About Us
Operation Smile was founded in 1982 by Dr. William (Bill) P. Magee, Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife Kathleen (Kathy), a nurse and clinical social worker, after travelling to the Philippines with a group of medical volunteers to repair children’s cleft lips and cleft palates.

What they found was overwhelming. In Naga City, approximately 300 families arrived hoping their children would receive surgery, but the team could only treat 40 children. As they prepared to leave, the Magees made a promise they would return to help more children. They returned and helped approximately 100 more patients. Again, hundreds more still waited.
Today, Operation Smile is a global medical charity helping to improve the health and lives of children in more than 60 countries. We’ve provided more than 326,000 children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial differences with free life-changing surgical procedures and dental care. We train doctors and local medical professionals, donate medical equipment and supplies and provide year-round medical treatments through a network of comprehensive care centres. Operation Smile Canada was established in 2011 and became a registered charity in 2012.
60+ COUNTRIES
326,000+ SURGICAL AND DENTAL PROCEDURES
Canadian Leadership

Mark Climie-Elliott, CFRE
Chief Executive Officer

Ken Wilson, MD, FRCSC
Chair of the Board

Lori Tymchyk
Treasurer

Jim Siti
Director

Christine Nakamura
Director

Michael Bezuhly, MD
Director

Vivek Panchepekesan, MD
Director
Meet The Team

Patricia Vidov, CFRE
National Director, Community Engagement & Fundraising

Ginelle Alvaro
Communications Specialist

Diana Church
National Director, Talent & Culture

Jake Chong
Database & Donor Care Coordinator

Rita D’Amico
Manager, Donor Relations

Leslie McCourt
Office Manager

Ahmad Nataj
Accountant

Mary Grant
Student Programs Specialist

Marta Serdoncillo
Database & Donor Care Fulfilment Specialist

Kristy Rousseau, MBA, CFRE
National Director of Philanthropy

Zak Bailey, CFRE
Director of Development

Sharon MacPherson
Senior Manager, Operations

Susan Soto
Senior Manager, Program Compliance and Reporting

Michael Gross
Smile Partner Program Specialist

Tamar Shostakovsky
Senior Manager, Direct Response

Kaitlin Waters
Talent & Culture Assistant

Julia Navarro
Donor Care Associate

Paul Evered
Smile Concierge

Michael Williams
Donor Care Associate

Nathalie Punkkinen, CFRE
Senior Giving Officer

Paige Melvin
Philanthropy Associate

Candy Keillor
Community Engagement Specialist

Maria Martinez
Manager, Gratitude & Stewardship

New Team Member
Coming Soon

New Team Member
Coming Soon

New Team Member
Coming Soon

New Team Member
Coming Soon

New Team Member
Coming Soon
Financial Overview
Program Investments FY21
- Surgical/Medical Programs 30%
- Local Country Programs 43%
- Care Centres 14%
- Training, Education & Awareness 13%
Operation Smile Canada Foundation (OSCF) is a registered Canadian charity (Registration Number 84064 3605 RR0001). Our first fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. We comply with all of Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) annual reporting requirements for charities.
Audited Financial statements can be requested by email to ca-supporters@operationsmile.org. All of our audited financial statements since we became a registered charity are available for viewing or downloading.
- 2021 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2020 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2019 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2018 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2017 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2016 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2015 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2014 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
- 2013 Audited Financial Statements (.pdf)
Our Impact
Current, insightful, and filled with stories about the smiles you bring to the faces of patients and their families, our Smile Report partner newsletters are your window into the life-changing and life-saving work of Operation Smile.
