Our Team
Ana Padron
Executive Director
As a business professional and someone with an entrepreneurial spirit, Ana has worked alongside the board of directors in leading the Sharon Francis Foundation since its 2017 inception, supporting all aspects of the organization and its mission to advance the most reliable and promising scientific research in neurodegeneration. Prior to joining the organization, Ana held various roles in healthcare, the innovative pharmaceutical industry, and the non-for-profit sectors. During those years of her career Ana developed key areas of expertise in government relations, business start-ups, business development, strategic planning, team management, as well as innovation and venture sourcing for entities like Doctors Without Frontiers, Amerisource Bergen Canada, the Pangaea Group, and the Canadian Association for Healthcare Reimbursement. Ana moved to Canada from Cuba in 2006 and settled in Oakville where she raised her two sons, who are now in their 20s. She currently lives in Toronto and is passionate about realizing the foundations’ next phase of growth, especially at a time when the area of Alzheimer’s research is undergoing major transitions and re-evaluations, evermore needing funding to get us closer to translating the new science into treatments.
Melanie Bakos Danaher
Accounting / Finance
Melanie was born in Montréal, Québec and educated in Toronto, Ontario. She began her career in 2008 working for a boutique Toronto accounting firm and providing audit, tax and consulting services. She achieved manager level before branching out into different roles working in-house at various organizations. While living and working in Australia, she had the opportunity to be part of the Qantas Airways team in Sydney, focusing on delivering meaningful financial reporting and analysis.
Currently, Melanie provides outsourced bookkeeping services to various Canadian entrepreneurial businesses as well as not-for-profit and charitable organizations. In any accounting role she has taken on, Melanie has always been passionate about the task of assisting stakeholders in understanding their financial information and providing valuable recommendations for organizational improvement.
When not in the office, Melanie spends her time outdoors, enjoying activities such as hiking, cycling and snowboarding. While in Australia, she also obtained her certification as a yoga instructor and volunteers at her local yoga studio in Leslieville.
Mae Ledesma
Executive Assistant / Donor Cultivation
Mae Ledesma has always had a passion for caring for others. She has spent over ten years in high-level client relation roles, delivering attentive client care with positive energy and enthusiasm. She received her education at George Brown College where she took Health Information Management and at Seneca College for Medical Office Administration. During her college years, Mae volunteered at several medical services facilities in Toronto.
In 2017, Mae began her career at Medcan Health Management, as a Client Services Assistant. She monitored and facilitated clients through various clinic stations while coordinating with other staff to ensure exceptional client experience. Later, she moved on to a Referral Coordinator role, where she arranged patient referrals to specialists all over Ontario.
In early 2020, Mae supported the transition of Dr. Robert Francis’s medical practice to ReGen Scientific Inc. Since then she has been fulfilling various roles, such as medical administration, marketing/design, and client relations, having the opportunity to wear many hats. This has resulted in Mae’s acquisition of skills that will serve as truly valuable to the foundation’s donor cultivation strategy.
Mae loves going for long trail walks, enjoying nature and travelling. She likes to stay fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle. And of course, nothing is more important to Mae than spending time with her dog and her family.