Who We Are

Jerry Evans

President and CEO

Jerry is a seasoned business development and finance professional with an extensive background spanning over 30 years. His career showcases a track record of organizing and successfully managing numerous start-up companies. Jerry has also played pivotal roles in elevating the sales and profitability of various enterprises. His expertise extends to buying, selling, restructuring, and merging firms, with experience in financing both private and public sector companies, both in Canada and internationally.

Drawing on a multifaceted skill set encompassing legal, accounting, engineering, governance, and organizational capabilities, Jerry focuses on enhancing stakeholders' wealth and safeguarding valuable corporate intellectual property. He holds a MASc in Engineering from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario's Ivey School of Business.

Matt Ratto

Chief Science Officer

Matt is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and director of the Semaphore Research Cluster on Mobile and Pervasive Computing, an interdisciplinary research group exploring, critiquing, and building capacity around new developments in tangible interfaces, smart objects and digital infrastructures. His main focus is on bridging the divide between critical, humanistic perspectives and technical work. He coined the term ‘critical making’ in 2007 to describe this ongoing research project.

Howie K. Safeer

Senior Developer

Howie brings over 17 years of experience in the area of digital media — from designing and coding interactive CD-ROMS in the 1990’s to creating rich 3D user experiences and computer visualization/simulation software today. Before joining Nia, Howie co-founded several startups ranging from an interactive design agency to a software company that develops software for post-op plastic surgery visualization. At Nia, he leads the development of NiaFit and other custom software solutions that bridge hardware and software across a range of platforms.

Joshua Qua Hiansen

Research & Project Manager

Joshua graduated from Western University with a Masters’ degree in human physiology. He has authored several published, peer-reviewed scientific papers and is currently the Biomedical Industrial Designer at The Advanced Perioperative Imaging Lab located in Toronto General Hospital. At Nia Technologies, Josh is the Research and Project Manager. His primary role is to test new 3D printing technologies and materials for use in the fabrication of prosthetic and orthotic devices. Additionally, Josh oversees the organization and development of several Nia projects including NiaNet.

Brenda Ben

Hope and Healing International

Brenda is a Chartered Professional Accountant, CA, and has spent the majority of her career in the insurance sector in many different capacities. She is currently VP, CRM and Business Solutions at a major Canadian insurer. Brenda lives in Waterloo with her husband, Michael, and they have two adult daughters.

Brenda has a passion for service and has served on several charity and non-profit boards. She joined the Hope and Healing International board in 2014. She and her husband have also developed a personal interest in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where they have visited several times and support local Congolese who run an orphanage, school and health clinic.

Dr. David Williams

Retired (former Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario)

Dr. David Williams, who retired in June 2021, served as Ontario's former Chief Medical Officer of Health. Over fifteen years, he held various roles within the Ministry of Health (formerly Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care), including the early stages of the Pandemic. Before that, Dr. Williams contributed to local Public Health as a Medical Officer of Health/CEO in northern Ontario, utilizing his specialty training in Public Health and Preventive Medicine (FRCPC).

 In his earlier career, Dr. Williams worked as a General Practitioner in Northwestern Ontario, serving at the Sioux Lookout Zone Hospital and working with several First Nation communities. Following that, he dedicated a decade to medical missionary work in rural western Nepal, where he held the positions of OPD Director and Hospital Director at the United Mission Hospital, Tansen.

Robert E. Evans

Economic Research Associates Limited

Dr. Robert E. “Bob” Evans is a consulting economist who resides in Calgary. Bob’s professional practice focuses on finance, accounting, and regulatory problems of public utilities and pipelines. Bob served for nine years on the Board of Hope and Healing International and was Board Secretary for five years. He has served for 16 years on the Board of Rundle College Society and was Chairman of the school Board for 12 years. Bob received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin (Madison).

Ted Dueck

Dueck, Sauer, Jutzi & Noll LLP

Ted Dueck practices law and dispute resolution in Kitchener-Waterloo, as a civil litigator in the Superior Court of Ontario and as a Mediator. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wilfrid Laurier University and his Bachelor of Laws/Juris Doctor degree at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. He was called to the bar of Ontario in 1979. He has subsequently earned a Masters of Law degree from York University and was awarded the Chartered Mediator designation from the ADR Institute in 2001.

Ted has been active in church work and charitable boards and committees throughout his career, including lengthy service in various capacities with Mennonite Central Committee (Ontario), and several years on the boards of directors for Hope and Healing International as well as CBM International in Germany. He has also served as a Trustee and Vice President of the Waterloo Region Law Association.

Stratis Vomvas

Hope and Healing International

Stratis is Chief Financial Officer of Hope and Healing International and a team since 2017. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant, having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from York University. He has over 15 years experience in a variety of industries and finance leadership roles. Stratis was a driving force on the commercial finance team in the orthopaedic division at Johnson & Johnson. He has led sales and marketing teams, and mentored in the areas of strategic planning, acquisitions and divestitures, budgeting and forecasting, and investment decision support. Stratis has audited not-for-profit organizations, charities and other government-run establishments.