Joanne Thanos

(MHSc 2005 DLSPH)
Senior Director, Governance Transformation, Ontario Medical Association   

Joanne is a passionate thought leader, change agent, and trusted advisor, leveraging her diverse experiences, and a blend of business acumen, empathy, vision, and objectivity to transform organizations. Joanne’s experiences span the health and not-for profit sectors, including epidemiology, research, public health, policy, member associations, and equity diversity and inclusion roles. Her areas of strength are leadership, creative problem-solving, coaching, and building relationships in fast-paced politically sensitive environments.

Joanne is proud of her work in transforming the OMA's 140-year-old governance structure, her extensive work in building modernized public health policy for Ontario, and equity work at the intersection of health and social policy.  

She has won awards from the Ontario Ministry of Health for her strategic planning work and emergency responses as part of the pH1N1 influenza outbreak, Ebola virus emergency preparedness response, and emergency health response to evacuees from Lebanon.    

Joanne has previously served as a member of the College of Electors and has held multiple positions in the Public Health Sciences Alumni Association including Vice-President, Awards Chair, Mentorship Coordinator and Secretary. Her other U of T volunteer roles include serving as a mentor and instructor for the introduction to public health sciences course for incoming graduate students at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.   Joanne also volunteers with the University Health Network Friendly Neighbour Program and in running community-based COVID-19 vaccine clinics.   In her spare time, she enjoys travel, dance, culinary arts, and spending time with family.