Rabbi Dr. Reuven P. Bulka was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on December 1, 2004 and has been the Board Chair since 2007. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on June 1, 2017.

Rabbi Dr. Reuven P. Bulka received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Jacob Joseph Rabbinical Seminary in New York in 1965 and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Ottawa in 1971, concentrating on the Logotherapy of Viktor Frankl. He has been the Rabbi of Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa since 1967, and is presently its Rabbi Emeritus.

Rabbi Bulka was the host of the TV series, In Good Faith, from 1970 to 2006. He was a regular columnist with the Ottawa Citizen’s “Ask the Religion Experts” feature from 1995 till its conclusion in 2014, and has authored and/or edited more than 35 books. His prolific literary career highlights also include founding the “Journal of Psychology and Judaism” in 1976. He is host of the weekly CFRA Radio call in program “Sunday Night with Rabbi Bulka” since 1994.

Rabbi Bulka is actively involved in his community. He served as co-president of the Canadian Jewish Congress, is Honorary Chaplain of the Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion, and a member of the Interfaith Committee on Canadian Military Chaplaincy. He is also deeply involved with many organizations, including the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and United Way/Centraide of Ottawa-Carleton, is founder of Ottawa Kindness Week, and founding President/CEO of Kind Canada Génereux, as well as being a blood donor 345 times. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in June, 2013.

Anne Atkinson was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on November 28, 2016. Her current term on the TGLN Board will expire on November 28, 2019.

Anne has over forty years of health care experience. As a registered nurse, she has worked at both the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and London England. Anne's clinical experience was in both paediatric and adult critical care. Over the last thirty years, Anne has held progressive administrative positions including Vice President of Clinical Services for a large multi site organization.

Volunteering has always been a part of Anne's life, starting with Heart and Stroke and Cancer Society. Anne had graduated from Laurentian University with a Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing.

Over the past few years, Anne has been a volunteer on a hospital board and a hospital foundation. Anne was also a member of the Trillium Grant Review Team for Niagara and a member of the Ontario Youth Opportunity Fund.

Anne is a Rotary member in St. Catharine’s and volunteers at a School Breakfast program and at the Niagara Children's Centre. Anne is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.

Anne and her family are residents of the Niagara Region.

Karen Belaire was appointed to Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on January 4, 2011. She is the Vice-Chair of the Board and the Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board. Her current term on the TGLN Board will expire on January 4, 2020.

Karen is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer at Shared Services West. Karen has held such roles as the Chief Operating Officer at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Chief Operating Officer at the London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care London, the Vice President Administration for McMaster University and the Vice President of Finance and Administration for St Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton and Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga.

Karen holds a CPA/CGA designation and an MBA.

Karen values governance and the role of the Board. Having completed the Conference Board of Canada/DeGroote School of Business Directors College, she is a Chartered Director (C. Dir.), and her board experience includes Vineland Research & Innovation Centre, GS1 Canada Carenet Healthcare Sector, CIMTEC, CSii, HSCN, Kids Health Links Foundation, St. Joseph’s Health System (International Outreach Programs), Horizon Utilities, Theatre Aquarius, St. Peters Hospital, McMaster Innovation Park, Gore District Land Trust, McMaster Museum of Art, and CAA Southwestern Ontario

Christine Clark Lafleur was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on December 3, 2008. She is the Chair of the Governance Committee of the Board. Her current term on the TGLN Board will expire on September 3, 2018.

A graduate of Carleton University, Christine Clark has 30 years experience in the field of public affairs, stakeholder engagement and corporate communications with more than 20 years as a leading communications professional in the healthcare sector. Christine is currently the Executive Director at Port Cares – one of the first comprehensive social service hubs in Canada. In June 2011, Christine was appointed Chair of the Ontario Trillium Foundation – Niagara Grant Review Team. In 2008, Christine received two national awards for communications excellence from the Health Care Public Relations Association. In May 2004, she received a coveted Woman of Distinction Award from the YWCA for her exemplary leadership in the field of Public Affairs and Communications. In 1999, she served as the Chief Communications Director for the 1999 World Rowing Championships. She is a past Board member of Goodwill Industries Niagara. She currently serves on the Ontario Trillium Foundation Niagara Grants Committee.

A life-long resident of Niagara, Christine and her husband Ted Lafleur reside with their two young sons in Fort Erie.

Doug Ferguson was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on September 14, 2016. He is a member of the Governance Committee of the Board. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on September 13, 2019.

Doug Ferguson is Director of Community Legal Services (CLS) and Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law at Western University. Students at CLS, under the supervision of lawyers, provide legal services to low income persons in the London community in the areas of criminal law, small claims court, landlord and tenant, wills and powers of attorney, mediation, immigration, and public legal education.

A 1981 law graduate of Western Law, Mr. Ferguson attended the University of Ottawa where he earned his Bachelor of Administration degree and his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree. He practiced with the law firm of Bitz, Szemenyei, Ferguson & MacKenzie LLP (now Szemenyei MacKenzie Group LLP) in civil litigation, wills and estates, and tax law.

From 1994 to 2003, Mr. Ferguson acted as a Federal Crown Attorney for tax prosecutions conducted by the Canada Revenue Agency. He formerly served as a presiding member of the Consent and Capacity Board for the Ontario Ministry of Health and on the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee.

Mr. Ferguson is a council member of both the Canadian Bar Association and the Ontario Bar Association, and is the founding president of the Association for Canadian Clinical Legal Education. He serves as a special advisor to the CBA’s Access to Justice Committee and is currently Acting Chair of its Legal Aid Committee.

In 2009, Mr. Ferguson was awarded the Alumnus of Distinction Award by the Western Law Alumni Association. In 2012, he was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

In 2014, Mr. Ferguson received the ultimate gift of life. He underwent two liver transplants in five days at University Hospital in London. To express their gratitude, he and his wife Laurie Lashbrook are dedicating themselves to the cause of organ donation and transplantation.

Michael Galego was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on October 21, 2015. He is a member of the Quality Committee of the Board. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on October 21, 2018.

Mr. Galego is a lawyer with extensive M&A and corporate finance experience. Mr. Galego serves Chief Executive Officer at Northern Dynamics Inc., a company controlled by the Stronach Group. He previously served as Deputy General Counsel and Secretary of Frontera Energy Corp., formerly Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (TSX: PRE) and General Counsel and Secretary of CGX Energy Inc. (TSXV: OYL). Recently, Mr. Galego was a member of the Board of Directors of Woulfe Mining Corp. (CSE: WOF). Mr. Galego began his legal career as an associate in the business law department of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. Mr. Galego is a graduate of York University (Hons. B.A.) and the University of Windsor (LL.B). Mr. Galego is a resident of Toronto, Ontario.

Samuel S. Marr was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on March 1, 2017. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on February 29, 2020.

Samuel S. Marr is a partner with the law firm Landy Marr Kats LLP practicing for over 28 years in the area of civil litigation. Sam graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1986 and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1988. Sam is certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada. He is a past President of the Toronto Lawyers Association.

In 2015, Sam was awarded The Catzman Award for Professionalism & Civility in the legal profession. The Catzman Award was created in 2008 by the Catzman family, in memory of the late Justice Marvin A. Catzman of the Ontario Court of Appeal, together with The Advocates’ Society and the Chief Justice of Ontario’s Advisory Committee on Professionalism. The Catzman Award is presented by the Chief Justice of Ontario at the Opening of the Courts Ceremony annually in September.

Sam was diagnosed with a serious liver disease called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) while a student attending law school. While a constant in his life, PSC never deterred Sam from achieving his dreams of being a successful litigation lawyer, a leader in the legal community and engaging in other community service in the broader community. In January, 2012, Sam’s condition deteriorated and he required a liver transplant. His name was placed on the organ transplant waiting list. On November 21, 2012 Sam received his 'Gift of Life'. He was the recipient of a liver transplant from an anonymous living donor. The liver transplant was a complete success. It was a day his family and friends will never forget!

Sam was so grateful that he made it his personal mission to promote organ and tissue donation in the province of Ontario. In 2014, Sam received a Recognition Award from the Trillium Gift of Life Network for championing organ and tissue donation in the legal community.

In 2015, Sam together with his family launched a fundraising campaign raising much needed funds for liver transplantation research at the Toronto General hospital (University Health Network) where Sam had his liver transplant.

Sam was born and raised in Toronto. Sam has been married to his wife and best friend Susan for over twenty-five years and is the proud father of two boys, Darren and Adam.

Paulina Mirsky was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on September 8, 2014. She is a member of the Quality Committee of the Board. Her current term on the TGLN Board will expire on September 8, 2017.

Paulina Mirsky comes to TGLN with a longstanding commitment and passion to provide Canadians with ongoing education and awareness about the issues that affect organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

In 1998 a personal family experience prompted her interest in the psychosocial impact that the OTDT experience has on patients, families and health care workers. After retiring from a 35year career in acute care nursing, Ms. Mirsky joined a diverse group committed to increasing public and professional education and awareness about the multifaceted issues surrounding organ and tissue donation. In 2001 the Bertram Loeb Organ and Tissue Donation Institute was incorporated and she became the Executive Director. In 2005, the board of the Institute negotiated with the University of Ottawa to develop and partially fund the first academic research Chair in Organ and Tissue Donation in the world. In 2006, she became the Program Coordinator for the Bertram Loeb Chair and Research Consortium (LCRC). The research consortium led by Dr. Sam Shemie, provides academic credibility and research productivity through its innovative approach to the study of global issues surrounding OTDT.

Throughout her career, she has served on various nursing, community and volunteer boards and committees including the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, the Kidney Foundation of Eastern Ontario. She has recently retired from University of Ottawa.

Dr. Ken Pritzker was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on March 3, 2010. He is the Chair of the Quality Committee of the Board. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on March 3, 2020.

Ken is a graduate in Medicine from the University of Toronto from which he also has a Bachelor of Science (Medicine) degree in Pharmacology and received post graduate education in pathology at McGill University. Dr. Pritzker is a fellow of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Anatomical Pathology.

Dr. Ken Pritzker is currently CEO, York Medtech Ventures Inc., and President and CEO, Swan Cytologics Inc, Chief Innovation Officer, RNA Diagnostics Inc and Proteocyte Diagnostics Inc. Dr. Pritzker is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto.

Dr. Ken Pritzker served as Chief, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto from 1986 to 2008 and subsequently as founder of Mount Sinai Services, a laboratory service outreach vehicle for the biomedical research and innovation sector. With over 280 scientific publications, Ken is a recognized leader internationally in the fields of arthritis, biomaterials, genomics, nanotechnology and cancer diagnostics.

Throughout his career, Ken has served in leadership and advisory positions to national and international professional societies, research institutes and healthcare organizations. Ken brings over thirty years experience as consultant in the areas of strategic and operational advice for leading universities, health care institutions, pharmaceutical, diagnostics and biotechnology corporations. Dr. Pritzker is widely recognized as an innovator in clinical laboratory organization and management directed towards advancing patient centered clinical laboratory practice.

Dr. Vivek Rao, MD, PhD, FRCPS, was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on November 14, 2012. He is the Vice-Chair of the Quality Committee of the Board. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on November 14, 2019.

Dr. Rao’s surgical specialties include heart failure surgery, aneurysms of the heart, mechanical support of the heart and heart transplants. Dr. Rao completed his medical and surgical training at the University of Toronto before completing a fellowship in cardiac transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at New York’s Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Rao’s clinical interest is in the surgical treatment of end-stage heart disease. His research laboratory is currently investigating novel techniques of myocardial protection for cardiac transplantation and new therapeutic strategies to prevent transplant coronary artery disease. Dr. Rao contributed to the establishment of Canada’s first HeartMate artificial heart program at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC) in the fall of 2001. The VAD program at PMCC is now the largest and most diverse clinical program in the country offering multiple leading edge technologies specifically suited to individual patient needs.

Dr. Rao has won numerous awards during his surgical training and is the author or co-author on over 250 original publications on various topics in cardiac surgery. In 2006, he was awarded the Top 40 Under 40 distinction recognizing his dedication to finding answers to heart failure and making a significant difference to Canadians.

James Martin Ritchie was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on January 9, 2013. He is the Vice-Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on January 9, 2020.

Martin J.K. Ritchie is a co-founder and the Chief Compliance Officer of JCM Power. Martin is responsible for managing the risk and compliance processes and procedures of the company and in particular the anti-bribery and corruption internal practices. Since JCM has operations in regions of the world that have a high risk of bribery, corruption and fraud, Martin ensures that industry best practices are followed to mitigate risks in this area and ensure compliance with external regulators both in Canada and local jurisdictions. In 2015, Martin was asked to Co-Chair the Canadian Centre of Excellence for Anti-Corruption and represent medium-sized enterprises across Canada.

Martin was previously the Chief Financial Officer for Greta Energy, a Canadian renewable energy development company focused on wind energy in emerging markets such as Vietnam, Estonia, Bosnia & Russia. Before this, he was a leading forensic accountant and fraud investigator for an international risk consulting firm called Kroll and KPMG Forensics. His focus was on investigating white collar crimes of many varieties including money laundering, misappropriation of assets and insider trading.

Martin is an Honours graduate of Queens University and holds an MBA from the University of Toronto and a MSc. in Finance from the London School of Economics. He is also a Chartered Accountant and was a past recipient of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO) Award of Distinction honouring those Chartered Accountants' who have made an early impact, bringing distinction to themselves and to their profession through leadership and achievement in their professional, community and/or personal lives. He also is a member of the Board of Directors for Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN). TGLN is a not-for-profit agency of the Government of Ontario and plans, promotes, coordinates and supports organ and tissue donation and transplantation across Ontario. Its mission is to save and enhance lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Ontario.

Martin’s personal affiliation with the Network is associated with his wife, Natalia, having received a double-lung transplant in 2009. He is committed to community outreach and is an active advocate for TGLN on the importance of organ and tissue donation and transplantation across the Province.

Jessica Smith was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on October 28, 2015. She is a member of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board. Her current term on the TGLN Board will expire on October 28, 2018.

Jessica Smith is the Team Lead, Regional Affairs at United Way Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark and Renfrew Counties, defining key strategic regional opportunities that will connect people to their communities as donors, advocates and volunteers. Ms. Smith oversees the full operational integration of four regional offices and aligns local work to the global strategic directions of the network. Over the years, Ms. Smith has volunteered with the St Bernard Project, Amnesty International, Oxfam Canada and the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business with a Minor in Spanish from Carleton University.

Dr. Ronald Zuker was appointed to the Trillium Gift of Life Network’s (TGLN) Board on March 21, 2018. His current term on the TGLN Board will expire on March 21, 2020.

Ronald Zuker was born in Niagara Falls, Canada and received his MD degree from the University of Toronto in 1969. After a rotating internship in Vancouver, BC and a brief period of family practice in Scarborough, he pursued his interest in Anthropology and Jungle Medicine, spending one year working with the Shipibo Indians in the Amazon basin – eastern Peru. He then entered the McGill University Training program in Surgery and completed the FRCSC in Plastic Surgery in 1976 through the Gallie Programme at the University of Toronto. He received a one year McLaughlin Travelling Fellowship to study microvascular surgery and paediatric plastic surgery in Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. In 1978 he joined the staff of The Hospital for Sick Children as a consultant in Plastic Surgery, was appointed to the Department of Surgery of the University of Toronto as a lecturer in surgery in 1978, an Assistant Professor in 1982, Associate Professor in 1987 and Full Professor in 1994. He served as Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at SickKids from 1986-2002.

As a paediatric plastic and reconstructive surgeon, his primary interest is in facial reanimation and is the recognized worldwide authority. Dr. Zuker is currently co-director of the Facial Paralysis Program at Sickkids. He also has a major interest in the management of cleft lip and palate and, in addition to his volunteer surgical commitment overseas, he serves on the Board of Directors of the International Cleft Charity, Transforming Faces. He was Medical Director of SickKids Cleft Lip and Palate Program for over a decade.

Dr. Zuker is the past Chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Section of Plastic Surgery, past president of the American Association of Pediatric Plastic Surgeons, and past president of the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery. He is very active in teaching and in the training of future reconstructive surgeons, and in the structuring of the Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Team in Toronto. Dr. Zuker also currently serves as the Medical Director of the International Patient Program at The Hospital for Sick Children.

His clinical focus at present is on Moebius syndrome, facial paralysis reconstruction and corneal re-innervation.