Lunch & Learn Series
Sonography Canada, in collaboration with Prenatal Screening Ontario (PSO), is excited to present a Lunch & Learn Webinar Series this November 2025!
Join us for four engaging sessions led by expert speakers, covering key topics in prenatal screening, genetics, and maternal-fetal health:
Please note: You must register for each individual session. Each session is worth 1 Sonography Based CPD credit.
November 5th, 2025
Danna will kick off the series with an insightful session providing an overview of PSO and BORN, the role of genetic counseling, and a deep dive into genetics basics, including aneuploidy, Trisomy 21, MMS, and NIPT.
Session Learning Objectives – Genetics & Aneuploidy Screening
Summarize the role that Prenatal Screening Ontario and BORN Ontario play within the Ontario healthcare system.
Describe basic genetic concepts for chromosome aneuploidies.
Recognize the importance of the sonographer’s role within the prenatal screening system.
November 12th, 2025
Vicky will lead a comprehensive session focused on alloimmunization, its impact on pregnancy, and the management of hemolytic disease, along with an in-depth look at FBGG and its clinical relevance.
Learning Objectives – Alloimmunization and Hemolytic Disease
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the roles of Prenatal Screening Ontario and BORN Ontario within the Ontario health-care system.
- Discuss the clinical significance of non-invasive fetal blood group genotyping and how its introduction can strengthen and shape current prenatal care practices.
- Recognize the important contributions of sonographers in this area of care.
November 19th, 2025
Pascale & Maxine will present an informative session on the Missed Screen Alert, a critical function of the Better Outcomes Registry Network’s (BORN) registry, enabling Newborn Screening Ontario (NSO) to quickly identify infants who have not been offered dried blood spot screening.
Newborn screening is a vital public health initiative that enables early detection and treatment of serious conditions that can affect a child’s lifelong health. In Ontario, dried blood spot screening is offered to all newborns—but what happens when a screen is missed?
Join us for an insightful webinar exploring how Newborn Screening Ontario and the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) are working together to close this gap. Through the innovative use of registry data, the Missed Screen Alert acts as a safety net to identify infants who may not have received this critical screening.
This session will highlight:
- The importance of dried blood spot screening in early childhood health
- How data capture and integration can enhance public health systems
- The impact of the Missed Screen Alert in identifying and addressing missed opportunities
Discover how collaboration and data-driven solutions are transforming newborn care in Ontario.
November 26th, 2025
Emily will conclude the series with an engaging session on CARTR and its connection to fertility, providing valuable insights into reproductive health and assisted conception.
Session Learning Objectives – Fertility Data & CARTR Plus Insights
- Understand the purpose of CARTR Plus
- Describe what CARTR Plus is and its role as Canada’s national fertility (IVF) data registry.
- Explain why fertility data collection and reporting are important for clinical care, research, quality improvement, and policy.
- Recognize how data is collected and used
- Identify the different data sources (manual entry, EMR integrations, upload templates).
- Explain who uses CARTR Plus data (clinics, researchers, CFAS, Ministry of Health).
- Understand the principles of data governance
- Explain the importance of data sharing agreements, privacy legislation (PHIPA), and ethics/legal oversight in managing fertility data.
Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and connect with experts in the field!
Speakers:
Dana Hull
Danna Hull (she/her) is a certified genetic counsellor with Prenatal Screening Ontario (PSO), housed within BORN Ontario at CHEO. Within this role, Danna provides genetic counselling to pregnant individuals and providers regarding prenatal screening options, results, and next steps and is involved in system-level projects. She is also the co-chair of BORN’s Internal Health Equity Advisory Group (HEAG). Through continuous learning and self-reflection as a White, cis-gendered settler, Danna strives to position herself as an ally to translate her health equity knowledge into practice within genetics clinics, PSO and the broader genetic counselling community. Prior to her role with PSO, she worked for 13 years in the general genetics clinic at Kingston Health Sciences Centre, where she was the inaugural Lead Genetic Counsellor and Adjunct to the Professor at Queen’s University. Danna served as the 2023 President of The Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC) and was previously a co-chair of the Annual Education Conference Committee (AECC) and Media and Communication Committee. She lives in Kingston, Ontario, with her husband and two children and enjoys being active in nature, reading, and baking/cooking.
Vicky Ward
Vicky Ward (elle/she/her) is a Clinical Content Specialist with Prenatal Screening Ontario (PSO), part of BORN Ontario at CHEO. In this role, she is supporting the implementation of fetal blood group genotyping in Ontario. Once launched, she will provide support to pregnant individuals and health-care providers by offering guidance on available testing options, interpreting results, and outlining next steps. She is committed to advancing prenatal screening, improving patient outcomes, and promoting health equity.
Vicky holds both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Ottawa. Prior to joining PSO, she spent 25 years in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, where she worked as a registered nurse, transport clinician, and nurse educator. Over the course of her career, she has been actively involved in health-care education and change management initiatives. Vicky lives in Rockland, Ontario, with her husband and three children, and enjoys traveling, martial arts, and puzzling.
Pascale Girouard-Frappier
Pascale is the Regional Coordinator at Prenatal Screening Ontario (PSO), a program housed within BORN Ontario at CHEO. In this role, she serves as a key liaison between PSO/BORN and provincial data partners, with a strong focus on clinical data integration and quality improvement initiatives that support a high-performing prenatal screening system. Pascale also contributes to organizational development as a member of the Health Equity Advisory Group, where she supports internal capacity-building efforts.
She holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery from Laurentian University and a Master’s degree in International Development. Prior to joining PSO, Pascale practiced as a midwife in the Ottawa region, providing comprehensive prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care to pregnant individuals and their newborns. From 2020 to 2022, she served on the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre.
Pascale lives in Gatineau with her partner and two children, and enjoys spending time in nature and cooking.
Maxine Vigneault
Maxine Vigneault holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery and has recently completed her Master’s of Social Work. She has been a registered midwife since 2007. As the regional coordinator for Prenatal Screening Ontario, she collaborates with key partners to facilitate knowledge translation, data quality and quality assurance. Through stakeholder engagement, training and strategic partnerships, she enables the collection of high-quality registry data, thereby facilitating access to valuable insights for both providers and patients. Previously, Maxine was involved in both the design and implementation of an expanded midwifery care model, the Montfort Post-Natal Care at Home Program, aimed at shifting hospital care to the community setting. She was also a former head midwife at the Montfort Hospital and lead midwife at the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre. She lives in Ottawa with her husband, four children, and one unruly goldendoodle.
Emily Reeson
Emily Reeson is a Registered Nurse and the Clinical Content Specialist for CARTR Plus at BORN Ontario, where she works closely with fertility clinics, electronic medical record vendors, and national partners to strengthen the quality and use of fertility data in Canada. She leads projects that support data collection, reporting, and knowledge translation, ensuring the information captured through CARTR Plus helps inform clinical practice, policy, and research. Emily lives in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband and three children.
