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 300,000 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
300,000+ SURGICAL AND DENTAL PROCEDURES
Canadian Leadership

Mark Climie-Elliott, CFRE
Chief Executive Officer

Ken Wilson, MD
Chair of the Board

Lori Tymchyk
Treasurer

Jim Siti
Director

Christine Nakamura
Director

Michael Bezuhly, MD
Director
Meet The Team

Patricia Vidov
National Director, Total Quality Innovation

Brenda Heyer
Senior Manager, Database Integrity & Analytics

Diana Church
National Director, Volunteer, Staff & Community Engagement

Ginelle Alvaro
Administrative & Reception Services Assistant

Rita D’Amico
Manager, Donor Relations

Leslie McCourt
Office Manager

Ahmad Nataj
Accountant

Ken Butland, CFRE
Senior Development Officer, Major & Planned Gifts

Hilary Evans
Senior Giving & Engagement Officer

Zak Bailey, CFRE
Director of Development

Raagini Singh-Panwar
Coordinator, Gift Processing and Donor Services

Mary Grant
Coordinator, Community Volunteer Engagement

Susan Soto
Senior Manager, Program Compliance and Reporting

Tamar Shostakovsky
Senior Manager, Direct Response

Michael Gross
Donor Care – SMILE PARTNER Monthly Program
Financial Overview
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.
- 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.
