Communications Committee

The members are:
Mr. David Rodier (Ottawa) National Public Relations
As senior consultant, David Rodier assists the Ottawa office and specializes in public affairs and strategic communications for the private sector and government organizations. Prior to joining NATIONAL, David served as a senior consultant for another public relations firm. He was also an aide to a federal Minister for almost seven years, for whom he served as the liaison with MPs from Quebec and Atlantic Canada and was responsible for many political files.

Ms. Sandra Graham (Ottawa) Capital Hill Group
Sandra has over 20 years of experience gained from working in Ottawa within the three key sectors necessary to influence change: private, public and political. Sandra joined the Capital Hill Group (CHG) in January 2006. Prior to joining CHG, Sandra was Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs, at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) for over seven years. She also worked as Associate Director, Government Relations at the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).
In addition, Sandra has held a number of senior positions within the Federal Government and on Parliament Hill, including:
• Director, Broadcasting Services, Department of Canadian Heritage
• Executive Assistant to the Hon. Ross Reid, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
• Senior Communications Advisor, Privy Council Office
• Senior Policy Advisory, National AIDS Secretariat, Department of Health and Welfare
• Legislative Assistant and Policy Advisor to the Hon. Perrin Beatty, Minister of National Defence; Minister of National Health & Welfare
• Policy Advisor to the Hon. Michel Côté, Minister responsible for Canada Post/Consumer and Corporate Affairs; Minister of Department of Regional Industrial Expansion (DRIE)
Sandra is currently on the Executive of the Ottawa-Orléans Conservative Party Electoral District Association and on the Board of Directors of the SCO Health Services (Elisabeth Bruyère Health Centre, Saint-Vincent Hospital).

Mr. Jeff Ansell (Toronto) Jeff Ansell and Associates
Former journalist Jeff Ansell’s investigative reports appeared on TV, radio and in newspapers and magazines. His yearlong investigations resulted in the capture of Nazi war criminals, exposed doctors pushing drugs, and led to the closure of a derelict nursing home.

Following his career in journalism, Jeff served as senior vice president of Hill and Knowlton, a global PR firm.

Jeff is an Associate of the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program “Dealing with an Angry Public,” sponsored by Harvard Law School. Annually, he teaches Harvard Business School MBA students in the “Negotiating Complex Deals and Disputes” course.

Jeff’s consulting practice helps Fortune 500 companies create strategies to manage high profile, tough issues including the Erin Brockovich case. Jeff has also counseled White House spokespeople and has shared the podium with former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and more recently coached speakers at an event honoring President Bill Clinton.

Mr. Sylvain Clermont (Montreal) Sanofi-Aventis
Sylvain Clermont has a wide range of experience in pharmaceutical communications. He graduated from Université de Montréal in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, and worked in community pharmacy. Sylvain spent more than ten years at Merck Frosst, where he held various positions in the sales, training and public relations departments. He also worked for the Cossette Communication-Marketing agency for the Health division.

As the Quebec Government Relations Manager for Bristol-Myers Squibb, he played an influential role with public health policy authorities in Quebec where he led government negotiations as part of the External Affairs Department and in his role as Vice-President of the Quebec committee of Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D).

In May 2005, Sylvain became the Director of external communications at sanofi-aventis Canada , where he was responsible for media and lead the department of Communications. In early 2009, he moved as the Director, Public Policy and Stakeholder Relations.

Ms. Marina Sampson (Toronto) Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP
Marina Sampson is a lawyer practicing litigation at Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, a law firm in Toronto. As an advocate, she is drawn to issues of equality and justice and has long held a particular interest in HIV and rehabilitation matters. Prior to joining the CWGHR board, Marina served on its development committee since 2005. Marina is also currently a member of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) and sits on its education and programming committee.

Dr. Kelly O’Brien (Toronto) University of Toronto, Department of Physical Therapy
Kelly O’Brien is a physical therapist and Lecturer in the Department of Physical Therapy. She recently obtained her PhD in Clinical Epidemiology at the Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. Kelly also is conducting postdoctoral studies at McMaster University where she is working on the development of a new HIV Disability Questionnaire. She is currently funded by a Fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Michael G. DeGroote Fellowship at McMaster University. Her research interests include rehabilitation in the context of HIV/AIDS, specifically: disability experienced by adults living with HIV; knowledge attitudes and practices of rehabilitation professionals in the area of HIV/AIDS; and the effect of exercise for people living with HIV/AIDS. Methodological areas of interest include systematic reviews, qualitative research methodology, measurement, and survey methods.