Cochrane Methods is pleased to welcome Chantelle Garritty and Areti Angeliki Veroniki to the Cochrane Methods Executive!

Chantelle is a Convenor of the Rapid Reviews Methods Group, which she co-established in 2015. Her primary role is as Senior Epidemiologist and Science Team Lead with the Global Health and Guidelines Division at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Canada. In this role, she supports the development of screening prevention guidelines produced by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. Chantelle has years of experience in evidence synthesis (systematic reviews, rapid reviews, scoping reviews, guideline development, and related methods research).

For the last decade, she has focused research efforts on advancing rapid review methods as a practical tool to get evidence to healthcare stakeholders more quickly. She co-authored the evidence-informed Cochrane rapid review methods guidance, which aided Cochrane's ability to respond quickly as a global leader in evidence synthesis during the COVID-19 crisis. Chantelle has held various other Cochrane roles including Senior Investigator with Cochrane Response (since 2017), Cochrane COVID-19 Rapid Reviews editor (2020), Cochrane Bias Methods Group Coordinator (2003-2006), and Coordinator of the Cochrane Back Review Group (2000-2003). As a member of the Methods Executive, Chantelle supports exploring further efficiencies in conducting systematic reviews, including tools and technologies that would allow Cochrane authors to streamline the review process while maintaining their integrity, as well as advocating that Cochrane considers new and emerging methods (e.g., scoping reviews) in response to stakeholder needs.

Areti (Argie) Angeliki Veroniki is a Convenor of the Statistics Methods Group. She is a Scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, Canada. Her research focuses on enhancing methods for meta-analysis and network meta-analysis synthesizing two or multiple interventions, at different dosages, and interventions with multiple components. These may use aggregate data and/or individual participant data for interventions or diagnostic tests.

Argie’s research interests focus on the rapidly moving field of systematic reviews, and her goal is to establish and advance meta-analytical methods. She has held various other roles in Cochrane since 2011 including as member of the Individual Participant Data Methods Group and Comparing Multiple Interventions Methods Group, Statistical Editor for several review groups (inc., Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group), review author, trainer, and regular attendee/presenter at the annual Colloquia. As a member of the Methods Executive, Argie supports the need to highlight that our confidence in evidence synthesis findings rests on the methods we use. Cochrane must remain abreast of new methods and important considerations in future planning should include a strong and effective committee with a focus on the right issues.

There were three open positions on the Methods Executive. Therefore, Jo McKenzie (Statistics) will stay on the Executive for an additional year. Jane Noyes (Qualitative and Implementation) has already rotated off as an elected member though remains on the Executive as the Cochrane Editorial Board representative, and Holger Schünemann (GRADEing) will rotate off at the end of 2022. Details on the Methods Executive and members can be found here.

Please help us welcome Chantelle Garritty and Areti Angeliki Veroniki to the Methods Executive! And thank Jane Noyes and Holger Schünemann for their valuable contributions over the years.

Posted by Ella Flemyng (Editorial Product Lead)