Peter O’Blenis
Chief Executive Officer
Peter O’Blenis co-founded Evidence Partners in 2008 to develop leading edge technology that helps researchers deliver higher quality evidence, faster. The company’s core product, DistillerSR, is now the world’s most widely used literature review software.
As a pioneer in literature review automation, Peter’s passion for the subject has made him a sought-after speaker and resource. He has worked with over 250 research groups around the globe since 2001 and has published extensively on best practices and methodologies for using technology to improve the review process.
Peter has previously held senior management roles with Oracle, TrialStat, WebGain, Mitel, and Flick Software. He holds an MBA from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Computer Science from Carleton University.
In his spare time, Peter is an active volunteer in the community and chairs Race the Runway, an annual event that raises money for local charities.
Ian Stefanison
Chief Technology Officer
Ian is a co-founder of Evidence Partners and the development lead behind DistillerSR. Ian helped create SRS, the world’s first commercially available systematic review software, back in 2001 and he’s been at it ever since. Developing the world’s leading systematic review software is a great excuse to create awesome database queries and to meet a lot of brilliant researchers along the way. As much as he is passionate about keeping the system clean, elegant and agile, he is equally dedicated to working with the research community to improve the review process for everyone.
Ian is an avid outdoorsman who keeps the Evidence Partners kitchen stocked with his homemade maple syrup – it’s amazing in coffee. He also enjoys snowboarding and de-stresses by participating in mixed martial arts.
Jonathan Barker
Chairman of the Board
Driven by a desire to improve health care research, Jonathan co-founded TrialStat – a company that delivered easy-to-use, cost effective data management software to clinical researchers and systematic review groups around the globe. In 2008, he co-founded Evidence Partners, with Peter and Ian, to focus exclusively on software to make systematic literature reviews easier and faster.
Before Evidence Partners, Jonathan served as a litigation lawyer, applying information technology to multi-million record lawsuits. He also worked at Price Waterhouse specializing in the application of information technology in healthcare and clinical research.
Genetics research, photography, and cycling are keen interests of Jonathan’s in his off hours.
Marc Dufresne
Senior Vice President, Strategic Growth
As Senior Vice President, Strategic Growth, Marc is focused on building strong ties with key industry and research partners. For more than 20 years, Marc has led results-oriented teams and initiatives to consistently exceed targets with an emphasis on building solid long-term community relationships. Since joining the Evidence Partners team in 2014, Marc has been instrumental in accelerating the adoption of the company’s technologies by identifying new market opportunities and forging connections with leaders in the medical device and pharmaceutical markets.
Marc is an active volunteer in the community and has spent many years giving back to minor league sports. He was recognized for his business achievements and leadership as an Ottawa Business Journal Top 40 under 40 recipient in 2008 and holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Economics from Laurentian University.
Alain Tremblay
Vice President, Sales
Alain Tremblay brings over 15 years of sales experience to the Evidence Partners team, where he is responsible for sales and business development worldwide. With an extensive background in technology sales that includes senior roles at SAP and JDSU, Alain is a driven and energetic leader who is committed to using proven, repeatable processes to deliver results. He is a board member of the ITSMF Ottawa Chapter and is highly active in his community as a local hockey coach.
A father of two, Alain loves to spend time at the cottage with his family. In the summer, you’ll find him on the golf course. A true Canadian, skiing and playing hockey are his leisure activities of choice in the winter.
Duane Leitch
Director, Operations and Project Management
Duane is hardwired to focus on customer success. Since joining the Evidence Partners team in 2016, Duane has leveraged his extensive technical and business background to oversee a wide range of strategic initiatives and innovative programs to enhance the experience of Evidence Partners clients. In his role as head of Customer Support and Services, he has focused on the delivering excellent customer experiences and has consistently achieved a five star rating.
Duane’s career includes senior roles in professional services, project management, implementation, and sales engineering at leading technology companies including Caseware, Survey Monkey, and Alcatel-Lucent.
Susan Sykes
Director, Marketing and Communications
An experienced marketing and communications expert, Susan has spent almost two decades honing her craft through increasingly senior roles in high tech, association, and agency environments. At Evidence Partners, Susan is responsible for leading and executing creative and effective marketing strategies to connect with the research community. Susan is a writer at heart, so it’s no surprise that creating compelling content is at the top of her priority list. Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Carleton University.
If it’s morning, you’ll find Susan with coffee in hand, but in the evening you’re likely to find her sipping wine by the fireplace or pool (with a country music playlist on repeat). A longtime volunteer in youth sports, she currently sits on the Board of Directors for the West Ottawa Ringette Association and spends much of her free time cheering on her kids at the rink and/or ball diamond, depending on the season.
Diane Driscoll
Controller
As Evidence Partners’ Controller, Diane oversees the financial operations of the company. With extensive experience in accounting and business management, she maintains a steady hand at the financial helm and keeps corporate finances crisp, lean and focused.
When she’s not at work, Diane is likely to be found playing softball or relaxing by her pool. She’s also a Green Bay Packers superfan who has been known to plan her vacations around their schedule.