Urgent Need for Expansion

In addition to his role at Hill House as Medical Director, Dr. Berger is the Physician Leader in the Department of Continuing Care, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care at Mackenzie Health. He led the project to establish and expand a palliative care unit at Mackenzie Health. He developed holistic programming at the hospital with shared resources from Hill House Hospice. He is a designated Palliative Care Expert and former Chair of the Ontario Medical Association Palliative Medicine Section. Dr. Berger has facilitated many training courses and lectured at numerous conferences, nationally and internationally on Palliative Care. He oversees palliative care fellows and residents and is a lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Division of Palliative Medicine under the Department of Family Practice. In 2020, he received the Ontario Medical Association Palliative Care Physician Award of Excellence.

Reza’s career spans academia, research, corporate and public service. He has extensive business, technical, scientific, strategic planning and political experiences gained in Canada and internationally. He is a former MPP, representing the riding of Richmond Hill, for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and was appointed Minister of Research, Innovation and Science and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities for the Government of Ontario. Prior to entering politics, he has over 20 years of experience in the fields of Physics and Engineering and held a 17-year position at the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada where he was the Vice-President and Chief Scientist. Reza is a dedicated community leader and has received numerous awards and recognition for his extensive volunteer and humanitarian work.

  Before joining the Hill House Board of Directors in 2021, Elaine was a nurse at Hill House Hospice for 10 years. In 2017, Elaine was a recipient of a Toronto Star Nightingale Award for providing the highest standards of professional care. Elaine has served on the United Way Greater Toronto Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2022. Prior to the amalgamation with United Way Toronto, she served as a board member of United Way York Region from 2011 to 2015 including Vice Chair of the Board. She was also appointed by the provincial government to serve two terms on the board of the Central Local Health Integrated Network, 2006-2010. She is currently on the board of Granite Golf Club. During her time with York Region Public Health, she was charged with developing the Health Promotion Plan for York Region.

Dr. Chung has almost 50-years of experience as practicing family care physician and over 25 years of palliative care expertise. He is certified with the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and operates within the Hospice Palliative Care Network of York Region. He has hospital privileges at Humber River Hospital, Mackenzie Health, North York General Hospital and Scarborough Hospital Birchmount. Dr. Chung is a lecturer at the University of Toronto in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.  In 2006, he was a Founding Member of the Etobicoke Palliative Medicine Association for Community Physicians on Call. He has received several recognitions for his work including the 2003 Recipient of Excellence Award from the North York Family Health Group and the 2004 Faculty Teaching Award from Sunnybrook Health Centre.

Nahid was born in Tehran, Iran. A current resident of Richmond Hill, she moved to Canada in 1991 where she studied Kinesiology at York University and Medical Office Administration at Seneca College. Nahid lost her father four years ago to cancer. He spent the last few days of his life at Hill House Hospice. The care and unconditional love that Nahid and her family and her father experienced at Hill House was unforgettable. Nahid is forever grateful and has committed to giving back to Hill House as a Campaign Cabinet member. 

Latif is CEO of Liberty Development Corporation and President of Online Property Management, both based in Markham. He has more than 30 years of experience in the development and construction industry. He is also a dedicated community leader and has served on various boards of directors for schools and hospitals, including Mackenzie Health. He is actively involved in the Jaffari Islamic Canadian community and is committed to giving them a voice to encourage participation in the wider community. 

Dr. Geoffroy is a family care physician, with over 20 years’ experience in nursing homes and experience in clinical research with the pharmaceutical industry. He completed his medical residencies in Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine at McGill University and is certified with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the American Board of Addiction Medicine, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. He is a former Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at McGill University. He is an Associate Physician at Mackenzie Health, where he practices Palliative Medicine, Addiction Medicine and Psychotherapy. 

 Muhammad is an entrepreneur and passionate community servant with over 25 years of experience in business planning and development. He is the founder of Skytek Office Solutions and Upper Canada Court Reporting & Mediation. He is the Past Chair of the Richmond Hill Board of Trade. 

Justin is the President and Creative Director of The Justin Poy Agency, a full-service advertising and creative agency specialized in Asian markets. Justin has won 11 Summit Creative Awards and received three awards from the Chinese Canadian Advertising, Media and Marketing Association. Justin is active in charity and sits on a number of Boards. He is a founding committee member of the Cathay Ball, the Founding Chair of the Chinese Canadian Development Committee for the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation and chairs the Chinese Outreach Committee for the Toronto International Film Festival Campaign Cabinet. He is also the Immediate Past Chair of the Program Advisory Committee for the School of Radio and Television Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University where he has established a scholarship. In 2002 he was presented with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal.