Governance
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is comprised of nine directors. The Executive Committee is composed of: President, President-elect (or Past-President), Treasurer, and Secretary. The five Regional Representatives (elected by members from the nominee’s region) are: Atlantic; Quebec; Ontario; Prairies & North and Pacific.
The term of office for each Board member is two years, with the exception of the President. The President (chosen as “President-elect”) spends one year as President-elect, two years as President and one year as Past-President. All terms begin on November 1st in the year elected to office.
Expert Advisors
Expert Advisors are focused on specific CANAC activities and are seconded on fixed terms which are regularly reviewed by the Board. They attend Board meetings at the invitation of the Board and do not vote on Board matters.
Executive
-
Dr. Georgia Dewart is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University. Her clinical background has been in maternal and community health nursing. Her research focuses include health equity, nursing practice and maternal health. Most recently, she has been involved in research exploring community-based interventions to address maternal syphilis and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections.
-
J. Craig Phillips is professor of nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa. He strives toward human rights-based and decolonizing approaches to governance and community integrated research and nursing practice approaches. His program of research, titled the ecosocial context of health as a human right, has global impacts that documented social factors influencing nursing practices and health outcomes with and among marginalized populations, primarily persons living with HIV, in Botswana, Canada, Nigeria, and the United States.
He holds an LLM in intercultural human rights law and BSN, MSN, and PhD in nursing. His nursing and human rights legal training and experiences have guided his practices as a nurse, nurse educator, researcher, and administrator for more than 25 years.
He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN); Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Nursing (FCAN); Co-Director of the International Nursing Network for HIV Research; and an Investigator in the Centre for Research on Health and Nursing, a partnership between University of Ottawa and Canadian Nurses Association (CNA).
-
Tali (she/they) has several years of experience as a harm reduction nurse caring for people living with or at risk of HIV. She has worked in unsanctioned and sanctioned supervised consumption sites, urban health clinics, tertiary mental health hospitals and acute care hospitals. Currently she is an advanced practice nurse and the program manager of a hospital-based addiction medicine consult team, and the Eastern Regional Representative on the board of the Harm Reduction Nurses Association (in addition to her work on the CANAC board).
-
Georgia Dewart
PhD, BScN, RN
President
Dr. Georgia Dewart is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University. Her clinical background has been in maternal and community health nursing. Her research focuses include health equity, nursing practice and maternal health. Most recently, she has been involved in research exploring community-based interventions to address maternal syphilis and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections.
Craig Phillips
PhD, LLM, RN, ACRN, FAAN
President
J. Craig Phillips is professor of nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa. He strives toward human rights-based and decolonizing approaches to governance and community integrated research and nursing practice approaches. His program of research, titled the ecosocial context of health as a human right, has global impacts that documented social factors influencing nursing practices and health outcomes with and among marginalized populations, primarily persons living with HIV, in Botswana, Canada, Nigeria, and the United States.
He holds an LLM in intercultural human rights law and BSN, MSN, and PhD in nursing. His nursing and human rights legal training and experiences have guided his practices as a nurse, nurse educator, researcher, and administrator for more than 25 years.
He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN); Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Nursing (FCAN); Co-Director of the International Nursing Network for HIV Research; and an Investigator in the Centre for Research on Health and Nursing, a partnership between University of Ottawa and Canadian Nurses Association (CNA).
Taliesin (Tali) Magboo Cahill
RN, MSN
Secretary
Tali (she/they) has several years of experience as a harm reduction nurse caring for people living with or at risk of HIV. She has worked in unsanctioned and sanctioned supervised consumption sites, urban health clinics, tertiary mental health hospitals and acute care hospitals. Currently she is an advanced practice nurse and the program manager of a hospital-based addiction medicine consult team, and the Eastern Regional Representative on the board of the Harm Reduction Nurses Association (in addition to her work on the CANAC board).
Jennifer Bell
RN PhD
Treasurer
Regional Representatives
-
Geoff holds a Bachelor Arts in Political Science from the University of Victoria, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Victoria. Geoff has nearly 15 years experience working in a diverse range of sexual health practice areas in Canada and the United States. These include front line outreach and primary care nursing, education, research and clinical and operational leadership positions. Geoff currently works at Vancouver Coastal Health as the Manager of Priority Populations, supporting HIV Regional Services including the STOP HIV Outreach Team, Health Initiative for Men PrEP and STI testing clinics and the Priority Populations Outreach Team. Geoff has a particular passion in expanding scope of practice for nurses working in community settings, reducing health inequities and promoting culturally safe, appropriate and accessible services for people at risk for, and living with HIV. Geoff is excited for this opportunity to continue his work in HIV advocacy as a member of the CANAC Board of Directors.
.
-
My name is Joanna Binch, and I am a nurse practitioner practicing in Ottawa. I have worked in community health for the last 23 years- working first in Northern Ontario communities, then I returned to school to complete my Master’s and Nurse Practitioner program. I enjoyed working with Inner City Health and individuals experiencing homelessness in Ottawa, but soon moved to Somerset West Community Health Centre where I spent 14 years offering outreach and low barrier health care to individuals living in rooming houses. I have a passion for advocating for housing as a form of health care and addressing primary health care needs considerate of the social determinants of health.
I graduated from the University of Ottawa’s School of Nursing PhD program and my thesis project was about the health of rooming house residents. I returned to school while working full-time at Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, as a NP with the Oasis program where our mandate is to provide care to individuals living with HIV or Hepatitis C, or at risk, through drug use or working in the sex trade. I have also worked casually with Ottawa Public Health in the mobile harm reduction program for over 20 years.
When I am not working, I am fortunate to spend time with my husband and three children (including two teenagers who keep me humble).
-
Añiela dela Cruz holds a PhD in Nursing and an MSc in Health Promotion Studies (University of Alberta). She has nearly 25 years of professional experience in community and public health, health policy, and health and program evaluation research. In her career, Añiela has worked with Alberta communities, provincial and federal governments, and non-government organizations focusing on areas of public health such as HIV/AIDS, chronic disease prevention, pre-natal nutrition, Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC), and child and youth health promotion and illness prevention. She has worked extensively with diverse and resilient communities in Alberta and across Canada including women, children, people living with HIV, marginalized immigrants, First Nations communities, urban Indigenous communities, and urban and rural populations.
-
Andra Cardow is Registered Nurse with experience in Critical Care, HIV Care and Nursing Education. Andra graduated with a BScN from Queen’s University in 2003 and an MN from University of Toronto in 2020.
Andra started providing HIV care at Casey House Hospital in Toronto, in 2013. She first worked as an RN on the Inpatient Unit, later assuming the roles of Advanced Practice Nurse and Inpatient Clinical Lead.
Andra is interested in incorporating the principles of harm reduction into acute care settings, and is committed to reducing the stigma, barriers and inequitable care that marginalized groups often experience in hospitals.
Andra recently moved to Halifax and is looking forward to becoming more involved in HIV work in Atlantic Canada.
Geoff Ford
RN MPH
Pacific
Geoff holds a Bachelor Arts in Political Science from the University of Victoria, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Victoria. Geoff has nearly 15 years experience working in a diverse range of sexual health practice areas in Canada and the United States. These include front line outreach and primary care nursing, education, research and clinical and operational leadership positions. Geoff currently works at Vancouver Coastal Health as the Manager of Priority Populations, supporting HIV Regional Services including the STOP HIV Outreach Team, Health Initiative for Men PrEP and STI testing clinics and the Priority Populations Outreach Team. Geoff has a particular passion in expanding scope of practice for nurses working in community settings, reducing health inequities and promoting culturally safe, appropriate and accessible services for people at risk for, and living with HIV. Geoff is excited for this opportunity to continue his work in HIV advocacy as a member of the CANAC Board of Directors.
.
Joanna Binch
PhD, NP
Ontario
My name is Joanna Binch, and I am a nurse practitioner practicing in Ottawa. I have worked in community health for the last 23 years- working first in Northern Ontario communities, then I returned to school to complete my Master’s and Nurse Practitioner program. I enjoyed working with Inner City Health and individuals experiencing homelessness in Ottawa, but soon moved to Somerset West Community Health Centre where I spent 14 years offering outreach and low barrier health care to individuals living in rooming houses. I have a passion for advocating for housing as a form of health care and addressing primary health care needs considerate of the social determinants of health.
I graduated from the University of Ottawa’s School of Nursing PhD program and my thesis project was about the health of rooming house residents. I returned to school while working full-time at Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, as a NP with the Oasis program where our mandate is to provide care to individuals living with HIV or Hepatitis C, or at risk, through drug use or working in the sex trade. I have also worked casually with Ottawa Public Health in the mobile harm reduction program for over 20 years.
When I am not working, I am fortunate to spend time with my husband and three children (including two teenagers who keep me humble).
Añiela dela Cruz
RN, MN, PhD
Prairies
Añiela dela Cruz holds a PhD in Nursing and an MSc in Health Promotion Studies (University of Alberta). She has nearly 25 years of professional experience in community and public health, health policy, and health and program evaluation research. In her career, Añiela has worked with Alberta communities, provincial and federal governments, and non-government organizations focusing on areas of public health such as HIV/AIDS, chronic disease prevention, pre-natal nutrition, Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC), and child and youth health promotion and illness prevention. She has worked extensively with diverse and resilient communities in Alberta and across Canada including women, children, people living with HIV, marginalized immigrants, First Nations communities, urban Indigenous communities, and urban and rural populations.
Andra Cardow
RN, MN
Atlantic
Andra Cardow is Registered Nurse with experience in Critical Care, HIV Care and Nursing Education. Andra graduated with a BScN from Queen’s University in 2003 and an MN from University of Toronto in 2020.
Andra started providing HIV care at Casey House Hospital in Toronto, in 2013. She first worked as an RN on the Inpatient Unit, later assuming the roles of Advanced Practice Nurse and Inpatient Clinical Lead.
Andra is interested in incorporating the principles of harm reduction into acute care settings, and is committed to reducing the stigma, barriers and inequitable care that marginalized groups often experience in hospitals.
Andra recently moved to Halifax and is looking forward to becoming more involved in HIV work in Atlantic Canada.
Governance
CANAC is governed by an elected board of directors consisting of four executive officers and five regional (geographic) representatives (Pacific; Prairies & North; Ontario; Quebec; and the Atlantic Provinces). Board responsibilities and functions are detailed in a comprehensive set of policy and procedures:
The Annual General Meeting is held during the Annual CANAC Conference which traditionally takes place sometime in the spring.
The Board has updated and developed materials to aid in furthering CANAC’s mission. Currently undergoing final revisions, these include
CANAC is an Associate Nursing Interest Group of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and a charitable organization registered with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. As a result, the governing policies outlined in our Bylaws are consistent with the requirements set out by the CNA and the federal Income Tax Act.