Michael Betel is the President and Founder of the Fatty Liver Alliance (FLA), a Toronto-based non-profit charity dedicated to raising awareness, advancing education, and supporting improved care for people affected by Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH).
With more than 30 years of experience across the commercial and non-profit healthcare sectors, Michael is recognized as a global patient advocate and leader in community-based liver health education, early detection, and assessment initiatives. Through FLA, he has helped lead 22 community liver health screening and education events across North America, with well over 1,000 individuals assessed using FibroScan technology, supporting earlier identification of people at risk for advanced liver disease. This work has expanded with the opening of the Liver Health Awareness Centre in Toronto, a community-focused initiative designed to improve awareness, access to assessment, and pathways to care.
Michael’s career includes senior leadership roles in the healthcare industry, including Business Unit Director in Virology and Oncology at Hoffmann-La Roche, Director of Donor Relations at Canadian Blood Services, and sales and marketing leadership roles at Schering-Plough. He also served for nine years on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Liver Foundation, contributing to the National Marketing and Communications and Strategy Committees.
A respected speaker, commentator, and advocate, Michael has presented at or contributed to major liver and metabolic health forums, including EASL, CASL, AASLD, MOSAiC, EASO, the Global Think-Tank of Steatotic Liver Disease, the Forum for Collaborative Research, and other national and international meetings. He has also co-authored 21 peer-reviewed papers, contributing a patient advocacy and community-based perspective to liver disease research, consensus work, and policy discussions. Michael was also involved in the global nomenclature change from NAFLD/NASH to MASLD/MASH, helping bring the patient advocacy perspective to one of the most important terminology shifts in liver disease.
Michael previously served for three years as Chair of the Global Liver Institute’s Liver Action Network and received GLI’s Global Excellence in Advocacy Award in 2024. He was also awarded the Canadian Liver Foundation’s 50-Year Medal in recognition of his contributions to liver health in Canada. He is a member of multiple advisory boards, including the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver, and has collaborated on key liver disease research and consensus initiatives, including AASLD’s Fatty Liver Disease Research and Action Priorities and the EASL NASH consensus. Through his work with FLA and international partners, Michael continues to advocate for patient-centered care, earlier detection, better access to treatment, and stronger policy action for MASLD and MASH globally. He has also built one of the leading MASLD/MASH-focused communities on LinkedIn, with more than 18,000 followers engaging with education, advocacy, research updates, and patient-centered perspectives on liver health.
