Our Board of Directors

It takes exceptional leadership to be an industry leader in online software solutions for veterinary practices. We’re proud to be guided by six dynamic individuals, whose commitment to excellence reflects the same commitment by everyone on the LifeLearn team.

Graham McBride

Executive Chair

Graham has been involved with entrepreneurs for over 30 years, with experience in a broad range of investment, strategic, general management, and corporate finance roles, crossing a diverse group of industries. Having led several successful investment teams, including at VG Partners and Royal Bank, Graham has been part of building many successful management teams and businesses, resulting in numerous successful private investments. Graham is presently President of LarchHill Capital Inc., a private investment and consulting firm, and is a board member of several private companies, a member of the Investment Committee of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund and active with several charitable organizations. Graham holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University.

Ian Povey, MBA

Director

Mr. Povey has spent the last 20 years focusing on product strategy, marketing, and execution of technology products for various organizations ranging from lean start-ups to multinational Fortune 500 companies. In that time, he launched over 40 products on a global scale, built high-performing product and marketing teams, and managed product strategy. He now runs an international consulting business focused on helping small- to medium-sized technology companies define their product strategies and prepare their businesses for growth. Mr. Povey began his involvement with LifeLearn as an employee in the company’s early days. He holds an Economics degree from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from Simon Fraser University.

Charles (Chas) Povey

Director / Founder

A graduate of the University of Bristol veterinary school, and with a PhD in virology, Dr. Povey served as a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the U.K. In his role as a professor of Clinical Studies at the Ontario Veterinary College, he published over 100 scientific publications in microbiology, vaccinology and veterinary medicine. Dr. Povey has received a Lifetime Achievement Award for veterinary research from the American Veterinary Medical Association, as well as other international awards, and has received the Canada Award for Business Excellence in Entrepreneurship. Dr. Povey co-founded Langford Laboratories, a Canadian animal health company, and served as its President and CEO from 1975–1991. As a co-founder of LifeLearn in 1994, he has held the position of President and CEO and Chairman of the board.

Jim Stowe, DVM

Director / Founder

Dr. Stowe is a graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. During his 18 years of practicing, he started and operated four veterinary practices in Ontario. He has consulted for the profession for more than 30 years on emerging technologies, marketing veterinary services and practice management. In 1988, Dr. Stowe became Head of Veterinary Continuing Education at the Ontario Veterinary College, organizing programs that led to the creation of LifeLearn, and co-founded the company in 1994. In 1998, he established EffectiVet, a veterinary business coaching firm. Throughout his career, he has written two veterinary business texts, three practice manuals, numerous journal articles and chapters on veterinary business, and one novel.

Bruce Andrews

Director

Mr. Andrews has had a successful career in the animal health, pharmaceutical and crop protection industries for over three decades. He spent 20 years at American Cyanamid in increasingly important roles, concluding as President of the Animal Health and Nutrition Division. Mr. Andrews then went on to become Executive Vice President and President and CEO of Alpharma Animal Health, Inc., from which he retired in 2001. He has previously served on the Boards of Agdata, Centaur Pharmaceuticals and MariCal, as well as on the Boards of the International Federation for Animal Health as Chairman and the Animal Health Institute as Vice Chairman, and as President of the Animal Agricultural Alliance. Mr. Andrews is the Principal of 101 Investment Corporation. He is an investor in LifeLearn and has served on the Board since 1995.

Theresa Bernardo, DVM, MSc

Director

Dr. Bernardo has a decade of experience in the United Nations and Inter-American systems in health informatics, as well as another decade in academia. As leader of Knowledge Management and Communications for the WHO office in Washington, D.C., she introduced the use of social media for disasters. Previously, she developed trilingual software for global reporting and mapping of animal diseases and zoonoses, which was used in over 100 countries and adopted internationally. She is currently IDEXX Chair in Emerging Technologies and Bond Centered Animal Healthcare at the University of Guelph, where she explores new technologies such as social media, sensors, big data analytics, and more. Dr. Bernardo is an investor in LifeLearn, and has served on the Board since 2002, as well as consulted with a Fortune 500 enterprise on IT strategy.