FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Belleville, ON — July 31, 2026 — Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ken Porter as the organization’s new Director of AI and Digital Health. Porter will serve as the strategic and technical leader driving advanced technology initiatives, digital innovation, and Strategic AI Governance across Canada and internationally.
In this senior executive role, Mr. Porter will bridge the gap between mental health innovation and advanced data science on a global scale. Having led the development and continuous evolution of MIRA—MDSC’s mental health chatbot—alongside academic partners at the University of Alberta, University of Saskatchewan, Dalhousie University, and others, his primary focus will be optimizing its technical roadmap, scaling its international reach, and implementing rigorous clinical safety and data privacy protocols to protect users worldwide.
“We are incredibly proud to see Ken take on this highly important role on our senior executive leadership team,” said Dave Gallson, MDSC National Executive Director. “Ken’s unique ability to merge technical AI execution with global philanthropic strategy is exactly what MDSC needs to expand our reach safely. His leadership ensures our broad-scale AI and digital health initiatives will remain clinically secure, highly impactful, and financially sustainable for the mental health community.”
Positioned at the intersection of technology and global health innovation, Porter will spearhead MDSC’s external AI-sector partnership development activities. He will lead collaborative, high-value knowledge-sharing architectures with international government bodies and healthcare foundations, design tech-forward co-innovation frameworks, and deepen strategic alliances with global academic and industry partners to integrate cutting-edge insights, proven methodologies, and advanced developments into MDSC’s international tech roadmap.
“I am excited to take on the leadership of MDSC’s AI and digital health initiatives, both in Canada and internationally with our partners,” said Ken Porter. “By leveraging our extensive existing network of research partners across the country and actively seeking new global collaborations, we will ensure our technological vision integrates the world’s best innovations to align directly with the needs of the communities and partners we serve here at home.”
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About the Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC):
Incorporated in 2001, the Mood Disorders Society of Canada is a national, highly collaborative non-profit organization. MDSC is dedicated to giving people with mood disorders a strong, unified voice, raising public awareness, improving access to quality treatment, and partnering with public and private stakeholders to advance mental health research and support structures nationwide.
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