Meet your Elected CFMS Board 2026/2027

Platform, CV

Hello folks! My name is Carolyn Horwood (she/her) and I am a Class of 2027 student at the University of Calgary. I am writing to you today from the traditional territories of the Treaty 7 people in Southern Alberta.

I have had the privilege of serving as Western Regional Director with the Canadian Federation of Medical Students over the past year, where I have combined my passions for student advocacy with my people-loving personality to pursue meaningful change for medical students. I have

launched a national First-in-Medicine mentorship program, led the implementation of the inaugural Medical Students’ Association of the West, and met with the Deans of Western Canada medical schools to advocate for improved elective accessibility.

I am passionate about community advocacy and currently sit on the Youth Advisory Council for MP Corey Hogan. At a national level, I have engaged in advocacy discussions ranging from energy poverty in New Brunswick to environmental racism in British Columbia. I further hold local experience with street outreach and safe infant surrender initiatives.

I have also worked in sustainability and adolescent sexual violence prevention. In my undergraduate program, I co-chaired the Sustainable Development Goals Alliance, engaging approximately 500 students and supporting 11 student-led sustainability projects. As Canadian Adolescent Sexual Violence Prevention Society Co-Founder, I delivered workshops to over 100 students.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, rock climbing, and competitive jigsaw puzzling! I am always happy to get outside, try new coffee shops, or find excuses to chat!

Platform, CV

My name is Alex Marshall, and I am a third-year medical student at Dalhousie University currently serving as Vice-President Finance for the Dalhousie Medical Students’ Society (DMSS). Prior to medicine, I completed a Master of Science in Physiotherapy and worked for six years as a physiotherapist, where I developed a strong foundation in fee-for-service healthcare delivery, personal revenue tracking, and clinic-level budgeting.

Within DMSS, I have led a comprehensive overhaul of our financial systems. This includes redesigning the annual budgeting process, implementing automated reimbursement and expense tracking tools, and developing structured reporting frameworks that enable trend analysis and data-driven decision-making. I have also contributed to updating financial policies to improve transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency. In parallel, my previous role as VP Communications strengthened my ability to communicate complex information clearly and effectively across diverse stakeholder groups.

Beyond student governance, I actively manage personal investment portfolios and maintain a working understanding of financial markets, allowing me to engage thoughtfully in discussions around financial planning and sustainability.

My leadership approach is grounded in organization, transparency, and collaboration. I am passionate about building financial systems that not only function efficiently but also empower teams to make informed decisions. I am excited by the opportunity to bring this experience to the Canadian Federation of Medical Students and to support initiatives that enhance the student experience nationwide.

Platform, CV

Hi CFMS membership!! My name is Emily (she/her), and I’m an incoming MS4 at uOttawa. I had the absolute pleasure of serving as your Director of Education this year and working with many of you through our Education Portfolio and Academic Round Table (ART) teams. With deep care and reflection on all that we built together, I’m excited to be re-running for a second term.

Through this role, I have come to understand education advocacy as both deeply relational and deeply practical. It means listening carefully to students across schools, noticing where our experiences overlap, and building systems that help turn those shared concerns into meaningful action. This year, that looked like strengthening ART as a space for national priority-setting, aligning portfolio work around student-identified concerns, and leveraging student feedback to shape changes to the AFMC Electives Portal.

I am also proud of the ways our portfolio supported students more directly this year, including updating our match supports, improving our Unmatched Graduate Mentorship Program (to achieve a 100% match rate!), launching our new Interview Mentorship Program (matching 275+ students!), and running our first CFMS Research Symposium at CMSC.

I have always strived to lead in a way that is collaborative, thoughtful, and grounded in follow-through, and I’ve learned that impactful work comes from a portfolio that strives for the same. Having learned where our strengths and gaps are, I’m excited to continue building a portfolio that listens carefully, responds meaningfully, and supports students with, and for, all of you!

Platform, CV

Wilson Li is a third-year medical student at the University of Saskatchewan and current CFMS Associate Director of Student Affairs, a role that has deepened his commitment to student wellness at the national level. Locally, he serves as Wellness Liaison for the Student Medical Society of Saskatchewan (SMSS), building on his earlier role as Wellness Representative and his experience co-founding and leading the USask Meditation Club.

Wilson's passion for wellness extends beyond formal roles. He facilitated a mindfulness seminar during the 2025 CFMS Wellness Month and maintains a personal practice anchored by three week-long silent meditation retreats, bringing lived authenticity to the work he champions. He is currently working on launching Balint groups with the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) for clerkship students at USask: small, confidential discussion groups where physicians and medical learners can reflect on the emotional and relational aspects of patient care.

Equally committed to mentorship, Wilson has supported pre-clerkship students through USask Medicine's PM² and Peer Learning Network programs, and regularly welcomes students to shadow him throughout clerkship because he believes community and guidance are foundational to physician and learner wellbeing.

Outside of medicine, Wilson stays grounded through reading, writing articles for the Canadian Medical Student Press, running, weightlifting, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and soccer.

As CFMS Director of Student Affairs, Wilson hopes to ensure every Canadian medical student has access to the resources and habits that support a healthy mind and body; not just to survive training, but to thrive in a long, fulfilling life in medicine.

Platform, CV

I’m Rita Jin (She/Her/Hers), a MS2 at the University of British Columbia. During my recent term as VP External, I’ve had the immense pleasure to work with student leaders across Canada, learn about the global health challenges that hit close to home, and advocate to Members of Parliament.

Previously, I’ve worked as VP Finance at UBC’s Student Union (represented 65,000+ students and managed a $30,000,000 budget), served my department’s EDI committee as the only student representative, contributed to mentorship programs for students in

underrepresented groups, volunteered as a tutor for low-income students in Canada and internationally, and interned as a consultant where I liaised with companies’ C-suites to negotiate direct policy and system changes. I’ve led teams to successfully advocate for increased mental health ($1000 to $1500 per student) and inaugural gender-affirming care coverage (up to $10,000) in my university’s student health plan

and established three new subsidies for low-income students. These roles also taught me how to best lead committee meetings, represent student voices on executive boards, and navigate governance requirements to cultivate change.

My research background in mental health, chronic diseases, addictions, artificial intelligence, and geriatrics all contribute to my understanding of the existing barriers to health equity. Furthermore, as a first-generation immigrant and medical student, I’m passionate about newcomer health, social determinants of health, health policy and education, and grassroots advocacy. I hope to make positive impacts in these areas through collaborative CFMS Global Health initiatives.

Platform, CV

My name is Alan Michaud, and I am an MS2 at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. I majored in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo, supplementing my education with courses in research development and project management.

Over the past seven years I have worked with the Ottawa

Hospital Research Institute, Cochrane, and the Canadian Association of Radiologists to co-author 14 peer-reviewed publications. Each project helped further develop my skills in project management, interprofessional relationships, and coordination of deliverables with nationally and

internationally distributed teams.

Since starting medical school, I have developed a passion for health advocacy and the skills necessary to perform it. This year I have operated as the CFMS’ Associate Director of Government Affairs & Advocacy (GAA) and Chair of Schulich’s Government Affairs & Advocacy Committee (GAAC). As Associate Director I helped manage each of the GAA

subcommittees, including the organization and hosting of one of the CFMS’ flagship events – the National Day of Action (NDoA). I have also advocated for multiple innovative portfolio changes. This includes expansion of the NDoA to a twice-per year, longitudinal event and

conversion of the National Officer of Political Advocacy Follow-Up to a 2-year role, increasing the potency of our longitudinal advocacy. As GAAC Chair, I organized the development and hosting of Schulich’s first Municipal Day of Action in nearly 7 years.

I believe my experience has prepared me to continue to innovate as Director of GAA while delivering on its responsibilities.

Platform, CV

Hannah Gray is a First Nations woman from Wahnapitae First Nation and a fourth-year MD candidate at NOSM University, where she trains on her traditional territory. She holds a Master of Public Health specializing in Indigenous Health from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Ottawa, and brings over a decade of experience spanning clinical care, public health, and Indigenous community health.

For Hannah, this work has never been abstract. She served as Local Officer of Indigenous Health with NOSMU Student Council, where she advocated for and initiated the inaugural VP of Indigenous Health position on NOSMU's student council -- a structural change designed to

outlast her tenure. She has contributed to NOSM's Indigenous Health Subcommittee for Admissions, delivered clinical simulation training to healthcare providers at Sandy Lake First Nation, and co-authored a scoping review on barriers to postpartum depression care for Indigenous women on Turtle Island. Her work with the Canadian Institute for Health Information has focused on advancing national health data standards grounded in OCAP principles.

Currently serving as Associate Global Health with CFMS, Hannah understands what it means to steward a national portfolio responsibly. This year, she was recognized for her contributions through the Niigaanegabow Indigenous Leadership Award at NOSM. Hannah brings her whole self to this work, her training, her lived experience, and her deep responsibility to the communities that shaped her.

Platform, CV

Noah Bennell is a member of the NWT Métis Nation with family roots in the Western Arctic. Having grown up in Ottawa, Noah has spent the past several years dedicated to reclaiming his cultural identity. This journey of reconnection revealed the profound healthcare disparities faced by Indigenous communities and ultimately sparked his passion for medicine.

Now in his second year at the University of Ottawa, Noah serves as an advocate for systemic change. He chairs the Indigenous Medical Learners Association, where he oversees mentorship and curriculum development. He is also a key member of the University’s Indigenous Curriculum Working Group, collaborating with faculty to identify curricular gaps and implement content to enhance the Indigenous Health UGME curriculum.

Noah has expanded this impact to the national level as Project Lead for the CFMS National Indigenous Medical Education Review Committee. In this role, he leads a cross-Canada team to gather data on Indigenous medical programs, striving to promote transparency for applicants and institutional accountability.

Beyond his advocacy, Noah is a professional artist and a content provider for Connected North, through which he teaches virtual soapstone carving to students in remote communities. When taking a break from his work, he can be found with his dog or watching Formula 1. Noah is eager to apply his experience in leadership and community advocacy to the role of Indigenous Health Director, ensuring Indigenous student voices remain at the forefront of the CFMS.

Platform, CV

Hi! My name is Tarannum (she/her), and I’m part of the Meds2027 class at Western. A fun fact about me is that I’m a twin, and I have an (maybe slightly unhinged) obsession with frog memes. 🐸

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the Ontario Regional Director on the CFMS Board, where I worked at a national level to represent student priorities and support collaboration across schools. I previously served as the National Officer for Global Health Education within the CFMS Global Health portfolio, and at Schulich through Hippocratic Council as VP Internal and GAAC Sr. Across these roles on the CFMS Board, Global Health, Student Affairs, and Government Affairs, I’ve worked closely with student leaders across the country, which has been one of the most meaningful parts of my medical training.

Before medical school, I completed a Master’s in Global Health, focusing on globalization and equity. Alongside my lived experiences as a Muslim woman in medicine, this has shaped how I approach leadership, with a focus on equity, accessibility, and creating spaces where students feel meaningfully included, not just represented.

I’m excited to continue contributing to CFMS work and to learn alongside others. I’m especially passionate about strengthening connections across schools and advancing initiatives that reflect the diverse needs of our student community.

Platform, CV

My name is Cyril O’Brien, and I am an incoming fourth-year medical student from Dalhousie University. As CFMS Atlantic Regional Director for the last year and VP-External previously, it has been a privilege to represent the region for these two years.

A little bit about me! I grew up in Halifax, and coming from a multicultural background, I am a proud trilingual thanks to my Lebanese and Irish-Acadian heritage. Having seen my cousin go into federal politics, I have always had a keen interest in policy and advocacy.

Having worked in municipal politics for a number of years as the Chair and Francophone representative of the Halifax Youth Advisory Committee, have always had an interest in the intersection of politics and health. While inherently different, municipal politics has taught me a lot about optimizing efficiency, transparency, and how to engage stakeholders.

In my year as ARD, I gained an appreciation for the important role that CFMS plays in the lives of medical students in Canada. I played an active part in many of the changes the CFMS has implemented this year, and increased Atlantic representation at CFMS events.

Having served as ARD for one year now, I still feel like I have a lot to give back to the region. Being fully bilingual, I believe, is an important asset to have in the role, and I hope to continue increasing French availability within the CFMS.

Please feel free to reach out to me at anytime at cyrilobrien@dal.ca!!

Platform, CV

My name is Jeremy Naimer, and I am a medical student at McGill University currently serving as Executive Vice President & Corporate Affairs for the McGill Medical Students’ Society.

In this role, I work across student representation, governance, communications, sponsorship, and student-facing initiatives. Over the past year, I have led the organization of General Assemblies, overseen society elections, and supported students through complex issues. During the teaching strike, I helped coordinate an emergency General Assembly of over 700 students in under 72 hours, ensuring students had access to timely information and a space to raise concerns. Beyond governance, I have worked to strengthen the resources that support student life, securing over $150,000 in sponsorship funding for MSS programming and helping revitalize the main student space for McGill medical students, transforming it into a more active and accessible hub.

Before this role, I served as Med-1 Class Representative, where I focused on representing my class, organizing inclusive events, and helping build a connected and supportive cohort. Outside of student government, I have been involved in long-term community and mentorship work, including volunteering with the Cummings Centre, where I help lead wellness programming for older adults, and co-founding Lime and Learn, a student-led tutoring and mentorship initiative.

These experiences have shaped how I approach leadership: with clarity, consistency, and follow-through. I care deeply about making student leadership feel accessible, responsive, and grounded in the needs of the students it serves.

Platform, CV

Jagdev Saluja is the Vice President External of the TMU School of Medicine’s Student Council. Alongside his fellow VPs at TMU, school administrators, CFMS ORDs, and OMSA’s Executive Board, he has helped establish the TMU School of Medicine’s inaugural student council. As VP External, he has represented TMU provincially with OMSA, and nationally with CFMS.

His prior advocacy experience spans multiple domains and organizations. He was previously VP Advocacy on Western University’s Faculty of Health Sciences Students’ Council, where he advocated for students’ needs, and helped bring student concerns forth to school administration. He was a Global Skills Opportunity award recipient in 2023, travelling to Kenya to conduct global health research.

His experiences in Kenya led to him later working with Universities Canada as a GSO Ambassador. In this role, he advocated to the federal government for the renewal of the same equity-focussed Global Skills Opportunity program, so that more underrepresented students could have the opportunity to pursue experiential learning and research abroad. He completed his undergraduate studies in Kinesiology in April 2025.

Platform, CV

Ragav Chona (he/him) is a third-year medical student at the University of Toronto and current CFMS Ontario Regional Director, representing over 3,500 learners across Ontario’s medical schools. He is re-running to continue building a more connected, responsive, and accessible CFMS for every Ontario campus.

As ORD, Ragav serves on the CFMS Board, coordinates Ontario conversations with VP Externals and Medical Society Presidents, and helps connect CFMS with OMSA and provincial partners. Over the past year, he has supported earlier O-Week outreach, strengthened Regional RoundTables and Presidents’ Roundtables, expanded microgrant access, advanced Ontario-wide advocacy, and helped lay the groundwork for community-building initiatives such as Ontario Games.

Ragav previously served as UofT’s Vice President of External Affairs, representing over 1,100 students through CFMS and OMSA. His leadership extends across equity, education, and community-building: he co-leads Queer, Trans, and Allied in Medicine, founded Canada’s first 2SLGBTQ+ pre-med mentorship program, contributes to the OMSA provincial 2SLGBTQ+ learning objectives audit, and supports national advocacy for medical education.

His broader work and research includes MedLingua patient translation, naloxone education, AI-HoloSIM medical simulation, VOYCE language-concordant care, as well as leading organizations like Passionate Minds Canada, which supports high school students transitioning to university, and the Goodwill Initiative, which delivered over 30,000 essential items to underserved communities.

Recognized with the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award for Medical Students, Alex Trebek Leadership Award, and University of Ottawa Gold Medal, Ragav brings proven follow-through, systems thinking, and a commitment to making Ontario students feel represented, supported, and informed.

Platform, CV

My name is Duaa. I am an MD Candidate at the University of Calgary, where I also completed my BHSc and MSc in Community Health Sciences. My master’s research explored how intersecting identities influence perceptions of fairness and justice in healthcare, and that lens continues to shape how I approach medical education, governance, and collaboration.

I currently serve as President of the Calgary Medical Students’ Association. Stepping into this role has been both meaningful and rewarding, giving me the opportunity to advocate for my classmates, strengthen our learning and care environments, and contribute to positive changes that will have lasting impact. My leadership has always been rooted in community and guided by a simple principle: nothing about us, without us.

Having spent more than a decade learning, working, and building community in Alberta, I have gained a deep understanding of the diverse realities and needs that shape the student experience across the West. In my roles with the CMSA and the MSAW governance and sponsorship committees, I have focused on building trust, strengthening communication, and creating space for honest conversations about what students need. Whether it is advocating for more neuro‑inclusive curriculum design or helping connect students with the right people and resources, I try to lead with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to learn.

As Western Regional Director, I aim to strengthen regional connection, bring people together across schools, and ensure Western medical students feel supported, represented, and heard in the decisions that affect us.

Platform, CV

Hi! I’m Ore Maxwell, and if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I genuinely love connecting with people. Especially CFMS people (shoutout).

As someone from Nigeria, raised in London, England, and rural northern Alberta, I’ve had to figure out where I fit in different spaces - sometimes met with acceptance, and sometimes not. That taught me how important it is to feel like you belong, to be represented, and to have people

around you who truly understand your story. That’s something I really value, and what drew me to the VP External role.

I completed my undergraduate degree at Queen’s University, where people often said, “West is best.” I didn’t realize it then, but they were absolutely right.

Serving as UCalgary’s VP External (National) has honestly been one of the most rewarding life experiences. What a pleasure it’s been to connect with you, all while advocating for student-led change. The Regional Roundtables have become my safe space, and VP Externals my closest colleagues. There’s such satisfaction in tackling similar challenges at our schools, from blurry snow day policies to improving club communication. When we put our heads together to come up with something better, that is the true magic.

So, I am enthusiastically running for Western Regional Director. Why? Because I’ve lived it, and loved it. After spending many years here, especially rurally, I’ve come to seriously appreciate our mountainous, sunny corner of Canada. So, I wholeheartedly want to do the honours of

representing the West.