Francesca Grosso
PRINCIPAL
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. She has given strategic advice on health care issues to the federal and provincial governments.
For over 25 years, Grosso has been a thought leader and health care strategist serving as executive director of health care at the Institute for International Research where she created accredited health system leadership conferences; director of policy to an Ontario minister of health, vice president of health care at Environics Research Group, and principal of Grosso McCarthy.
Her work includes numerous studies of key health issues including a review of legislation of private health clinics, coauthored with Tom Archibald and a legislative and policy review for the Patient Safety Institute on quality assurance programs across Canada with Dr. Ross Baker from the University of Toronto.
Grosso was executive lead in the establishment of the Health Council of Canada and a transition team member in the establishment of both the Canadian Partnership against Cancer and the Mental Health Commission under Senator Michael Kirby. All agencies of the federal government.
Along with numerous policy papers, Francesca co-authored a Canadian bestseller with Michael Decter, Navigating Canada’s Health Care, A User Guide to the Canadian Health Care System published by Penguin and The History of Sunnybrook Hospital Batlle to Greatness published by Dundurn Press.
In 2016, Francesca was appointed co-chair of the Ontario PC Party’s health policy advisory committee. She presided over the development of the health policy platform for the 2018 provincial election.
Grosso was a member of the Osprey Writers’ Group with notable Canadians who wrote columns for syndication in national Canadian newspapers. Over the years, she has contributed many opinion editorials on health care to the Toronto Star, National Post and Globe and Mail.
Her volunteer work has included Vice Chair of the board of Walrus Magazine, former chair of Patients Canada, a not-for-profit charity that brings the patient voice to public policy, and a policy reviewer for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research innovations projects. She is a caregiver and patient navigator.
Currently Francesca is on the board of Health Sciences North, an academic teaching hospital in Sudbury Ontario and is the chair of its Quality Committee.
Grosso is a regular commentator on health issues for radio, television and print media.
Michael McCarthy
PRINCIPAL
Mike McCarthy - Principal
Mike is widely recognized across Canada as a stellar health care advocate and system expert. 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 billion settlement with the federal government in 2006, and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award presented by the Governor General of Canada.
Presently Mike is a Principal at Grosso McCarthy and provides counsel to clients in both the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors. He helps clients navigate provincial, federal and international governments – at the levels of the civil service and elected officials.
As a principal with Grosso McCarthy, Mike builds on more than 14 years of experience with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and 24 years in health policy and delivery. He was appointed Senior Policy Advisor to the Progressive Conservative Minister of Health of Ontario, advising 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.
Grosso McCarthy Inc. has a strong record of “wins” for clients. It has a reputation for being Ontario’s top health care policy firm. Our client list is the result of referrals from those we have or are serving, or, from key opinion leaders in health care.
Nora Peterson
ASSOCIATE
Nora Peterson - Associate
Since leaving the government in 2014, Nora has leveraged her strong and varied background in public health governance to successfully assist clients in strategic policy, government processes, business cases, and application submissions. Nora achieves her goals through relationship building and collaborative processes, while creating positive stakeholder engagement and goodwill.
Nora held a broad range of positions in the Ontario government over 30 years, retiring as Program Manager of the Independent Health Facilities Program with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Nora gained expert knowledge of provincial health regulations, policies and procedures from her 16 years with the MOHLTC. Through her management role and participation in provincial health project and committee work, she provided analytical support and strategic advice on changes to physician and clinic funding, and was active in the development and application of public health policy.
Nora was an ACE Award recipient for 2 years in a row; first in 2013 for Innovation related to establishing the first midwifery-led community-based Birth Centres in Ontario, and the second, in 2014, for her cross-functional teamwork, ensuring that the most up-to-date mammography equipment is used in Ontario hospitals and clinics.
For a full list of Nora’s past experience and accomplishments please see her LinkedIn profile here.
Carolyn Kim
EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR
Carolyn Kim - Executive Coordinator
Carolyn is the Executive Coordinator at Grosso McCarthy providing client support, meeting coordination, and communications. She brings over 20 years of experience in administration, communications, patient advocacy, stakeholder relations, and health research (ophthalmology).
She has held both support and leadership roles in the community, government, academic and health care settings. During the pandemic, Carolyn worked as a supervisor for the BC government’s COVID-19 immunization roll-out. Prior to that she served as the executive director for a non-profit contributor of accessible audio recordings for visually impaired patrons of the Centre of Equitable Library Access/Canadian National Institute for the Blind with a track record of managing successful operations, volunteers, and fundraising campaigns.
Carolyn’s work in research with patients and families at BC Children’s Hospital involved Amblyopia and Dyslexia studies where she conducted psychometric testing, data collection and statistical analysis and prepared participants for fMRI studies.
She has authored several academic papers and holds a Master of Arts degree in Children’s Literature from UBC and was the marketing coordinator in a children’s book publishing industry.
“For more than a decade PowerHealth has worked with Grosso McCarthy. Francesca Grosso is one of the most seasoned, efficient, and credible advisors I have met. Not only are we able to meet with top decision makers, but with Grosso McCarthy at the table we are seen as credible, solid partners and part of the solution.”
– Serge Boulard, Director, PowerHealth Solutions/Power Santé Canada