Our Team

Role at Santis

Dan co-founded Santis in 2012 after serving in a variety of senior advisory roles in the Ontario government. At Santis, Dan provides strategic advice to boards and executives across the Canadian health care sector. Over the past decade, Dan has led dozens of leading organizations through successful strategy development, management and execution processes. He has also worked with clients to reshape public opinion and public policy through the development of policy proposals, business cases and white papers aimed at improving health system performance. Dan’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, leading national and provincial health care organizations, government agencies and a range of health charities.

Experience

Prior to Santis, Dan spent almost a decade at the intersection of health care strategy, policy and politics. He served as the senior advisor for health care to the Ontario premier, deputy premier, and two ministers of health. During his time at Queen’s Park, Dan helped drive forward the government’s health care transformation agenda, which included the expansion of interprofessional primary care, regional care integration, digital health reform, and wait times reduction. Before coming to Ontario, Dan worked in the UK as a parliamentary researcher for a member of parliament and health critic; in this role he was responsible for monitoring legislative and regulatory activity and researching heatlh policy issues. Dan’s private sector experience also includes a stint in the investment banking industry in the United Kingdom, where he worked for Goldman Sachs and UBS Warburg.

Volunteerism and Education

Dan is past Chair of the Board at St. Jude Community Homes, a provider of supportive housing for people living with mental illness. He has also served on several corporate advisory boards over the past 5 years. Dan has an MSc. with Distinction from the London School of Economics and a BA Hons from McGill University. He lives in Toronto with his wife and four daughters.

Role at Santis

Victoria is an experienced member of the Management Consulting team with strong health policy knowledge, strategy development expertise, and stakeholder engagement experience. She has a strong ability to facilitate strategic discussions, identify opportunities and needs, and work collaboratively to develop tailored solutions and strategies to address pressing organizational and health sector challenges. During her time at Santis she has worked closely with the Boards and leadership teams of hospitals, community service providers, provincial health organizations, and national and international health and life sciences organizations to help them navigate uncertainty and position themselves for long-term success.

Experience

Prior to joining Santis, Victoria worked at the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) as an Associate, conducting and coordinating skills, innovation, and labour market equity research, as well as managing Board and member relations and supporting on strategic planning and operations.

She brings additional experience from her psychiatry research at Queen’s University, where she focused on the mental health of older adults, pharmaceutical prescribing practices and health care quality in long-term care. She was previously a member of the Queen’s University Board of Trustees.

Volunteerism and Education

Victoria holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Life Sciences, with a specialization in Epidemiology, from Queen’s University.

ROLE AT SANTIS

Sarah is a Senior Consultant on the Management Consulting Team, helping to execute effective stakeholder engagement, facilitations with Boards and leadership teams and overall strategy development. With a background in data analytics and demographics and a passion for the health care industry, Sarah brings a unique set of skills to help clients understand their needs and create successful and meaningful outcomes in an ever-changing environment.

EXPERIENCE

Sarah brings experience in synthesizing data, managing large, complex projects and creating high- quality deliverables for clients. Prior to joining Santis, Sarah worked at Environics Analytics as the Director of Demographic Data, leading a team of data analysts and scientists. Through her 8 years of experience at Environics Analytics, Sarah helped produce many data products related to demographics, behaviours and lifestyles. She led the development of new methodologies, project management and strategic support for the team. She also assisted in leading webinars on the topic of demographics in Canada with a focus on the senior population.

VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION

Sarah holds a Master’s of Spatial Analysis from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Geography and Environmental Management, with a minor in History and a Specialization in Geomatics, from the University of Waterloo.

Role at Santis

Jonathan brings senior strategic counsel and decades of executive and advisory experience to Santis.

Experience

For seven years, Jonathan served as the CEO of the Ontario Medical Association, gaining significant exposure to all facets of the health care system. Upon his arrival, he worked with the board to initiate and implement a Strategic Plan designed to cover the fundamental issues facing the OMA. Based on the plan, the board implemented a major governance realignment, and a communications and public affairs strategy (implemented by Patrick Nelson), which guided the Association’s approach in two rounds of negotiations. Jonathan was also responsible for the turnaround of the OMA subsidiary, OntarioMD, which placed Electronic Medical Record (EMR) technology in the hands of over 11,000 Ontario physicians.

Prior to his tenure at the OMA, Jonathan ran the Credit Union Central of Ontario for over twelve years, where he envisioned and engineered the merger with BC Central Credit Union to create the pan-Canadian Central1. Prior to that he served as a lawyer and diplomat in the foreign service.

Volunteerism and Education

Jonathan has also served on numerous boards, including the University of Guelph, the Harvard Alumni Association, Credit Union Central of Canada, OntarioMD, the Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare, a trust company and two insurance companies. He was Chair of the University of Guelph’s Health for Life initiative and is chair of Board of the Pine River Institute. Jonathan has a law degree from the University of Toronto and a degree in economics from Harvard University.

Role at Santis

Arman plays a leading role in guiding health care organizations through complex system challenges and transformative change. With expertise in strategy, governance, health policy, and implementation, Arman works closely with clients to develop and execute solutions that strengthen their impact on patients, staff, stakeholders, and the broader health system. Leveraging his deep understanding of policy and operations, Arman helps organizations navigate evolving regulatory landscapes, optimize governance structures, and implement innovative models of care. Known for his ability to facilitate strategic discussions and drive meaningful action, he ensures that clients are well-positioned to achieve sustainable improvements in health care delivery and system performance.

Experience

Before joining Santis Health, Arman was a Program Manager at SE Health, where he led initiatives focused on affordable housing solutions for older adults. In this role, he brought together experts from health and housing sectors to prototype innovative housing models aimed at improving physical, mental, and emotional health outcomes. Arman also has a strong background in research and policy. He previously worked at the Wellesley Institute, contributing to health equity research, and gained political expertise as a Minister’s staffer. Beyond his professional work, Arman is deeply engaged in community health governance. He has served as Board Chair of Access Alliance, a community health centre in downtown Toronto, and currently sits on the Board of South Riverdale Community Health Centre.

Volunteerism and Education

Arman holds a Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law from York University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto.

Role at Santis

Pia plays a leading role in driving and managing change for clients as a Senior Consultant on the Management Consulting Team. She works closely with health care organizations to develop and implement strategies that enhance their ability to positively impact patients, staff, stakeholders, and the broader health care system. She has strong expertise in strategy, governance, health policy, facilitation, and implementation which enables her to develop high-impact solutions that support stronger, more effective health care organizations. With a passion for delivering tangible, lasting improvements in health care, Pia guides clients through complex challenges, ensuring they are well-positioned to make meaningful and sustainable change.

Experience

Pia has worked to advance health care systems at the grassroot, provincial, national, and multinational levels. Prior to joining Santis, Pia worked at the Embassy of Denmark in Ottawa where she monitored, analyzed, and advised on health-related policies, programs, and trends in Canada and acted as a liaison on health matters between Denmark and Canada.

Pia also worked for the Danish Mission to the UN in Geneva where she analyzed health policies at several United Nations fora, reported on key findings and developments and developed recommendations to the Danish Government.

Volunteerism and Education

Pia holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from University of Copenhagen. Recently, Pia served as a Board of Director at Brain Injury Canada.

Role at Santis

Cristina supports Santis’ Management Consulting Team with meeting our clients’ diverse needs – whether that’s co-creating bold and effective strategic plans, building positive relations with their stakeholder networks, or conducting research and analysis into their evolving external environments. With a background in – as well as a passion for – mental health and addictions policy, Cristina frequently supports our clients within Ontario’s mental health and addictions sector.

Experience

Before joining Santis Health, Cristina was the Interim Policy Officer for the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, where she worked to advance public policy and a health system that improved outcomes for all those living with mental illness and substance use conditions. In 2021, Cristina was selected for the Jude Payne Traineeship in Health Policy at the Scottish Parliament. Prior to this, she worked within the HR Directorate at the UK Department of Health and Social Care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volunteerism & Education

Cristina graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master of Studies in Modern British History in 2020, after previously completing her undergraduate degree from the University of St Andrews in Modern History.

ROLE AT SANTIS

Dr. McNally has held strategic leadership roles in health care for over 20 years. She has worked in various care settings in both northeastern Ontario and on PEI as a practising family physician. 

Her wealth of acumen in primary care, strategic leadership, and firsthand practitioner experience make her uniquely-suited to providing guidance to Santis clients in the areas of public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and policy analysis.

EXPERIENCE

A distinguished leader in health care, Dr. McNally has over 20 years of experience as a practising family physician both in northeastern Ontario and on PEI. Her work in advancing primary care has garnered her numerous health sector accolades. She has worked in a wide range of settings  including full scope community family medicine, long-term care, emergency medicine and acute hospital medicine. Her most recent clinical work is with the homeless population on PEI and in community family medicine.  

Prior to joining Santis, she served as the Chief Medical Officer of Health PEI, the province’s health authority. In this role Dr. McNally was accountable for physician leadership structure, appointment & privileging, and the Medical Affairs team, among other responsibilities. Dr. McNally co-authored and was instrumental in the initiation of the Provincial Primary Care Road Map (PCRM) leading to the province-wide implementation of Patient Medical Homes and Neighbourhoods. 

She previously held the role of Director of Health Services with PEI’s Department of Health & Wellness.

Dr. McNally received the Health PEI Board Leadership Excellence in Quality & Safety award in 2024 and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) Award of Excellence for leadership in primary care in 2020. She received her first CFPC Award of Excellence for leadership in hospitalist medicine in 2009 in recognition of creating and implementing the first Hospitalist program on PEI.

VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION

Dr. McNally graduated from Dalhousie University’s M.D. program and the University of Ottawa Family Residency program. She holds a B.Sc. Major in biology obtained from the University of Prince Edward Island. She completed a Master’s Certificate in Physician Leadership with the Schulich Executive Education Center at York University and is a Canadian Certified Physician Executive (CCPE).

A strong advocate for physician health and wellness, Dr. McNally was the inaugural chair of the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island (MSPEI) provincial steering committee on physician health and engagement from 2016 to 2021 and was pivotal in the creation and implementation of the first provincial physician health program. For over a decade, she was the provincial representative and advocate for physician health attending national meetings and conferences on behalf of MSPEI.  She was awarded the MSPEI President’s Leadership award in 2018 for her years of advancing awareness and advocacy in the area.

ROLE AT SANTIS

Anaïs is a Policy Analyst in Santis Health’s Management Consulting service area. In this role, Anaïs assists Santis Health’s Strategy and Policy team by providing services in research, policy analysis, and project management for Santis’ range of clients. She conducts policy and environmental research and analysis for strategic plans, operational plans and client engagements including hospitals, community health centers and physician organizations.

EXPERIENCE

Before joining Santis, Anaïs worked as a policy analyst in Councillor Chris Moise’s office at the City of Toronto, supporting the Toronto Board of Health in implementing Mental Health First Aid training for Regent Park and Moss Park residents. She also spent four years as a research assistant at the University of Toronto, leading projects with hospitals like Mount Sinai and Ontario Health, including the Safe Hands Safe Hearts COVID-19 mental health initiative with Women’s College Hospital and HIV Intensive Case Management research in the GTA. Her research spans institutions such as the Black Health Equity Lab, the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, and the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

Anaïs has global health experience, having contributed to health system improvement projects in Pointe-Noire (Congo), Bangkok, Mumbai, and the UK. She also brings private sector experience from Deloitte’s strategic cohorts team and Eli Lilly’s patient support program, where she supported strategic initiatives for government and life sciences clients. Passionate about equity in health and education, she volunteers with the FCJ Refugee Center and advises for the Black Health Equity Lab.

VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION

Anaïs holds a Bachelor of Science in global health and cognitive science (computational cognition) from the University of Toronto.

ROLE AT SANTIS

Alexia supports research and project management on the Management Consulting Team. She specializes in policy and environmental research and analysis, and supports clients in achieving their goals from project start to finish. Driven by a strong passion for improving health systems, she is committed to developing high-impact knowledge products that foster meaningful change.

EXPERIENCE

Before joining Santis, Alexia worked at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), where she played a key role in managing and facilitating information exchange among 180 Collaborating Centres across the Americas. Her work focused on optimizing digital knowledge-sharing networks to strengthen collaboration and enhance the impact of knowledge products.

VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION

Alexia holds a Master of Science in Global Health and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Windsor.

ROLE AT SANTIS

Saäd provides high-value counsel to executives navigating complex organizations, landscapes and challenges, utilizing his decades of experience as a change leader in the public and private sectors.

EXPERIENCE

For nearly 30 years, Saäd has served as a leader in challenging public and private sector environments, honing his expertise in financial administration, leadership of complex organizations, risk management, health care and, critically, as a changemaker who delivers results.

Saäd has held some of the most critical Deputy Minister positions in the Ontario Public Service including public safety and policing, transportation, energy and infrastructure and health and long-term care. During his time at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, he oversaw one of the largest government budgets in Canada, $48 billion. Shepherding the Ministry through the challenging landscape after the 2008 to 2009 financial crisis, Saäd also drove impactful change in the realms of infrastructure, digital health and hospital funding modernization.

After his successful tenure with the public service, Saäd was named CEO of the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games in Toronto. He re-established shareholder and sponsor confidence implementing the largest multi-sport event in Canadian history, returning a significant surplus of funds to taxpayers and increasing the economic activity above normal levels in Toronto and the surrounding 16 municipalities.

Prior to joining Santis as an Executive Advisor, Saäd was a National Leader for the Government and Public Services Industry at Deloitte. He has also consulted and advised a wide number of clients in pharmacare, long-term care, municipalities and major health care organizations.  

VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION

Saäd serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations including the Hospital for Sick Children, Baycrest Seniors Care, Ellis Don and the Canadian Olympic Committee. He has received an Honorary Degree from Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning and was recognized as a one of the “75 for 75^th” distinguished alumni honored as part of the 75^th anniversary of the Faculty of Public Affairs at Carleton University.

Role at Santis

Veronica serves as the Practice Lead for Santis’ Management Consulting service area. She brings over a decade of experience in Management Consulting across the public, private and non-profit sectors. During her tenure with the firm, Veronica has been pivotal in shaping and expanding Santis’ strategic advisory offerings. Her expertise lies in aligning organizations’ goals with actionable strategies, fostering seamless collaborations, and crafting comprehensive strategies that pave the way for long-term success. Veronica works directly with Boards and leadership teams of health authorities, health care providers, and associations. Her health care provider clients have spanned across sectors, including hospital and acute care, specialty care, community care, home care, mental health and addictions and primary care.

Experience

Prior to joining the Santis team, Veronica worked at the Ontario Public Service. During her time, Veronica led a diverse range of policy files and provided recommendations to senior management related to various strategic priorities and stakeholder issues.

Veronica also worked on multiple teams at United Way Greater Toronto. At United Way, Veronica assisted in scoping and developing new initiatives for future investments, supported the organizational strategic planning and implementation of the strategic plan, as well as worked with key partners to advance the organization’s research and public policy agenda.

Volunteerism and Education

Veronica holds an M.A. in International Relations, and a B.A. (Honours) majoring in political studies with a minor in global development studies from Queen’s University.

Role at Santis

As an Associate, Marcel serves as an advisor to the Santis team and its clients on key health initiatives and supports them in achieving their strategic policy, health care policy and government relations objectives.

Experience

Marcel joined Santis after 30+ years of experience in the federal government focusing on strategic policy, health care policy, and intergovernmental relations. After holding several positions as a Policy Analyst, Marcel became a Policy Advisor for the Director of Policy in the Prime Minister’s Office, where he provided advice on key issues in the Health, Justice and Human Resources Development Portfolios.

Marcel has since held various leadership positions as the Director of Policy Research for the Canadian Medical Association, Director General of Policy Coordination and Director General of Health Care Strategies for Health Canada. Most notably, Marcel worked as the Executive Director, Secretariat for the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare for Health Canada. In this role he oversaw the work of the Advisory Council, provided leadership for the Council’s cross-country consultations, and collaborated with senior officials at Finance Canada, the Privy Council Office and Health Canada.

Prior to joining Santis, Marcel served as an Associate Assistant Deputy Minister for the Strategic Policy Branch of Health Canada. In his role he advised the Minister and Deputy Minister on health care policy and led Federal-Provincial-Territorial negotiations on bilateral agreements for mental health, home care and virtual care.

Volunteerism and Education

Marcel holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Economics from the University of Ottawa, along with a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Montreal. Marcel is fluently bilingual in English and French and has significant experience as a member of the Board of Directors of several pan-Canadian health organizations.

Role at Santis

Victoria is a senior leader in Santis Health’s Management Consulting service area. A seasoned management consultant, Victoria is best known for her expertise in strategy development, organizational transformation, and stakeholder engagement. Her work focuses broadly on helping organizations to plan and execute complex transformations and adapt to changes in the health care system. At Santis, Victoria has led strategic initiatives for clients across the health care continuum, including government agencies, hospitals, associations, and private organizations – at the national, provincial, and local levels. Victoria partners with organizations’ Board of Directors and leadership teams to address their most significant organizational challenges. She has a keen interest in addressing health workforce challenges and fostering purposeful partnerships for the betterment of Canada’s health care system.

Experience

Beyond her role at Santis, Victoria is a Co-Lecturer for the Health care and Life Sciences Consulting field application course offered at the University of Toronto’s Rotman MBA program. Victoria is passionate about health system reform and has authored several publications on the topic outside of her day-to-day work. Prior to joining Santis, Victoria most recently worked as a management consultant in KPMG’s Health care and Life Sciences Practice.

Volunteerism and Education

Victoria holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in Health Services Management from McMaster University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western University, with an Honours Specialization in Psychology with a Minor in Writing. She is also a certified Project Management Professional.

ROLE AT SANTIS

Annie plays a key role in project management and research on the Management Consulting Team. She conducts policy and environmental research and analysis, develops and executes engagement plans, and helps address high-priority client goals. Annie’s passion for innovative solutions and improved health outcomes drives her work, as she develops high-impact products—such as reports, frameworks, and recommendations—that inform critical decision-making and drive meaningful change.

EXPERIENCE

Before joining the Santis team, Annie worked at Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, where she collaborated with investigators, doctors, patients, and stakeholders to assess and expand virtual mental health supports. She also played a key role in developing research protocols for hospital program implementation and evaluation. Before working in clinical research, Annie worked as a graduate researcher and teaching assistant at the University of Toronto.

VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION

Annie holds a Master of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto.