Sheila Gilheany has a background in physics and has extensive experience in policy development and advocacy. She has led a range of not-for-profit organisations in science, education, public engagement and social enterprise. Most recently she was the national manager for the Institute of Physics in Ireland where she developed strong policy positions on issues around research funding, facilities, gender and access to physics at all levels. Previously she was Director of the Irish Centre for Talented Youth at Dublin City University for 11 years, bringing courses and services for young people with exceptional academic ability right across Ireland. She is also Chair of the Board of Directors of Specialisterne Ireland an organisation which supports the employment of people with autism. She has a BSc Hons in physics and a PhD in astrophysics from Queen’s University Belfast.

Catherine Paradis is CCSA’s and one of Canada’s leading experts on alcohol. She joined the Centre in 2014 wanting to participate in developing and implementing alcohol-related policies at the federal level. Catherine also wanted an opportunity to develop new projects and build new partnerships. For the past several years, she led the implementation of the Postsecondary Education Partnership — Alcohol Harms (PEP-AH) and the development of its framework. She has been involved in research projects focused on alcohol policies in municipalities and on campuses, and alcohol advertising and marketing. Her study on youth presentation to hospital emergency departments for alcohol-related medical emergencies was instrumental in the amendment of alcohol legislation at the provincial and federal levels. Catherine is also one of the experts responsible for producing Canada’s 2011 Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines. As a Senior Research and Policy Analyst, she currently co-chairs the CCSA initiative, funded by Health Canada, to update the guidelines by March 2022. Catherine holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Montreal.