Dr. Clifford’s substantive position at Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is Vice-President, Strategic Science and External Relations. In this role, she develops and implements evidence-informed strategies that advance CIHR’s mandate and strengthen Canada’s global leadership in health research. She also leads CIHR’s external engagement and international collaborations, establishing strategic partnerships that shape policy development and the global health research landscape. As part of CIHR’s executive team, she works closely with senior leaders and Institute Scientific Directors to guide the organization’s strategic direction.

Prior to this role, Dr. Clifford served as Vice-President, Research–Learning Health Systems, following her earlier tenure as Vice-President, Research Programs.

Before joining CIHR, she spent more than a decade at the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), ultimately as Chief Scientist and Vice-President, Evidence Standards. There, she led multiple strategic plans, advanced organizational change, launched new programs, and oversaw evidence synthesis work for Canadian decision makers.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Clifford contributed to maternal and child health research at CHEO’s Research Institute and served on its Research Ethics Board. In academia, she led knowledge translation projects, served as a CIHR peer reviewer, and sat on the advisory board of CIHR’s Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health.

Dr. Clifford received her PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Western University and her BSc and MSc from McGill University. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Epidemiology and Public Health and is recognized for her leadership, commitment to knowledge translation, and dedication to mentoring future health researchers.