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2023 CFPC Board of Directors Election: 2023 Nominees


The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)’s Board of Directors has two vacancies for Director-at-Large positions. Dr. Lawrence Loh, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Christie Newton, President, and Dr. Danielle Cutts, Chair, Nominating Committee, are pleased to announce the 2023 Nominees.

Voting runs from October 12th to 26th

View the 2023 Nominees  

The nominees for the two Director-at-Large positions are:

Dr. Avik Nath

Avik Nath, MD

Ottawa, Ontario
Nominee for Director-at-Large

Dr. Meenakshi Natarajan

Meenakshi Natarajan, MD

Mississauga, Ontario
Nominee for Director-at-Large

Dr. Michael Kalin

Michael Kalin, MD

Montreal, Quebec
Nominee for Director-at-Large

The nominees to be confirmed for the Officer positions are:

Dr. Carrie Bernard

Carrie Bernard, MD, MPH, CCFP, FCFP

Nominee for 2023–2024 President-Elect

Dr. Sarah Cook

Sarah Cook, MD, CCFP, FCFP, CCPE, CHE

Nominee for 2023–2024 Secretary-Treasurer*

The current Director-at-Large nominated for an additional term
(three-year term beginning November 1, 2023) is:

Dr. Sarah Funnell

Sarah Funnell, MD, MSc, CCFP, FRCPC

Current Director-at-Large
Nominee for second term 2023–2026 Director-at-Large

The remaining Officer positions are acclaimed:

Dr. Michael Green

Dr. Michael Green, MD, MPH, CCFP, FCFP, FCAHS

President for 2023–2024

Dr. Christie Newton

Dr. Christie Newton, CCFP, FCFP

Past President for 2023–2024

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • What are the must-know 2023 Board Director Recruitment and Election dates?

    • February to March 14, 2023 – Opportunity to let the CFPC know you are interested in participating on the CFPC Board of Directors
    • March 15, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) – Deadline to submit CFPC Board Director application. Note: Applications submitted after this will be considered in the 2024 cycle.
    • March 16th to June, 2023 – The Nominating Committee reviews applications and has the opportunity to interview some applicants. The CFPC Board of Directors considers applicants.
    • By June 29, 2023 – Deadline for the Nominating Committee to confirm with each applicant whether they will be nominated in the 2023 CFPC Board of Directors election
    • August 31st to September 14, 2023 (at 11:59 p.m. (ET)) – Nominee information is circulated to members to review. Member opportunity to provide feedback to the Nominating Committee, including the opportunity for members to add their names to the list of nominees if they feel the nominees are not qualified.
    • September 14, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) – Deadline for information from any additional nominees
    • September 28, 2023 – The final nominee list is circulated to members for review
    • October 12 – 26, 2023 (at 11:59 p.m. (ET)) – Electronic election. All Practising Members will receive a personalized invitation to vote.
    • November 1, 2023 – Successful nominees and the new Board of Directors for November 2023 to November 2024 will be announced at the Annual Meeting of Members
  • What is the deadline for applying?

    Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (ET).
    Applications received after this date will be considered in the 2024 cycle.
     
  • How many Board positions are vacant?

    • Effective November 1, 2023, there are two Director-at-Large vacancies for November 2023 to November 2026.
    • The CFPC will nominate one or more nominee for each position.
  • How do I apply for a Board Director position?

    • Up to March 14, 2023: Let the Nominating Committee know you are interested in the CFPC Board of Directors. We want to hear from you. You can say “interested in applying for the Board of Directors” or briefly share what interests you about a Board position. It’s totally up to you, just let us know. We will provide the link for you to share how you relate to the recruitment attributes (online form).
    • By March 15, 2023: Submit online how you relate to the recruitment attributes (the online form is available by clicking the link above). View the recruitment attributes before launching the online form.
  • What can I expect during the application process?

    • The Nominating Committee reviews the applications and scores them based on objective criteria to find candidates with best fits for the attributes with greatest need
    • Applicants may be asked for additional information and may be invited to an interview conducted by video conference
    • The Nominating Committee will make recommendations to the Board, and the Board will confirm the nominees
    • Applicants will be informed by June 29, 2023 whether they are being nominated for member consideration in the 2023 election
    • Nominees will be asked to provide the following items by early August to be shared with CFPC members on the CFPC’s website:
      • A written summary (up to 1,000 words) describing yourself to members
      • A video introduction presenting yourself to members (up to two minutes, recorded with the help of the CFPC)
      • A picture of yourself
    • As an applicant you can expect communications from Sarah Scott, Director of Governance and Strategic Planning, regarding the status of your application
  • What is expected of a Board Director?

    For a description of the responsibilities and expectations of CFPC Board Directors, please review the CFPC’s Board Director Policy on Roles and Responsibilities.

    CFPC Board Directors are expected to be prepared for and attend a mix of in-person and virtual meetings per year. See What is the time commitment? for details.

    Board Directors are also expected to participate actively on one Board Committee when vacancies exist.

    Board Directors engage in regular email discussions and teleconferences as needed. Email correspondence may, at times, occur weekly.

    The participation of Directors in Board discussions and the expression of opinions are highly valued; the respectful consideration of the opinions of others is necessary. In addition to being part of the decision-making process, being a Board Director is a wonderful learning opportunity that enables members to develop a broad perspective on issues affecting family medicine and family physicians. Members of the CFPC’s Board of Directors are also members of the CFPC’s Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine.

  • What is the time commitment?

    • The CFPC’s Board meeting schedule is currently being revised and is anticipated to include the following: CFPC Board Directors are expected to be prepared for and attend approximately six meetings per year (two in person and four virtually).
      • Three days in person in May or June
      • Two days in person in November at the beginning of FMF week, followed by the four days of FMF
      • Approximately 18 hours are spent in video conferences per year (approximately four 3.5-hour video conferences, and two 2-hour holds for urgent video conferences if needed)
    • Directors participate in the CFPC’s Annual Meeting of Members virtual (1.5 hours) and the CFPC’s Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine Annual Meeting virtual (1.5 hours)
    These are estimates and actual participation may vary slightly, depending on the College’s needs and the prevailing context.
  • What is the compensation for Board Directors?

    The CFPC’s current Volunteer Reimbursement Policy applies to Board Directors. All travel, accommodation, and meal expenses are covered by the CFPC when Board Directors are participating in Board responsibilities. In addition, expenses unrelated to income loss that may be incurred while volunteering (e.g., ongoing clinic-based expenses or child care) are covered up to specified maximums.

    The CFPC’s Volunteer Reimbursement Policy is currently being reviewed, with a report to be shared with the Board by fall 2023.
     

  • Who is on the Board?

    • The CFPC’s Board of Directors is currently composed of 12 Directors
    • The Executive Director/CEO and Director of Governance and Strategic Planning work with the Board (in a non-voting capacity)
    • Changes/opportunities effective November 1, 2023:
      • The four Directors holding Officer positions will all complete their one-year terms and the individuals elected to fill those positions will be confirmed:
        • Our current Past President, Dr. Brady Bouchard, will complete his term and time as a Board Director
        • Our current President, Dr. Christie Newton, will be acclaimed as a Director holding the office of Past President for 2023/2024
        • Our current President-Elect, Dr. Michael Green, will be acclaimed as a Director holding the office of President for 2023/2024
        • The results of the vote to elect our current Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Carrie Bernard, as a Director holding the office of President-Elect for 2023/2024 will be revealed
        • The results of the vote to elect our current Director-at-Large, Dr. Sarah Cook, as a Director holding the office of Secretary-Treasurer for 2023/2024 will be revealed
      • Among the eight Directors-at-Large, the following changes will occur:
        • Two Directors are completing their terms, creating two vacancies: Dr. Sarah Cook (nominee for Director holding the office of Secretary-Treasurer) and Dr. Jean-Pierre Arseneau (2020–2023)
        • The results of the vote to elect two new Directors-at-Large will be revealed
        • The results of the vote to elect Dr. Sarah Funnell as a Director-at-Large for a renewed term (from the 2023 AMM to the 2026 AMM) will be revealed
    • The following Directors-at-Large will continue their terms:
  • How does someone become a Board Director?

    • CFPC members elect Board Directors annually
    • CFPC members elect individuals they trust to provide informed oversight, passionate stewardship, and sound decision making as an essential part of securing a vibrant future for the CFPC
    • Voting is both a right and a responsibility
  • What does the Board do?

    Please see our Board Function Policy.

  • What does the Nominating Committee do?

    The Nominating Committee oversees the nomination and election process on behalf of the Board.

    The Nominating Committee approaches the vacancies as follows:
    • The President-Elect nominee is typically the current Secretary-Treasurer, provided that the individual holding this position is supported by the Nominating Committee and the Board and the individual is interested in the President-Elect position
    • The Secretary-Treasurer nominee is recommended by the Nominating Committee from among the Directors-at-Large. The nominee may be at any point in their Director-at-Large term when nominated. If the Nominating Committee does not feel that any of the sitting Directors-at-Large can be recommended for the Secretary-Treasurer position in a given year, a nominee will be sought from among the membership.
      • Important factors in this determination include that the Secretary-Treasurer position is essentially a step in the direction of preparing for the role of President. An important feature in the election process is the opportunity for succession planning. Individuals ascending to the presidency need time to properly prepare for this responsibility both in terms of acquiring the required knowledge and making arrangements to cover their practices and family responsibilities during the presidential year. Another ongoing consideration is ensuring that the Board Directors, including the Officers, reflect our membership’s diversity. This is something the Nominating Committee considers.
    • The Director-at-Large nominees come from two sources. One is a recommendation from the Board and Nominating Committee that a current Director-at-Large who is finishing their first term on the Board be elected to serve for a second term. The second source is through the Nominating Committee’s Call for Interest to all members. The Call for Interest is circulated in February and the CFPC welcomes applications from all members by March 15th. A skills and perspectives matrix is maintained to ensure a Board with a balance of skills and experience that also reflects the diversity of the profession. The Nominating Committee and the Board annually review any gaps on the Board to inform these priorities. The Nominating Committee reviews all the applications, conducts interviews with some applicants, and puts forward strong nominees it feels are suitable for the role. If only one such nominee is identified, then only one nominee will be put forward for voting. The Board approves the nominees forwarded for voting.
    The Nominating Committee shares information about nominees with members by early September:
    • Rationale for the nomination from the Nominating Committee
    • Nominee’s responses to:
      • How I will resonate with members from across our country and at all stages of practice
      • What I will bring to the CFPC Board of Directors
    • Short video introduction (up to two minutes)
    • Nominee’s written description of themselves for members (up to 1,000 words)
    • Curriculum vitae (CV) / resumé
    • Conflict of interest declaration and plans for mitigation, if elected
    During this feedback phase we ask members to review the information carefully. If you feel the nominees are not qualified, there is an opportunity for you to indicate that you wish to be added or have another member willing to stand for election be added to the final list of nominees for the Director-at-Large vacancy. Members who come forward at this stage will be given a deadline to provide the same information that the other nominees provided: application form, resumé, the items outlined in bullets above (excluding the first bullet), a written response (up to 500 words) to be shared with members outlining a compelling argument for why you are a better fit to serve on the CFPC Board than all other nominees, and why you are coming forward now.
     
  • Questions?

    Please contact Sarah Scott, Director of Governance and Strategic Planning, at [email protected]

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