As Executive Director of the Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board (OCREB) since January 2006, Janet Manzo has led the refinement and successful delivery of an innovative model of centralized ethics review of multi-centre oncology trials in Ontario. Janet was a former oncology nurse and has close to 30 years of experience in clinical research from various viewpoints, including the investigator site, the sponsor and the REB. With her broad experience in the trenches, as well as in leadership roles, Janet has a deep understanding and appreciation of the issues in today’s competitive research environment. Over the years, Janet has served on a variety of provincial and national committees, such as the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Research Ethics Boards (CAREB); the CAREB External Serious Adverse Event Working Group, which developed the first CAREB Guidance; the Canadian General Standards Board Standards Committee on Research Ethics Boards Reviewing Biomedical Clinical Trials; the Strategy for Patient Oriented External Advisory Committee for the Streamlining of Health Research Ethics Review; the CAREB Certification Steering Committee; the Clinical trials Ontario Research Ethics Review Advisory Group; and the Canadian Clinical Trials Coordinating Centre Research Ethics Board Accreditation Working Group. In April 2014, Janet received the CAREB President’s Award, which recognizes a CAREB member for advancing the organization’s objectives through outstanding contributions and commitment to enhancing the protection of human research participants and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the processes of human research. Janet has developed a solid reputation for strategic alliance building, effective collaboration, and the ability to motivate others into action. Tapping into her energy, enthusiasm and diverse experience, Janet strives to continually increase the value that OCREB brings to the protection of research participants, and to improving the clinical research environment more broadly.