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Shelley Jones Outstanding Contribution Award
The Shelley Jones Outstanding Contribution Award aims to recognize a Committee member who has made a significant contribution to its committee and to IPIC. These individuals have gone above and beyond to help their Committee achieve its goal, therefore helping IPIC achieve its strategic goals.
The recipient is nominated by the membership and selected by decision of the IPIC staff.
2026 – Christian Bolduc received the Shelley Jones Outstanding Contribution Award for having gone above and beyond expectations of our volunteers at IPIC. He demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing continuing professional development within the IP community.
Under his guidance as Chair, the CPD Committee significantly expanded its French-language educational offerings, helping to make high-quality professional development more accessible to Francophone members across Canada. Recognizing the evolving needs of practitioners, he was instrumental in introducing an innovative case-study component to the IP Strategy Series “Being an Effective IP Strategist”, providing participants with practical, real-world insights and interactive learning opportunities.
He played a pivotal role in steering the development of the “AI & IP Law” webinar series, bringing together leading experts to explore the rapidly changing intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property. This initiative has become an important forum for discussing emerging legal and strategic issues in one of the most dynamic areas of practice.
2025 - Tanya Reitzel received the Shelley Jones Award on October 10, 2025, in recognition of her sustained, hands-on leadership and unwavering commitment to IPIC’s community. A member of the Trademark Agent Training Committee since 2013 and its current Vice-Chair, Tanya has invested countless hours in developing the next generation of practitioners, including tutoring in the Trademark Agent Exam Tutorials. As former Chair of the Trademark Practice Committee, she helped shape the profession’s voice by co-authoring IPIC’s submission on the 2017 proposed amendments to the Trade-marks Regulations. Beyond committee leadership, Tanya has been a generous mentor and an exemplary educator delivering high-quality programs such as “Best Practices in TM Prosecution” and “Working with the Marketing Team to Build Stronger Brands”.
2024 - Christopher (Chris) Dejardin received the Shelley Jones Outstanding Contribution Award on September 27, 2024, for exceeding expectations as a dedicated volunteer at IPIC. Chris has made significant contributions, including adapting the trademark training to align with the new exam format, developing essential content, and teaching as Chair of the Trademark Agent Training Committee for a second term, among other notable initiatives. Chris, a Partner and Trademark Agent at Cassan Maclean since 2016, brings extensive experience in trademark prosecution, opposition proceedings, and domain name disputes. His leadership in education and continuous efforts have earned him recognition across the profession.
2023 - Catherine (Cat) Lovrics received the award on October 13, 2023, for having gone above and beyond expectations of our volunteers at IPIC as Chair of the Copyright Committee, past Chair of the Copyright Policy Committee, as well as frequent contributor to the Internet Committee, among other initiatives.
2022 - Paul V. Lomic received the award on September 30, 2022, for having gone above and beyond expectations of our volunteers at IPIC as past Chair of the Conference Committee formerly known as the Forum and Seminars Committee in 2018 and past Chair of the CPD Committee in 2017.
2021 - Jenna Wilson received the award on October 14, 2021, for having gone above and beyond expectations of IPIC volunteers on IPIC’s response to development of regulations for the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents, as well as two separate comprehensive responses to consultations to amend the Patent Rules, among other initiatives.
2020 - Mary Munro received the award on October 1st, 2020, for having gone above and beyond to help IPIC’s IP Administrators Committee create the Patent and Trademark Administrator Programs, therefore helping IPIC achieve its strategic goals.
Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award
The Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award is given to a young professional or future leader member of IPIC who has made significant contributions to an IPIC Committee, Community, or other substantial IPIC initiative during the past year. The individual will have demonstrated significant leadership, commitment, and dedication to increasing awareness of IPIC along with the value and future, of the IP profession in Canada.
The recipient is nominated by the membership and selected by decision of the IPIC President.
2026 - Alyssa Gaffen received the Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award on September 18, 2026, for her incredible contributions made to IPIC as Chair of the Emerging Leaders Committee (ELC) and through her work on other IPIC initiatives. Under your leadership, the Emerging Leaders Committee re-launched the “Leaders of Tomorrow” series, creating meaningful opportunities for emerging IP professionals to engage, learn, and connect within the IP community. Recognizing the importance of mentorship and leadership development, she also organized the "Leading with Purpose" webinar, a thoughtful discussion between IPIC's President and the Emerging Leaders Committee, providing members with valuable insights into leadership styles, career growth, and professional development.
2025 - Caroline Henrie received the Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award on October 10, 2025 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to IPIC. As Vice-Chair and Chair of the Emerging Leaders Committee (ELC), Caroline has created platforms for connection through the Leaders of Tomorrow initiative. Caroline also recently moderated “Branding on the Shelf: Regulations You Need to Know,” an in-depth discussion designed to help trademark practitioners and IP lawyers understand how trademarks, labels, and regulatory requirements intersect in Canada’s food and drug sectors.
2024 - Ahmed Elmallah received the Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award on September 27, 2024, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to IPIC. As Vice-Chair and Chair of the Emerging Leaders Committee (ELC), Ahmed has played a key role in revamping student outreach, renaming the committee, and engaging with IPIC’s Indigenous student outreach initiatives.
2023 - Jean Lee received the award on October 13, 2023, for demonstrating significant leadership, commitment, and dedication to increasing awareness of IPIC along with the value and future, of the IP profession in Canada.
2022 - Tamara Céline Winegust received the award on September 30, 2022, for demonstrating significant leadership, commitment, and dedication to increasing awareness of IPIC along with the value and future, of the IP profession in Canada.
2021 - Meika Ellis is the first recipient of the Institute’s Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award. Meika received the award on October 14, 2021, for having made significant contributions to IPIC’s Indigenous IP Committee.
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J. Edward Maybee Award for Early-Career Professional Excellence
The J. Edward Maybee Award for Early-Career Professional Excellence (Emerging Patent Agent Award) aims to recognize an outstanding newly qualified patent agent, having successfully completed the Patent Agent Skills Examination on your first attempt, in combination with your professional excellence.
2026 - John Varriano received the J. Edward Maybee Memorial Prize (Award of Excellence for an Emerging Patent Agent) on September 18, 2026, in recognition for rapidly developing a sophisticated patent prosecution practice, drafting complex applications, managing strategic portfolios for research-intensive Canadian companies, and helping a client secure its first granted patent. His technical rigor, sound judgment, client-focused approach, and hundreds of hours of pro bono mentorship reflect both outstanding achievement and a strong commitment to the future of the IP profession.
Foundation Award for Early-Career Professional Excellence
The Foundation Award for Early-Career Professional Excellence (Emerging Trademark Agent Award) aims to recognize an outstanding recently qualified trademark agent who has demonstrated professional excellence.
2026 - Megan Hudson received the Foundation Award for Early-Career Professional Excellence (Emerging Trademark Agent Award) on September 18, 2026, for having filed more than 130 trademark applications, prepared over 380 responses to Examiner’s reports, and expanding experience into complex opposition, cancellation, and Madrid Protocol matters. Her sound judgment, resilience, bilingual service, mentorship, and active contributions to IPIC reflect both outstanding early-career achievement and strong leadership within the trademark profession.
Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence
The Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence recognizes an intellectual property (IP) professional in Canada who demonstrated excellence in their practice during the past year in the successful prosecution of a landmark patent or trademark property, the prosecution or defense of a legal action with a significant, positive impact on Canadian IP policy, or who has made an extraordinary contribution to the IP profession.
Recipients are nominated by the membership and selected by decision of the IPIC Board.
2025 - Chris Van Barr received the Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence on October 10, 2025. Chris led the landmark Federal Court of Appeal victory in the Galderma matter that definitively clarified the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board’s jurisdiction. By challenging the PMPRB’s attempt to compel pricing data for an unpatented medicine by tying it to a different patented product, Chris and his team secured a decision that reaffirmed long-standing constitutional and statutory limits on the Board’s powers. The ruling brings much-needed certainty to Canada’s life sciences sector, curbs regulatory overreach, and advances principled, precedent-setting administrative law. For his strategic leadership, excellence in advocacy, and lasting impact on Canadian IP and regulatory law, Chris is truly deserving recipient of this year’s award.
2024 - Peter Wilcox received the Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence on September 27, 2024, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the IP profession. As lead counsel at Belmore Neidrauer, Peter successfully represented Janssen in patent litigation under the PM(NOC) Regulations involving the drug paliperidone palmitate, securing victories against multiple generic drug companies. Over the past year, his work on multiple appeals to the Federal Court of Appeal raised significant patent law issues concerning infringement, invalidity, and procedure. A renowned patent trial lawyer, Peter’s dedication and leadership in complex intellectual property litigation, particularly in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, have earned him consistent recognition as a top IP litigator in Canada.
2023 - Heather Mueller received the inaugural Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence on October 13, 2023, in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to the IP profession.
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Members of Distinction
The IPIC Member of Distinction Award recognizes IP professionals who have made significant contributions to the Institute over at least 20 consecutive years.
For those with a shorter-term involvement, the unique and impactful nature of the contribution must be emphasized. As per the IPIC by-law, a Member of Distinction is:
An individual who will reflect honour and credit upon the Institute may be awarded the title of Member of Distinction if he or she is or has been a member of IPIC. Awarding such Membership shall require a resolution by the Board after consideration of nominations submitted by the Members of the Institute. Members of Distinction shall pay no entrance or other fee but in all other respects shall be subject to the By-laws and Regulations of the Institute. Members of Distinction who have at any time been Fellows shall be deemed for all purposes of the By-laws, except the payment of fees, to be Fellows.
IPIC is pleased to announce our newest member of distinction, Mr. Stephen Perry. Click here for the list Members of Distinction on IPIC's Hall of Fame webpage.