Vice-President, Policy and Public Affairs
Sapna Mahajan is Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs at Genome Canada. She provides strategic oversight across policy, government affairs, strategic communications, partnerships and international engagement, helping strengthen Genome Canada’s leadership as a mission-driven organization that translates genomics and data into real-world outcomes across health, food systems, climate, environment and biodiversity.
Previously, Sapna served as Genome Canada’s Director of Research and Innovation, where she led the design and delivery of major national programs. Her career spans research and policy roles at the William J. Clinton Foundation, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, and Queen’s Health Services and Policy Research Institute, along with senior leadership positions at the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat. She brings extensive national and international experience in public affairs, policy, research and system-level transformation.
Sapna contributes to global standard setting as a technical committee member with the World Health Organization, CSA and ISO. She serves on the boards of the CHEO Research Institute and Mindful Employer and sits on advisory bodies including the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance, Togetherall’s Guardian Council and the Aga Khan University Brain and Mind Institute. She is also an alumna of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference and has served on an advisory committee to the Governor General of Canada on mental health.
She holds a master’s degree in international health (health policy and management) from Boston University.