About ACTN

The Atlantic Clinical Trials Network (ACTN) leverages regional collaboration, provincial leadership, entrepreneurial capacity, and world-class research to revolutionize access to care for patients.

Initiated by Nova Scotia Health and coled with IWK Health, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (formerly Eastern Health), Vitalité Health Network, Horizon Health Network, and Health PEI, ACTN is poised to boost research and innovation, introduce new healthcare opportunities, and position the region as a world-leader in clinical trials.

The network will increase patient access to trial opportunities and leading care by reducing barriers and burdens associated with clinical trial participation.

Patients are front and center in ACTN’s strategy and approach alongside a clear focus on boosting the economy. We know there are significant direct and in-direct economic benefits realized in Atlantic Canada through our current levels of participation in clinical trials; and we can do more, so join us!

ACTN Executive Oversight Committee

• Brigitte Sonier-Ferguson
  Senior Vice President

  Performance, University Mission and Strategies Vitalité Health Network & Acting CEO of ACRI

  Originally from Neguac, Brigitte Sonier-Ferguson earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in biochemistry from the Université de Moncton in 2001 and 2005, respectively. She also undertook doctoral studies in biochemistry/immunology at the University of Ottawa from 2005 to 2010.

  Ms. Sonier-Ferguson joined Vitalité Health Network in 2010, more specifically, the Training and Research Sector, of which she has been the director since 2015. During this period, she was responsible for the development and review of the strategic plan for the Network’s university mission, which is one of the cornerstones of the Network’s new 2020-2023 Strategic Plan. In addition to her duties within New Brunswick’s Francophone health authority, Ms. Sonier-Ferguson also sits on several boards of directors and national committees related to health research and various university partners.

  She has received a number of awards in the course of her career, including “Le Prisme” as graduate of the year of the Faculty of Science of the Université de Moncton in 2018 and the Excellence in Management and Leadership Award of Vitalité Health Network in 2018.

• Corrine Rowswell
  Interim Chief Executive Officer

  Health PEI

  On January 1, 2024 Corinne Rowswell became the Interim Chief Executive Officer for Health PEI. Corinne had been the Chief Operating Officer for Health PEI since May 2021.

  Rowswell is a registered nurse with over 35 years of health care experience. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and a Master’s in Public Administration. She has worked as a front-line nurse in acute care, home care, palliative care and public health in Nova Scotia, PEI, Quebec, and Ontario. Throughout her career she has worked with patients, families, health care providers and community programs towards safe and supportive transitions in care, particularly from acute care settings to home based care. 

  Rowswell credits working with people and their families, particularly at their most vulnerable time of life, as fundamentally shaping how she practiced nursing in a collaborative inter- disciplinary team and working towards patient-centred care. 

  In 2018, Rowswell transitioned to working with the broader Health and Wellness team, leading key strategic initiatives and played a leadership role in the COVID-19 response before returning to operations with Health PEI in 2021.

• Susan Brien
  Vice President

  Medical, Academic & Research Affairs Horizon Health Network

  Dr. Susan Brien is Senior Vice President Medical, Academic and Research Affairs for Horizon Health Network. Originally from New Brunswick and prior to joining Horizon, Dr. Brien served as the Director, Practice and System Innovation at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She played an integral part in the Royal College’s international initiative as the Vice-President Asia Pacific. Her portfolio included overseeing new regional, national and international projects, facilitating professional development activities such as team training, simulation, performance assessment, simulation accreditation, and curriculum integration.

  Dr. Brien also held leadership roles including Chief of Neurosurgery at Le Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Gatineau, where she had practiced as a neurosurgeon. She served as the inaugural Director of Operations for Quebec, Eastern Canada and Nunavut with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, where she was responsible for national patient safety education. Dr. Brien is an Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Ottawa and a faculty lecturer with the Division of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University, where she also served as the UGME Accreditation Lead for the Gatineau Campus. She is a certified physician executive and member of the American Association of Physician Leaders. As Vice President Medical, Academic and Research Affairs, Dr. Brien oversees and ensures systems, policies and procedures support excellence in medical care and champions constant improvement, innovation, and research.

• Ron Johnson
  Chief Operating Officer and Vice President

  Eastern Urban Zone Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services

  Ron Johnson is the Chief Operating Officer/Vice President of Innovation and Research for the Eastern Urban Zone. Ron has approximately 30 years of progressive career experience in health care from front-line delivery to executive management. Previous to this position, Ron was Eastern Health’s Vice-President, Innovation and Rural Health.

  Prior to becoming a member of the executive team at Eastern Health, Ron held the position of Chief Technology Officer where he had senior accountability for Information Management & Technology, Privacy, Performance, Biomedical Engineering and Health Information Management. Prior to that, Ron was the Director of Materials and Biomedical Equipment Support at Eastern Health and was responsible for Supply Chain Management and Biomedical Engineering. He holds a Diploma of Technology from College of the North Atlantic; a Bachelor of Technology; and a Master of Employment Relations from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He has also completed diplomas in Health Service Management and Modern Management from the Canadian Healthcare Association.

  Ron is certified in Change Management and has the professional designations of Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) and Certified Health Executive (CHE). In addition, he is a sessional instructor at the Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland teaching courses in both the Bachelor of Technology and the Master of Technology Management programs.

• Frank MacMaster
  Vice President

  Research & Innovation IWK Health Centre

  Frank MacMaster, PhD is the IWK’s Vice President, Research and Innovation and a Professor of Psychiatry at the Dalhousie School of Medicine. Dr. MacMaster joins us from the University of Calgary where he was an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Cumming School of Medicine and was also the Scientific Director for the Provincial Addictions and Mental Health for Alberta Health Services.

  Originally from Nova Scotia, MacMaster studied at Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie universities and did his training at the IWK in mental health. He holds a PhD in neurobiology and anatomy and was a postdoctoral fellow in brain imaging in child psychiatry at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. His research focuses on using brain imaging to better understand and apply brain stimulation in pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders.

ACTN Steering Committee

• Ravi Ramjeesingh
  Interim Medical Director of Oncology Research

  Nova Scotia Health

  Dr. Ravi Ramjeesingh joined the Division of Medical Oncology at Dalhousie University in May 2015 as a staff physician and promotion to Associate Professor in 2020. He completed his Ph.D in cancer research (2004), and his MD (2008) at the University of Toronto. He then subsequently completed his Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology residencies at Queen’s University before completed a clinical trials methodology fellowship at the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) in Kingston, Ontario. His main clinical expertise is in the areas of hepatopancreobiliary (HPB) cancers and breast cancer. He is currently the chair of the HPB Disease site group in Nova Scotia and is the Medical Director of ACCRU, the Nova Scotian oncology clinical trials group. Nationally, he is a founding member of the Canadian GI Oncology Evidence Network and is a board member of Craig’s Cause Pancreatic cancer society. His research activities are in the fields of health service delivery, and translational research in oncology.

• Kathleen Leadon
  Director

  Research & Innovation Advancement IWK Health Centre

  Kathleen Leadon Director, Research & Innovation Advancement (RIA) at Izaak Walton Killam (IWK) Health brings over 33 years’ experience building research capacity, and ensuring the conduct and administration of research at the IWK is held to the highest standard.

  Under her leadership, RIA leads policy development and implements strategic initiatives aimed at increasing productivity and promoting the reputation of IWK’s research and innovation. RIA oversees facility management, financial administration, contract negotiation, management and administration of human resources, support to the research ethics board, and internal and external funding opportunities among other pre and post award activities.

• Barry Strack
  Regional Director

  Research Services Horizon Health Network

  Barry leads a talented team of research and administrative professionals dedicated to supporting Horizon’s research community. In addition, he is responsible for managing all research-related activities in the Saint John Regional Hospital.

  Before joining Horizon, Barry lived in Toronto, Ontario, where he held several management positions in the pharmaceutical industry with companies running clinical trials throughout North America, Europe and China. In addition, he held the position of Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Quality Assurance Journal, a John Wiley publication dedicated to continuous quality improvement in the pharmaceutical and biosciences industries.

• Erika Dugas
  Regional Director

  Research and Health Evaluation Vitalité Health Network

  As Regional Director of Research and Health Evaluation at the Vitalité Health Network, Erika Dugas leads a talented team of research professionals dedicated to supporting Vitalité’s large research community. In addition, she is responsible for managing all researchrelated activities carried out by the Moncton site of the Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit (MSSU) and sits on the MSSU Provincial Steering Committee in order to enhance patient-oriented research as well as evidence-informed care and health services in New Brunswick.

  Originally from Moncton, Erika has over 25 years of experience in health research. Before joining Vitalité, Erika lived in Montréal, Québec, where she held several management and health research positions at the Sainte-Justine Hospital, the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM). Erika holds a Master of Science degree from the Université de Montréal.

• Liam Kelly
  Director

  Provincial Innovation and Research Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services

  Dr. Liam Kelly is the Director of Provincial Innovation and Research at NL Health Services. He leads the Innovation, Clinical Trial, Applied Health Research, and Library Services teams.

  He has a Doctoral Degree in Medicine and a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology. He also holds a Clinical Exercise Physiology Certification with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.

  Dr. Kelly’s research interests are investigating the effects of behavioral and environmental interventions on metabolic markers of chronic disease in clinical populations. He has more than 20 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and has contributed to two clinical exercise guidelines for individuals recovering from stroke and heart disease.

  His mission is to leverage the power of scientific research to solve challenges in health care and help individuals live long, productive lives free of illness.

• Laurae Kloschinsky BSP, RPh
  Executive Director

  Health Innovation Cluster

  Laurae is a senior leader with experience in various healthcare settings including Government, community, long term care, and community care pharmacy settings across Canada.

  As the Executive Director, Health Innovation Cluster, for the Government of PEI’s Department of Health & Wellness, Laurae works with various partners and healthcare providers to optimize opportunities for innovation across the healthcare system.

• Joan Turner-Adams
  Business Development Officer

  Innovation PEI

  Joan works as a business development sector specialist in the Bioscience field. She began in this area more than fifteen years ago and has assisted with the growth and development of the cluster in Prince Edward Island from its earliest days. In recent years Joan has eagerly engaged on the Health Innovation file and works closely with early-stage companies and researchers as they navigate from Research to Commercialization of new technologies. Joan also spent ten plus years living and working in Western Canada. She held various roles in private sector, including several years with a global manufacturing firm in administrative and management roles. Joan’s strength is working collaboratively with industry, all levels of government, institutions and academia.

  Joan’s work and life experience provides her with a broad perspective and unique insight into people and their personal wants and needs. She was a caregiver for her mother during her final years living with dementia and has become an advocate for care givers and patients throughout the Healthcare system. She is a current member of the board of directors for the Alzheimer Society of Prince Edward Island.

• Heather Beaton
  Director of Clinical Research Operations

  Atlantic Clinical Trials Network Nova Scotia Health

  Heather Beaton is the Director of Clinical Research Operations with the Atlantic Clinical Trials Network (ACTN) and Atlantic Clinical Cancer Research Unit (ACCRU).

  A registered nurse for nearly 20 years, her practice has been centered in the oncology field, where she has focused on both research and standard of care.

  In October 2020, Heather’s love of patient-focused care led her to Nova Scotia Health’s ACCRU team as a Research Manager, leading a team carrying out groundbreaking work in cancer therapy in the region.

  Heather is a believer that research is care, as well as the new treatment opportunities research and clinical trials bring to patients. In January 2024, she brought that passion to ACTN. In her role, she leads large, dynamic teams of healthcare professionals dedicated to finding the best ways to provide patients with better care through clinical trials, all across the Atlantic region.

  Heather holds a Bachelor of Science in biology and English, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, from Dalhousie University, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia.

• Remi Richard
  Director of Operations

  Atlantic Cancer Research Institute

  Remi Richard represents the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI), a private, non-profit organization focused on finding solutions to cancer and impact patient care in the Atlantic region and beyond. ACRI scientists are advancing their research to improve patient care through precision medicine approaches, especially in the areas of liquid biopsy and targeted treatment.

  Remi oversees operations for a research team of over 40 people who have expertise in genomics, proteomics, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, bioinformatics, pathology, next generation sequencing, mass spectrometry as well as in vitro and in vivo testing. ACRI’s Mission is understanding cancer and finding solutions by fostering interdisciplinary research, transferring scientific innovation towards patient care and contributing to the training of future researchers.

  Remi is meticulous and driven by improving human health through better diagnostics and precision medicine initiatives. His strengths lie in knowledge and technology transfer, and long-term relationship-building skills. He is also a member of the Canadian tech transfer professionals’ network, a national group focused on the promotion, development and transfer of Canadian research and innovation.

• Margaret Palmeter
  Senior Director

  Innovation

  Margaret Palmeter has a proven track record of commercializing research and supporting industry-academic partnerships. She comes to Nova Scotia Health in the role of Senior Director of Business Development, Research & Innovation from Dalhousie University, where she was the Founding Director of the Emera ideaHUB — the first University led startup incubator in Nova Scotia. She has managed a patent portfolio and commercialized technologies on behalf of University and Academic Researchers. Previous roles included international business development consulting and economic development projects across Atlantic Canada.

  Margaret is a result-driven professional, experienced in working with multiple stakeholders including private industry, government, and academia. With a track record of leadership and collaboration to drive successful outcomes she has a proven ability to think strategically and juggle multiple priorities in fast-paced environments. She is also on the Board of Directors of Scotian Wind Inc., a community owned developer of wind energy projects.

  Her educational background includes a Master’s in Diplomacy, with a concentration in International Commerce from Norwich University in Vermont, and a Bachelor’s degree with an Advanced Major in History and Minor in Sociology from St Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS.

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