

She has previously been a member of the US National Institutes of Health BRAIN Initiative Multi-Council Working Group, and of the Institute of Medicine (of the National Academies) Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders. While CEO of Brain Canada she served on the Board of BrainsCAN (Brain Health for Life), a $66-million investment by the Government of Canada through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. BrainsCAN is based at the University of Western Ontario and seeks to create synergies with other Canadian institutions and international partners in the private and public sectors.

Inez is a member of the Economic Development and Public Finance committee of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal; a member of the Association of Quebec Women in Finance; a member of the International Women’s Forum since 2013; and a member of the Women’s Brain Health Initiative.

Inez holds a BA (First Class Honours and Faculty Scholar) and MA in English Literature, and an MBA from McGill University. She has also completed the McGill-McConnell Master’s Program (Master’s of Management) for National Voluntary Sector Leaders.

In 2007, Inez was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by the Women’s Executive Network, in the “Trailblazers and Trendsetters Category”. She received this recognition again in 2016.

A skilled public speaker, she has been featured at major conferences around the world, and covered a range of topics including Canadian brain research; brain health; equity, diversity and inclusion in science to achieve excellence.

Ms. Jabalpurwala currently serves as co-chair of the the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the McGill University Board of Governors.

Term:  July1, 2019 - June 30, 2025

Dr. Lucy Gilbert is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and the Department of Oncology at McGill University. She is the Director of Gynecologic Oncology at McGill University and McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), which is a designated level-IV unit that provides gynecological cancer care for the province of Quebec. Dr Gilbert heads the Women’s Health Research Unit of the MUHC, which focuses on research that produces practical and immediate benefits for women with cancer. The Women’s Health Research Unit is active in collaborative multinational clinical trials investigating new precision therapies for gynecologic cancers. However, Dr Gilbert’s main area of interest is the early detection of ovarian and uterine cancers while they are still curable. To this end, she has set up a network of satellite clinics called DOvEE (Diagnosing Ovarian and Endometrial Cancers Early) which provide open access and fast-track investigations to women over the age of 45 with symptoms associated with gynecologic cancers. She and her team have developed a new genetic pap-test called DOvEEgene for detecting these cancers very early before they even cause symptoms. Her team has completed the Phase I & II testing of the DOvEEgene test and is set to launch the Phase III.

Dr. Gilbert currently serves on the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee and the Committee on Sustainability of McGill’s Board of Governors.

Term:  July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2025

Prof. Greenwood is Senior Investigator at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, and James McGill Professor. Her research addresses methods for analyzing high dimensional data in genetics, genomics, and neuroscience. At McGill, she is affiliated with the Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Biostatistics in the School of Population and Global Health, and the Department of Human Genetics. She is the inaugural Graduate Program Director of the interdisciplinary Quantitative Life Sciences doctoral program, and one of three co-directors of the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health.

Professor Greenwood currently serves on the IT Committee of McGill’s Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2022- June 30, 2025

Mr. Joseph Hakim currently serves as a Finance Manager at the Faculty of Arts. As the son of Lebanese immigrants, he cherishes the diversity and quality of life that Montreal has to offer to its citizens coming from all around the world.
As a representative of administrative and support staff, he is grateful for the opportunity to work with an experienced and diverse group of volunteers on the Board of Governors to help the McGill community grow and thrive. He hopes to contribute to making Montreal a top global destination for higher education, with McGill University being in leader in this venture.
Mr. Hakim holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill, an MBA from Concordia, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in French Literature on a part time basis. He is a proud father of two young children.

Mr. Hakim currently serves on CAMSR,  the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee and as an observer on the Finance Committee of McGill’s Board of Governors.

Term: July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2024

Ms. Piggott currently serves on the Executive Committee and the Building and Property Committee of the Board of Governors.

Term:  September 2, 2020 - June 30, 2023

Petra Rohrbach obtained her PhD from the University of Heidelberg at the German Cancer Research Centre (Germany) in 2000, after completing her BSc at McGill University. She continued her studies as a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University School of Medicine (Germany), where she obtained her habilitation early 2008. In the Fall of 2008, she joined McGill University as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Parasitology and was granted tenure and Associate Professor in 2014. She currently serves as Research Ambassador for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.

Professor Rohrbach currently serves as a member on the Building and Property Committee and the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors.

Term:  January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2025

Dr. Edith Zorychta obtained a B.Sc. from St. Francis Xavier University, then worked as a research scientist for Merck-Frosst in Montreal and subsequently obtained her MSc and PhD in Pharmacology and Therapeutics from McGill. This was followed by postdoctoral training in Physiology, and an academic staff appointment at McGill in the Department of Pathology. She is currently an associate professor in both the Department of Pathology, where she is the Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Her major research interests are focused on the pathology and pharmacology of the central and peripheral nervous systems. She teaches extensively to undergraduate students in biomedical science programs, to medical students, and to graduate students, with class sizes ranging from 6-15 in advanced graduate courses to over 500 at the undergraduate level. Dr. Zorychta has received teaching awards from both the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Science, has been ranked as one of McGill’s most popular professors by an independent survey for Maclean’s Guide to Canadian Universities, and she currently chairs an awards committee on teaching excellence. She directs a graduate studies program with over 30 MSc and PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers who are investigating the causes and potential treatments of human disease. She is extensively involved in collegial university governance, having been president of the McGill Association of University Teachers, president of the McGill Faculty Club, and at the national level she served on the executive of the Canadian Association of University Teachers. She currently chairs a variety of committees, functions as Co-Marshal for McGill convocation ceremonies and is an elected member of the University Senate.

In her spare time, she indulges her interest in heritage architecture. As president of the McGill Faculty Club she oversaw the building’s restoration, and did the same for her heritage home in Westmount.

Professor Zorychta currently serves as a member of CAMSR, the Executive Committee and as an observer on the Finance Committee of the Board of Governors.

Term: June 1 2022 - May 31, 2023

Ms. Risann Wright is the President of the Students’ Society of McGill University. She is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Honours Political Science and her interests lie in Canadian and international law. Prior to this role, Ms. Wright was an Arts Senator and held various Commissioner roles at the Society. Ms. Wright has previously served on boards representing youth and students, and continues to engage in advocacy within her community.

Ms. Wright currently serves as member of the Executive Committee and the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee of the Board of Governors.

Term: June 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023

Ms. Naga Thovinakere is the Member Services Officer for Post Graduate Student Society (PGSS). She obtained her Bachelors in Life Sciences from McMaster University and is currently pursuing her MSc. In Neuroscience in the Integrated Program of Neuroscience. Her research focuses on precision medicine and optimizing brain health using cutting-edge multimodal neuroimaging and predictive modelling techniques.

She has previously served as the Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Board Member of The Second City Toronto. She continues to serve on numerous advisory committees in non-profit and public companies.

Ms. Thovinakere currently serves on the IT Committee and as an observer on the Finance Committee of the McGill Board of Governors.

Term: October 25, 2022 - May 31, 2023

The prospect of being enrolled within the University of McGill Public Administration and Governance Program, and being elected as President of MACES, is of a paramount importance to me, opening up tremendous community building opportunities, and allowing me to serve the students who wish to explore new adventures in the future.

Mr. Osman Obtained his bachelor’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Nottingham, Great Britain, during that time he held previous experience in student relations leadership roles. He then continued his studies and obtained an online certificate in Sustainability from Royal Institute of Technology KTH-Sweden.

Mr. Osman is currently serving as member of the advisory committee of the Dean of continuing studies as well as McGill Ambassador for Sustainability Fund Program and Keep.meSAFE mental health support program beside his previous role as VP Communications and External Affairs for MACES.

Mr. Omer currently serves on CAMSR  and the Committee on Sustainability of the McGill Board of Governors.

Term: June 1, 2022 - May 31, 2023

I believe that creating, preserving, and passing on a good governance is among the most imperative priorities of a public institution, directly reflecting on all activities pursued by its members. It is therefore crucial for the members of such institution to be heard clear, fully, and equally. My name is Alireza Roosta, current Vice-president of University Affairs of Macdonald Campus Student’s Society, MCSS. I will voice my fellow Macdonald campus and McGill students at the board of governors in the upcoming 2022-23 term.
Mr. Roosta is entering the third year of his studies in the McGill School of Human Nutrition, with a focus on nutrition’s role on health and disease. His interest includes moving towards establishing stronger academic and student life uniformity and exchange among all fractions of the student body, as well as pursuing policy modifications promoting institutional sustainability.

Mr. Roosta currently serves as a member of the Building and Property Committee of the McGill Board of Governors.