Dr. Tiina Andersen is an internationally recognized expert in respiratory physiotherapy and home mechanical ventilation research, based at the Haukeland University Hospital and Western Norway University of Applied Sciences in Bergen, Norway. Her work focuses on airway clearance, mechanically assisted cough technologies, and optimizing respiratory care strategies for individuals with chronic respiratory failure who rely on long term ventilatory support. 

Dr. Andersen’s research has significantly contributed to understanding complex physiologic responses in ventilator assisted individuals and advancing evidence informed care practices that enhance secretion management, functional outcomes, and patient safety in both home and clinical settings. Her international collaborations bridge clinical practice, rehabilitation science, and health system design, strengthening global approaches to long term ventilation and integrated care across the continuum. 

Dr. Francine Buchanan is a nationally respected leader in patient and family engagement in healthcare research and system design. She champions authentic partnerships that embed lived experience into research, shared decision making, and service improvement.

A parent to a child with complex medical needs and an academic specializing in shared decision making and patient oriented research methods. She has shaped initiatives that ensure patient and family voices guide priorities, co design processes, and care delivery improvements in pediatrics and complex ventilator assisted care.  Her contributions span mentorship, methodological innovation, and national discourse on patient engagement as a cornerstone of equitable, person centred health systems.

Dr. Douglas McKim is a national leader in the care of individuals with neuromuscular respiratory complications and long-term ventilatory support needs. He served for three decades as Director of Canadian Alternatives in Non-Invasive Ventilation (CANVent) Respiratory Rehabilitation Services and previously led the Ottawa Hospital Sleep Centre.

His work has shaped national and international clinical guidelines and advanced standards of care for patients living with chronic respiratory failure. Dr. McKim has been honoured by the Canadian Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians and has received Muscular Dystrophy Canada’s George Karpati Researcher of the Year award. Widely respected for his collaborative leadership, he remains deeply committed to improving care across the ventilation lifespan.

Regina Pizzuti is Director of Ontario’s Ventilator Equipment Pool (VEP), where she provides strategic leadership for one of Canada’s largest coordinated ventilator programs. She oversees multidisciplinary teams delivering province-wide equipment services and virtual supports, ensuring equitable, timely access to life-sustaining ventilation.

With more than four decades as a respiratory therapist, Regina’s work sits at the intersection of clinical care, policy, and system innovation. She has led modernization initiatives that strengthen service delivery, expand digital models of care, and foster collaboration among healthcare providers, government partners, and community organizations. Her leadership reflects a commitment to building sustainable, community-based patient-centred care.

Prof. Louise Rose is an internationally recognized critical care researcher whose work follows patients across the ventilation continuum — from ICU to home. She leads a program of research focused on improving outcomes and experience for individuals with acute and chronic respiratory failure, including those receiving long-term mechanical ventilation in hospital and community settings.

A former faculty member at the University of Toronto, Prof. Rose has led major international clinical trials and secured more than £22 million in competitive research funding. In 2023, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her leadership in digital innovations supporting patients and families during COVID-19. Her work continues to shape evidence-based ventilation care globally.

Dr. Lisa Wolfe is a pulmonologist, sleep medicine specialist, and critical care physician whose work spans the continuum from intensive care to home ventilation. Based at Northwestern University in Chicago, she has dedicated her career to advancing care for individuals with neuromuscular disease and chronic respiratory failure.

Her clinical and academic leadership focuses on optimizing long-term ventilation, strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration, and improving transitions across care settings. Recognized internationally for her expertise in home mechanical ventilation, Dr. Wolfe brings a systems-level perspective to bridging ICU, rehabilitation, and community care.