Meet our board

Dr. Nicolas Bergeron, President
Recipient of the Rector’s Award for outstanding engagement from the Université de Montréal, and the Jacques-Voyer Humanitarian Award from the Association des médecins psychiatres du Québec

Dr. Nicolas Bergeron has been President of Doctors of the World Canada since 2006. He is a psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor at the CHUM (Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal) hospital. He has specialized training in medical psychiatry and expertise in the field of post-traumatic stress disorder. His research focuses on delirium that occurs during serious illnesses. He is also involved in the care and research of burn victims. He participated, as a volunteer doctor, in providing help to New York’s 911 victims after the events of September 11, 2001. Since joining Doctors of the World, Dr. Bergeron has carried out several missions in Haiti, Nicaragua, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. He also provided mental health care to the victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. He is regularly asked by the media to comment on the psychological reactions to natural disasters or mass violence.

“Doctors of the World Canada is made up of volunteers, directors and activists who believe that humanitarian aid should provoke thought and inspire others to make a commitment to moral empowerment and humanity. We also have a duty to witness and advocate for sustainable social policies that protect human dignity.”

Dr. Zoé BRABANT, Vice-President
Resident in Public Health, M Sc. Community Health

Before her medical residency, Dr. Brabant worked as a nurse with an expanded role in Quebec’s Northern regions, and as a humanitarian worker in several countries, notably for Doctors of the World. Her work has taken her to Afghanistan, Haiti, Sri Lanka, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, and more recently, the borders of Syria. Zoe Brabant has been a committed member of Doctors of the World since 2003, and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2007. She is also involved in various activities aimed at improving the health and access to healthcare of migrants with precarious status in Montreal.

“Providing humanitarian aid here and abroad, especially in the healthcare field, is a unique way to connect with people. My path has led me to get involved with Doctors of the World and, along the way, I learned how to put this human connection at the forefront of the care I provide. I believe in our local interventions and in our partnerships with local authorities and organizations, which is largely why I continue to be involved with Doctors of the World.”

Vincent Morel, Treasurer
Certified Corporate Director (CSA) of Laval University

A graduate of HEC Montréal with an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, he has spent 20 years working in the field of international cooperation. He also spent a few years in several places on the African continent such as Mali, Central African Republic and Benin. He has been Director of International Programs in the field of NGOs and higher education in Quebec, taking part in Development Programs and as well as Humanitarian Action Programs. He has been an administrator at Doctors of the World since 2009, and oversees the Audit Committee.

“My involvement with Doctors of the World allows me to take actions here and abroad for a more equal and fair world, where those left behind by our societies find a little hope and easier access to healthcare. I’m very proud and motivated by the quality of the work done by the team at Doctors of the World Canada.”

Dr. Shelley-Rose Hyppolite, Administrator
Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Society for International Health in 2013 to mark her significant contribution in the field of international health

Dr. Shelley-Rose Hyppolite is a medical specialist in public health and preventive medicine. She works as a medical consultant at the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, a public health centre serving Quebec City and surrounding areas. The centre conducts studies and research on social inequalities in health, and on participatory approaches that serve to empower marginalized people. She is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the Université Laval. She teaches courses relating to international health and social inequalities in healthcare. She is involved in partnership projects on food safety, and in reviewing medical training program for the Faculty of Medicine at the Université d’État d’Haïti. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of Doctors of the World since 2007 and has completed several overseas development and emergency missions as a volunteer physician within the organization. Her involvement with Doctors of the World is linked to her particular sensitivity to the social injustices here in Canada, and elsewhere in the world.

“I got involved several years ago with Doctors of the World Canada, because I wanted to “do my part” and use my skills and means to make a difference. The social injustices that we encounter here and abroad touch me deeply. The motto, “Doctors of the World fight against all diseases, as well as social injustice,” touches me on a personal level.”

Sarah-Anne Barriault, Administrator

Sarah-Anne Barriault has been a lawyer since 2008 and has been involved in several projects to defend and promote human rights. She has collaborated in investigations regarding violence and human rights violations in Mexico, Guatemala and Madagascar. Engaged in different humanitarian causes through her profession, she worked in Madagascar as a program coordinator for the medical NGO Pivot. She is currently a consultant at Qualifications Québec, where she assists immigrants in their integration into Quebec. Considering community involvement as a real agent of social change, she is involved as a volunteer with Doctors of the World’s mobile clinic and migrant clinic.

Dr. David-Martin Milot, Administrator
CMA Award for Young Leaders (Early Career) — 2019 Recipient
Public Health and Preventive Medicine Specialist, Monteregie Regional Public Health Department, Quebec
Professor and researcher, Faculty of medicine and health sciences and Addiction research and study programs unit, Université de Sherbrooke

Armed with a Master’s degree in Public Health from the Université de Montréal, Dr. Milot is currently finishing his residency in public health and preventive medicine at the Université de Sherbrooke. He is set to begin a fellowship in Europe in 2018 that will focus on dependency and community development. Dr. Milot has been involved with Doctors of the World since 2008, when he cofounded the Youth branch of the organization, which he chaired for three years. He has been a member of the Board of Doctors of the World since 2012 and is involved in various projects within the organization. He also cofounded and chaired the Young Physicians for Public Health group, whose mission is to promote public health investments and actions in Quebec. He is actively involved in various projects related to the health of marginalized populations, both in Quebec and elsewhere in the world. He is particularly active in Haiti and Colombia.

“Health has always been an important social cause to me, but Doctors of the World helped me realized what mattered to me most, both personally and professionally, which is public health. I grew up with a perpetual concern for fairness, constantly questioning why some people do better than others in terms of their physical and mental well-being. Doctors of the World allows me to explore these questions and propose promising courses of action, both in Quebec and elsewhere in the world.”

Debby Cordeiro, Secretary
Vice-president, Brand and Communications at Pomerleau

Debby Cordeiro is a volunteer at Doctors of the World since 2014 and secretary since 2016. Working in information technology relating to healthcare for more than a decade, she has contributed to the digitalization of the mobile clinic in Montreal, and has helped launch the national expansion of Doctors of the World Canada in Alberta and British Columbia. With a Bachelor and a Master’s degree in French and Literature from McGill University, she graduated with honours, made the Dean’s List, and received an honourary scholarship Her career at TELUS has also earned her several honours, most recently a CHLOE award in the category of Leadership and Innovation.

“Forty years ago, it was my parents who, fleeing great poverty and dictatorship, arrived in Montreal without any resources, just the clothes on their backs. The plight of migrants appeals to me and I know that a Mobile Clinic like yours would have been a great help on their arrival. I am the first in the family to go to university and the only one to go beyond a Bachelor’s degree. I have been working since I was 16 years old. A generation later, things have changed, but I’ll never forget where I come from.”

Me Alain Côté, Administrator
Executive Vice-President, Genetec Inc

After working in taxation at Ogilvy Renault for 12 years, then spending four years at Merrill Lynch in Finance, Mr. Côté is currently Executive Vice-President and Cofounder of Genetec Inc. , where he oversees legal and financial matters. He holds degrees in Civil Law and Common Law from McGill University and is a member of the Quebec Bar. He serves on the Board of Directors of Doctors of the World and the Institut National du Sport du Québec.

“I’m particularly touched by the role Doctors of the World plays in filling the gaps in our local healthcare system, and in defending the right to healthcare of those left behind in our society. Contributing my time and effort to this cause always gives me a renewed sense of purpose.”

Frédéric Mayrand, Administrator

A banker by profession (Banque BNP Paribas), Frédéric Mayrand has been a member of the Board of Directors of Doctors of the World Canada since 2014. Influenced by his father, who is committed to improving access to healthcare for people in the poorest countries, he decided to get involved with Doctors of the World.

Fannie Guilbault, Director
Management Consultant at KPMG

Fannie Guilbault’s areas of expertise range from project portfolio management and strategic planning, to the development and implementation of upper management personnel, performance management and change management. She holds an MBA from Concordia University, an M.A. in International Relations and a BSc in Sociology from the London School of Economics (LSE). Before entering the business world, Fannie Guilbeault spent several years managing humanitarian programs, which led her to work in Chad in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in Sudan and Kenya, as well as in Haiti for Doctors of the World Canada. After more than five years in the private sector, Fannie Guilbeault wanted to renew her commitment to improving the society in which we live, and offer her time to help the less fortunate. She is particularly drawn to Doctors of the World since it believes that life cannot be lived to the fullest without physical and mental health. It also believes that access to healthcare should not be a privilege, but a right—for the well-being of our society, of humanity and of future generations.

“The mission of Doctors of the World is particularly appealing to me since I deeply believe that life cannot be lived to its fullest without health (physical and mental), and that access to healthcare should not be a privilege, but a right, for the well-being of our society, of humanity and of future generations.”

Nadia Abdelaziz, Administrator
Doctor, MSc, Health Advisor, Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services

Nadia Abdelaziz graduated in General Medicine from the Faculty of Algiers in Algeria. She practiced as an emergency physician in a university hospital center in Algiers before immigrating to Canada in the late 90s. After completing a Master’s degree in research from the Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and an internship at the Université de Montréal’s Heart Institute, she began her research career at the Guy Bernier Center at Maisonneuve Rosemont Hospital, and then at the National Institute of Public Health. In 2003, she began her career as a public health advisor, first at Direction régionale de Laval, then at Direction générale du ministère de la santé. There, she mainly dealt with Tuberculosis patients, refugees and asylum seekers. Since 2013, she has been a consultant at the MSSS’s Oncology Department where she coordinates various expert committees in breast cancer and primary care. Nadia has been involved with Doctors of the World since 2012, first as a volunteer at the migrant clinic and then as a member of the organization.

“I wanted to go further in my commitment as a volunteer with Doctors of the World. I want to help make our society more equitable, because everyone should be able to receive care with dignity, regardless of their social and economic status.”

Dr. Jean Rouleau, Administrator
Cardiologist at the Montreal Heart Institute

Dr. Jean Rouleau practices cardiology at the Montreal Heart Institute. Former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and former Scientific Director of the Circulatory and Respiratory Institute of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), he helped solve the shortage of doctors in Mauricie by supporting the development of an off-site campus. With more than 450 publications, he is the most cited professor at the Université de Montréal. He chairs the advisory committee of the Centre of Excellence for Public Patient Partnership (CEPPP). He was awarded the Order of Canada. Her involvement was inspired by her father’s involvement as a doctor for poor patients in his community in Ottawa, and her daughter who worked with Partners in Health in Rwanda for four years.

Dr. Marie-Jo Ouimet, Administrator

Specialized in public health and preventive medicine since 2017, she practiced as a family physician from 1997 to 2017. In 2009, Dr. Ouimet began working with Médecins du Monde community nurses to provide care for migrants without medical insurance. This collaboration gave rise to the Migrants Project of Médecins du Monde Canada. She also served on the Committee on Care and helped set up the mobile clinic.

From 2010 to 2011, she volunteered for Médecins du Monde France and contributed more closely to the international network. Through her work, Dr. Ouimet was engaged and called upon to defend the rights of marginalized people in precarious situations, particularly with migrants with precarious status.
Dr. Ouimet recently led the advocacy group on access to care for pregnant women without medical insurance.

She also works at the James Bay Cree Board, which gives her a better understanding of the systemic barriers facing Canada’s Aboriginal peoples.

Yolande Veci, Treasurer

Now retired, Yolande Veci has spent her entire career as a chartered accountant. With a diversified experience acquired first within an accounting firm and then within Hydro-Québec, her areas of expertise cover internal control, information systems, preparation of financial statements, process optimization, cost monitoring and follow-up, etc. A volunteer with Médecins du Monde Canada since 2015, she has, among other things, offered her support and expertise in redesigning the information system for international projects.