Dalla Lana School of Public Health

The 2026 Black Leaders in Health Awards: “This is my Oscars!”

February 23/2026

Meet the 2026 Black Leaders in Health Awards recipients Keddone Dias, Sanjana Jones, Donatus Mutasingwa and Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh.

By Ishani Nath 

On February 5, more than 100 attendees gathered at the University of Toronto’s Faculty Club for the highly anticipated 2026 Black Leaders in Health Awards.

“Work to undo the harms of racism takes commitment, intellectual and emotional labour from Black leaders which is not always recognized,” says DLSPH Assistant Professor Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh, the Executive Director of the Black Health Education Collaborative (BHEC) and one of four awardees of the 2026 Black Leaders in Health Awards. “Receiving this award shines the light on issues of inequities and I am thankful for the community of friends, family and colleagues who make it possible to continue to show up when needed.”

Since 2022, this annual DLSPH event has recognized outstanding Black leaders in public health and health systems whose work advances health equity and strengthens communities.

“The Black Leaders in Health Awards recognizes individuals who are often under-recognized and creates a platform where their excellence takes centerstage,” says DLSPH Director, Culture, Equity, and Community Partnerships Ryan Hinds. “It gives us a chance to address a unique challenge facing Black communities through a truly uplifting night.”

Congratulations to the recipients of our 2026 Black Leaders in Health Awards:

Keddone Dias — Executive Director of LAMP Community Health Centre

“As a leader, equitable access to healthcare is our collective responsibility,” says 2026 Black Leader in Health award winner Keddone Dias.

Dias has worked in the non-profit sector for more than 20 years, focusing her efforts on advancing health equity.

As the Executive Director of the non-profit primary care and health organization LAMP Community Health Centre, Dias works to improve care for equity-deserving populations across Etobicoke and Peel. She also serves on the boards of Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke and Management Advisory Services.

“While our current system is not perfect, I am motivated by the fact that there is ample opportunity to make it better for my family and every family accessing care in our health system,” she says.

Dias received her award with her family in the crowd, and shared that she considers this recognition an honour.

“This award means so much to me because it is an acknowledgment of not just my work, but the work of the teams that I collaborate with every day,” says Dias. “I feel blessed to have our work seen and appreciated.”

Sanjana Jones — Master of Public Health in Black Health student

Sanjana Jones is a DLSPH student entering the final stretch of the Master of Public Health in Black Heath program. She aims to improve access to care and reduce healthcare provider bias, such as by developing breast and cervical cancer screening tool for Black women with Women’s College Hospital.

While leaders in Black health and health equity are deeply passionate about this work, Jones notes that “pure passion is not enough” in the current political climate; funding, allyship and support is needed. Receiving recognition at the 2026 Black Leaders in Health Awards, with her family, friends and mentors in the audience, renewed her confidence and motivation.

“We rarely have time to pause and celebrate, let alone recognize our achievements and what we have done and are still doing for our populations that have been marginalized,” says Jones, who received this year’s Black Leaders in Health student award — an award that was determined solely by students. “Having this night to pause, celebrate, and bask in everything I’ve been able to accomplish thus far is incredible. It’s the exact push I need to finish out the semester. It motivates and inspires me to continue my work, because I’m seeing the impact and importance of it.”

Donatus Mutasingwa — Academic Chief of Markham Family Medicine Treatment Unit and Department of Family Medicine at Oak Valley Health

“This is my Oscars!” said family physician Donatus Mutasingwa when he took the podium at the 2026 Black Leaders in Health Awards.

Mutasingwa is an Assistant Professor in U of T’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and a leader in bringing primary care to underserved communities both locally and internationally.

“This recognition gives me the opportunity to pause, take stock, and reflect on my contributions to Ontario’s health system — something I rarely make time to do. I am deeply humbled by the acknowledgement, and I hope it serves as an inspiration to other Black leaders who are contributing, often quietly, to improving our healthcare system,” says Mutasingwa.

His efforts have improved primary care access for populations in Markham, Eastern York, North Durham and Uxbridge as well as in Tanzania, where he is originally from. He has also contributed to the training of more than 80 family physicians who now practice across Canada.

Mutasingwa shared this advice for aspiring healthcare and public health leaders: “Be present and willing to contribute in meaningful ways—whether large or small. Real change comes from collective effort. Play your part, stay committed, and contribute toward a shared goal of improving health for all.”

Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh — DLSPH Assistant Professor

Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh‘s journey at DLSPH began first as a student and continues now as an Assistant Professor in our Clinical Public Health Division and Executive Director of the Black Health Education Collaborative (BHEC).

“As a faculty member and DLSPH alumna (2008) it is an honour to be recognized by a community which has played an important role in my education and career,” says Ndumbe-Eyoh. “It is a testament to the importance of creating spaces where we can collectively address the persistent health impacts of anti-Black racism.”

Ndumbe-Eyoh has a long resume of fostering exactly those types of spaces, for instance during her decade of working with the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health and in an advisory capacity for the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Institutes for Health Information and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. She created educational materials and professional competencies to combat anti-Black racism including the Black Health Primer and chapters on racism and health promotion in Health Promotion in Canada, Towards a Well-Being Society in an Accelerating World (5th edition).

“We all have a role to play in shifting our societies to be more equitable and create conditions in which more of us can thrive. My leadership is motivated by an enduring hope that we can create a better world, another world and that inequities are too deep for anyone to stay silent.”

Reflecting on an evening filled with joy and celebration, Hinds says that for him, the Black Leaders in Health Awards is a powerful source of motivation.

“Every year, through these awards, I learn about incredible leaders. Seeing the impact these individuals are having at different career stages is truly inspirational for me,” says Hinds. “I hope it does the same for others.”