ABOUT US
OAGS Board of Directors & Committees
- Get To Know Us
- OAGS President
- OAGS Board of Directors
- OAGS Committees
DR. ANDREW SMITH, Thunder Bay, ON, OAGS & SECTION MEMBER AT LARGE
1. What is your favourite pastime? ? I'm an avid trail-runner having completed various multi-day events including the Coastal Challenge (5-day stage race in Costa Rica) and the Cocodona 250 mile (Arizona)
2. What’s your latest guilty pleasure? Trail and running shoes
3. What was your favorite subject in school? Anthropology
4. If you could choose a superpower, what would you pick? Definitely flight. No more airport line-ups or cancelled flights.
5. What’s your favorite childhood cartoon? He-Man
6. When was the last time you went to a concert? My 5-year old twins, Ruby and Porter, put on a concert in our living room every Friday night.
7. What was your least favorite food as a kid? Pork chops
8. What's your favorite sport/team? Minnesota Vikings...this is their year... Probably not.
9. What’s your biggest fear? Should I be fearful that I don't have a "biggest" fear?
10. What's your first job? Telemarketer selling circus tickets for the Shriners.
11. What's your favourite holiday? Japan
12. What's your favourite music genre/artist/band? Beastie Boys...RIP Adam Yauch
13. What's your favourite movie/genre? Best in Show
14. What's your favourite book/author/genre? Douglas Coupland
15. What's your favourite mode of transportation/vehicle model? By Foot
DR. RAVINDER SINGH, OAGS PRESIDENT
1. What is your favourite pastime? Too many to list.
2. What’s your latest guilty pleasure? Mini Mint Aero Chocolate Bars
3. What was your favorite subject in school? Math
4. If you could choose a superpower, what would you pick? The Jedi Force
5. What’s your favorite childhood cartoon? Smurfs
6. When was the last time you went to a concert? 2023 Anoushka Shankar in Toronto.
7. What was your least favorite food as a kid? Eggplant
8. Do you have a favorite sport? Golf
9. What’s your biggest fear? Shooting a quadruple bogey in golf
10. What was your first job? Surgical Resident
OAGS President, Dr. Ravinder Singh(2024-current)
•Credentials: MD, MBA, (U of Tennessee), MHCM (Harvard), FRCSC, FACS, CPLC, (Certified Professional Life Coach)
•Staff General Surgeon, North Bay Regional Health Centre, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
•Assistant Professor, NOSM
•Assistant (Adjunct) Professor, McMaster University
•Previous NBRHC Admin: Chief of Surgery, Head of General Surgery, NSQIP surgeon champion, Northern Ontario School of Medicine site director, Medical Director Best Practice/IT, President North Bay and District Medical Society
•OAGS President (2024-present)
•Previous OAGS Officer Positions: Vice President (2022-2024), OAGS Board Member (2015-present)
President's Letter to Members
Dear Colleagues
It is with great honour and privilege that I am able to be representative of our specialty through OAGS. I would like to firstly thank Past President Dr. Kevin Lefebvre for his time and dedication in this role the last couple of years. Our specialty and sub-specialties play an integral role in providing care in this province and will continue to going forward.
I hope OAGS can be one of your avenues to voice your thoughts, ideas, and concerns, and perhaps collectively find ways and solutions to create value within our healthcare system, our specialties and our lives in general.
I look forward to this journey and as Lao Tzu said ‘water is the softest thing, yet it can wear away a rock’; meaning being effective yet flexible and adaptable in leadership. OAGS will strive to be that effective leadership for you.
Sincerely,
Ravinder Singh
| title | name | city | Current 2yr Term | Elected Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President (2024-) | Dr. Ravinder Singh (e.J.2015) | North Bay | 5th (final) | 2023-2024 |
| Vice President (2024-) | Dr. Scott Rieder (e.J.2021) | Napanee | 2nd | 2023-2024 |
| Secretary (2020-) | Dr. Julie Ann Van Koughnett (e. J.2017) | Ottawa | 4th | 2023-2024 |
| Treasurer (2024-) | Dr. Matthew Holmes (e.J.2023) | Thunder Bay | 1st term | 2023-2024 |
| Past President (2024-) | Dr. Kevin Lefebvre (e.J.2014) | Stratford | extended term1 | 2024-2025 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Luke Bui (e.J.2017) | Toronto | 4th | 2023-2024 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Peter Dauphinee (e.J.2016) | Barrie | 5th (final) | 2024-2025 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Matthew Holmes (e.J.2023) | North Bay | 1st | 2023-2024 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Brett Howe (e.2024) | Windsor | 1st | 2024-2025 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Ken Leslie (e.J.2018) | London | 4th | 2024-2025 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Andrew Smith (e.J.2019) | Thunder Bay | 3rd | 2023-2024 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Michael Stirling (e.2024) | Elliot Lake | 1st | 2024-2025 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Joel Weaver (e.J.2014) | Ottawa | extended term1 | 2024-2025 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Amber Menezes (appointed 2024)* | North Bay | 1st term | 2024-2025 |
| Member-at-Large | Dr. Grace Ma (appointed 2024)* | Sudbury | 1st term | 2024-2025 |
| Resident Representative | Dr. Tyler McKechnie (e.Fall 2021-present) | McMasterU PGY3 | 1st (3-4yr term) | 2021-~25 |
NOTE: (e.) is indicative of the original or first full elected calendar year served on the OAGS board of directors, although they may have been formally elected during the previous annual meeting (Nov.).
Two-year terms follow the calendar year. Last updated Sept, 2024.
*2024 - With 2 vacancies on the board, Drs. A.Menezes and G.Ma were appointed as board members at large via board motions.
OAGS BOARD ELECTION 2024: The deadline for applications/nominations will be 2 weeks prior to the next OAGS Annual Meeting. For more details: www.oags.org/election.html .
BYLAW: As of November 3, 2012, the OAGS membership voted to approve the new Bylaw #4, an excerpt of which applies to the length of board terms. "A director whose term (2yr) has expired shall be eligible for re-election, up to a maximum of five (5) consecutive terms in total. This term limit does not apply to officers of the Board, who may serve in an officer position for up to a maximum of four (4) years per position, irrespective of how long they have already served on the Board. These term limits can be extended by the Board, at their discretion, in exceptional circumstances."
| OAGS Committee | members |
|---|---|
| Economics & MSPC/Tariff Committee | Drs. K. Lefebvre. S.Rieder, M.Stirling, E. Touzin |
| General Surgery Resource Committee (Manpower Monitoring) |
Drs. A.Smith (Chair). K.Leslie, R.Singh. Consultants: ResRep. |
| Membership Committee (applications/standards) | Drs. P. Dauphinee,, K.Leslie, S.Rieder, J.A. Van Koughnett. Consultant: ResRep. |
| Bylaws Committee | Drs. K. Lefebvre (Chair), P.Dauphinee, M.Holmes, R. Singh. |
| Nominating Committee | Past 2-3 OAGS Presidents , board at large |
| Political Activity Committee | Drs. R.Singh (Pres), P.Dauphinee, B.Howe, K.Lefebvre |
| Ad Hoc: CAGS Committee | Drs. K.Lefebvre (Co-Chair), J.A.Van Koughnett (Co-Chair), K.Leslie, S.Rieder, A. Smith |
| Ad Hoc: Communications & Social Media Committee | Drs. S.Rieder (Chair), R.Singh, Drs. J.A. Van Koughnett, (ResRep) |
| Ad Hoc: Program and Education Committee (AGM) | Drs. S.Rieder (Co-Chair), P.Dauphinee, M.Holmes, B.Howe, K. Lefebvre, R.Singh, A. Smith, JA Van Koughnett |
| Ad Hoc: Research Committee | Dr. J.Van Koughnett (Chair), P.Dauphinee, R. Singh, A.Smith, J. Weaver. Consultants: ResRep. |
| Ad Hoc: Sponsorship/Exhibiting Committee | Drs. R.Singh(Chair), L.Bui, M.Holmes, K.Lefebvre, S.Rieder, J.A. Van Koughnett, J.Weaver. |
Note: Committees can consist of both OAGS Board Members and OAGS Members. Last updated Winter 2024.