Who we are

Corinne Buchanan-Russell is a senior life sciences executive and entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience across Canada’s pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sector. She is the President and Board Chair of Advancing Black Talent in Pharma (ABTiP), which she co-founded to address systemic barriers and expand leadership pathways for Black professionals in the life sciences ecosystem.

Corinne has held progressive leadership roles at Sanofi Canada and Boehringer Ingelheim, where she led complex commercial portfolios, global alliances, and cross-functional teams, with a strong focus on people development, strategy, and sustainable growth.

She is also the Founder and CEO of Culture Spark Solutions Inc., a consultancy supporting life sciences companies and emerging organizations through fractional leadership and innovative approaches to organizational culture, commercialization readiness, and systems transformation.

Corinne is deeply committed to advancing equity through practical action, strategic partnerships, and community-centred leadership. Through ABTiP, she continues to champion opportunities for Black talent to thrive, lead, and shape the future of the life sciences industry in Canada.

Angelina Brathwaite has been a Senior Client Partner and Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Leader for Brunel in North America for the past 17 years. Her extensive knowledge and people networks in life sciences and biotechnology come from her experience supporting clients such as Sanofi, Astra, and Bayer. Angelina is also a board member for Advancing Black Talent in Pharma, where she applies her expertise to address racial issues and uncover personal and institutional biases that prevent people from reaching their fullest potential. She serves her community by volunteering for a variety of non-profits and sits on the Advisory Board for The Mina Project, which is dedicated to an initiative of the Learning Enrichment. She is driven by her desire to see people succeed in everything they do.

Mesrak Lissanu  has over 20 years of progressive experience in the pharmaceutical industry across various therapeutic areas, and serves as the District Sales Manager at Abbott Diabetes Care Canada. She is passionate about promoting people’s growth and development, which has motivated her to take on various leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry. As a Co-Founder of Advancing Black Talent in Pharma, a former Canadian Ambassador for Women of Color in Pharma, and an Abbott International Black Business Network member, she advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Along with her commitment to community development, Mesrak is currently serving as the chair of People to People Aid Organization Canada. Her drive and passion stem from her desire to uplift her community and help people succeed in all aspects of their lives.

Charlaine Thompson-Simmonds is a seasoned professional with over 16 years of diverse experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including launch strategy, marketing, sales, sales training, and manufacturing. Her goal-oriented and driven work ethic has enabled her to lead multiple cross-functional teams to success, with a focus on patient-centric strategies. Charlaine firmly believes in nurturing growth and development in diverse, equitable environments that encourage people to be their authentic selves. She is a co-founder of Advancing Black Talent in Pharma, committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Charlaine was also the first Diversity committee chair for a women-led pharma group. She is deeply passionate about her family, community volunteering, and actively seeking new opportunities to broaden her exposure and challenge her thinking.

Nicole is a seasoned market access leader whose career across Canada and the Asia-Pacific region has shaped how she leads, develops talent, and advances equity in healthcare. As Head of Market Access for Southeast Asia & India within a large multi-national company, she steered diverse teams across seven markets, advancing access strategies and building local capabilities in complex, evolving health care systems. These roles deepened her conviction that representation, mentorship and trust form the foundation of sustainable impact.

Earlier in Canada, Nicole played a pivotal role in securing national and provincial reimbursement for innovative oncology, immunology and metabolic therapies. Her drive to ensure patients receive timely access to life-changing medicines mirrors the commitment she brings to her community—showing up, creating connection and opening doors for others.

After nearly nine years abroad, Nicole has returned home to Canada, bringing a global perspective grounded in local understanding. She is proud to support ABTiP’s mission of building meaningful pathways for Black professionals in pharma—empowering talent, strengthening networks and helping shape a more inclusive future for the industry.

Jean‑Claude is an accomplished bilingual (French and English) Pharmacologist and Medical Affairs leader with experience in academia and the biopharmaceutical industry.

With more than 25 peer‑reviewed publications and a track record of professional awards, his Medical Affairs leadership spans rare diseases, neurology, and cardiovascular diseases. Soon a graduate from the selective McGill‑HEC Montréal Executive MBA program, Jean‑Claude seeks to advance patient access to innovative medicines through data‑driven strategy, cross‑functional collaboration, and empathetic leadership.

Passionate about Montreal’s culture, he serves on the board of ABTiP and champions diversity, equity, and inclusion in the life science industry across Quebec and Canada.

Interested in this position?  Please submit cover letter and CV to [email protected]

Interested in this position?  Please submit cover letter and CV to [email protected]