CCA welcomes four new members to its Board of Directors

The Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) is pleased to announce the appointments of Pascal Grenier, Judy Illes, Catherine Karakatsanis, and Gisèle Yasmeen to its Board of Directors.

Pascal Grenier is Senior Vice-President of Flight Services and Global Operations and a member of technology company CAE’s Executive Management Committee. He heads the firm’s Flight Services team, an integral part of the company’s Civil Aviation business unit that develops digital crew and flight management solutions for airlines and business aviation operators. Mr. Grenier is a member of the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec.

Judy Illes, C.M., FRSC, FCAHS, is Professor of Neurology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), a UBC Distinguished University Scholar in neuroethics, and Director of Neuroethics Canada. She is also a faculty member in the Centre for Brain Health, the School of Population and Public Health, and the School of Journalism at UBC. Dr. Illes has made groundbreaking contributions to cross-cultural ethical, legal, social, and policy challenges at the intersection of brain sciences and biomedical ethics.

Catherine Karakatsanis, FCAE, is a practicing professional engineer and the Chief Operating Officer and board member of Morrison Hershfield. She is President-elect of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a board member of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers. She is a recipient of the Gold Medal from Engineers Canada and the Gold Medal and Order of Honour Companion Level from Professional Engineers Ontario.

Gisèle Yasmeen is Senior Fellow at the Institute of Asian Research in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia. Her expertise is on food-systems in Asia, on which she has published, taught, and consulted since the early 1990s. Dr. Yasmeen has also served on several scholarly editorial boards and is a former senior federal government executive, most notably Vice-President of Research and Partnerships at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, where she served for seven years.

“We are delighted to welcome these four accomplished individuals to CCA’s Board,” said Sioban Nelson, RN, FCAHS, Interim Chair, CCA Board of Directors. “We value the diversity of perspectives on the board and look forward to the important contributions Mr. Grenier, Dr. Illes, Ms. Karakatsanis, and Dr. Yasmeen will make during their terms.”