Board of Directors

2026 – 2027

Meet Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s (BTFC’s) 2026-2027 Board of Directors.

Each of these dedicated, passionate volunteers is responsible for keeping BTFC’s mission at the forefront of their responsibilities as they provide oversight of the Foundation’s management, direction, planning, policy and financial stability.

BTFC Directors are independent, elected, and offer exceptional experience and expertise across the neuro-oncology, research, business, legal, financial, education and pharmacology sectors.

Dela Avle

Chair

Dela Avle is General Counsel at Bruce Power, where he manages the legal and administrative staff in the Law Division.

Dela was appointed Chair of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s Board of Directors in May 2026. He previously served as Vice-Chair of BTFC’s Board of Directors, and he will continue to serve on the Foundation’s Governance and Finance Committees.

Dela’s service with BTFC is motivated by his objective to be involved with an organization where he can see tangible benefits to the community, and one that could benefit from his skills, experience, and time. He feels BTFC does amazing work in the critical area of support for brain tumour patients and families and is glad to be able to help advance its mission.

Diane McFarlane

Vice-Chair

Diane McFarlane brings 26 years of progressive experience as an executive with Shell Canada Ltd. to her role as Vice-Chair of BTFC’s Board of Directors. In 2011, she joined Kenworth Truck Centres as Vice-President, Operations and Logistics for Northern Ontario, followed by several years in business consulting. She currently serves on the boards of the Sudbury Airport Community Development Corporation and Maison McCulloch Hospice Foundation.

Diane is a dedicated BTFC volunteer. In 2012, she served as the Sudbury Support Group convenor and later as a facilitator for the Eastern Canada Virtual Support Group. Since 2016, she has led fundraising efforts as a Coordinator for BTFC’s Sudbury, North Bay and Ottawa Brain Tumour Walks.

Her family’s involvement with BTFC is a result of her brother-in-law Brian’s brain tumour diagnosis. Providing support and hope for those impacted by this devastating disease is her family’s way of giving back to their community.

Jeff Ivanko

Treasurer & Chair

Jeff Ivanko is the Chief Financial Officer of DCL International Inc. and has more than 15 years of senior management responsibility in the construction and manufacturing industries. Along with being a BTFC board member, Jeff sits on the BTFC Finance Committee of the Board.

Jeff was first introduced to BTFC in 2015 when his wife, Leslie, was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. Through the years, they have participated in the Foundation’s annual Brain Tumour Walks and the Hats for Hope campaign, and attended a BTFC young adult retreat in Muskoka, Ont.

Adam Lakusta

Secretary & Chair

Adam Lakusta is a Calgary-based lawyer at a Canadian intellectual property law firm. Adam is an active member of the Law Society of Alberta and obtained his post-secondary education in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.

Having been diagnosed with a grade II brain tumour in 2014, BTFC’s work is deeply personal to Adam. Adam is a proud participant in the annual Brain Tumour Walks and other BTFC initiatives. Adam’s education and experience of living across Western Canada provide him with a unique ability to contribute to BTFC.

Allan Ferguson

Director

Allan Ferguson brings extensive executive leadership and governance experience across engineering, construction, transportation, and financial services to BTFC. He currently serves as President of Ace Mechanical Ltd. and co-founder of EFP Engineering Ltd. Formerly, he served as President and Dealer Principal of East Coast International Trucks and Vice-President at TD Waterhouse.

Allan’s board and committee experience includes service on the Canadian Construction Association’s National Advisory Council, the Blue Nose Marathon Society board, and governance roles with the Cathedral Church of All Saints. These positions reflect a commitment to governance excellence, fiscal responsibility, and community leadership.

Allan’s daughter, Mia, was diagnosed with glioblastoma at age 20.  BTFC became a key resource for her. Supporting the important work BTFC does was important to Mia, and she initiated a successful My Way Campaign in 2022. A beautiful, gifted and loving young woman, Mia passed in 2023.

Kristy Allen, MPH

Director

Kristy Allen is a Knowledge Translation and Implementation Coordinator at the Waypoint Research Institute, within the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care in Penetanguishene, Ont.

As a BTFC Board Member and member of the Advocacy Committee, Kristy contributes from her professional expertise in public health, knowledge translation and community engagement. Her motivation for working with BTFC is to support her sister-in-law, Michelle, and other young people who are living with and bravely fighting against brain cancer.

Rebecca Harrison

Director

Dr. Rebecca Harrison is a Medical Neuro-Oncologist at BC Cancer in Vancouver. Her clinical practice involves caring for patients with brain tumours and neurologic complications of cancer.

Rebecca has joined BTFC’s Board of Directors because she believes that their promotion of research and advocacy in neuro-oncology is of great value in improving outcomes for patients and families affected by brain tumours.

Sarah Ironside

Director

Dr. Sarah Ironside is a Neuro-Oncologist with Horizon Health Network in Moncton, N.B. She is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Neurology at Dalhousie University and an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine (Neurology) at Memorial University. She earned her undergraduate and medical degrees from Dalhousie University, completed her Neurology residency training at the University of Toronto and completed a two-year fellowship in neuro-oncology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, with funding as the first recipient of the Gord Downie Fellowship in Brain Oncology.

Dr. Ironside has authored and co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications. She has a particular interest in tumour-related epilepsy, advanced neuro-imaging techniques, and research focused on improving outcomes and overcoming barriers to accessible care for brain tumour patients.

Lorraine Lewis

Director

Lorraine Lewis is a retired educator who joined BTFC’s Board of Directors in May 2026, where she serves on the Advocacy Committee. Lorraine began volunteering with the Foundation after her daughter Nicole’s diagnosis of medulloblastoma, and during the past three decades, her efforts have significantly advanced BTFC’s support for brain tumour patients. Lorraine has advanced the BrainWAVE program for southwestern Ontario families and introduced the well-loved ‘Rigatoni for Research’ dinner galas, which raised awareness and funds between 2006 through 2019.

More recently, Lorraine launched the ‘BeyondTheWave’ pilot program to support and inform young adults who have survived the pediatric brain tumour journey, and she hopes to expand it to other Canadian health hubs.

Melanie Provost

Director

Melanie Provost is a Pharmacist and Director, External Affairs at Lariviere et Massicotte, Pharmaciennes Inc., a specialty pharmacy in Quebec. She has more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, in roles including clinical research and innovation using IT and telemedicine tools. Her doctoral studies in the United States and Switzerland included eHealth, outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics research.

Melanie serves on the Advocacy Committee of the BFTC board, where she contributes her professional expertise in pharmacy care, knowledge of the health-care multidisciplinary environment, and awareness of patient and caregiver organizations. She was inspired to join BTFC’s Board in memory of two young adults close to her who succumbed to glioblastoma. She thrives on helping others and moving mountains for patients who are living with and bravely fighting cancer.

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