Our Staff

Olivier Bellefleur
Scientific LeadOlivier is the Scientific Lead for the National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy (NCCHPP). He is in charge of the Centre’s scientific direction, administrative management and for mobilizing its Advisory Board. He joined the NCCHPP in 2010 as a Scientific Advisor and was appointed Lead in 2017. His academic background is in philosophy (M.A., Université de Montréal, doctoral studies, McGill University) and in environmental sciences (M.Sc., UQAM).

Marianne Jacques
Scientific Advisor and CoordinatorMarianne holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and political science and a Master’s degree in political science from the Université de Montréal. She joined the NCCHPP in 2007. She coordinates the processes associated with the Centre’s scientific program, accountability, evaluation and the projects that are co-led with the five other National Collaborating Centres. Marianne also provides project management on complex files. Finally, she coordinates the activities of the Global Network for Health in All Policies Secretariat and contributes to the Health in All Policies project.

Laure Baglinière (on parental leave)
Expert Scientific AdvisorLaure joined the NCCHPP in 2022. She is a member of the Québec Bar and holds a PhD in health law from the Université de Montréal and the Université Paris Cité. Before pursuing her doctoral studies with the Chaire sur la culture collaborative en droit et politiques de la santé, she gained academic and practical experience working as a legal adviser and as a lawyer. Her PhD research focused on health complaint systems and mediation in the care relationship. At the NCCHPP she is involved in projects on Public Health Infrastructure, including a project related to public health organizations’ capacities to act on healthy public policies.

Nicole F. Bernier
Expert Scientific AdvisorNicole joined the NCCHPP in 2021. She holds a PhD in political science from the Université de Montréal. Upon completing her thesis, she pursued postdoctoral work in public health and in healthy public policy. She has practical and academic experience, having worked as a university professor and as a researcher, as a research director for a Canadian policy think tank and also as an expert scientific advisor at the Institut national de santé publique du Québec. At the NCCHPP, she works on Health in All Policies, Analyzing Public Policies and reducing Health Inequalities.

Natalia C. Botero
Scientific AdvisorNatalia holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of the Andes (Colombia) and a master’s degree in sociology from Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3. After working in different organizations on global health and health promotion, she joined the NCCHPP in 2022. At the NCCHPP, she works on the Health in All Policies project and supports the activities of the Global Network for Health in All Policies Secretariat.

Willy Dunbar
Expert Scientific AdvisorWilly joined the NCCHPP in 2022. He is a physician and holds a PhD in Public Health Sciences from the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). His main works focus on: global health; health systems and policies; health inequalities; and the development, evaluation, and adaptation of biobehavioral interventions. The driving interest of his career has been to improve outcomes for those who have not yet fully benefited from public health and intervention strategies. At the NCCHPP, he is working on projects related to Public Health Infrastructure aimed at synthesizing scientific knowledge and conducting research in order to inform decision making and optimize public health practices.

Alexandra Espin-Espinoza
Communications OfficerAlexandra holds a bachelor’s degree in modern literature from the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3 and a master’s degree in public communication from Université Laval. Prior to joining the NCCHPP team, she collaborated on the design and execution of communication strategies, social interventions, and editorial projects in both the public and private sectors. Her professional experience has allowed her to specialize in content creation and public relations. She is currently a doctoral student in the Département d’information et de communication at Université Laval and her research focuses on health communication. At the NCCHPP, Alexandra contributes, among other things, to the communications activities of the Global Network for Health in All Policies Secretariat and the future Canadian Network for Health in All Policies.

Mylène Maguire
Communications OfficerMylène joined the Centre’s team as a communications officer in 2013. From 2009 to 2013 she worked as the communications coordinator for the six National Collaborating Centres for Public Health. She holds a bachelor’s in public communications from Université Laval. At the NCCHPP, she is responsible for disseminating and promoting resources, developing various communications tools (communications plan, videos, promotional tools) and managing digital activities (website, social media). She also supports the team with webinar hosting and online course development.

Laila Mahmoudi
Scientific AdvisorLaila is trained in public health (M.Sc, École de Santé Publique de l’Université de Montréal), public administration (M.A.P, École Nationale d’Administration Publique) and political science (B.A, Université de Montréal). She is interested in innovative approaches to health promotion that allow for systematic action on the social determinants of health. After having collaborated on evaluative research projects on prenatal nutrition and mental health, she joins the NCCHPP and will contribute to the Health in All Policies project.

Camille Mercier
Scientific AdvisorCamille holds a bachelor’s degree in applied public policy and a master’s degree in international and public policy from the Université de Sherbrooke. Before joining the Centre, she worked at the Public Health Agency of Canada on the implementation of COVID-19 border control measures and completed an internship at the CIUSSS de l’Estrie with the public health surveillance team. At the NCCHPP, she works on the Health in All Policies project by exploring the effects of budgetary restrictions on public health governance and particularly on intersectoral governance.

Florence Morestin
Scientific AdvisorFlorence is trained in political science (IEP Aix-en-Provence) and community health (M.Sc.), Université de Montréal). She joined the NCCHPP in 2009 following many years working in international public health in which she acquired experience in intervention in the field, in policy development, in research and in knowledge sharing. At the NCCHPP, she is in charge of the Knowledge Sharing project, that focuses on ways to have public health knowledge considered in the context of public policy development. She also contributes to the project Analyzing Public Policies.

Val Morrison
Scientific AdvisorVal has been a scientific advisor at the NCCHPP since 2008. She holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in sociology from Concordia University and pursued PhD course work and comprehensive examinations in social stratification, cultural theory, and research methodology in the sociology department at Carleton University. Her projects at the Centre have mostly been in the area of Health Inequalities: intersectionality; policy approaches to reducing health inequalities; and wicked problems. Recently, she has contributed to the project Analyzing Public Policies, by looking into public policy competencies for public health, and to the Population Mental Health and Wellness project by working on wellbeing budgets.

Marie Provost
Administrative AgentMarie joined the NCCHPP in 2022. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in film studies from the Université de Montréal in 2019. After graduating, she occupied the positions of administrative assistant for customer services and human resources representative in a ridesharing company where she developed organizational skills and acquired the capacity to adapt rapidly. Marie joined the Centre as an administrative agent. She supports the team and Scientific Lead with administrative and organizational procedures.

Martin Renauld
Expert Scientific AdvisorMartin joined the Centre in 2021 after having taught at different post-secondary institutions. He holds a BA (Bishop’s University) and a Master’s (Université de Montréal) in history as well as a political science minor (Université Laval). He completed a PhD in sociology (University of Buenos Aires) and post doctoral work at the Chaire de recherche en Mondialisation, Citoyenneté et Démocratie (UQAM). His research has mainly focused on extractivism, citizen mobilization and collective action. At the NCCHPP, he works on the Health in All Policies project.

Ludwine Wandji Tchatat
Scientific AdvisorLudwine Tchatat holds a Master’s degree in political science from the University of Montréal. She joined the Centre in 2021 after a few years of scientific research at the university as well as working in the community on issues of psychosocial wellbeing and domestic violence. At the NCCHPP, Ludwine works on policy transfer across jurisdictions and is also interested in Analyzing Public Policies and policy processes.

Chantal Théberge
Financial Management OfficerChantal began working with the NCCHPP in 2019 as a Financial Management Officer, providing financial management support to meet the Centre’s various objectives. Previously, she has gained experience working for two multinational companies, two Canadian cooperatives, and with the INSPQ since 2006. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Université Laval and is a member of the Order of Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) (l’Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés).