I have been a longstanding member of IPTA and have had the privilege of serving on the Council. During this time, I have contributed to the Membership Committee and played a role in strategic planning, particularly in education initiatives. Through these efforts, I have collaborated with dedicated international members, working together to expand our IPTA community and membership. Locally, I continue to mentor junior colleagues, encouraging their involvement in IPTA—one of whom now serves on the Outreach Committee. I remain committed to advocating for and supporting the growth of our junior colleagues, as they represent the future of our field.

Transplantation is both a scarce and invaluable resource, facing significant global challenges. Equitable access remains a pressing issue, particularly in middle- and low-income countries.

Having worked in transplantation across two continents and experienced firsthand the challenges faced in a low-income setting, I bring a unique and valuable perspective to the IPTA leadership team. My background equips me to contribute meaningfully to the organization's efforts in addressing these disparities and supporting impactful change.

Furthermore, I hope to bring evidence-based leadership to IPTA, having served on several international guideline committees and contributed to multiple systematic reviews through Cochrane. My interests in transplantation include promoting physical activity in post-transplant patients and improving transition care. In this capacity, I have worked closely with our Allied Health professionals, whose presence within IPTA is steadily growing.

I firmly believe that through collaboration and a united effort across IPTA, TTS, and local transplant organizations, we can drive meaningful change for the children we serve. My primary focus will be on improving access and equity by working with our many international partners.

At the core of my vision is the belief that unity through collaboration is the key to addressing these challenges.

We are all deeply committed to caring for children living with a transplant. In my case, that started over 25 years ago in Montreal and Los Angeles, where I completed my transplant training. Since then, I have had the privilege to contribute to leadership roles with the Canadian Society of Transplantation, NAPRTCS and IPTA, including as chair of the outreach and ethics committee, Pediatric Transplantation editorial board member, Vancouver IPTA 2021 Congress host city chair, and IPTA Council member. I am a clinician-researcher, passionate about improving evaluation recipient immunological risk and translating better immune monitoring into clinical care. My motivation has always been to continuously improve outcomes for transplanted children – the same children that I see in my clinic every week.

I may succeed because I do not accept the status quo. The best results come from built consensus – by asking and listening to the ideas of fellow clinicians on the front line. As an international society, that also means engaging with the diverse experiences of our membership. In the clinic, we live with different realities but share the common cause to improve patient care. Recurring themes include lack of sufficient resources for children and training opportunities for providers. On the ethics committee, we seek to advance policy statements that will help us all advocate for more just care of our patients. Children remain at the back of the line when it comes to new diagnostics and therapeutics, with the consequence of unacceptably limited quality of life and survival.

I will engage with like-minded global partners, to foster and support advocacy for improved access and care for children needing a transplant, and build capacity in pediatric transplant research collaboration and innovation. These are causes I have successfully advanced in Canada – IPTA is in the unique position to advance change worldwide.

My passion for pediatric transplantation stems from a deep commitment to access to care and improving the lives of children, who are both a vulnerable population and our future. Throughout my career, I have dedicated myself to serving the pediatric transplant community, a mission that perfectly aligns with the vision of the International Pediatric Transplant Society (IPTA).

Serving as Secretary/Treasurer presents an opportunity to continue contributing to this critical mission. My recent completion of the Finance for Senior Executives course at Harvard Business School, combined with my extensive experience as Senior Vice President (SVP), Surgeon-in-Chief and Surgical Director for Kidney Transplant at Seattle Children’s Hospital will strengthen the organization’s financial stewardship. This will ultimately enable IPTA to better serve children globally who require our expertise and innovative multidisciplinary approaches.

The role of secretary and treasurer is fundamental to IPTA’s operations, ensuring the organization can effectively pursue its mission and make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families needing transplantation. While IPTA was founded more than a quarter century ago, my vision extends far beyond its current trajectory. I am committed to not only maintaining the organizations strong foundation but also to propelling it forward.

My ambitious goals include expanding IPTA’s global reach and impact through strategic advocacy, continuous innovation, comprehensive education and robust mentorship programs. I envision IPTA as a transformative force in pediatric transplantation worldwide and this will be achieved by:

1. Continue to expand our global reach and impact
2. Advancing scientific knowledge and innovation
3. Enhancing education and training through collaborative partnerships
4. Amplifying patient and family voices

I am deeply honored and excited to continue to serve alongside dedicated professionals who have committed their lives to improving the lives of children in need of transplantation.

Management of children undergoing organ transplantation continues to improve such that graft and patient survival is now excellent and focus has moved towards ensuring quality of survival, with emphasis on issues such as minimising effects of long-term immunosuppression.

However, for many children around the world, transplantation remains a privilege which they are not able to enjoy. Some of our largest populations live in countries with healthcare systems which are not able to provide transplantation. The ability of some to access self-funded transplantation while others cannot further widens the gap in outcomes for some of our most vulnerable populations. Others live in countries too small to develop transplant programmes, yet transplantation overseas is impossible. Knowledge remains poor about those with organ failure who would benefit from transplantation but who are unable to access it.

IPTA has been at the forefront of work in this field with its pioneering outreach programme, and ensuring that healthcare professionals in countries with emerging economies can access the biennial meeting at reduced cost. Nonetheless, children continue to be left behind.

In order to address these inequities, it is crucial that IPTA continues to advocate for consistent access to transplantation for ALL children. Furthermore, it is vital that the leadership of IPTA is diverse, encompassing professionals from different disciplines, countries, genders and centre sizes who understand these complex issues.

Ensuring equitable access to healthcare is a key focus of my work in New Zealand where our indigenous Māori children have poorer health outcomes in most health domains. These inequities have existed for generations and are challenging to eliminate.

I therefore stand for IPTA’s Secretary-Treasurer as a Paediatric Hepatologist working in a small country in Oceania, well positioned to further promote IPTA’s work in addressing inequity of access to transplantation for a significant portion of the world’s population.