Meet the Board of Directors
STAN aims to be represented by a diverse and eclectic group of STEM professionals from across Canada. All Directors are volunteers who are currently working within the industry, with unique ideas and a good understanding of what is required to help network all Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics professionals, in order to promote and translate innovations within Canadian borders and abroad.
Isabel Deslauriers
Chair of the Board
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Isabel Deslauriers is the Director, Youth and volunteer engagement, at Let’s Talk Science. She oversees volunteered-delivered programming including the Let’s Talk Science Outreach program and professional development for the post-secondary STEM students who volunteer through it. Working with volunteers inspire her and she is passionate about making sure that all Canadian audiences are served by science outreach.
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Isabel joined the STAN Board in 2019.
ideslauriers @letstalkscience.ca
Alison Symington, Ph.D.
Treasurer
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Alison is the Principal of Strategic Life Science Consulting where she provides strategic expertise in the development of life science solutions to address industry needs, particularly in “omics” technologies. She also develops and evaluates research proposals, business plans and strategic positioning for academia, government and industry operating in the life sciences sector. Alison has also been involved in science literacy initiatives for over 20 years and continues to be an advocate for STEM throughout Canada.
Alison has served on the Board since 2010.
alison.symington @rogers.com
Frédérique Baron, Ph.D.
Vice Chair of the Board
Frédérique is an astrophysicist who is passionate about the search for planets around stars other than the Sun. She has a PhD from the Université de Montréal and now works at the Institute for Research on Exoplanets at the Université de Montréal and the Mont-Mégantic Observatory.
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Frédérique joined the STAN Board in 2021.
Leroy Clarke, Ph.D., OCT
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Leroy is Founder, President and Executive Director of e-CAMP MENTORing, a Canadian federally registered not-for-profit agency focused on mentoring, training and coaching youth for success. He is also Co-Founding Director and Vice-President of the Centre for Rehabilitation and Health Services (CREHS) Inc, an emerging, cutting-edge global provider of digital solutions in healthcare. Leroy obtained his PhD in Science and Technology Education with a focus on mentoring from the University of Toronto. Leroy is an educator, community and intergenerational advocate especially for underrepresented groups for over 30 years. Through education, mentoring and coaching, Dr. Clarke has a passionate goal to see a sustainable, equitable and inclusive Canadian STEM Trades and Professions Pipeline. He is convinced that investing in our youth is investing in the future of our local and global communities.
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Leroy has served on the Board since 2021.
Sandra Corbeil
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Sandra Corbeil is the Director Strategic Partnerships and Networks for Ingenium - Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation. She has more than 25 years working as an education, communication, and outreach leader. She is known for her strategic thinking and creativity.
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Sandra has served on the Board since 2013.
scorbeil @ingeniumcanada.org
Greg Dick
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Greg is the co-founder and CEO of Open Quantum Design, a nonprofit organization designed to scale quantum computing through radical transparency. Prior to co-founding OQD, Greg was a senior executive at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics where he worked with and led an incredible team dedicated to collaboration from a global education advocacy network spanning more than 100 countries and reaching 10 million students every year, to philanthropic partnerships that continue to drive foundational science.
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Greg has served on the Board since 2014.
Sandy Eix
Past Chair
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Sandy Eix has been inventing exhibits, programs, and shows at Science World for more than 20 years. Her job lets her play with all sorts of science and share her discoveries with kids of all ages. Some highlights so far include developing exhibitions; running summer camp for teachers; creating resources for preschoolers; training science centre professionals in Turkey; and opening Science World’s brand-new Tinkering Space.
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Sandy joined the STAN Board in 2019.
seix @scienceworld.ca
Jo-Ann Coggan ​
Jo‑Ann Coggan serves as the Operator at the BIG Little Science Centre Society in Kamloops, British Columbia, where she plays a vital role in managing daily operations and engaging the community. She also holds the position of Chair of STEAM Ecosystem BC, a provincial non‑profit network that connects organizations across education, industry, government, and non‑profits to expand access to STEAM learning throughout British Columbia. Her leadership in both institutions underscores her dedication to enhancing STEAM literacy and creating collaborative educational opportunities for youth in the region.
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Jo-Ann has served on the Board since 2025
Michelle McFarlane
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​Michelle McFarlane is Shad Canada’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager and a proud alumna of Shad (Class of 2003). She holds a Bachelor of Health Science from McMaster University and a Master of Science from the University of Toronto, with medical research experience at SickKids Hospital. Her journey—from a transformative Shad experience in high school to receiving the prestigious BBPA Harry Jerome Academic Award—ignited her commitment to EDI. Today, Michelle works tirelessly to make STEAM fields more inclusive and accessible for historically underrepresented youth, including Black, Indigenous, and disabled youth, by guiding program development, fostering partnerships, and embedding an equity lens across Shad initiatives
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Michelle has served on the Board since 2025
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Tracy Walker​
Secretary
Tracy is the Education Programs Lead at the Canadian Light Source, Canada's only synchrotron research facility. The education team focuses on building bridges between science research and science education and is working on understanding how Indigenous ways of knowing and western science processes can work together. She has been involved in education with pre-kindergarten learners and has classroom experience at the elementary, high school, and university levels in addition to the informal science education programs at CLS. Her passion for experiential transformative learning was the subject of research in achieving a Master’s of Education degree.
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Tracy has served on the Board since 2020.
tracy.walker @lightsource.ca
Anju Bajaj
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Dr. Anju Bajaj is the Vice Principal and STEM Educator at Holy Cross School, Manitoba Catholics School (MCS), Archdiocese of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dr. Bajaj is more than a teacher — she is a consultant and public speaker, whose passion for lifelong learning is passed onto her students in her STEM classes. Through numerous engaging, hands-on learning opportunities in and outside the classroom, she fosters students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development and cultivates their leadership abilities. She has led many provincial as well as national in-services and been a leader at various conferences including Education in Diversity: Diverse Teachers for Diverse Learners-Unleashing the Power and Potential of Newcomer Youth in Manitoba. She regularly delivers webinars, seminars, and leads various STEM activities with Let’s Talk Science organization, Green Teacher, Society for Canadian Women in Science & Technology, and many other organizations. Her efforts have been recognised with various awards including: Prime Minister’s National Award for Teaching Excellence 2021, Science Teacher of the Year –STAM (Science Teachers Association of Manitoba), Global Educator Award –MCIC (Manitoba Council for International Cooperation), Outstanding Science Educator –Bioscience Association of Manitoba, Teacher Appreciation Award –MSSS (Manitoba Schools Science Symposium), Manitoba Education and Training’s Excellence in Education Award, and K-12 Canadian EdTech Award.
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Anju has served on the Board since 2022.
Krishana Sankar
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Dr. Krishana Sankar is a scientist, public health advocate, and leading voice in science communication. Dedicated to bridging the gap between research and public understanding, she holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. As a trusted expert, Dr. Sankar focuses on ensuring evidence-based information reaches diverse communities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Sankar played a pivotal role in countering misinformation and addressing vaccine hesitancy. Her work has reached millions through media appearances, community outreach, and collaborations with national and international organizations, including the CDC, NIH, Health Canada, and the University of Guyana.
Beyond public health advocacy, Dr. Sankar is a dedicated mentor and champion for diversity in STEM. She is committed to increasing representation for women and racialized individuals in science and leadership, providing opportunities for emerging scientists. She has contributed to discussions at both national and global levels, emphasizing the importance of trust, transparency, and accessibility in science. Her insights have been featured in major media outlets, such as Reuters, Global Citizen, and Scientific American.
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Krishana has served on the Board since 2025.
Christine Diaz​
Christine Diaz is a Senior Director at a large global software company, SAP Canada. She works with large enterprise customers considering a digital finance transformation. Christine has over 25 years of experience in technology and business, working in various industries such as manufacturing, retail, utilities, mining, and the public sector.
Christine volunteers as a parent representative for the We Rise Together program and the Parent Involvement Committee in the Peel District School Board. Christine is also one of the founding board members of the BYTES Network, a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting and encouraging Black Youth in STEM-related programs.
In addition, she mentors future leaders and speaks to youth at events and conferences to inspire and encourage growth and career advancement. Christine is happy to give back to her community, contributing to a successful journey for the next generation based on diversity and acceptance for all students.
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Christine has served on the Board since 2023.
