At the core of health care innovation and improvement are the individuals who dedicate their expertise and passion to advancing the profession. We are proud to celebrate three outstanding professionals who have been recognized with prestigious awards for their significant contributions to the health care and medical laboratory fields.
Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario (MLPAO) 2024 Award Winners
Tania Toffner, Senior Manager of Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Customer Service at Public Health Ontario (PHO), is this year's recipient of the distinguished Trillium Award. Tania’s journey is a testament to her deep commitment to health care, having moved from the MLPAO to the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Her leadership and dedication ensured that safety and quality remain at the core of health care services in Ontario.
Tania’s contributions to safety first promotes health care professionals’ adherence to rigorous standards, improving patient outcomes and safeguarding public health. We are immensely proud to honour Tania, who embodies the spirit of leadership, resilience, and excellence.
Dr. Lei Fu’s article, “Pharmacogenetic Testing: A Tool for Personalized and Precision Drug Treatment,” published in ADVOCATE magazine, sheds light on the evolving field of pharmacogenetic testing. This innovative approach enables treatments tailored to individual genetic profiles and optimizing drug efficacy, earning her the Richard Lafferty Excellence in Writing Award.
Dr. Fu's work emphasizes the importance of addressing health inequity, as personalized medicine offers a pathway to more equitable health care solutions by enabling every patient to receive treatment tailored to their unique needs. Her article sparks important conversations about how we can make health care more inclusive, and patient centred.
The Michelle Hoad Advocacy Award is presented to those who have demonstrated exemplary advocacy efforts within the medical laboratory profession. We are thrilled to congratulate Jessie Clelland as the first-ever recipient of this prestigious award.
As a valued member of the MLPAO board for the past six years, Jessie has completed three full terms of service, consistently demonstrating her passion for enhancing the visibility of medical laboratories in Ontario. Jessie’s advocacy journey has been nothing short of remarkable. She has participated in every lobby day, presented to the Standing Committee of Finance, and engaged in numerous government meetings — all with the goal of promoting the vital role medical laboratories play in health care.
Most notably, Jessie served as Board Chair during the past two years, a time when the Ontario government made historic investments in laboratory services — a major milestone in the field. Her leadership, drive, and commitment to pushing the profession forward have been truly inspiring.
Excellence in Quality and Care
We are proud to have Tania, Dr. Fu, and Jessie serve as Accreditation Canada Diagnostics assessors. They are the change agents that exemplify our commitment to improving health outcomes. Whether on the frontlines of a global pandemic, advancing cutting-edge research, or championing the profession, Tania, Dr. Fu, and Jessie embody our mission to empower and enable people around the world to continuously improve quality of care. We are inspired by their leadership and contributions. Congratulations to Tania Toffner, Dr. Lei Fu, and Jessie Clelland for their well-deserved recognition!
Together, we will keep pushing boundaries and addressing health care challenges to advance safer care and a healthier world.