Ivar Mendez, O.C.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Neuroscientist and neurosurgeon Ivar Mendez is committed to eliminating geographic health care inequities in his province and beyond. At the helm of the department of surgery at the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, he has pioneered and advanced robotic technologies to improve the well-being of patients in rural, remote and underserved communities. A devoted philanthropist, he established an eponymous foundation that brings medical expertise to his native Bolivia and worldwide, improving the lives of countless marginalized citizens.