Speaker

Dr. Clifford is currently a Vice-President, Research at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). In her present role, she oversees CIHR’s strategic science activities, notably in the areas of patient-oriented research, clinical trials, and knowledge mobilization. Before joining CIHR in 2018, Dr. Clifford was the Chief Scientist and Vice-President, Evidence Standards at the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), where she served in several senior leadership roles over more than a decade. As a member of CADTH’s executive team, she supported the launch new initiatives such as the rapid response and scientific advice programs, in addition to overseeing the production of health technology assessments (HTAs) and other evidence syntheses.

At the beginning of her career, Dr. Clifford led and supported numerous maternal and child health research projects at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s Research Institute, where she also served as a member of the Research Ethics Board. Dr. Clifford received her PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Western Ontario, and her BSc and MSc from McGill University. She is recognized for her exceptional leadership abilities, and to mentoring the next generation of health researchers.