Dr. Debra Merrill is the Director of the Pharmacy Program at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie Ontario. Prior to this, Debra held the position of Corporate Director of Pharmacy at the William Osler Health System in Brampton Ontario. In both positions, the requirement to facilitate sustainable change was critical to the success in implementing safe processes in the medication management system. She has worked with the implementation and application of multiple high technologies in the medication delivery system such as robotics for unit-dose as well as parenteral chemotherapy, automated dispensing units in all patient care areas and in controlled substance management, and smart pumps for intravenous administration. Standardization of medication management and ensuring sustainability of these processes is a pivotal for patient care and safety.

Debra graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Alberta and went on to complete a doctorate degree at the Ohio State University.