Judges

Fusion brings together an accomplished panel of judges from industry, academia, and entrepreneurship. With expertise spanning science, business, and technology, they will evaluate teams on innovation, feasibility, and impact. Our judges are leaders in their fields who bring diverse perspectives and a wealth of experience, ensuring that every team receives meaningful feedback and recognition for their work.

Check back frequently—this page is constantly being updated with new details and judges profiles.

Simone Harrington, MBA

Vice President, Trillium Health Partners, Institute for Better Health

Simone Harrington Bio

BSc Science & Business ’06
Vice President, Trillium Health Partners' Institute for Better Heath
Mississauga, ON

Simone has dedicated her career to driving transformative changes in healthcare. Her unique blend of skills in strategy, project management, and policy change positions her as a driving force behind health system transformation, aiming to create a healthier future for communities and regions.

Simone is a critical member of the team that developed, designed and then implemented the largest voluntary hospital merger in Canada at Trillium Health Partners (THP) – a world leading, full system of care in Mississauga and West Toronto service over 1.7 million patients annually. She has progressed through several critical leadership roles including THP’s first Director of Strategy & Project Management, then Associate VP of People, Strategy & Volunteers. Currently, Simone is VP at the Institute for Better Health (IBH), a national leader in health services research and supporting creation of THP Solutions which will drive innovation and create new revenue streams for THP to drive sustainability in health care, and lead THP as an Edge partner within the $30M Federal innovation network CAN Health Network. In her role at the IBH, she has been instrumental in bridging research and innovation ambitions with sounds business strategies from HR to Finance to Project Management to build success. This culminated last year with THP’s recognition for the first time as one of Canada’s Top 40 Research hospitals.

In 2022, Simone was honoured as one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women by The Women's Executive Network. She also serves as a board member at Sheridan College, in the role of Vice-Chair since 2023.

Simone holds a Bachelor of Science & Business from the University of Waterloo's Coop Program and an MBA from The Schulich School of Business at York University.

Dr. Shaan Chugh, MD

Chief Medical Director, Puralator Inc. | Internal Medicine, Trillium Health Partners, Cleveland Clinic

Shaan Chugh Bio

BSc Science '07

Dr. Shaan Chugh is an Internal Medicine physician at Trillium Health Partners dedicated to improving patient care at both individual and systemic levels. Dr. Chugh is also the Medical Director of Solutions at Trillium Health Partners, reimagining the way in which we provide care to our community leveraging technology and digital pathways.

Dr. Chugh serves as the Chief Medical Director at Purolator through the Global Corporate Advisory Services program at Cleveland Clinic Canada. In his role, Dr. Chugh applies his frontline hospital experience to develop strategies that enhance the physical, mental, and social well-being of employees.

Dr. Chugh holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Science from the University of Toronto as well as Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo. He is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, actively engaged in academic research and education at the University of Toronto medical school.

Laura Deakin, PhD

Associate Professor, Associate Dean of Science (Teaching and Learning), University of Waterloo

Laura Deakin Bio

Laura Deakin is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Waterloo. She brings extensive experience in nanomaterials, materials science, and occupational and environmental health risks into the classroom. Laura teaches a range of undergraduate courses in general and inorganic chemistry, as well as chemical risk assessment within both chemistry and nanotechnology engineering programs.

She has been recognized multiple times with the University of Waterloo’s Outstanding Performance Award, has received the Excellence in Science Teaching Award, and teaching awards from both Science and Engineering student organizations. In addition to her teaching role, Laura serves as the Associate Dean of Science for Teaching and Learning, where she supports undergraduate student recruitment, advising, curriculum development, and overall student success.

Steve Fortin, PhD, CPA

Former Director; Professor, Financial Reporting

Steve Fortin Bio

Steve Fortin, is the Former Director; Professor, Financial Reporting at the School of Accounting and Finance at the University of Waterloo. He served as Director of the School from 2018 to 2022. A graduate of the University of Waterloo (PhD - 2000) and the Université du Québec à Rimouski (BBA Accounting - 1992), his research is published in multiple academic and practitioner journals, including the prestigious Journal of Accounting and Economics, Contemporary Accounting Research and Review of Accounting Studies. Prior to joining Waterloo, Fortin was a faculty member at McGill University for 19 years, serving terms as Associate Dean Undergraduate Programs, Academic Director of the MBA and Associate Dean Masters programs. An accomplished teacher and academic administrator, he taught in multiple programs at Waterloo, McGill and in industry, from undergraduate to PhD, in degree programs and executive courses. Fortin has received multiple awards over his career for academic excellence, teaching excellence and for his service. He is an FCPA, FCA in both Québec and Ontario and also a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors. Father of two, he lives in the Waterloo region.

Cindy Bailey, MBA

VP & Corporate Sustainability Officer, Puralator

Cindy Bailey Bio

BASc, '04

As Purolator’s Corporate Sustainability Officer, Cindy is responsible for leading the development of Purolator’s sustainability strategy, advancing policies and standards, managing risks and opportunities, and improving Purolator’s performance, disclosures, and reputation related to the Environment, Community Investment, DEIB and Health and Wellbeing. Currently Cindy is leading the development of Purolator’s emissions reduction goals and roadmap, which includes clean fuels, electrifying Purolator’s last-mile delivery vehicles and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Cindy completed her undergrad in Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo and has an MBA specialized in Sustainability from Schulich. For more than 20 years, Cindy has worked as an environment and sustainability professional in a variety of industries including automotive manufacturing, financial services, and transportation and logistics.

Soham Suvarnkar

Senior Consultant, Deloitte

Soham Suvarnkar Bio

BSc Science and Business, '17

Soham Suvarnkar is a business and technology professional driven by a passion for solving complex challenges through smart, innovative solutions. With a background in Physics, Business, and Computer Science from the University of Waterloo, he bridges strategy and technology to create real world impact. His experience spans Deloitte, Microsoft, and global hackathons, where he’s earned international recognition for developing cutting edge solutions that drive meaningful change. As a One Young World Ambassador, Soham focuses on creating positive global impact through technology. Outside of work, he leads various side projects in AI app development and analytics, and stays active as a Muay Thai fighter.

Kevin Lee, MBA, CPA, CMA

Partner, Deloitte

Kevin Lee Bio

Kevin Lee, based in Toronto, ON, CA, is currently a Partner at Deloitte Canada. Kevin Lee brings experience from previous roles at Rogers Communications. Kevin Lee holds a HBSc in Applied Chemistry (Co-op) @ University of Waterloo. With a robust skill set that includes Change Management, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Business Process Improvement, Process Improvement, Six Sigma and more.

Dave Libertini, CPA

Shareholder/President, ASEDA Group Inc.

Dave Libertini Bio

Dave Libertini is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in investment and advisory services, currently serving as Shareholder and President at ASEDA Group Inc. since January 2015. In addition to this role, Dave is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Waterloo, where courses focus on International Business and Organizational Behaviour and Performance. Previous positions include Chief Financial Officer and Investor at Pestell Nutrition Inc., where a successful company sale was executed, and various senior leadership roles at Hendrix Genetics, including Managing Director of Hybrid Turkeys and Hypor. Dave's career also includes significant contributions to H L Cudney Funeral Home as Shareholder and President and leadership roles at Nutreco, where a major merger was orchestrated. Education includes a B Math (Hons) in Mathematics and Accounting from the University of Waterloo.