Celebrating the Women Who Lead MAPflow

This International Women's Day, we wanted to shine a light on the women leading MAPflow forward. From our founders to our leadership team and clinical reviewers, women at MAPflow are driving innovation, challenging norms, and redefining what it means to lead.

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The numbers tell an interesting story. While 60 to 70 percent of pharmacists in Canada are women, they hold far fewer leadership positions in national and provincial pharmacy organizations, with some provinces sitting as low as 22 percent. There is a clear gap between who practices pharmacy and who leads it.

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At MAPflow, we see something different, but not because we set out to be different. Two of our three founders are women, both recognized among Canada's top 100 most powerful women, and the majority of our team are women. We did not assemble this team to make a statement or fulfill a quota. We hired the best people for the roles, and in a field where most pharmacists are women, it follows that most of our leaders are too.

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For International Women's Day, we sat down with some of the women of MAPflow to hear their stories: what it means to be a woman in leadership, a woman in pharmacy, and a woman forging her own path.

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Andrea Edginton

Dr. Andrea Edginton is a Canadian academic, researcher, and health technology leader who currently serves as Co‑founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of MAPflow. She is also a Professor and Hallman Director at the School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, where she focuses on pharmacokinetics research, leadership in pharmacy education, and clinical modeling.

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She is also the founder of Women in Pharmacy Leadership (WIPL), an initiative dedicated to empowering and advancing women in pharmacy leadership roles. 

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What does it mean to you to lead in such a visible way, knowing that others may be shaping their own ambitions by watching your progress? 

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"If others are looking to my work and finding something they want to emulate, I feel genuinely humbled. It means the work I’m doing is resonating in a meaningful way. That also brings a real sense of responsibility as I want to model what is possible and demonstrate what can be achieved. And when people tell me that my work has influenced their own ambitions, it’s even more meaningful, because it allows me to actively support and champion their goals in a more intentional way."

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Katie MacGuire

Katie MacGuire is the Director of Public Affairs and Communications at MAPflow, where she ensures the platform meets the highest standards of privacy, security, and regulatory compliance. Her work helps keep MAPflow reliable and trustworthy for every user.

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Before joining MAPflow, Katie founded her own company and built a strong background in business and compliance. She now also produces the podcast Women Leading on Climate Change, amplifying the voices of women driving solutions for a more sustainable future.

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Beyond your work at MAPflow, you’re a journalist and proud environmentalist. You’ve played a pivotal role in the recent launch of the Women Leading on Climate podcast. Why do you think it is important to create spaces and opportunities for women's voices to be centered? 

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‍"I believe we need spaces and opportunities, and even more specifically, financial investment and powerful political roles, so that women have the resources and influence that they need to create and implement solutions to the challenges they face."

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Nardine Nakhla

Dr. Nardine Nakhla is the Co‑founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MAPflow. She is a pharmacist, academic, and innovator whose leadership is transforming how pharmacy care is delivered in Canada.

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Her impact extends into policy and practice innovation. Dr. Nakhla served on the Ontario College of Pharmacists’ Minor Ailments Advisory Group and helped co‑author the regulations that expanded pharmacists’ prescribing authority in that province, enabling millions of additional patient consultations.

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You once said, "I want to create a future where women leading in pharmacy and health tech is so embedded in the fabric of the field, it no longer needs an award to prove it." What specific milestones do you hope future generations will view as "normal" rather than hard-won?

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‍"I hope future generations see it as completely ordinary that women pharmacists lead healthcare technology companies, that women clinical practitioners build the software shaping their profession, and that women transition seamlessly between academic leadership and entrepreneurship without being asked to justify the path. At MAPflow, we didn't build a women-led executive team to check a box, we built it by choosing people with the vision, experience, and grit to lead in this space. When a woman pharmacist announces she's launching a health tech startup, I want the response to be "of course" rather than "how brave." I want my daughter and the students I teach to see leadership that looks like them and never think it is the exception."

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Willow Carmount

Willow Carmount is the User Experience Specialist at MAPflow, bringing a strong business and technology background and four years of experience in pharmacy communications. She leads customer experience initiatives and shapes how MAPflow connects with our community.

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She is passionate about inclusive design and building real relationships with the people MAPflow serves.

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What common misconceptions do you think people have about women in leadership?

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‍“There's a false narrative pushed by society that powerful women are cold or mean, but that’s never been my experience. The women of MAPflow are some of the kindest people I know, with the most contagious laughs and genuine smiles. As a woman, you can be incredibly strong and tough while also being warm and joyful. Those things can absolutely coexist, and I see that embodied in the women I get to work alongside every day.”

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Susy Martins

Susy Martins is the Director of Strategic Partnerships & Growth at MAPflow, where she leads initiatives to expand the company’s impact and foster strategic collaborations across Canada’s healthcare landscape.

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A thought leader in HR and organizational strategy, Susy has built a reputation for creating innovative frameworks that scale with growth.

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What's the most important lesson you've learned in your career?

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‍“To be shameless. Things are always changing, and you will frequently be in scenarios where you are doing something for the first time. You may even be the leader in these scenarios. 'I don't know' is always a viable answer, as is taking the time to dive in and learn about people, businesses, and problems to solve. If you figure out problems repeatedly and respectfully, you can learn some great mental models, collaboration skills, and work frameworks to tackle just about any business or personal challenge."

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More Than Representation

These are just a few of the women shaping MAPflow's journey. Their stories reflect not only individual achievement, but a collective shift in what pharmacy leadership can look like. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we're reminded that representation isn't about filling seats, it's about creating space for the best people to lead, innovate, and redefine what's possible.

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