Our Mission
We advocate for better access to adult vaccines to protect the health of Canadians.
We are a national coalition of immunization experts, healthcare professionals, advocates, and partners working to improve funding, awareness, and access to NACI-recommended adult vaccines across Canada.
Through coordinated advocacy and evidence-based policy, we reduce barriers, prevent vaccine-preventable disease, and reduce pressures and costs within the healthcare system.
Our mission is to advance awareness, funding, and access to NACI-recommended adult vaccines, strengthening the health and well-being of adults across Canada.
Our Goal
By 2035, ensure adults across Canada have equitable access to publicly funded vaccines for:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
Pneumococcal disease
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
COVID-19
Seasonal influenza
Our Approach
Our approach is rooted in collaboration and evidence-based advocacy.
By bringing together the perspectives of healthcare practitioners, public-health experts, researchers, patient organizations, and industry partners, we help shape adult vaccine policy that is coordinated, equitable, and responsive to the needs of Canadians.
How AVA is working on bridging the gaps in adult vaccine funding
Dr. Greg Taylor and Dr. Shelita Dattani from the Adult Vaccine Alliance unpack the key drivers and barriers affecting adult immunization in Canada including the critical role providers play in informing and guiding patients about vaccination.
Our Members
AVA has a broad membership base, is governed by an executive committee, and is driven by dedicated working groups focused on priority areas.
It has an established group of physician advisors and a secretariat that provides administrative and implementation support to ensure effective coordination and execution of AVA’s initiatives.
Our Executive Committee
Dr. Shelita Dattani, BSc.Phm., Pharm.D.
Pharmacy and Healthcare Leader
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Dr. Shelita (Sheli) Dattani is a nationally and internationally recognized pharmacy leader, advocate, and speaker. With more than 20 years of executive and leadership experience spanning community practice, hospital settings, academia, industry, and national associations, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of pharmacy and health care.
Sheli’s career reflects a deep commitment to advancing pharmacy’s impact on health outcomes, primary and preventive care, public health, and evidence-based policy in Canada and abroad. Known for connecting practice to policy, she is an engaging educator and thought leader who bridges diverse perspectives with clarity and purpose.
Sheli holds teaching appointments at Memorial University of Newfoundland, the University of Ottawa and is a guest lecturer at the University of Waterloo, where her dynamic teaching style brings complex ideas to life.
A sought-after speaker, moderator, and facilitator, Sheli is recognized for her energetic presence and ability to spark conversations that connect people, ignite ideas, and inspire change. A passionate advocate for women in leadership, she is committed to empowering others and mentoring the next generation of innovators in health care.
Arpita Sarker
HBSc, MBA
Project Lead Praxus Health (AVA Secretariat)
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Arpita Sarker works across public health advocacy, vaccine policy, and cross-sector partnerships to help advance equitable healthcare access across Canada. Her passion began on the front lines of community pharmacy in underserved communities across Toronto, where she saw firsthand how factors such as affordability, access challenges, and health literacy can shape a person’s ability to access care. These experiences, alongside witnessing the unique healthcare access challenges faced by rural and Northern Ontario communities, sparked her interest in finding ways to close care gaps and improve health equity.
Motivated to help close these gaps and drive broader systems-level change, Arpita went on to complete her MBA at McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business after graduating with High Distinction from the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Immunology.
Today, through her work in pharmacy, not-for-profit healthcare advocacy, and collaboration across private and public sectors, Arpita supports national initiatives focused on immunization, health education, and health equity. She also brings over a decade of community service experience and was recognized with the Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Award for her leadership and contributions to community initiatives across Ontario.
Dr. Vivien Brown
MDCM, CCFP, FCFP, NCMP
Family Physician and Author
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Dr. Vivien Brown is a family physician and author in Toronto. Educated at McGill University, she currently is appointed to the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, holding the rank of Assistant Professor. An award winner for teaching on many levels, her major interests are in the area of health promotion and prevention for women, and continuing medical education, Adult Immunization and Vaccine Preventable Illness.
The College of Family Physicians of Ontario named Dr Brown “Physician of the Year for the Region of Toronto”, awarded November 2012. Canada. She is the Past President of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada and is immediate past Vice President for North America for the Medical Women’s International Association. Recently she was named one of Canada’s most influential women by the organization Women of Influence, for her work on advocacy on HPV vaccine for Canadians.
In March 2017, she was honored to present HPV initiatives in Canada at the UN meetings for the Commission on the Status of Women. In 2018 she was honored with the Media Award from the North American Menopause Society for her work in Women’s Health. She also received the May Cohen Award from the Federation of Medical Women of Canada for her work in Women’s Health.
Her most recent book, “The New Woman’s Guide to Healthy Aging” was recently published to rave reviews.
Ian Culbert
Executive Director, Canadian Public Health Association
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Ian Culbert began his career in public health in 1990 when he joined the Canadian Public Health Association. In 2013, he was appointed as CPHA’s Executive Director after having served in a number of different roles within the Association, including director-level positions in communications, business and corporate development, as well as programmatic work in HIV, hepatitis C, sexually-transmitted infections, addictions and social marketing.
Ian’s commitment to the principles of public health, dedication to CPHA and its constituent communities, and collaborative leadership style are reflected in the progress CPHA continues to make in partnership with key stakeholders, both within Canada and internationally.
Laura Tamblyn-Watts
President & CEO of CanAge
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Laura Tamblyn Watts is the CEO of CanAge and a leading advocate for improving the health, rights, and well-being of older adults in Canada. Her work focuses on advancing policies and programs that support healthy aging, including improving access to preventative healthcare for seniors.
A lawyer and policy expert, Laura previously served as National Director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law and Chief Public Policy Officer at CARP. She is also an Assistant Professor (status) at the University of Toronto’s Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.
Laura is widely recognized for her leadership in aging policy and regularly contributes to national conversations on the health and wellbeing of older adults in Canada.
Jonathan Mudry
B.Sc, BMR-PT, MBA
VP Praxus Health (AVA Secretariat)
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Jonathan Mudry is a health strategy leader with a strong track record in aligning public health priorities with private sector innovation. As Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships at Praxus Health, Jonathan works closely with public sector and industry partners, healthcare providers, and policymakers to design and deliver initiatives that enhance access to care, drive provider engagement, and support real-world evidence generation.
With deep expertise in behaviour change strategy, health education, and cross-sector partnerships, Jonathan has led national campaigns that increase disease awareness, improve treatment uptake, and address barriers to care across diverse populations. He has guided research on patient and provider perspectives to inform the design of education and access programs, and has collaborated with life sciences partners to develop scalable solutions that align with both system needs and business objectives.
Jonathan’s ability to bridge sectors and translate insights into action allow him to support partners in co-creating initiatives that improve outcomes, strengthen provider networks, and support policy and market access goals. He brings 15 years of experience across public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, holds a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor’s of Physiotherapy from the University of Manitoba and an Executive MBA from Durham University Business School.
Our Physician Advisors
Dr. Christine Palmay, MD
Physician, Midtown Health and Wellness Clinic
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Dr. Christine Palmay graduated from the Western University Schulich School of Medicine in 2006 and completed her residency at the University of Toronto in 2008. She currently manages a busy family medical practice in midtown Toronto. She has been listed in NOW magazine’s Best of List and was honoured by the Federation Medical Women of Canada with their 2016 National Reproductive Health Award.
Dr. Palmay is a board member on the Canadian Collaborative Research Network. She also serves as a co-editor of a new primary care journal, Primary Care Today. She speaks and writes regularly on topics such as immunization, women’s health and has a passion for public education.
Dr. George G. Zhanel
FCAH Director, Canadian Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance
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Dr. George Zhanel is a microbiologist and pharmacologist, and Professor and Associate Head in the Department of Medical Microbiology/Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba. He also serves as Research Director of the Canadian Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance (CARA).
Dr. Zhanel has authored over 1,300 publications and delivered more than 1,300 invited lectures globally on antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease prevention. He has contributed extensively to treatment guidelines in Canada and internationally.
He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and has received over 100 teaching awards, including the 2020 CAME Merit Award. Since 2022, he has been recognized annually by Web of Science as one of the world’s most highly cited researchers.
Dr. Marla Shapiro
Self-employed Physician
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Dr. Shapiro completed medical school at McGill University and trained at the University of Toronto for her Masters of Health Science. She concluded her specialty training in Community Medicine, receiving her Fellowship in Preventive Medicine and Public Health from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She also holds a Fellowship in Family Medicine and is currently a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Shapiro is the medical expert for CTV and is seen on CTV NewsChannel . She is the author of the bestselling book, Life in the Balance: My Journey with Breast Cancer.
Dr. Shapiro is a member of several advisory boards, including the Terry Fox Research Institute. She was the President of the North American Menopause Society in 2017 and currently sits on the Board of Trustees of the International Menopause Society.
In 2015 Dr. Shapiro was named a Member of the Order of Canada for her contributions as a family physician and trusted source of health information. One of this country’s highest civilian honours, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation.
Dr. Deborah Saunders
Medical Director, Department Dental Oncology
Regional Program Lead, Clinical Tobacco Intervention Program
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Dr. Saunders is the medical director of the dental oncology department at the Northeast Cancer Centre (NECC) as well as the program lead for the Northeast Cancer Centre (NECC) Clinical Tobacco Intervention Program, which ranks among the top in the province.
Dr. Saunders is a member of the Ontario Health Tobacco Initiative Research Committee and the Canadian Dental Association, Committee on Clinical and Scientific Affairs.
She is the president of the International Society of Oral Oncology. Dr Saunders has been top accrual of clinical trials at HSNRI since 2017. Her research efforts have led to the publication of 35 peer-reviewed papers in reputable journals; including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cancer, and Supportive Care in Cancer.
She is a global speaker on Oral Complications in Cancer Therapy presenting in over 7 countries abroad and Global Advisor for three pharmaceutical companies. Locally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern Ontario Angels of Ontario (NOA) representing the area of Medical Tech start-ups and is a longstanding mentor and research supervisor for Research Students/ Residents and Learners in the North.
Dr. Paul B. Jones
BSc, MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP
Physician, Arthur Family Practice and Arthur Travel Health
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Dr. Paul B. Jones is a Canadian family physician with over a decade of experience in diverse settings including urban emergency departments, rural hospitals, and remote northern communities. He completed both Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine training through McMaster University’s CCFP(EM) program. He also holds a Certificate in Travel Health (CTH) from the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM), recognizing his expertise and dedication to the field of travel medicine.
Now based in the rural community of Arthur, Ontario, Dr. Jones leads a full-scope family practice and operates a travel medicine and adult immunization clinic. His work in adult vaccines reflects a passion for prevention — a way of going upstream to stop disease before it leads to emergency department visits, hospitalizations, or death.
In addition to clinical work, Dr. Jones teaches medical students and residents at McMaster University and Toronto Metropolitan University. He is a strong advocate for improving vaccine confidence and access, particularly in underserved rural areas, and brings a grounded, front-line voice to national conversations on adult immunization.
Dr. Ronald F. Grossman
MD, FRCPC, FACP, FCCP
Professor of Medicine
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Ronald F. Grossman is the Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and previously served as the Chief of Medicine at the Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga, Ontario.
He has published over 90 articles in a wide number of medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, American Journal of Medicine and Chest.
His major research and teaching interests are in respiratory tract infections. He has participated in the creation of Canadian and American guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia, Canadian guidelines for the management of hospital-acquired pneumonia and Canadian and international guidelines for the management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive lung disease.
Dr. Grossman previously served as the chairman of the National Information Program on Antibiotics (NIPA), a coalition of many medical and public health societies. This coalition was established to encourage the appropriate use of antibiotics among physicians and patients.
He was recently awarded the Murray Kornfeld Memorial Founder’s Lectureship by the American College of Chest Physicians.
Our Sponsors
