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OAGS Board of Directors & Committees

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  • OAGS President
  • OAGS Board of Directors
  • OAGS Committees

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


COMING SOON

Content 2

 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

NOTE: A big thank you to our long-serving outgoing board members as they complete their terms.
We wish you well in your future endeavours.
Dr. Tim Jackson, Toronto, ON
(Board 2013-24, Past Pres. 2022-24, Pres. 2020-22, VP. 2018-20)
Dr. Jennifer Macmillan, Huntsville, ON
(Board 2014-24, Treasurer 2020-24, Secretary 2018-20,
Annual Meeting Committee Chair 2020-23)



2024 - OAGS Officers & Directors

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 Vacancy 2024-2025
Member-at-Large Vacancy 2023-2025
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 he/she may have been formally elected during the annual meeting election several months prior (Nov.).
Two-year terms follow the calendar year. Last updated Feb., 2024.

*OAGS BOARD ELECTION Nov.4, 2023: There were 8 nominations for 8 of the staggered board positions. With no other nominations received, the individuals were acclaimed to their positions. The officer positions are appointed by the board of directors during the winter board meeting following the OAGS Annual Meeting Board Election.

*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 COMMITTEES
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.