Health Innovators Breakfast: Advancing Obesity Care Through Innovation and Partnership

BioAlberta and the University Hospital Foundation invite you to our next Health Innovators Breakfast, a morning event bringing together leaders from across Alberta's health and life sciences ecosystem.

Designed as an engaging start to your day, this breakfast will feature a panel discussion on health innovation, along with opportunities for conversation and connection.
Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that affects millions of Canadians and is associated with significant health, social, and economic impacts. There is increasing recognition of the need for evidence-based care, reduced stigma, and improved access to comprehensive support and treatment.

This Health Innovators Breakfast will explore how innovation, partnership, and person-centred care can improve outcomes for individuals living with obesity. Bringing together perspectives from those with lived experience, primary care, and industry, the discussion will examine opportunities to advance obesity prevention and management, address barriers to care, and strengthen connections across the health system.

Agenda:

7:15am - Registration opens
7:30 - 8:00am - Networking Breakfast
8:00 - 9:00am - Panel Discussion

For our October 16 event click here

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Speakers

Lisa Schaffer
Executive Director of Obesity Canada
SchafferLisa Schaffer is a dedicatedadvocate for improving obesitycare and reducing weight bias.As a leader with lived experience,she works to amplify patientvoices, drive policy change, andimprove access to evidence-basedcare across Canada. Lisa is passionate about breakingdown stigma and ensuring obesityis treated as a chronic diseasewith the same urgency andcompassion as any other healthcondition.

Meghan Belland
Executive Director of Promoting Health, Partnerships and Innovation at Primary Care Alberta
Meghan Belland is a senior health system leader with more than 30 years of experience advancing transformation across primary, community, acute, and continuing care. In her role with Primary Care Alberta, she provides strategic leadership in system planning and transformation, partnerships, and stakeholder relations, working across government, health organizations, primary care, communities, academia, foundations, and industry.

Meghan is focused on shaping the future of primary health care in Alberta, strengthening regional approaches to care and building stronger connections across the health system. She brings a systems perspective to complex challenges, creating alignment across diverse partners and translating strategic priorities into meaningful action.

Recognized for her collaborative and relationship-centred leadership, Meghan believes lasting transformation is built through trust, shared purpose, and strong partnerships. She holds a Master of Health Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is committed to advancing a connected, innovative, and sustainable health system that better serves Albertans.

Dan Ekstrand
Senior Manager, Patient Access, Western Canada at Novo Nordisk Canada
Mr. Ekstrand has been involved in the innovative pharmaceutical industry for over twenty-five years. During that time, he has assumed numerous roles, including: sales (GP and Specialty care), field training, district management, key account management and marketing. Dan first joined Novo in 2010 and is currently accountable for patient access/public affairs in the public and private payer markets. In addition to his professional accountabilities, Mr. Ekstrand feels a sense of responsibility to improve the care and outcomes for all individuals living with cardiometabolic conditions because he has witnessed firsthand its impact on immediate family members. As a result, he is passionate about Novo’s global commitment to “Lasting Health Starts Now” and understands this bold mandate is only possible by addressing obesity/linked chronic diseases and aligning with like-minded public/private/philanthropic partners.

Moderator: Gail Stepanik-Keber
Chief Catalyst, Strategic Marketing & Alliances, University Hospital Foundation
Gail Stepanik-Keber’s passion is purpose, strategy, governance and innovation. A passion which helps guide the University Hospital Foundation into the future while ensuring health care, finances and stakeholders remain the focus. Gail is responsible for strategic health partnerships, prevention and primary care programs, marketing communications, digital marketing and signature event experiences for the Foundation.

After returning to Canada in the late 90’s from a career in Malaysia as a managing director of a PR company, Gail was introduced to the cooperative business model as a c-suite executive member of Servus Credit Union. For 21 years, she incubated, developed, and led the functions of brand, data science, innovation, communications, corporate social responsibility and digital banking. Gail went on to set up a niche boutique firm called Triniti Solutions, focused solely on helping individuals and businesses declare their purpose and design-think it into their life and work before joining the Foundation.

For our October 16 event click here

Health Innovators Breakfast - Nov.

Health Innovators Breakfast - Nov.

Event Info

Hosted By:

BioAlberta

BioAlberta

Health Innovators Breakfast - Nov.

Health Innovators Breakfast - Nov.

Event Info

Hosted By:

BioAlberta

BioAlberta