Anna Dion

As a RISE focal point, Anna provided a single point of access to RISE for questions and requests from OHTs in eastern and northern Ontario. She also led the development of the patient, family and caregiver community of practice, and supported ‘in-development’ OHTs as they established new or strengthened existing partnerships during their formation.

Anna holds a PhD in Family Medicine and Primary Care at McGill University, a degree in engineering with a minor in peace studies from McMaster University, a MASc in Biomedical Engineering from Dalhousie University, and a Master’s of Public Health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Prior to joining RISE and starting her doctoral studies, she spent over six years leading and supporting community-based research in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa with Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Her expertise is in strengthening health equity, health governance, citizen engagement, and maternal and child health. Translating her own experience as a birth companion providing support to vulnerable women throughout their pregnancy and postpartum period in the Ottawa area, Anna led the development of a peer-to-peer support program for marginalized pregnant women as an integrated community-based complement to primary care in rural Argentina.