Trailblazer Award (Innovation Policy)

Dr. Josephine Etowa, PhD RM RN FWACN FAAN FCAN, is a Professor, current holder of the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) and past holder of the Loyer-DaSilva Research Chair in Public Health Nursing (2012-2019) at the University of Ottawa. She is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing (FCAN), Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) and a Fellow of the West African College of Nursing (FWACN). She is a senior Investigator with the Centre for Research on Health and Nursing (CRHN), a founding member, and past president of the Health Association of African Canadians (HAAC).

She is recognized for her important contribution to social innovation policy, and her leadership in anti-racist and health equity work. Dr. Etowa’s research has resulted in seminal contributions to Canadian health policy and bringing racism to the forefront of dialogues. Her antiracist healthcare practice was the first of its kind in the Canadian health literature.