Dr. Jennifer Zelmer is the recipient of the 2020 MacNaught-Taillon award. She clearly demonstrates a life-long commitment to collaboration and dedication in service of others that personify the values reflected in the award. In the spirit of the Honourable Justice Emmitt Hall, she is fully committed to the ideals of advancing our universal Medicare programs and to using better information systems in scaling and spreading leading practices. Dr. Zelmer continues to make an enduring contribution to the advancement of Canadian health information systems and evidence-informed decision making.

The early years of Dr. Zelmer’s career were dedicated to growing the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI). During her time with CIHI (1995-2008), she held a series of progressively responsible leadership positions, culminating in the creation and direction of a pan-Canadian analytic program that aimed to advance sound policy, strengthen management decisions, and improve public awareness of factors affecting good health. At CIHI, she worked closely with Serge Taillon (one of the two namesakes for the award) to help ensure comparability of data across Canada. Dr. Zelmer then moved to Copenhagen to, as the inaugural CEO, spearhead the establishment of the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization. In 2010, Dr. Zelmer returned to work at Canada Health Infoway providing leadership for national clinical adoption and innovation programs. One of Dr. Zelmer’s many contributions was to start a consumer health solutions program, responding to the needs of individuals across the country for access to their own health information and connections with care providers. About 18 months ago, Dr. Zelmer was recruited to her current assignment leading CFHI to spread and scale proven innovations including deep engagement with patient/family and Indigenous partners.