Meet CHEO's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity Steering Committee

Karen Green

Karen Green, from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, is a lawyer who has spent her career advocating and promoting the rights of First Nations People, particularly those of First Nation’s women and children.  She worked for most of her career with the Department of Justice where she held senior positions, most notably, as the Executive Director of the Federal Centre for Conflict Management, and the Director of the Diversity and Gender Equality Unit. As part of an executive exchange, Karen spent two years, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Native Women’s Association of Canada. Karen was the main writer and advisor of the women’s chapter of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples Report. Since leaving government, Karen has worked as a Senior Advisor on Indigenous Issues for the University of Ottawa, and as the Director of the Equity Office at Carleton University. Now self-employed as a lawyer and policy consultant, specializing in Indigenous issues, Karen has a range of clients seeking to advance the rights of Indigenous people.

Karen has an extensive history with the voluntary sector. Currently, she is the President of the Makonsag Aboriginal Head Start Program, a director on the board of Andrew Fleck Children’s Services; and a member of the University of Ottawa Indigenous Education Council. She is a past director of the following boards: 

• Ottawa Community Foundation, 
• United Way, 
• Ottawa Children’s Aid Society, 
• Children’s Aid Foundation, 
• Interval House, 
• Gloucester Non-Profit Housing, 
• First Nations Technical Institute, 
• Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, 
• Minwaashin Lodge 
• Odawa Native Friendship Centre

Dr. Sharon Whiting

Dr. Sharon Whiting is the co -chair for the EDI task force at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).

She received her MBBS from the University of the West Indies, her FRCPC certification in Pediatrics at the University of Ottawa and in Neurology from the University of British Columbia. She did a fellowship in epilepsy at the University of Western Ontario.

She has held the roles of Chief of the Division of Neurology and Chief of Staff at CHEO. She is currently an associate professor in the department of Pediatrics and the Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa where her portfolio includes equity, diversity and inclusion for the faculty.

She has an active clinical practice in epilepsy and sleep disorders and is in charge of the ketogenic diet program for patients with intractable epilepsy.