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Meet the 2023 Executive Team

(click on their pictures for bios)

president

Murtuza

president/marketing chair

pastpresident

Melisa

past president

president elect

Sarah

president elect

Cameron

secretary

treasurer

Kornelija

treasurer

networking-1

Luke

networking co-chair

networking-2

Tavia

networking co-chair

secretary

Kishori

education chair

webmaster

Stefanie

webmaster

chair-membership

Rohit

chair, membership

 
 

WHO ARE WE?

 

murtuza diwan

Murtuza is currently an infection control professional at the Halton Healthcare with special interests in tuberculosis and creating IPAC electronic surveillance systems. He graduated from the University of Toronto with Honors in Bachelor of Science, specializing in the Human Biology program with minors in Mathematics and Zoology. He then completed his Post Graduate Diploma and Master of Science degree in Infectious Diseases from University of London (United Kingdom). He has been an active member of IPAC Canada since 2009 and currently holds the role of President for the Chapter and Chair of Marketing committee,  along with Co-chair of IPAC Canada DEI Working group, Chair of Mental Health Intterest Group, committee member on the IPAC-Canada Endorsement Review Committee, and IPAC-GTA Education committee and Networking committee..
Email Murtuza: ipacgta@gmail.com

melisa avaness

Melisa is an Infection Prevention and Control coordinator at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. She received her Honours Bachelor of Science from University of Toronto and completed Bachelor of Applied Science from Ryerson University specializing in Public health and safety. She started her infection control career in 2010 and obtained her C.I.C designation in 2012. She has worked in infection prevention and control in various hospitals including both Rehab and Acute care settings. She has been a member of IPAC Canada’s Education Core Committee since 2014 and active member of IPAC Canada since 2011.
Email Melisa: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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sarah zanchettin

Sarah is currently an Infection Control Practitioner at the University Health Network covering North America’s largest Multi-Organ Transplant program. She has a Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Health Administration degree from the Johnson Shoyama School of Public Policy from the University of Regina. She is a member of the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) and is in the Certified Health Executive (CHE) program working towards her CHE designation. She is recently CIC re-certified in 2018. She is an active member of IPAC GTA and IPAC Canada’s Oncology and Transplantation interest group.  Her interests include leadership, healthcare delivery & strategy, patient safety, and infection control in the immunocompromised population. 
Email Sarah: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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cameron thomas

Cameron Thomas is currently working as an Infection Control Practitioner with Halton Healthcare. He is particularly interested in IPAC involvement in Construction/Renovation/Maintenance, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Surveillance, Epidemiology and improving Clinical Informatics interfaces to better serve IPAC teams. He achieved his CIC designation in 2021.
Email Cameron: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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kornelija delibasic

Kornelija is a Certified Infection Control and Prevention Practitioner certified by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC), and Public Health Inspector registered with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI).
Kornelija has over 18 years of comprehensive hospital/clinical and public health experience in the fields of health promotion and prevention programs/ strategies, investigations, infection prevention and control in long-term care/ childcare and personal services settings, communicable diseases, epidemiology, safe food handling techniques, analytical and research methodologies, and delivery of public health inspection programs, in the public and private sectors.
She earned a Master of Science Degree in Food Safety and Quality Assurance from the University of Guelph, a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Public Health and Safety from Toronto Metropolitan (Ryerson) University, and a Graduate Diploma in Public Health from the Medical College of Applied Sciences, from Belgrade, Serbia.
Kornelija is currently Instructor at the Bay River College, Calgary, Alberta, where she developed, and teaching Infection Prevention and Control Course (IPAC), endorsed by IPAC Canada.  In addition, as a Manager of IPAC, Kornelija is currently employed with Toronto Housing and Homeless Supports at the Salvation Army, Toronto, Ontario.  In recent previous roles, Kornelija worked over 8 years as Infection Control Practitioner in 3 major hospitals in Toronto and Area.
Kornelija is co-author of number of the articles/research published in medical journals, as well as presented at number of IPAC Canada National Conferences.  She is a long-time advocate and volunteer in the IPAC community and associations.  Kornelija volunteers with IPAC Canada as a Chapter Council representative from IPAC Greater Toronto Area (GTA).  She also volunteers with IPAC Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in various roles, including the Education Committee and has been elected Treasurer for a 2-year term commencing 2023.
Email Kornelija: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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luke sequeira

Since 2016, Luke has had a passion for IPAC and patient safety, where he worked at various hospitals' IPAC departments including St. Joseph's Health Centre, Mackenzie Health Richmond Hill Hospital, Markham-Stouffville Hospital and Mount Sinai. In 2018, Luke received his Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, with a Specialist in Human Biology and a Minor in Applied Statistics. In 2019, he flew across the pond to the University of Glasgow, where he completed his MSc in Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance. 
In 2020, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Luke joined North York General Hospital's IPAC team as an Infection Control Practitioner to help keep COVID-19 at bay. After learning about all things related to the virus and AGMPs, he achieved the CIC designation in 2022. Currently, he works at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as an Infection Control Coordinator, where he continues to protect patients from the little critters that like to make everyone sick. When Luke is not at work, he attends his second full-time job; training his trusty sidekick and German Shepherd dog, Rover, to be the next generation of infection control superhero. 
Luke's interests include patient safety, quality improvement, infection control related to construction, and infectious disease modelling.
Email Luke: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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tavia caplan

Tavia is currently an Infection Control Practitioner and IPAC Program Lead at Sinai Health. She achieved her undergraduate degree in Microbiology at the University of Guelph, as well as a master’s degree in Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, where she studied antifungal drug resistance in human fungal pathogens. Tavia enjoys planning educational and networking events and has successfully executed numerous events in her previous volunteer roles as Walk Coordinator for ALS Canada, Lead Ambassador for the Molecular Genetics Career Development Initiative, and Vice President of the Molecular Genetics Graduate Student Association. Tavia newly joined the IPAC GTA executive team in 2023 and is excited to apply her previous experience toward her new role as networking co-chair! 
Email Tavia: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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kishori naik

Kishori is currently working as an infection control practitioner at West Park Healthcare Center, Toronto. She supported the Education Committee and the Executive Committee as a Member (2017, 2019) and has held the position of the Chair of the Education Committee (2018). She holds a BSc. in Microbiology. She was CIC recertified in 2019. Kishori has published and presented at both national, international and Canadian journal and conferences. Kishori has also worked as a consultant at CIBA VISION, Mississauga, established and documented protocols for validation methods and evaluation of disinfectants. She is a certified WSIB member and served as the Health and Safety Committee co-chair.         
Email Kishori: ipacgta@gmail.com 

stefanie siauw

Stefanie is currently working as an infection prevention and control specialist with York Region Public Health. She previously worked as an infection control practitioner at Mackenzie Health. She achieved the CIC designation in 2019. She graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Science with High Distinction. She majored in "Molecular Genetics and Microbiology" and "Human Biology: Fundamental Genetics and Its Applications". Stefanie is particularly passionate about widespread IPAC education through social media.
Email Stefanie: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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rohit garg

Rohit Garg is an IPAC specialist at Public Health Ontario and membership chair for IPAC GTA since 2020. He has over 15 years of experience in IPAC holding various leadership roles in both public health and acute care settings. Rohit is a foreign medical graduate, holds a Master’s in Public Health from Yale University, USA and also certified in Lean Six Sigma. He is certified in infection control (CIC) since 2010 and an active member of IPAC Canada since 2015. He is very passionate about supporting IPAC in healthcare settings and mentoring ICPs. If you have any questions regarding IPAC profession, CIC or IPAC GTA membership.
Email Rohit: ipacgta@gmail.com 

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