Hastings King Gold serves as the IT Director and Board Member of ClarityPath Research Institute, where he oversees the development, deployment, and security of the Institute’s digital infrastructure. With a background in software engineering and cloud architecture, he has played a key role in implementing advanced systems, including the Institute’s REDCap platform on AWS, to support medical research and data management.

Passionate about the role of technology in improving healthcare outcomes, Hastings brings expertise in cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. As a board member, he also contributes to strategic decision-making, ensuring that ClarityPath’s mission is supported by a secure and scalable IT foundation.

Dr. Mervin Blair, Ph.D., C.Psych, is a Clinical and Research Geriatric Neuropsychologist who is deeply committed to improving the lives of older adults and supporting families facing the challenges of cognitive aging, including dementia. He obtained his BSc (Hons.) in Psychology from Western University Canada and subsequently worked as a Research Associate at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (SJHC).

He then went on to receive his MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, with specialized training in Clinical Neuropsychology. He completed his pre-doctoral residency at McGill University Health Centre (Allan Memorial Institute), with a combined focus in neuropsychology and psychotherapy, and at the Montreal Neurological Institute with a focus in neuropsychology. He then completed a research Post-doctoral Fellowship in neurological disorders at Parkwood Institute (SJHC) and clinical licensing in stroke and brain injury through training at multiple institutions (Hamilton Health Sciences, SJHC, etc).


His primary clinical and research interests focus on cognitive aging in older adults, encompassing both normative age-related cognitive changes and pathological aging processes, including neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal degeneration), as well as mild cognitive impairment, stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and neuropsychiatric disorders.


He has over 30 publications in the field of aging and neurocognitive research. He has been involved in clinical trials for over 20 years and, in more recent years, has taken on leadership roles overseeing their design, conduct, and implementation in the fields of neuropsychiatry and neurodegenerative disorders. He also has extensive experience mentoring trainees at various levels, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, medical residents, and early-career scientists. His mentorship emphasizes research excellence, ethical practice, and a strong understanding of the real-world impact of cognitive aging on older adults and their families.

As a clinician and researcher in aging, Dr Awani’s work focuses on addressing the complex needs of individuals with dementia by enhancing care quality through targeted training for caregivers and residents.  Dr Awani’s contributions to geriatric psychiatry and dementia care help advance patient-centered interventions through research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and education. He believes that promoting inclusivity in dementia care is critical for improving the well-being of individuals living with dementia.

Dr Awani has trained and mentored future geriatric psychiatrists and researchers with a strong emphasis on patient-centered care and improving care quality. He incorporates modern teaching methods to enhance empathy for and understanding of the needs of persons living with dementia. Knowledge translation of evidence-based practice is central to his clinical teaching, and he manages a Geriatric Psychiatry Journal Club to promote knowledge dissemination. Beyond mentorship, he has led several initiatives to enhance dementia care training.

As a person from a racialized background, Dr Awani is aware of the growing number of racialized individuals living with major neurocognitive disorders. As a clinician, he is also aware of the lack of interventions and guidelines that address the needs of racialized individuals and has advocated for greater inclusion in dementia care interventions.

For over a decade, Dr Awani’s work has focused on dementia care, particularly managing expressive behaviours. Dr Awani is actively involved in clinical trials examining expressive behaviours in individuals living with dementia. He also collaborates with outreach teams that support dementia care across Ontario, prioritizing nonpharmacological approaches to assist individuals with dementia and their care partners.