Nominees profiles

Entrepreneur Excellence Award

Jonathan Gbedemah

Jonathan Gbedemah, a pharmacist and entrepreneur from Guelph, Ontario, is the visionary behind Jonathan’s Kingsway Pharmacy in Greater Sudbury. He has built a thriving, community-focused practice that offers specialized services in geriatric care, bariatric patient support, minor ailments, and custom compounding. As a key member of an integrated geriatrics team, Jonathan is committed to delivering collaborative, patient-centered care to vulnerable populations. His leadership was recognized by the Ontario Pharmacists Association, which featured him in their Black History Month campaign, celebrating his contributions to healthcare innovation and equity in Northern Ontario.

Annmarie Etuk-Campbell

Annmarie Etuk-Campbell is the founder and owner of Supply the Change Psychotherapy Services and a Psychotherapist. Since opening her business she has been able to provide free therapy to Black women, teach Psychological First Aid to Black Owned businesses, and continues to actively provide mentorship to Black women entering the field of Psychology. Annmarie Etuk-Campbell won the Canadian Choice Award for her psychotherapy practice in 2025 which was a great accomplishment for her business and something that she is extremely proud of.

Angelique Benois

Angelique Benois is a passionate mother and mental wellness advocate who has created innovative programs and services that have been shared on a global scale. Her accomplishments span from working with small, remote communities to collaborating with world-renowned organizations such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Despite her extensive experience in the field, Angelique remains deeply inspired to support individuals, teams, and communities by offering unique wellness strategies that promote strong mental health and well-being.

Nneka Ezurike

Nneka Ezurike is a dedicated pharmacist, entrepreneur, Certified health coach, and passionate advocate for women’s empowerment, health and well-being. Not only is she the associate-owner of 4 Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Toronto who recently won associate-owner of the year award; she is also the Co-Founder of a national non-profit organization: Black Pharmacy Professionals of Canada. This non-profit organization is the first of it’s kind in Canada and aims to : To lead excellence in practice amongst Black pharmacy professionals and promote equity for Black pharmacy professionals and patients. Beyond her roles in pharmacy, Nneka serves as a Board Member for the Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health, and is involved in various women-focused initiatives raising thousands of dollars for local charities in need.

Healthcare Humanitarian Award

Dawn Barker

Dawn Barker is a TNBC breast cancer survivor and the founder of NUY50, a movement dedicated to bring more awareness to Black women and underserved communities in breast cancer conversations.

Through her work as an advocate, collaborator and storyteller, Dawn has worked with Women’s College Hospital, The Toronto Star, CTV News, Yahoo Canada, The Canadian Cancer Trials Group as a Patient Representative, The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care as their first ever Patient Partner invited to sit at the table and many more accomplishments. Dawn challenges systems to embrace cultural humility, faith-informed care, and equity in survivorship.

She brings the lived experience of a survivor, caregiver, the clarity of a change-maker, and the heart of a community builder – reminding us that healing is personal, but improving outcomes is collective.

Georgia Fullerton

Georgia Fullerton is a Jamaican Canadian professional visual artist, expressive arts therapist, and arts educator based in Durham Region, Ontario. She studied visual arts at Red Deer College and earned her BA from York University before training at the CREATE Institute in expressive arts therapy. Through her practice and business, Just Georgia – Expressive Arts to Heal the Heart®, she integrates therapeutic arts with community engagement, education, and social impact. Georgia has led major arts initiatives, held leadership roles in public galleries and associations, and continues to create and facilitate programs that center healing through the arts.

Marty Lampkin

Marty Lampkin is an Afro-Caribbean woman who lives by her motto, “my ancestors did not die for me to remain silent.” As a Professor, Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist, she is a strong advocate and educator on the intersection of Anti-Black Racism and Disability for Black adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), intellectual disabilities and neurodiversity and their caregivers. Marty has consulted on discrimination issues within the disability sector and has developed a unique program for Black adults with ASD. Her work has highlighted how Black families experience a lack of culturally-appropriate care and increased incidents of racism when trying to access support for their children living with complex disabilities. Her work can be seen on TVO The Agenda with Steve Paikin and featured article in NOW Toronto Magazine. Marty is the founder of a community program titled Racism affects me too, which focuses on the impacts of Anti-Black Racism on individuals living with intellectual disabilities or ASD. Her work from the Racismaffectsmetoo program was requested to be presented in 2024 as the Keynote speaker at the Ontario Association on Developmental Disability Conference (OADD), The Community Living Inclusion Symposium and the ODEN Rethinking Disability Conference. Last year, Marty founded and launched the first Masabilities: Carnival without limits as she created a Disability Inclusive Carnival experience in the City of Toronto during the Toronto Caribbean Carnival Parade traditionally known as Caribana.

Danielle Brown-Shreves

Dr. Danielle Brown-Shreves is an award-winning family physician recognized for her compassionate care and unwavering dedication to serving historically marginalized individuals. She is the founder of Restore Medical Clinics—a beacon of hope in the community—providing increased access to care and improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations. In addition, Dr. Brown-Shreves is an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa, where she mentors Black medical students and helps train the next generation of family physicians. Her leadership and deep commitment to health equity continue to impact individuals, families, and communities as she selflessly serves with compassion.

Impact in Healthcare Award

Joan Samuels-Dennis

Dr. Joan Samuels-Dennis, Ph.D., RN-Psychotherapist, is a pioneering mental health leader, trauma recovery expert, and founder of the Becoming Institute Inc. She is the creator of The Becoming Method™, a breakthrough trauma resolution model that integrates neuroscience, epigenetics, and Afrocentric philosophy to end trauma symptoms in just 3 to 7 sessions—transforming how healing is understood and practiced in Canada.

Through her leadership, Dr. Joan has launched the 12-month Trauma Recovery Certificate Program, training a new generation of culturally responsive healers, and spearheaded The Becoming Project—a national initiative that includes Canada’s first Afrocentric Truth and Reconciliation Jubilee. She also chairs the National Healing Journey, building partnerships with Black-led organizations and reshaping trauma care at both community and systemic levels.

Her work has brought lasting healing to individuals and families across Canada, laid the foundation for a trauma-informed Black health workforce, and is influencing how public health systems address the intergenerational impact of racism and colonization. With a vision rooted in truth, justice, and collective healing, Dr. Joan is building sustainable models of care that will serve generations to come.

Shelly Philip LaForest

Registered Nurse for over 25 years, educator for over 15 years. Currently a College Professor and Phd candidate. Founder of the Ontario Black Nurses’ Network and Black Nursing Leadership Program. Board member for the Canadian Nurses Foundation. Executive Committee Member for Epilepsy Ontario. Awards won for volunteerism – among them: Citizen of the Year Award – City of Brampton 2025, Volunteer Award – 2024, 100 Black Women to Watch 2023

Trudy McFarlane

Dr. Trudy McFarlane is a family physician, GP psychotherapist, and the Associate Dean of Black Flourishing in Medicine and Healthcare—a pioneering role she developed, marking the first of its kind in Canadian medical schools. She is dedicated to keeping individuals and communities healthy through culturally sensitive care and transformative, system-level change. Dr. McFarlane works at the intersection of education, clinical care, mental health, and Black health equity, striving to disrupt the status quo and reshape the Black experience in medicine. Her mission is to build a future where Black communities and learners can truly flourish in healthcare and medical education.

Dr. Mariama Amadou

For Dr. Mariama amadou, dentistry is more than a qualification: it’s a commitment.

Dr. Amadou loves every aspect of her work, and the health and well-being of her patients is her top priority. Dr. Amadou first studied in Niger, her native country, before obtaining a grand for outstanding work that allowed her to pursue her studies in dentistry at the University Mohamed V de Rabat in Morocco, and then in France at the University Claude Bernard Lyon, Rockefeller, where she worked for 5 years.

When Dr. Amadou arrived in Canada in 2010, she obtained a diploma equivalent to her studies overseas from the National Dental Examining Board and subsequently received her license to practice in Canada.

Always looking to acquire new and effective skills Dr. Amadou participated in hands-on training in Restorations, prosthetics, endodontics (root canal treatment) and surgical dentistry, where she developed a passion for implants and wisdom teeth extractions. She has also taken courses in oral sedation and medical emergencies at the University of Toronto in order to provide a safe and relaxing environment for her patients.

Dr. Amadou believes that everybody deserves to have good oral health. From 2011 to 2014 she developed a project/program for people with autism in collaboration with the university of Quebec in the Outaouais region and Pavillon du Parc. This program consists of making autistic patients become more receptive to dental care and teaches them how to take good care of their own oral hygiene. Dr. Amadou is a member of the Canadian Dental Association, the Ontario Dental Association, the Ottawa Dental society and the Quebec order of Dentists.

Aside from her professional career in dentistry, Dr. Amadou enjoys travelling and spending time with her husband and 3 handsome sons. At Pineview dental clinic, we aim to make your visit as agreeable as possible. Our staff is trained in the latest advancements in dentistry and committed to treating our patients with care and support. We understand that many individuals have fears and concerns in regard to dental work, so we work hard to alleviate these worries by establishing a warm and comfortable climate for our patients. We likewise offer in-house subject matter experts and advantageous hours to coordinate with your timetable.

Emerging Leader in Health Award

Kamika Sylvester

Kamika Sylvester is a registered nurse, tech founder, and health equity advocate building Code Melanin—Canada’s first AI-powered wellness platform created for and by Black healthcare providers. She began her career in ERs across the country, caring for patients in crisis while quietly navigating her own rare diagnosis, trauma, and learning disability. Today, she transforms that lived experience into systemic impact—working to redesign the very healthcare structures that once failed her and her community. As co-founder of The Black Birth Project, Kamika leads efforts to dismantle racism in reproductive care and consults on self-advocacy and equitable healthcare design. Her work is a love letter to those surviving the system while daring to reimagine it.

Dwight Barrett

Dwight is a Critical Care Registered Nurse with over 14 years of experience in the ER and ICU. He was the 2020 recipient of the Nurse Practice Award at Trillium Health Partners, Credit Valley Hospital, in the Emergency Department. He is also a clinical instructor, lab instructor, and lecturer at Humber College. Currently, he is pursuing his Master’s degree in Nursing, focusing on leadership and education at Toronto Metropolitan University. His passion for Black health and awareness has led to his role as Communications ENO for the Black Nurses Leading Change Interest Group within RNAO.

He is the author of the mystery suspense novel Double Deception and is currently working on two additional fictional mystery novels and one autobiography.M.p

Chika Oriuwa

Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa is a physician, mother of two, spoken word poet, and internationally renowned public speaker recognized for her transformative work at the intersection of medicine, equity, and innovation. A graduate and valedictorian of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine, she is completing her residency in psychiatry with aspirations to sub-specialize in brain medicine and forensics. Named one of TIME Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders and honored with a one-of-a-kind Barbie in her image, Dr. Oriuwa is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Unlike the Rest. Through her leadership, she champions compassionate care, health equity, and creative expression as tools for systemic change.

Innovator in Health Tech Award

Janelle Efejedia Chioma

Chioma Janelle Efejedia, MSW, RSW, is a registered social worker, psychotherapist, and founder of Inner Compass Well-being, a mental health agency and tech platform supporting BIPOC communities. With over a decade in the social services field, she offers culturally grounded therapy and leads organizational training on psychological safety and workplace well-being. Chioma is passionate about making mental health support accessible, relatable, and rooted in lived experience. Through OMA Life, her wellness app, she’s bridging the gap in culturally relevant care with innovative, community-driven solutions.

Yvonne Osagie

Yvonne is the founder and CEO of Med Melanin and on the Board of Directors at Healthcaring Differently. Her passion for health equity led her to speak to over 400 patients and create community health initiatives like Med Melanin Mondays or birthing advocacy community events through It Takes a Village. Yvonne was also the first black female student governor of Carleton University. She holds a Masters in Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology from the University of Waterloo and a BSc Honours in Neuroscience & Mental Health with a double minor in ASL & business from Carleton University.

Ibukun Abejirinde

Dr. Ibukun Abejirinde is a Scientist at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, and an Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the intersection of technology and health equity, exploring how marginalized populations access and experience care. She led the development of Canada’s first pan-Canadian digital health evaluation framework and co-leads initiatives on remote patient monitoring and AI-enabled chronic disease prevention. Dr. Abejirinde is a 2022 AMS Healthcare Fellow in Compassion and AI and a 2023 recipient of the TRANSFORM HF Collaboration Starter Grant.