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Steering Committee

Steering Committee

Rupinder Chera

Co-Director / Co-Directrice

Rupi is currently working as a Knowledge Broker at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She has worked on various projects, including with children and adolescents as well as Aboriginal populations. Rupi is interested in working towards health security for marginalized individuals, developing innovative solutions through a multi-sectoral approach. She has an Honours Bachelor of Science with a major in Human Biology and minors in Sociology and Botany from the University of Toronto, a Doctor of Medicine degree from SABA University School of Medicine, and a Master’s of Public Health from Western University. In her spare time, Rupi loves baking, watching movies, travelling, working out at the gym and spending time with family and friends.

Alex Kwok

Co-director / Co-directeur

Alex Kwok is a researcher at Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) based in Vancouver, BC where he leads a multi-province randomized controlled trial study evaluating the effectiveness of an online learning program to help people with inflammatory arthritis stay employed and to prevent work disability. Previously, he has worked in India and Cameroon on research projects related to health access and issues on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Alex is passionate about health equity, disease prevention and prediction (epidemiology), health system strengthening, and health policy. He obtained his Master in Global Health at Maastricht University and a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at the University of British Columbia. In his spare time, Alex enjoys swimming, traveling, and catching up with friends and family. 

Michelle Amri

Program Liaison / Agente de liaison

Michelle, MPA, PhD is a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow and Takemi Fellow at Harvard University, conducting global health research, largely focused on health equity, situated in the emerging field of politics of health. Michelle serves on the board of directors for the Canadian Association for Global Health, assisted in organizing the CCGH and PEGASUS conferences, and has been named on the Canadian Women in Global Health list. To learn more about Michelle, please visit her personal website.

Dilani Logan

Program Liaison / Agente de liaison

Dilani Logan is a research associate at the American Institutes for Research in the Bay Area. Her present work focuses on health services and systems in the US. Dilani’s passion and interest in global health is centered around health equity, global health policy, and health systems strengthening. Her past experiences working and volunteering for organizations such as the World Health Organization, O'Neill Institute for Public and Global Health, and Partners in Health Canada have convinced her of the importance of access to healthcare resources. Dilani obtained her Master of Science in Global Health from Duke University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Science and Spanish, with a minor in Global Development Studies from Western University.   

Gurneet Bhela

"Gurneet currently works as a Program Analyst for the Global Health Innovation team at Grand Challenges Canada, where she supports a portfolio of global mental health investments and innovators from low-and middle-income countries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Global Health from York University, with a specialization in health promotion and disease prevention. She is passionate about health innovation and the intersection of mental health and technology use in youth. Gurneet also serves on the Board of Directors for Rose of Sharon, a community-based agency providing educational and supportive services to young parents across York Region." 

Leshawn Benedict

Leshawn Benedict (He/Him) is a Community Manager for a Global Health Community of Practice which focuses on addressing implementation gaps and current issues facing Neglected Tropical Disease programs. He received his Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, majoring in Biochemistry and Biology, and completed his Master of Public Health and Master of Science (Global Health) degrees at Western University and McMaster University. Leshawn is the Founder of Public Health Insight, a public health communication and knowledge translation organization that has engaged audiences in over 120 countries across 2500 cities. He also has a keen interest in project management and student mentorship. 

Bindra Shah

Bindra Shah (She/Her) is currently a Person-Centred Care Specialist at Ontario Health, where she plays an active role collaborating with regional partners to develop system-level programs and advance the quality of patient care province-wide. Bindra is passionate about reducing disparities in healthcare access, strengthening health systems, and improving health outcomes at the population level. She gained a keen interest in global health through her Master's research on differences in childhood obesity prevalence in high versus low income countries. Bindra earned her Master of Public Health degree from McMaster University and her Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree from Western University. Over the past several years, she has held various research, evaluation, and policy roles addressing public and global health.