Meet our board

Dr. David-Martin Milot, President

Public Health and Preventive Medicine Specialist, DSP Montérégie
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Substance Abuse Services, Université de Sherbrooke
Researcher, Institut universitaire sur les dépendances
Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Young Leaders Award (Emerging Physician) – 2019 Recipient

After earning his M.D. from McGill University as a Loran Scholar, David-Martin Milot completed a Master’s degree in Public Health at the Université de Montréal. He then developed a specialization in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the Université de Sherbrooke, before embarking in a subspecialty training in Paris, where he studied empowerment through citizen participation and social representations of psychoactive substances and their regulatory models.

Today, he practices as a medical advisor with the DSP Montérégie and as a research professor in the field of psychoactive substances at the Université de Sherbrooke, where he also teaches in the Department of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Dr. Milot is particularly interested in inequities and issues relating to health access for marginalized, excluded, and disaffiliated populations and, more generally, health promotion and prevention strategies.

In addition to his professional activities, he is the co-founder of Jeunes médecins pour la santé publique (JMPSP – Young Physicians for Public Health). He has been an administrator of the Réseau francophone international pour la promotion de la santé (REFIPS – International Francophone Network for Health Promotion) and the Association pour la santé publique du Québec (ASPQ – Association for Public Health of Quebec). Moreover, Dr. Milot has been involved with Doctors of the World Canada since 2008 and has been a member of the organization’s Board of Directors since 2012. He has also worked on several international cooperation and community health projects in India, Senegal, Argentina, Colombia, and Haiti.

“For access to health care to be truly universal, it is essential to consider all the facets of human beings that influence their well-being. Therefore, the health system must allow for an approach tailored to individuals’ complexity while improving their living conditions. Doctors of the World Canada combines these individual and population-based approaches, both in Canada and internationally. As President of the organization, I wish to support its teams in strengthening these complementary approaches as to create lasting changes in the lives of those who are too often left out of the equation. I had the opportunity to discover the organization at the very beginning of my academic career. Since then, Doctors of the World Canada’s values of inclusion, equity, and commitment have become part of my personal and professional identity.”

Dr. Zoé BRABANT, Vice-President
Resident Physician in Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 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.”

Yolande Veci, Treasurer
Accountant

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.

Sarah-Anne Barriault, Secretary
Legal Counsel, PIVOT Works, Inc.

A lawyer since 2008, Sarah-Anne Barriault has been involved in several projects promoting and advocating for human rights. She has collaborated in investigations into violence and human rights violations in Mexico, Guatemala and Madagascar. A committed professional, she works as a legal advisor for the medical NGO Pivot, in Madagascar. She is involved in implementing universal health coverage in Madagascar, in collaboration with its Ministry of Public Health. Considering community involvement as an agent of social change, she is involved as a volunteer at both Doctors of the World’s Mobile and Migrant Clinics.

“Doctors of the World is the safety net for those who slip through the social safety net of our societies. Doctors of the World’s team and volunteers make a concrete difference in people’s lives daily and assert the right to health. Offering access to health care, as well as psychological and social support, with dignity and respect to the most vulnerable people, also means giving hope, allowing people to rebuild their confidence in themselves and others.”

Dr. Jean Rouleau, Director
Cardiologist,  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.

Debby Cordeiro, Director
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.”

Dr. Shelley-Rose Hyppolite, Director

Medical Advisor, Public Health Department, CIUSSSCN’s (Public Health Department of the Capitale-Nationale Region)
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.”

Nadia Abdelaziz, Director
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.”

Vincent Morel, Director
Executive Director , Le Pas de la rue

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.”

Me Alain Côté, Director
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.”

Fannie Guilbault, Director
Change Management Lead, Metro Inc.

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.”

Dr. Michel Welt, Director
Obstetrician-gynecologist, Medical Director of the Social Perinatal Team at the Centre de pédiatrie sociale de Saint-Laurent (Saint-Laurent Social Pediatrics Centre)

An obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Michel Welt, is the medical director of the perinatal social team at the Centre de pédiatrie sociale de Saint-Laurent, which welcomes pregnant women and children, regardless of their migratory status. This work has also led him to give specialized care (colposcopy, ultrasound, etc.) at his practice, where he has taken numerous steps to seek care on behalf of the clientele referred by Doctors of the World from several hospitals and institutions. His experience as a board member includes a 10-year tenancy as Treasurer and Vice President of the Council of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists of the Lasalle-Angrignon Hospital Center, eight years as Head of the Department of Obstetrics – Gynecology of the Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal and two terms on the Board of Directors of the Quebec Medical Association. He has been working with Doctors of the World as a volunteer physician for several years now.

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.

Pre Karine Bertrand, Director
Clinical Psychologist, Scientific Director at the Institut universitaire sur les dépendances and Researcher in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke

As a clinical psychologist, professor and researcher in the field of addictions, Prof. Karine Bertrand has for several years focused her work on the issues surrounding the understanding and intervention with individuals living in precarious situations, who are particularly affected by the consequences and risks associated with substance use, but also by a combination of related difficulties, particularly in terms of housing and mental health. Her work as a researcher in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Université de Sherbrooke and at the Institut universitaire sur les dépendances is undertaken through multidisciplinary teams (involving public health medicine, family medicine, social work, psychology, health sociology, etc.).

“I am particularly interested in linking research with organizations such as Doctors of the World to reflect on the actions that need to be undertaken to improve the health of individuals in vulnerable situations and to influence public policy. ”

Valérie Martin, Director
Head, Talent and Culture for LCI Education Network

Valérie Martin is Head, Talent & Culture for LCI Education Network and previously held the Vice President of Global Communications, Culture and Corporate Social Responsibility position at the ALDO Group. Valérie’s duties include human resources, employee experience, recruiting, training, corporate culture, internal communications, public relations, and corporate social responsibility. Valérie is truly passionate about sustainable development and philanthropy, both personally and professionally. She has been personally involved in several local and international organizations. She developed a volunteer program that increased employee involvement in volunteer activities by 69% in just one year. Thanks to her leadership, the ALDO Group became the first company in the footwear industry to be certified carbon neutral. On the “human” side of things, the company has implemented a progressive work/life balance policy during her mandate, making women’s leadership a genuine priority for the organization. Valérie has also sat on the Board of Directors of the Conseil québécois du commerce au detail (Retail Council of Québec) and on the Board of Directors of mmode.