May 21, 2026
New Faces, Fresh Ideas: Welcoming Our Newest Board Members and Staff
Myeloma Canada is growing, and we couldn’t be more excited about the people joining our staff and Board of Directors. From clinical research to governance, patient advocacy to digital communications, our newest members bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives that will help us better serve the myeloma community.
Welcoming Our New Board Members
Our board guides the strategic direction of Myeloma Canada, and we are fortunate to welcome three new members whose diverse backgrounds span medicine, executive leadership, and lived experience with myeloma.
Dr Paola Neri, MD, PhD
[Photo: Dr Paola Neri, MD, PhD]
Dr Paola Neri, MD, PhD is an Associate Professor of Medicine, attending physician in the Hematology division at University of Calgary, and member of the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute. Since January 2019 she has been the Scientific Director of the Cancer Translational Research Core, a clinically accredited laboratory located at the Arthur Child Comprehensive Cancer Center in Calgary. She is very active both in preclinical and clinical trial research in Multiple Myeloma.
Dawn Wilson
Dawn Wilson is a senior executive with extensive leadership experience across the health, regulatory, and not-for-profit sectors. She currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of a national oral health accreditation agency, where she leads the development and oversight of national accreditation and standards that support excellence in dental education and practice.
[Photo: Dawn Wilson]
She brings significant expertise in governance, accreditation, and working with boards, regulators, and professional bodies. Prior to her current role, Dawn was CEO of Speech-Language & Audiology Canada and has held leadership positions with several national medical organizations, including the Canadian Association of General Surgeons, the Canadian Hernia Society, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Dawn is recognized for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to advance complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives. Her accomplishments include leading national organizational integrations, securing major funding partnerships, launching a national entry-to-practice examination, and supporting the development of professional and manufacturing standards.
She has served on the Board of St Mary’s Home for over five years and is a Certified Association Executive. Originally from Scotland, Dawn trained as a nurse and now lives in Ottawa with her family.
Kim Groff
[Photo: Kim Groff]
Kim Groff is a business owner and certified Business Coach from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He’s been married to Valarie since 1987, and they have two adult daughters and four grandchildren. Since his diagnosis in 2024, Kim has been active with the local Myeloma Support Group, participating in the annual Marches and other endeavours to increase public awareness. As a dedicated board member of Myeloma Canada, he is committed to advancing support, education, and research for Canadians affected by multiple myeloma. He brings a strong background in governance, strategic planning, and community engagement, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and amplifying patient voices.
Welcoming Our New Staff Members
Behind every resource, event, and campaign is a team of dedicated people working to make it happen. We are thrilled to welcome several new staff members who bring fresh ideas and deep expertise in digital communications, education, fundraising, and more.
Rania Gamal, Patient Education and Digital Resource Manager
[Photo: Rania Gamal, Patient Education and Digital Resource Manager]
Rania has always been driven by a passion for design. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering, where she designed 4G communication circuits. During her master’s degree, she pivoted to photonics, where she designed optical biosensors — work she continued to refine throughout her PhD at McGill. During her time in academia, she fell in love with scientific communication across written, visual, and spoken formats, and has since sought to play a role in making science more equitable and accessible to the general public. This brought her to Myeloma Canada, where she focuses on designing how scientific information is structured and communicated to educate and empower the myeloma community.
Vesper Guthrie, Digital Platforms Coordinator
[Photo: Vesper Guthrie, Digital Platforms Coordinator]
Vesper Guthrie joins Myeloma Canada as Digital Platforms Coordinator, bringing over three years of experience in digital marketing and communications across cultural institutions and digital agencies. Based in Montreal, Vesper specializes in bilingual content strategy, social media, and web coordination. Outside of work, they are an active sound artist and electronic musician.
The growth of our team and board reflects something bigger: Myeloma Canada’s commitment to building an organization that is innovative, sustainable, and deeply responsive to the evolving needs of the myeloma community. We are grateful to each of these individuals for bringing their talents, experience, and passion to this work. Please join us in welcoming them all.