"Health care is a very complex policy field as I have observed over 25 years. Grosso McCarthy have proven to be very strategic advisors to health care organisations on how to successfully navigate this complexity."
- Michael Decter
CEO, LDIC
Former Deputy Minister of Health
Ministry of Health Ontario
Both principals, Francesca Grosso and Michael McCarthy provide counsel to public sector and private sector clients. They are responsible for assisting clients in achieving strategic goals as well as changes to legislation, regulation and policy. They have given strategic advice on health care to both the federal and provincial governments and have assisted clients in navigating bureaucracies and the offices of elected officials. Mike and Francesca are expert communicators and have appeared on television, print and radio. They have extensive relationships with key journalists and are regular background contributors to key media outlets.

Francesca Grosso
Principal

Francesca Grosso is responsible for developing and executing strategy, public affairs and communications to assist clients achieve legislative, regulatory and policy change at the federal and provincial levels of government. She has also given strategic advice on health care issues to both the federal and provincial governments.

Grosso has been immersed in health care strategy, policy and communications for more than 15 years. She served as a Director of Policy to the Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care. Grosso was Vice President of Health Care at Environics Research Group. Her work includes numerous studies of key health issues, including a review of legislation pertaining to private health clinics, coauthored with Tom Archibald. Together was a team including Dr. Ross Baker.

Francesca Grosso worked on a legislative and policy review for the Patient Safety Institute on quality assurance programs across Canada.

Grosso worked with Michael Decter to establish the Health Council of Canada and was a transition team member establishing the new federal agencies, the Canadian Partnership against Cancer under Jeff Lozon and the Mental Health Commission under Michael Kirby. She was a member of Sun Media's Osprey Writers' Group along with Barbara McDougall, Eddy Greenspan, Pamela Wallin and other notable Canadians and has been a commentator on health issues for both television and print media.

Recently, Francesca co-authored a Canadian bestseller with Michael Decter, Navigating Canada's Health Care, A User Guide to the Canadian Health Care System. This book provides help, direction, tips and tricks to help Canadians navigate a complex health care system with better results. Widely reviewed, it is available in bookstores across Canada and is currently in its second print.

Michael McCarthy
Principal

Mike is widely recognized across Canada as a stellar health care champion and advocate. As a volunteer Vice-President of the Canadian Hemophilia Society, Mike was the national spokesperson for Canadians infected by blood tainted with Hepatitis C. His tireless efforts resulted in a landmark $2.4 billion settlement with the federal government on behalf of the victims of tainted blood. Mike was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award presented by the Governor General of Canada.

As a principal with Grosso McCarthy, Mike has over 15 years of experience with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and over 25 years in health policy and delivery. In 2001, he was appointed Senior Policy Advisor to the Ontario Minister of Health, advising him on physician, nursing and primary care, public health, OHIP, organ transplant, HIV and blood issues.

Mike has also been on the front lines of health care, working for 18 years as a psychiatric nurse.

Anika Christie
Director of Communications

Anika began her communications career as an investor relations consultant. She became an expert at crafting key messages by taking the stories of publicly traded companies and culling them down into effective value propositions to encourage investment. Anika has extensive experience in developing effective communications tools, such as news releases, corporate presentations, annual reports and website content.

As the Communications and Community Engagement Consultant for the Central West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), Anika gained an in depth understanding of the health care landscape in Ontario and the system-wide challenges facing the sector. Anika managed a broad range of stakeholders for the LHIN including doctors, hospital CEOs, Ministry of Health representatives, the local media and active community members.

Anika was instrumental in the implementation of a new strategic communications plan for the organization. She also headed up event planning, management and facilitation on behalf of the LHIN which included collecting, compiling and analyzing feedback from stakeholders to inform health system planning.