OUR TEAM
Board of Directors
Our board is comprised of passionate citizens, medical professionals and an SJS/TENS survivor who are dedicated to bring awareness to this deadly disease. Our Board of Directors are responsible for ensuring that the organization’s visions is realized through our aim and mission statements. The Board of Directors also serves to provide an overall governance of the organization’s activities, goals and priorities.
Sonia Whyte-Croasdaile
Founder / President
Sonia Whyte-Croasdaile RPN, RSW is a wife, mother, nurse, Registered Social Worker, a trained Relaxation/Life Coach, and the Founder and President of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Canada. She is experienced in community-based work, support group development and facilitation, couples, individual and group counselling. Like many other professionals, Sonia aspired to maintain her professional career of over 25 years until she was ready for retirement. However, in 2011 she battled and survived Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SJS/TEN), a debilitating skin condition that has since completely transformed and rearranged her life.
Frank Linhart
(Jr)
Financial Officer
Frank has been a qualified accountant (CMA, CPA) since 1992. He has been a Vice-President of Finance, Director of Finance & Corporate Controller in several industries including the Marketing Industry, Retail, Telephone Analytics, and the Gambling sector. He joined the SJS/TEN Board of Directors in 2017 to assist with their financial goals of becoming the leading advocate for SJS/TEN in Canada. Frank’s passion is the mentoring of young financial accountants and giving back to the community through his many charities. He is President of the Halton-Peel CPA Ontario Association, Treasurer of SJS/TEN Canada, Treasurer of Oakville Meals on Wheels and a volunteer Tax Preparer for the Region of Peel.
Vanessa Legair
Chair
Vanessa Legair is a certified Wedding and Special Events Planner with more than 17 years of experience assisting charities, businesses and individuals in the planning and execution of charity galas, benefit concerts, anniversary lunch/dinner parties and wedding events. Prior to launching her own business in 2012, Vanessa’s work and volunteer history included Chair of the Board of Directors for Conflict Mediation Services of Downsview (2001-2009) and Manager of Annual Giving Programs with York University Foundation (2004-2011).
Coleen Lambert
Member at Large
Coleen Lambert is a licenced Financial Broker and Coach. Prior to building her own Financial Services and Financial Coaching company in 2020, Coleen worked as a Legal Professional for more than 16 years in various areas of law such as: Real Estate, Labour and Employment, Corporate Commercial, Litigation, Oil and Gas, etc. Her knowledge and experience, expertise in presentations, administration and connection to the legal community have brought in a generous donation, strengthened the awareness in other industries, and helped with the visuals for community presentations and network fundraising. Coleen is a current Board Member with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Canada and has held the role with the charity since 2018.
Medical Adviors
Dr. Neil H. Shear, MD, FRCPC FACP
Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto Dermatology; Internal Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
Dr. Shear’s primary academic research is in Drug Safety, including basic mechanisms that lead to increased risk for drug-induced harm. His practice is considered advanced medical dermatology. His clinical and research endeavors have focused on severe drug-induced diseases, such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SJS/TEN), atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, auto-immune blistering disease, hidradenitis suppurativa, cutaneous lymphomas and auto-immune skin disease.
Shear trained in Engineering Science (University of Toronto), Medicine (McMaster), Internal Medicine (FRCPC), Dermatology (University of Toronto; FRCPC) and Clinical Pharmacology (Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto). Professor Shear was the Head of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Toronto for 9 years, and the Head of Dermatology at the University for the 16 years following.
Past positions include President of the Canadian Dermatology Association, President of the Canadian Society of Clinical Pharmacology, President of the Canadian Professors of Dermatology, President of the Canadian Dermatology Foundation and Head of Dermatology at University of Toronto. He has received two Presidential Citations from the American Academy of Dermatology. He has been an honoured as a visiting professor over 50 times. Shear was made an honorary member of the Société Française de Dermatologie (2017) and the Scottish Dermatological Society, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Ontario Medical Association, and many teaching awards.
Dr. Shear has been an author of over 60 text book chapters, Editor of Litt’s Drug Eruption Manual, as well as over 400 peer-reviewed publications. Shear has had the pleasure of mentoring 40 postgraduate fellows from Canada and abroad; as well as a large number of dermatologists and clinical pharmacologists in Canada.
Included in his multiple peer-review publications Dr. Shear has been a leader of about 20 major global meetings on this subject, and is recognized globally as an expert. Many of the contributors in the field today are former fellows (trainees) of Professor Neil Shear.
Dr. Bruce Carleton, PharmD, FCP, FISPE
Professor and Chair, Division of Translational Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Director, Pharmaceutical Outcomes Programme, BC Children’s Hospital
Senior Clinician Scientist, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, CANADA
Dr. Bruce Carleton has over 30 years of experience in clinical pharmacology and investigating the safety and effectiveness of drugs used in both children and adults. He is the founder and CEO of the Canadian Pharmacogenomics Network for Drug Safety (CPNDS), established in 2004 and based in Vancouver, BC. One of the overarching goals of the CPNDS is to prevent adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by identifying predictive genomic markers for specific ADRs through active surveillance. These markers are incorporated into diagnostic tools used to predict and prevent ADRs through specific dosing and alternative therapeutic recommendations for commonly used drugs. The CPNDS has established extensive collaborations within the province of BC, across Canada and internationally, to conduct patient-oriented research and disseminate findings to help patients.
One of the specific areas, where Dr. Carleton is a recognized leader whose scientific accomplishments have been acknowledged internationally, is in Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (SCAR). His work has identified genetic variants that cause a variety of ADRs including carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity reactions e.g., Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), phenytoin-induced maculopapular exanthema, and the development of clinical practice guidelines for predictive pharmacogenetic testing.
In 2017, Dr. Carleton was invited and asked to speak at the SJS/TEN 2017: Building Multidisciplinary Networks to Drive Science and Translation Meeting, the second in a series of biennial meetings of experts to take place in North America. Dr. Carleton also hosted and chaired the organizing committee for the SJS/TEN 2019: From Science to Translation Meeting which successfully engaged 164 participants, including 43 SJS/TEN patients and their families from six continents. Establishing international network meetings is a significant component in advancing the science to understand these rare, severe ADRs as well as showcasing the latest innovations for treating SJS/TEN. Attendees are then able to further enhance the support systems and technologies to improve care for patients. Dr. Carleton continued his involvement and participation at the SJS/TEN 2021: Collaboration, Innovation and Community Meeting held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Carleton is currently investigating genomic causes of antibiotic-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions in pediatric and adult patients, as well as common genetic traits for all drug-induced serious cutaneous adverse reactions.