Hoda Soboh is an accomplished leader and successful entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience building, scaling, and transforming organizations. She held an executive role at Ceridian, where she led the transformation of customer experience and relationship management, before founding Intellimedia, a leading education technology company in Alberta that she scaled, resulting in a successful exit. Hoda holds a BA from the University of Calgary.

At Effica, Hoda brings her expertise in technology innovation, customer experience, and organizational growth to one of the most underserved areas in healthcare: women's midlife health. With a demonstrated ability to design scalable solutions that empower people, she leads Effica's mission to give women agency over their health through evidence-based care, digital tools, and a dedicated team of experts.

Her motivation is personal. After entering menopause in her early 40s, she experienced firsthand the systemic gaps, dismissal, and lack of integration that millions of women face. Rather than accept the status quo, she set out to build the solution she and so many others needed. When Effica launched its pilot, more than 1,300 women applied in just 24 hours—underscoring the urgency of the problem and validating the company's mission.

Hoda dedicates this work to her late aunt Soraya, whose story continues to inspire her pursuit of change.

Dr. Nese Yuksel brings more than three decades of experience as a clinician, researcher, educator, and national leader in women's health. Most recently, she served as a full Professor and Vice Dean at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, where she spent 21 years on faculty before retiring in 2025. She now holds the title of Professor Emeritus.

Throughout her career, Dr. Yuksel has integrated clinical practice, research, and leadership to advance care for women. Since 1997, she has practiced in menopause and osteoporosis clinics in Edmonton, supporting women through some of the most significant transitions in their lives. She is proud to be a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP).

Her research has focused on innovative approaches to improve access and enhance the quality of care in women's health. Dr. Yuksel has published extensively in peer-reviewed papers, including being an author for national and international menopause guidelines. Along the way, she has collaborated with researchers and clinicians across Canada, supported by national grant funding and the opportunity to mentor countless undergraduate and graduate learners.

As the recent past President of the Canadian Menopause Society, she helped shape standards of care across Canada and amplify the importance of women's health nationally and internationally. She has been actively involved with Osteoporosis Canada and the Canadian Pharmacists Association, as well as other professional organizations. She has been a speaker at national and international events for health care providers and the public.

What has always driven her is the conviction that women deserve care that is not only evidence-based but also compassionate and empowering. That is the mission she carries into Effica, where she guides the development of clinical programs that bring together research, knowledge translation and clinical expertise.

Dr. Nan Schuurmans is a physician leader and obstetrician-gynecologist with over 40 years of experience advancing women's health. A clinical colleague in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Alberta, she has combined clinical practice, teaching, and leadership throughout her career.

Nan played a key role in establishing and leading the Mature Women's Health and Menopause Clinics in Edmonton, which are innovative interdisciplinary programs that provide care for menopause, pelvic pain, vulvar dermatology, and sexual health. She has also served as the Zone Clinical Department Head for Women's Health at Alberta Health Services and as the Site Leader in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Covenant Health, where she developed programs to support at-risk pregnant women, antenatal home care, early pregnancy loss care, and short-stay maternity programs.

Nationally, Nan has served as President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and was a member of its executive team for several years. She has co-authored several clinical practice guidelines and a handbook for pregnancy and birth, titled "Healthy Beginnings," with the SOGC, now in its fifth edition.

At Effica, she brings her vision and expertise to reimagining midlife care in a way that is both personal and practical. Nan dedicates her work to women navigating health journeys with courage, resilience, and hope.

Dr. Catherine Hansen is an obstetrician-gynecologist and physician leader with over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, education, and women-centered coaching. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology in Canada and pursued a fellowship in sexual health. Later, she earned a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. A Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, she also serves on the society's educational committee, advancing evidence-based standards of care worldwide.

Catherine is a sought-after speaker and facilitator, known for translating complex science into accessible, engaging presentations for women and professional audiences. She is also the founder of the Empowered Women's Circle, a global community that cultivates connection for women navigating midlife.

At Effica, Catherine shapes care models that combine evidence-based medicine with compassionate listening, so women feel informed, heard, and empowered to live their lives to the fullest. Married to astronaut Jeremy Hansen, the first Canadian scheduled to travel to the moon on Artemis II, Catherine and her husband are proud of their three grown children who share their love of outdoor life and summers on the lake.

Victoria Groves has dedicated her career to enhancing women's health by combining clinical expertise with a passion for innovation. She aims to create care that is supportive, empowering, and inclusive. As the leader of clinical care strategy at Effica, she believes that every woman deserves personalized, accessible, and evidence-based support.

Victoria is particularly focused on reimagining models of care that extend beyond reproductive milestones to encompass the full spectrum of women's experiences. Perimenopause and menopause have often been overlooked, and she is committed to changing that. By merging clinical excellence with digital innovation, she seeks to break down barriers, reduce stigma, and ensure that women feel heard and valued.

Outside of work, Victoria enjoys spending time with friends and family, exploring the outdoors, and baking. She dedicates her work to the women who have endured menopause with minimal support, honouring their resilience while striving to ensure that the next generation has a more empowered experience.

Christine Maslanko is a pharmacist specializing in women's health and menopause care. After graduating from the University of Alberta and completing an Accredited Canadian Pharmacy Residency, she began her career as a hospital pharmacist in internal medicine. From 2012 to 2018, she worked at a Mature Women's Health clinic, becoming a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner and deepening her focus on menopause management. She also practices at a stroke prevention clinic, bringing broad clinical experience to her work.

At Effica, Christine is committed to redefining women's health through innovation, evidence-based medicine, and compassion—ensuring women feel heard and empowered in their care. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, making handmade cards, and spending time with her family. She dedicates her work to the women who have shown her the importance of advocating for yourself in healthcare.

Lindsay Torok-Both is a pharmacist and educator with over 20 years of experience in clinical practice, academic teaching, and healthcare leadership. At Effica, she plays a key role in designing and delivering innovative practitioner training and client education, with a particular focus on supporting women through perimenopause and menopause.

Her career is rooted in patient advocacy, education, and shared decision-making. She aims to help women manage their symptoms while empowering them to take a central role in their own health journeys. Along the way, she has been recognized with provincial and academic awards that highlight both her excellence in pharmacy practice and her commitment to mentorship. She is especially passionate about the role of FemTech and digital platforms in reaching women wherever they are, ensuring that care is both equitable and inclusive.

Outside of work, Lindsay enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling, and being by the ocean. She dedicates her work to her mother, a trailblazing pharmacist whose courage and mentorship inspire her journey.

Susan Poon is a Nurse Practitioner with more than 15 years of experience dedicated to women's health. Since earning her Master of Nursing degree, she has built her practice around delivering patient-centered, evidence-based care, with extensive experience in both women's health and mental health care.

She has a particular passion for supporting women through menopause, a stage she believes warrants greater attention in mainstream healthcare. Her approach emphasizes the interplay of hormonal, emotional, and lifestyle factors, ensuring care that is individualized and empowering.

At Effica, she brings this expertise to expand access to consistent, high-quality menopause care through virtual delivery. Her perspective has been profoundly influenced by her mother and sisters, whose experiences accessing quality women's health care inspire her commitment to ensuring that women today—and in the future—have access to the care they need and deserve.

Duane Jung is the Chief Technology Officer at Effica, with over 30 years of experience in healthcare, data platforms, and enterprise software. He combines hands-on technical expertise with strategic leadership to build trustworthy, human-centered technology.

At Effica, Duane leads the development of secure, privacy-conscious digital solutions aligned with Canadian healthcare regulations. Effica’s products integrate decision support, patient-reported data, and clinical intelligence, applying evidence-based AI to enable trusted insights, personalized coaching, and relevant content discovery.

Duane previously served as CTO and CISO of Hella Group (acquired by CVS/Aetna), where he built a payer-agnostic Medicare insurance platform used nationwide across the United States. He was also CTO of Behavioral Science Technology (acquired by CentralReach), where he led the architecture and development of the company’s core platform and analytics tools for treatment fidelity in ABA behavioral health.

As founder of Enformia, he secured NIH/NCI funding to develop cognitive assessments and healthcare analytics platforms in collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, UMass Amherst, and the University of South Carolina–Columbia. His work includes peer-reviewed publications in health data analytics and patents in AI-assisted decision-making and ecommerce.

Duane began his career designing robotic and bioinformatics systems at Genentech and Novo Nordisk. He holds a BSc in Genetics and Molecular Biology from UC Berkeley and champions ethical technology that enhances patient outcomes.

Aneese Rakka is a Chartered Professional Accountant with extensive experience in financial planning, enterprise risk management, and operational strategy. At Effica, he is building the financial and operational foundations that keep the organization both compliant and growth-ready—designing multi-year models, implementing human resources programs, and managing key partnerships and negotiations.

Previously, Aneese was a Planning and Performance Specialist at ENMAX, a leading Canadian utility, where he directed corporate scorecards, risk management, and financial performance reporting for executive leadership and the board. He also managed Alberta Health Services' $16 billion provincial budget as Senior Financial Analyst, bringing rigor and transparency to one of Canada's largest health organizations.

Outside of work, Aneese is a proud husband and father of two daughters, a lifelong Arsenal fan, and a history enthusiast who loves exploring museums and travel. Family, football, history, and adventure keep him grounded—and remind him why building something meaningful at Effica matters so much.

Michelle McIvor is Vice President, Marketing and Partnerships at Effica, where she leads brand strategy, awareness, and collaborations that expand access to midlife and menopause care. A journalist and bestselling author with more than 20 years of experience, Michelle has shaped national conversations on women's health through her book The Glow Code: A Cheat Sheet for Feeling, Looking, and Being Your Best at Any Age, a Canadian national bestseller. She has also been a health columnist at the Calgary Herald and contributed to publications including Maclean's, Chatelaine, and Reader's Digest.

In addition to her work in journalism, Michelle has guided organizations and leaders across Canada as a communications professional, helping them tell their stories with clarity and impact. As both a mother and an advocate, she works to ensure the path ahead is stronger and healthier for her two kids—and for every family touched by midlife care.

Lisa Burchartz is Vice President, Coaching Intelligence and Empowerment at Effica Health, where she leads the creation of human and digital coaching solutions that ignite agency, resilience, and possibility for women at midlife. After 20 years guiding large-scale transformation and culture as a senior HR business partner, Lisa witnessed firsthand the urgent need for more integrative, trauma-informed support when she personally faced burnout and stress-related illness in 2016.

Drawing from a decade of healing and professional development in the science and art of coaching, nervous system regulation, and embodied leadership, Lisa brings visionary expertise to Effica, designing experiences that connect each woman with her strengths and foster genuine belonging and growth. She champions care that honours every story—meeting women at their own pace and complexity, and equipping them to thrive through life’s transitions.

Outside of work, Lisa and her airline pilot husband Patrick are proud parents to two young adults whose lived diversity and strengths inspire her every day. Their family’s commitment to celebrating differences fuels Lisa’s belief that midlife can be a portal to healing, growth, and renewed joy. Her leadership at Effica is devoted to empowering women to flourish, sparking positive change that radiates through families and communities.

Reanna Sobh-Rakka is a storyteller at heart with deep roots in healthcare. Blending clinical understanding with creative strategy, she’s passionate about making women’s health more human, relatable, and empowering. Her work turns information into impact—bridging the gap between science, care, and the real experiences of women in midlife. At Effica, she leads marketing and community engagement, shaping how the brand shows up at events, online, and across Canada’s growing women’s health movement. Her work centers on building connection, sparking dialogue, and helping redefine how midlife care is understood and experienced.

Outside of work, Reanna is all about living life to the fullest with her two daughters—traveling, exploring new places, and saying yes to every new adventure. She dedicates her work to the incredible women who raised and shaped her, and to her girls, who inspire her to build a world that’s clearer, stronger, and kinder for those who follow.

Deb van Haaften is a pharmacist and health leader with extensive experience in patient care and health system operations. Over her career with Alberta Health Services, she served as Executive Director of Pharmacy for the Edmonton Zone and Executive Director of Clinical Operations for Connect Care, leading the implementation of electronic health records. She also directed the Zone Emergency Operations Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping guide the system through unprecedented challenges.

At Effica, Deb focuses on health information and data governance, strengthening systems that ensure privacy and compliance while advancing women's midlife care. She is committed to evidence-based, patient-centered approaches and dedicates her work to her mother's generation, who lacked access to reliable information about women's health. Outside of work, she enjoys quilting and creative pursuits.

Migdalia Hernandez is a Product Manager at Effica Health, where she helps design and deliver digital menopause solutions that empower midlife women to take control of their healthcare experiences. With a background in project management and operations, she's passionate about turning complex problems into simple, impactful solutions that improve client experience and organizational performance.

Before joining Effica, Migdalia led cloud-based technology and process improvement initiatives at Wellby Financial, where her work advanced member acquisition, optimized reporting, and strengthened the organization's long-term financial position. Earlier in her career, she supported digital products for midlife women, where she discovered her passion for helping women during this life transition.

Migdalia holds a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and is a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM). She's energized by collaborative teams, working a problem from end to end, and delivering practical tools that allow women to feel their best. She spends her free time keeping up a Tuesday family movie night tradition, heading to the park with her dog, Kane, and finding any excuse to enjoy more pasta.