Board of Directors

Ed Rathonyi became a Director of PHA Canada in 2018. He brings with him the first-hand experience of being a parent and caregiver to his young daughter, who was diagnosed with PH in late 2014. During the preliminary PH diagnosis procedures, Ed and his wife found PHA Canada online and became involved in early 2015. Since then, Ed has become a committed member of the PH community, helping raise awareness of the disease through projects such as PHA Canada’s 2016 awareness video and Public Service Announcement “Playtime”, which has aired on television stations throughout the country.

Ed is a Professional Engineer (PEng), registered with the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia; his current career focus is in industrial control systems. Ed and his family live in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver, BC, where they enjoy spending time outdoors.

As a member of PHA Canada’s Board of Directors, Ed hopes to contribute to the empowerment of Canadians affected by PH and give back to the community for the support he and his family have received throughout their journey with PH.

Dr. Lisa Mielniczuk joined the Board of Directors in January 2019. Having acted as Chair of PHA Canada’s Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) since 2015, Dr. Mielniczuk brings with her extensive medical experience within the pulmonary hypertension field. 

She is currently the co-founder and Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) Program at the Ottawa Heart Institute and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Ottawa with a cross-appointment in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. She has built from scratch a unique clinical research program evaluating mechanisms and novel treatments of PH and right-heart failure, bridging the gaps between animal models of human disease and clinical practice.

Dr. Mielniczuk completed her medical degree at McMaster University, internal medicine at Queen's University, and her cardiology fellowship at the University of Ottawa. She also obtained a master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Joan's daughter Brooke was diagnosed with severe PAH in March 2014 at 24. She has always considered herself to be Brooke's primary caregiver. Yet, because Brooke remains very independent, her support has probably been more emotional than physical - one is no less important than the other! So, she thinks a better descriptor of her role in Brooke's journey would be as an advocate. Joan's advocacy started very early - on day one with Brooke's medical team! She wanted to understand what medications were available to treat PAH (and was shocked to learn that drug access depends on where you live in Canada) and when new treatments might be available to PAH patients. In 2017, Joan became a PHA Canada Ambassador and served as an Ambassador until her election to the Board of Directors in December 2021.

Joan has learned a lot about Canada's drug development and approval processes since the early days of Brooke's diagnosis. As a Director, she strives to use her knowledge to advocate for earlier and more equal access to PH treatments for patients wherever they live in Canada. Joan is also passionate about advocating for changes to the rare disease drug approval process so that even more patients can access potentially new and exciting treatments in the future. And, of course, Joan will always be committed to providing emotional and physical support for Brooke whenever she needs it. 

John Pettifor joined PHA Canada’s Board of Directors in May 2019. Originally from the United Kingdom, John emigrated to Pitt Meadows, BC in 2009. He brings to the Board years of experience working within non-profits, namely as VP of Non-profits at the Burnaby-based technology consultancy firm where he oversees a team of ~100 consultants who are implementing technology for a range of non-profits throughout North America. As a career consultant, John has led technology implementations for hundreds of companies ranging from small startups to global enterprise organizations in both the for and non-profit space.

John has a close connection to PH having lost his mother to the illness in the early 90s. In 2013, his brother was also diagnosed with PH.

John is happily married and enjoys playing music, camping, and being with friends and family.

Michaël Robach was appointed to the PHA Canada Board of Directors in July of 2020. Michaël holds both a Bachelor's degree in Media Management and a Master’s in Public Relations & Professional Communication. He brings with him a deep understanding of the non-profit sector, having worked in areas ranging from child protection, community development, and public health. His communications expertise ranges from public relations and advocacy to community outreach and program development.
 
Michaël worked at PHA Canada between 2017 and 2019 as the Communications & Engagement Coordinator, during which time he gained a deep understanding of the issues affecting the Canadian PH community and developed a close relationship with the Canadian PHamily. 
 
Holding a dual nationality of both French and Swedish, he now lives in Vancouver, BC where he works in Indigenous relations.