Our Team

Tina is the Founder and President of Spindle. She has led the execution of over 50 consulting engagements, developing strategies for maximizing the value, effectiveness and downstream impact of academic, educational, commercial and advocacy programs powered by cutting-edge science. She has extensive experience in strategic planning, impact assessment, opportunity evaluation and capital sourcing and has worked with senior university leaders, industry executives and government decision makers on a wide range of strategy development projects.

For approximately 5 years before she founded Spindle, Tina served as the Director of Strategic Planning and Communications for Ontario Genomics, where she worked closely with senior government officials to develop strategic plans and implementation road maps aimed at bolstering Ontario’s innovation and commercialization capacity. Prior to her work at Ontario Genomics, Tina was a consultant with Shift Health, a boutique management consulting firm focused on the health sphere.

Tina received her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Waterloo and holds a Ph.D. in molecular mechanisms of infectious disease from the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto.

Mark is Spindle’s Senior Manager. He has a strong background in the health research sector, with over 5 years of experience working with world-leading research and healthcare institutions in program management, strategic planning and evaluation.

Mark oversees Spindle’s overall project portfolio, ensuring appropriate resource allocation and timely execution of all client objectives.

He brings a systematic and methodological lens to project execution. He has experience carrying out complex strategic initiatives, expansive observational research studies and pharmaceutical clinical trials. In his role at Spindle, he leads large-scale strategy development engagements, guiding teams in data curation, management and analysis.

Mark is also a skilled communicator, adept at building trusting relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and clients including executives and senior leadership, patients and their families, healthcare professionals, academics and industry leaders, to understand their needs and help advance collaborative initiatives.

Mark holds a Master’s degree in Parasitology and Pathogen Biology from Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland.

As a Project Lead and Analyst at Spindle. Gabrielle has over three years of experience in research and management consulting with a focus on environmental health and sustainability. She brings stakeholder engagement, data analytics, communications, project management and strategy development expertise through her work with non-profits, multinationals and innovative start-ups. Prior to her work at Spindle, Gabrielle has worked as a Program Manager, a CSR Manager and a Junior Consultant with various industry and academic institutions in Canada, the UK and France. She is passionate about driving change and helping to shape responsible futures and a fairer world for future generations.

Gabrielle holds two Masters Degrees, in International Business from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, and in Management from Essec Business School in France.

Sofiya is a Project Lead and Analyst at Spindle. She brings a wealth of experience in scientific research, project management, and consulting to the team. 

Sofiya has held consultant and program management roles at a globally leading academic institution and a Canadian mega corporation, where she has cultivated proficiency in process optimization, change management, clinical research, data analytics, and stakeholder engagement. 

Sofiya’s passion for continuous learning is reflected in her pursuit of professional certifications, including Clinical Trials Operations and Google Project Management Specialization. With a strong foundation in data analysis, financial planning, project oversight, and regulatory compliance, she is poised to drive innovation and excellence at Spindle.

Sofiya holds a Master’s of Science specializing in Applied Immunology and a Bachelor’s in Life Science, both from the University of Toronto.

Dr. Janet Rossant is an internationally recognized developmental and stem cell biologist who has led some of Canada’s most important scientific enterprises, including the research arm of SickKids Hospital in Toronto, where she is currently Senior Scientist and Chief of Research Emeritus, and the Gairdner Foundation, where she currently serves as President and Scientific Director.

As Chief of Research, Dr. Rossant set the strategic direction of the SickKids Research Institute from 2005 until 2015, and oversaw 2000 researchers and faculty. She raised $95 million in government funds and partnered with the SickKids Foundation to execute on the $200 million total budget to build and support the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning. Dr. Rossant presides over all fundraising, partnership development, adjudication, science diplomacy and community building activities of the Gairdner Foundation, one of the most prestigious scientific award organizations in the world.

With over 400 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Rossant has made key contributions to our understanding of the early embryo and the role of stem cells in the nature and treatment of human disease. She also continues to lead key international ethics and public policy discussions around stem cell research and genetic modifications.

Dr. Rossant has received many honors and recognition for her work, including six honorary degrees, and election to the Royal Societies of London and Canada and the US National Academy of Sciences. In 2018 she received the N. American L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award and in 2021 the ISSCR Achievement Award. Dr. Janet Rossant was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2016 for advancing the global understanding of embryo development and stem cell biology, and for her national and international leadership in health science.

Mark J. Poznansky is the former CEO of Ontario Genomics – a provincial genomics-focused enabler – which he led from 2010 to 2017. During his tenure, he established the organization as a visionary and forward-thinking advocate for genomics-enabled technological and industrial transformation. He established a pioneering demand-pull model to facilitate the uptake of home-grown genomics innovations into local and global agriculture, water, mining, forestry and energy sectors and established mechanisms for securing millions in federal and industry funds in support of Ontario’s genomics research.

Previously he ran his own consultancy group offering a range of services including program reviews, strategic planning, change management and leadership training to clients in government, hospitals, universities and the private sector. He served as President and Scientific Director of Robarts Research Institute (London, Ontario) from 1993 to 2007, over which time the institute increased its staff from 100 to over 600, increased its annual research funding from $10 million to over $40 million, and developed a reputation for business development by spinning out seven different companies, including Viron Therapeutics, where Dr. Poznansky served as President and CEO. He has also served on the Merck USA Scientific Advisory Leadership Team, acted as Associate Dean of Medicine for Research at the University of Alberta and held faculty positions at the University of Western Ontario, University of Alberta and Harvard University.

Dr. Poznansky has published over 80 research papers. He has served as Chair of Let’s Talk Science, Chief Science Advisor to the CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute and on the board of the Innovation Institute of Ontario. He was a founding member and past chair of the Council for Health Research in Canada, and chaired the Scientific Advisory Boards of the Canadian Medical Discoveries Fund and MDS Capital Corp. He has also served as a member of numerous science-related committees including the Science Advisory Committee of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Medical Research Council of Canada Grants panel. Dr. Poznansky was made a member of the Order of Ontario in 2004 and the Order of Canada in 2005.

Earning his bachelor’s degree and PhD at McGill University, Dr. Poznansky completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Maurice Bitran is a scientist, educator, public policy expert, and former public-sector executive. As CEO and Chief Science Officer of the Ontario Science Centre he led the organization to a renewed focus on public scientific literacy and presided over the Centre’s 50th anniversary celebrations in September 2019.

As an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Ontario Government, Maurice led the provincial portfolios on: Environmental Policy (including Climate Change and the Great Lakes); Economic Development Policy and Programs (including the Next Generation of Jobs Fund and the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy); the Premier’s Jobs and Prosperity Council: and was Ontario’s Chief Negotiator for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union. He was also the Executive Director of the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund.

As a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Maurice teaches courses on policy implementation and the role of science in public policy. He has had academic appointments at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Toronto, the Astronomy Department of the University of Florida, the Astronomy Department of the University of Chile, and at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City.

Maurice has served as a director in the Boards of the Association of Science and Technology Centres, Tourism Toronto, Ontario Genomics, and the Canadian Association of Science Centres.

A native of Chile, Maurice was selected as one of the Ten most influential Hispanic-Canadians in 2012, received the Public Service Award from Life Sciences Ontario in 2013, and the Leadership Award from the Transformation Institute for Leadership Innovation in 2019. He holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Florida (USA) and is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.

George Ross is CEO and principal consultant at George Arthur Ross and Associates Inc and editor-in-chief of Canadian Government Executive magazine.

Mr. Ross has had a career spanning over 30 years in Public Service, including progressively more senior roles and an Assistant Deputy Minister appointment in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Mr. Ross has held the position of Deputy Minister with Ontario’s Ministries of Research and Innovation, Consumer Services and Northern Development and Mines as well as with Yukon Territory’s Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.

With the Ministry of Research and Innovation, Mr. Ross led the development of Ontario’s innovation network, oversaw the Ontario Research Fund, and led the establishment of Ontario’s Venture Capital Fund, the Emerging Technologies co-investment Fund, and the seed stage Investment Accelerator Fund to support venture capital investment in Ontario start-up companies.

Mr. Ross has extensive international experience in the area of trade and investment attraction, fostering international research collaborations and in public management and governance capacity building in developing countries.

He has served as President of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), Chair of the Ontario Capital Growth Corporation, co-Chair of the Conference Board of Canada’s Centre for the Advancement of Health Innovations and co-Chair of the Ontario Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation with the People’s Republic of China. In addition, Mr. Ross has served on numerous boards including the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and the Centre of Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI). He has received three awards from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario and the 2012 Public Service Award from Life Sciences Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and is a Board Director with the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Dr. Baker is a Professor Emeritus and Program Lead, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. He is also a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the Chair of the Safety and Quality Committee and Board Member of the University Health Network, Toronto, as well as the co lead of the ADVANCE program on Leadership, Accountability and Governance funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health for leaders in the Ontario Health Teams, the emerging model of integrated care in Ontario.

Dr. Baker has been the Chair of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) in Washington, DC, and a Board Member of the U.S. National Center for Healthcare Leadership. He was a member of The King’s Fund (London, UK) Commission on Leadership and Management in the National Health Service in 2011, served as Chair of the Research and Evaluation Committee with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, and was a Board Member of the Institute for Safe Medication Practice Canada from 2000 to 2010 and the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council from 2005 to 2018.

Dr. Baker has designed and was the founding director of the University of Toronto’s M.Sc. program in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (2011-2016), one of 3 such programs in Canada, in which he continues to teach.

Dr. Castle is a Professor in the School of Public Administration and the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria. With his expertise in science, technology and innovation policy, he is currently in residence with the Office of the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, chairs the Council of Canadian Academies Scientific Advisory Committee, and chairs the Scientific Committee of the International Science Council’s World Data System. Dr. Castle’s recent scholarship includes Canadian Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (2016) and Ideas, Institutions, and Interests: The Drivers of Canadian Provincial Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (2022). The latter is a systematic review of sub-national science policy across the provinces and territories. Dr. Castle served as the peer reviewer of the Council of Canadian Academies’ report Science Policy: Considerations for Subnational Governments sponsored by the Government of Alberta, and acts as independent reviewer of research and infrastructure proposals for the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation. A former Vice-President Research, Dr. Castle has extensive experience with all aspects of the research lifecycle, including intellectual property management, partnerships and commercialization. He has written and consulted extensively on these topics in Canada, the UK, US, and Australia.

Janice is a Registered Nurse, who holds a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University, as well as a Master of Science in Adult Health Nursing from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She has over 35 years of experience in health care, education, not for profit and the public sector. She has led strategic plan development for many hospitals, academic health science organizations and community agencies across Ontario. Her consulting experience is supported by many years of operational and strategic leadership in the mental health, acute care hospital, and community care/service environments where she has been COO, EVP, VP, Chief of Nursing and Chief of Health Professions. Janice is part-time faculty in the Department of Health Sciences at McMaster University and she serves as a Board Member of Durham Nuclear Health Committee.

Hannah James is an experienced communications professional with 20 years of experience in communications, journalism, and media, working across traditional and digital platforms. She leads the Media and Communications team for the University of Guelph’s Centre for Biodiversity Genomics and its affiliated not-for-profit biodiversity research organization, iBOL Consortium. She oversees the marketing and communications strategy for a $180 million global biodiversity research program, BIOSCAN. Working with researchers, major museums, and academic institutions across 40 countries, Hannah strives to amplify scientific discoveries and projects to key stakeholders including governments, policymakers, funders, and communities.

Hannah is passionate about supporting organizations to achieve their strategic goals through thoughtful, informed, creative communications strategies with sophisticated delivery methods.

Before working in communications, Hannah worked for ten years as an investigative journalist at CTV News and Global News, producing long-form documentaries. Her bylines include National Geographic TV, Canadian Geographic, History Television, and The Guardian. Hannah’s storytelling has been recognized by the Canadian Medical Association Media Awards, Canadian Screen Awards, and RTDNA Canada Awards.

Hannah holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario and an Honours B.A. in Fine Art History from the University of Toronto.

As a former Director and Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, Bill led the design and execution of Ontario’s innovation strategy and IP Policy for almost 2 decades. This included leadership for overarching strategy and building/partnering with dozens of purpose-built organizations. Bill also led the creation of Ontario’s network of 18 regional innovation centers, Ontario’s partnership and development role in the MaRS Discovery District, Communitech, the Ottawa Innovation Centre at Bayview Yards, McMaster Innovation Park, Sarnia Research Park, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Clinical Trials Ontario, Compute Ontario, Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Vector Institute, the Ontario Brain Institute, the Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation, Green Centre Canada, and numerous research parks and accelerators that make up Ontario’s globally recognized innovation system. Bill recently joined the Centre for the Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM.CA) as the Director of Strategic Projects. Bill is a director on the Yves Landry Foundation Board of Directors.

Tom is a recognized authority on Canada’s economic and demographic prospects. He has provided economic and demographic advice to clients in all sectors of the economy for three decades. Beyond demographic analysis, Tom specializes in national, provincial and sub provincial long-term projections of economic output, employment by occupation, and place-of-work, within life science and healthcare industries.

Previous to his consulting role, Tom was Vice President of Research with Environics Analytics and Director of Canadian Economic Services and Chief Canadian Economist with Boston-based IHS Markit. He has also worked in various capacities as a senior economic advisor to the federal government at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce.

Tom has served as one of the five commissioners on the Premier’s Task Force on the Future of the GTA, a member of the Province of Ontario’s Panel on Smart Growth Strategy, a member of the Ontario Jobs and Investment Board and a member of the Province of Ontario’s Who Does What Panel. Tom holds an MA in Economics from Western University.

Marcel Mongeon is a lawyer qualified in the Canadian province of Ontario as well as New York State in the USA. He is retired as a lawyer in Quebec. Marcel specializes in Intellectual Property rights, including copyright, trademarks and patents and is a Registered Patent and Trade-mark Agent in Canada.

For over 25 years, Marcel has worked in new technology assessment, management, and commercialization. As an independent IP Coach and President of Mongeon Consulting, he has assisted governmental, government-supported, academic and private sector institutions with devising and implementing strategies to profit from their intangible assets. Marcel has worked with many leading technology and innovation hubs and post-secondary institutions in Canada and abroad, including the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, McGill University, National Research Council, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, Colleges Ontario Network for Industry Innovation, Council for Higher Education, U.K. (collaborative research project, École de technologie supérieure), Federal Partners in Technology Transfer, Genome Canada, Government of South Africa, Hospital for Sick Children, Memorial University. McGill University, Nippising University, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, Ontario Council on University Research, Rx&D (Pharma Canada), Saskatchewan Commercialization Network, United States Patent and Trademark Office, University of Brunei, University of New Brunswick, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, University of Saskatchewan, University of Singapore, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and Western Diversification.

As principal instructor for ezCPD.ca, his own firm offering online continuing professional development for legal professionals, Marcel has significant experience in teaching legal and business topics. He is also an experienced international speaker and seminar leader in many areas, including business strategy, IP management and negotiations, and governance.

Marcel holds business, law and science degrees from McGill (B.Com., LL.B., BCL), McMaster (MBA), Swinburne University (MSc) and Strathclyde (LL.M.) and is a Chartered Mediator (C.Med.). His work experience includes having been in charge of the technology transfer office at McMaster University overseeing all sponsored research, patenting, and commercialization activities of this comprehensive university from 1997 to 2006.

Linda is a leader in health services research and evidence-based health policy. She has guided and overseen the translation of critical research-based evidence into the implementation and launch of ColonCancerCheck Ontario, Canada’s first province-wide, organized colorectal cancer screening program. Linda is also the author of over 260 peer-reviewed publications resulting in high-impact research findings that have shaped healthcare’s understanding of the quality and effectiveness of cancer screening.

Linda has served in many senior leadership roles within the Canadian health ecosystem, including as Director of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Toronto, Regional Vice President at Cancer Care Ontario and Chief of the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Currently as a gastroenterologist, clinician scientist and health care executive, Linda serves as the Vice President of Prevention and Cancer Control at Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), Senior Scientist at IC/ES and holds Professorships at both the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Linda received her medical degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and completed specialist training in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UBS and the University of Toronto. She received her Master’s degree in Public Health from Yale University, where she trained as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar.