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Beverley Catharine (Cathy) Craven, BA, MD, FRCPC, MSc, CCD
Assistant Professor, Departments of Medicine and HPME, University of Toronto;  Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN

 

Beverley Catharine (Cathy) Craven is a physiatrist with a clinician scientist role at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network in Ontario, Canada. She is currently an assistant professor in the Departments of Medicine & Health Policy Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. Dr. Craven earned her BA cum laude in kinesiology at York University in North York, Ontario, and her MD and residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. After graduating, she completed a SCI fellowship and obtained a Master’s in clinical epidemiology from the University of Toronto.

 

Dr. Craven’s clinical and research expertise is in the prevention and treatment of secondary health conditions among people with spinal cord injury, with a particular focus on sublesional osteoporosis and health service provision. Dr. Craven is the Ontario lead for the SCI-IMPACT team, an interprovincial group of 26 clinicians and scientists from Ontario and Quebec focused on ameliorating secondary health conditions after spinal cord injury. She has been the Scientific Co-chair of the 1-5th Canadian National SCI Conference. Dr. Craven is leading production of the Rick Hansen Institute sponsored E-scan atlas “Capturing Capacity in Canadian SCI Rehabilitation”. Dr. Craven has been the recipient of 15 honors and awards; she was the 2011 recipient of the University of Toronto, Department of Medicine, Division of Physiatry, “Innovator of the Year Award”. She has authored or coauthored articles over 60 articles on these and related topics.

 

Milos R. Popovic, PhD, PEng
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research, Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN; Professor, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto

 

Milos R. Popovic received his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1996, and the Dipl. Electrical Engineer degree from the University of Belgrade, Serbia in 1990. 

 

Dr. Popovic is the Toronto Rehab Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research.  He is also a professor in the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, as well as senior scientist and the Neural Engineering and Therapeutics Team Leader at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.  Both institutions are located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  In 2011, Dr. Popovic established the Centre for Research in Advanced Neural Implant Applications (CRANIA) at the University of Toronto.

 

Dr. Popovic joined the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering and the Toronto Rehab in 2001.  From 1997 until 2001 he led the Rehabilitation Engineering Team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and the Paraplegic Center of the University Hospital Balgrist, both in Zurich, Switzerland.  From 1996 until 1997, he worked for AlliedSignal Aerospace Canada Inc. in Toronto, Canada. 

 

Dr. Popovic’s fields of expertise are functional electrical stimulation, neuro-rehabilitation, brain machine interfaces, modeling and control of linear and non-linear dynamic systems, robotics, power systems, signal processing, and safety analysis.  His interests are in the areas of neuro-rehabilitation, physiological control systems, assistive technology, and brain machine interfaces.

 

In 1997, together with Dr. Thierry Keller, he received the Swiss National Science Foundation Technology Transfer Award - 1st place.  In 2008, Dr. Popovic was awarded the Engineering Medal for Research and Development from the Professional Engineers of Ontario and Ontario Society of Professional Engineers.  In 2011, he was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.  In 2012, Dr. Popovic’s company, Simple Systems, has won the 1st Prize and the Best Intellectual Property Award at the annual TiEQuest Business Venture Competition.  He is also one of the co-founders of the Canadian National Spinal Cord Injury Conference and Advances in Neurorehabilitation Conference (FICCDAT) established in 2004 and 2007, respectively.

 

Molly Verrier, Dip P&OT, MHSc (Physical Therapy)
Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of Physical Therapy, Physiology, Rehabilitation Science, Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; Senior Scientist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN, Lead SCI Mobility Laboratory

 

Molly Verrier is an associate professor in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. She trained originally as a physical therapist and occupational therapist at the University of Toronto. After practicing as a clinical physical therapist in neuroscience she did her graduate training in clinical neurophysiology and health sciences at McMaster University.

 

Molly has conducted research studies in the basic mechanisms of and the pharmaceutical approaches for spasticity, short and long latency responses in patients with spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, stroke and disordered postural control in stroke.

 

Molly chaired the Department of Physical Therapy and the Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto from 1994 to 2004. She is currently funded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation to develop an Ontario Spinal Cord Injury Informatics system. The project is aimed at determining best practices in information management for developing and delivering services for individuals with spinal cord injury in Ontario.  With collaborators and graduate students, she is studying restorative motor control and assessment and outcomes of neurorehabilitation interventions and service delivery across the continuum of care following spinal cord injury.

 

William Adair

Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario

 

Rachid Aissaoui, PhD

Professor, Département de génie de la production automatisée, Université du Québec

 

Jeffrey Andrion, MA, MSc PT

Physiotherapist, Sunnybrook Holland Orthopedic and Arthritic Centre 

 

Jeffrey Andrion is a physiotherapist who recognizes and applies the value of sport and physical activity as an effective rehabilitation tool.  Born and raised in the Philippines, he is also an instructor at the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto and is the Co-Chair of the Philippine Working Group of the university’s International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation. 

 

Jeffrey is an active member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, the Philippine Physical Therapy Association, and the American Physical Therapy Association.

 

Peter Athanasopoulos

SCI Network and Service Manager, Interim Executive Director, Ontario SCI Solutions Alliance, Canadian Paraplegic Association of Ontario

 

Peter Athanasopoulos started his rewarding career at the Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA Ontario) in 2001 as a Provincial Peer Support Coordinator and nurtured, grew and expanded this Peer Support program for many years. In 2008 he continued in the position of SCI Network Coordinator as a Relationship Builder working with people with SCI, service providers, researchers and other stakeholders to strengthen planning and delivery of services for Ontarians with SCI, their families and service providers. Presently, Peter is enhancing services to people with SCI through his role as SCI Network and Service Manager and Interim Executive Director of the Ontario SCI Solutions Alliance. 

 

Mark Bayley, MD, FRCPC

Medical Director, Neuro Rehabilitation Program, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN; Associate Professor, University of Toronto

 

Mark Bayley is a specialist physician in physical medicine and tehabilitation.      

Dr. Bayley is currently the medical director of the Neurorehabilitation Program at the

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. He is currently an associate professor at the University of Toronto.  He is also appointed as a clinician scientist at Toronto Rehab and associate scientist at the Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation Center for Stroke Recovery.

 

Dr. Bayley has research interests in: outcome measurement, health system efficiency, and rehabilitation of acquired brain Injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis.  He has a strong interest in the field of knowledge translation i.e. how the best evidence can be implemented into practice and how to measure its uptake by clinicians.   He is one of the principle investigators on the Canadian Stroke Network SCORE project (Stroke Canada Optimization of Rehabilitation by evidence) and the Ontario Neuro Trauma Foundation Acquired Brain Injury Knowledge Uptake Strategy that both examine how best practice guidelines are implemented. He is co-chair of the Best Practices committee and author of the Best Practice Guidelines for the Canadian Stroke strategy. He recently took on the role of evaluation champion and Chair of the Stroke Evaluation Advisory Committee of the Ontario Stroke Network.  He also chairs the steering committee of the Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain injury Strategy for Ontario that aims to improve access to care for this complex population.

 

Sandra Best

President, Excel Care

 

Rachel Brosseau, PT, MSc

Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal

 

Jacquie Brown, MES, RSW

Implementation Specialist, National Implementation Research Network

 

Jacquie Brown is a consultant with the National Implementation Research Network. She has extensive experience in using implementation frameworks to support effective implementation of evidence-informed programmes and practices in complex systems.

Jacquie brings 30 years of experience from an organisational perspective having been a senior manager in a large, dispersed, decentralised not-for-profit organisation. She brings international experience in supporting implementation in low and middle income countries.

 

Patrick Brown

Partner, McLeish Orlando LLP

 

Robert Buren, MA

Athlete with a Disability; CMCL Speaker, Canadian Paralympic Committee; Sales and Marketing Consultant, Microsoft

 

Robert Buren is an avid mountain biker. One day, while out for a ride he made an error that resulted in a crash.  Suddenly rendered a paraplegic at the age of 37 with a young family, a successful career, and many goals yet to achieve, he applied his strong will to push through recovery and back to living life to the fullest.  With aspirations to compete in a triathlon at the 2016 Paralympics, Rob uses sport as an outlet to challenge himself and play a significant role in maximizing his quality of life.  

 

David W. Cadotte, MSc, MD

Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Toronto Western Hospital – UHN; Spinal Cord Program, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto

 

David Cadotte completed medical school and is currently a resident in the Division of Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto. He is concurrently enrolled in the PhD program at the Institute of Medical Science and the Surgeon Scientist Program at the University of Toronto.

 

Dr. Cadotte completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario with an emphasis on protein biochemistry. He later applied this knowledge by using immunohistochemistry techniques to study plasticity within the hippocampus and the effects of lithium on mossy fiber sprouting, obtaining a Masters of Science degree under the supervision of Dr. L.T. Young at McMaster University.

 

Dr. Cadotte joined the Fehlings group in 2009 with an interest in functional imaging of the human spinal cord. This work aims to utilize advanced imaging techniques to map anatomical and functional circuits of the human spinal cord. By understanding the imaging characteristics of these circuits it will be possible to provide an objective measurement of sensory perception and motor ability. The ultimate goal is to translate the use of these techniques into clinical practice whereby physicians and surgeons caring for spinal cord injury patients can use this information to make informed decisions about the efficacy of certain medical or surgical therapeutics aimed at improving functional recovery.

 

Karen Campbell, RN, PhD

Field Leader, MCISc Wound Healing, Western University; Wound Care Program Manager, Aging Rehabilitation and Geriatric Care Research Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care London

 

Karen Campbell completed her bachelors of science in nursing from the University of Windsor, her master of science in nursing from the University of Toronto, a certificate as an Tertiary Care Nurse Practitioner and her doctorate from the University of Western Ontario in Rehabilitation Sciences.

 

She is an assistant professor at the School of Nursing and Adjunct Professor in the Research Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Western Ontario. She has been involved in all Registered Nurses Association of Ontario panels for wound care best practice guidelines on wound healing. Dr. Campbell and Dr. Pamela Houghton co-led the development of the Canadian Best Practice Guideline on Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers in the Spinal Cord Injured Individuals.

 

Erin Cherban, MSc, CCRP

Director, Clinical Research Operations, Rick Hansen Institute

 

David Ditor, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Brock University

 

David Ditor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University. His research and teaching focuses on the secondary health complications that accompany spinal cord injury. In particular, Dr. Ditor has interests in cardiovascular disease and dysfunction, sexual dysfunction and the interaction between the immune system and neural function following SCI. In addition, Dr. Ditor is the Director of a community-use wheelchair accessible exercise facility at Brock University that offers various types of exercise rehabilitation for individuals with SCI in the Niagara Region.

 

Cyril Duclos, PhD

Assistant Professor, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation, Montreal Rehabilitation Institute

 

Karen Ethans, MD, FRCPC

Associate Professor, University of Manitoba, Health Sciences Centre

 

Karen Ethans is a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with a subspecialty in spinal cord injury medicine. She is active in teaching and research as well as the inpatient and outpatient clinical care of people with spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis, and others with spasticity. Her particular interests in SCI are research and clinical management of neurogenic bladder, cardiovascular dysfunction, spasticity, neuropathic pain, and erectile dysfunction. She also runs a spasticity clinic and an intrathecal baclofen pump program. She manages to balance all of this with her home life where she is a mother of 2 small children and a wife of another busy physician.

 

Geoff Fernie, PhD, PEng, FCAHS

Institute Director, Research, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN; Professor, University of Toronto

 

Geoff Fernie has a primary appointment at the University of Toronto as professor in the Department of Surgery with cross appointments that include the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, Departments of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.  He is a professional engineer and Institute Director for research at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-UHN.

 

Dr. Fernie is recognized as a world leader in the application of engineering to create solutions for problems commonly encountered by people with disabilities. He is the principal investigator on a major infrastructure award from CFI which funded the most advanced design, prototyping and testing facilities for rehabilitation technology and assistive devices in the world.  He is focused on the development of technology to help people continue to live in their own homes. He has 6 commercialized products and 4 currently in clinical trials.  He has helped launch 4 successful companies.  He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal papers and book chapters and has 17 awarded patents and an additional 11 filings.

 

Dr. Fernie’s achievements have been recognized by the Jonas Salk Award, MEDEC Award, the Mickey Milner Award, by admission to the Terry Fox Hall of Fame and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

 

Sarah Figley, BSc, PhD (Candidate)

PhD Candidate, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Research Institute – UHN

 

Heather Flett, BA, BSc, PT, MSc (Rehabilitation Science)

Advanced Practice Leader, Spinal Cord Rehab, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN; Lecturer, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto

 

Heather Flett is an advanced practice leader in the Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Program at Toronto Rehab and a lecturer in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto. Heather has worked in the field of SCI rehab for 13 years. As an Advanced Practice Leader, Heather provides clinical consultation, leadership and education focusing on the integration of research and practice to enable best practices in SCI rehabilitation.

 

Dany Gagnon, PT, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal

 

Heather L. Gainforth, MSc, PhD (Candidate)

PhD Candidate (Health Promotion), School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University

 

Heather Gainforth is a PhD candidate in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University.  She is a recipient of the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Research Award.  Her research focuses on knowledge translation within service organizations.  Specifically, she aims to understand effective knowledge translation initiatives so beneficial interventions, treatments and policies are accessible to populations.

 

Celeste Gallant

Executive Director, Excel Care

 

Julie Gassaway, MS, RN

Project Director, Institute for Clinical Outcomes Research

 

Julie is the project firector at the Institute for Clinical Outcomes Research (ICOR) and the Director of Product Development, International Severity Information Systems, Inc. (ISIS) in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is a registered nurse with a Master’s of science degree from The Johns Hopkins University.

 

Julie has been involved in practice-based evidence projects for over 20 years and currently is the Project Director for the SCIRehab project, which is a practice-based evidence study involving all aspects of spinal cord injury rehabilitation at six centers. She also is the project director for the SCI-SKIN project, a practice-based evidence study to associate care practices with decreased development of pressure ulcers in patients with spinal cord injury treated in acute care and rehabilitation at a model systems center.

 

Julie also directed the Post-stroke Rehabilitation Outcomes Project and the JOINTS orthopedic rehabilitation project. She has authored over 60 publications on severity measurement, practice-based evidence, rehabilitation research, and quality of care, and contributed chapters to Clinical Practice Improvement Methodology: Implementation and Evaluation, 1997. She was a guest editor for the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) December 2005 Supplement to the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and for the March 2011 issue of the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine. She also is a peer reviewer for several spinal cord injury journals.

 

Sara Guilcher, PhD (Candidate), MScPT

Physical Therapist, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

 

Sara Guilcher is a physical therapist and a 6th year doctoral candidate in the Clinical Epidemiology program within the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. 

 

In her doctoral work, Sara has examined in detail the social networks of care and the journey of care following a spinal cord injury in Ontario, Canada.  Her research expertise relate to spinal cord injury, social epidemiology, primary health care, health psychology, women’s health, health services research and policy, knowledge translation, and evidence-based rehabilitation.

 

Sara will begin her two year post-doctoral fellowship as of September 2012 with the ACHIEVE program at the Centre for Research on Inner City Health in the Keenan Research Centre of St Michael’s Hospital. Through her work, Sara hopes to identify any gaps and areas for action, including minimizing health inequities for persons with disabilities and helping to transfer knowledge for evidence-informed policy.

 

Kristina Guy, BKin, BScPT, MSc

Physiotherapist, Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN

 

Carl Hiebert, Hon LLB

Motivational Speaker, Gift of Wings

 

Canadian aviation history was made in 1986 when Carl Hiebert of Waterloo, Ontario, piloted an open - cockpit, ultralight aircraft, 5000 miles across Canada.

 

The flight holds further fascination for Carl is a paraplegic and is basically confined to a wheelchair. His flight attracted national media attention and ended at Expo 86 in Vancouver. He refused to let his wheelchair rob him of a productive and meaningful life.

 

More than just a flight, Carl's venture is a journey of inspiration. It is a story of reaching past imagined limitations to achieve the seeming impossible.

 

Since his flight, Carl has become a motivational speaker, and has shared his uplifting story with hundreds of audiences across Canada, the United States and England. He has been presented with numerous aviation and personal recognition awards, including the prestigious Vanier Award given to honour outstanding Canadians and an Honourary Doctorate from Wilfred Laurier University.

 

Based on his cross-Canada flight, Carls first book, "Gift Of Wings," became an instant best- seller and has raised over $300,000 as a fund-raiser for Rotary Clubs. Carl has gone to publish five more books since then - all best sellers. Sales of his books and his photographs have raised over $2 million for various charities.

 

Carl now captivates his audiences with his motivational presentation and breathtaking images that challenges audiences to explore risk taking and perspective in their lives.

 

Pamela Houghton, PT, PhD

Professor and Chair, MCISc, Wound Healing School of Physical Therapy, Western University

 

Jane Hsieh, MSc

Executive Director, SCI Knowledge Mobilization Network (SCI KMN)

 

Jane Hsieh is an associate scientist with the Lawson Health Research Institute and is the Implementation Science Lead with the SCI Research Program at St. Joseph’s Health Care London, Parkwood Hospital. She has more than 25 years of experience that spans the translational research pipeline (e.g. pre-clinical, phase 1-4 clinical trials, etc) that has focused on knowledge syntheses and evidence-based practice implementation over the past six years. Jane further brings international organizational experience from the medical and health care biotechnology, non-profit and academic sectors.

 

Kylie James, BSc (OT), CNP

Certified Nutritionist, Registered Occupational therapist, Koru Nutrition, Neuro-Nuts

 

Kylie James graduated from Auckland University in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Health Science in Occupational Therapy. She is a registered nutrition consultant having graduated with first class honors from The Institute of Holistic Nutrition.

 

Kylie is the co-author of the first nutrition book addressing the unique secondary health complications that follow SCI. She has also designed and implemented the nutritional component for a chronic pain management program at a rehabilitation facility.

 

As an occupational therapist, Kylie has spent the last 16 years working in New Zealand, England and in Canada in the field of illness, injuries and disabilities in particular with people experiencing orthopedic, musculoskeletal, neurological and psychological issues. She has also been declared an expert witness for life care plan reports and is also responsible for managing and supervising an occupational therapy department in a private rehabilitation facility.

 

She is also a certified personal trainer. With a passion for sports she has competed at both a national and international level for touch rugby and netball. 

 

Naaz Kapadia Desai, MSc, PT (Neuroscience)

Research Physiotherapist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN; Clinical Physiotherapist, William Osler Health System

 

Naaz received her master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Manitoba. She is currently working at the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy and has worked as a clinical physiotherapist at acute care set-ups and as a lecturer at SBB College of Physiotherapy in India.

 

Naaz is involved in the development of comprehensive assessment tools for evaluation of hand function in neurological populations as well as in studying the benefits of functional electrical stimulation and robotic arm devices in the rehabilitation of upper extremity function and has published various articles in this area.

 

Spyros Karadimas, MD

MSc Candidate, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Research Institute - UHN

 

David Keast, MSc, MD

Centre Director, Aging Rehabilitation and Geriatric Care Research Centre, Lawson Research Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care London

 

Anna Kras-Dupuis, RN, MScN, CNN(C), CRN(C)

Transformation Specialist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Rehabilitation Program, St. Joseph’s Health Care London, Parkwood Hospital

 

Anna Kras-Dupuis is a clinical nurse specialist in the Rehabilitation Program at St. Joseph’s Health Care London Parkwood Hospital. She has over 26 years of experience in nursing, including acute neurosciences, education and neurological rehabilitation. Anna’s interests include best practice implementation and chronic disease self-management.

 

She has presented at conferences locally and nationally. Anna has led several Best Practice Implementation initiatives and currently fulfills the site Transformation Specialist role in London.

 

Andrei Krassioukov, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Professor, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia; Associate Director and Scientist, ICORD; Director, Autonomic Research Unit; Staff Physician, Spinal Cord Program, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre

 

Andrei Krassioukov is a clinician-scientist and internationally recognized expert in the area of autonomic dysfunctions following spinal cord injury.  He is currently a professor in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine and a Scientist in the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) at the University of British Columbia.  He is a Chair of the International Autonomic Standards Committee for ASIA and ISCoS.  His research is supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Heart and Stroke Foundation, Craig Neilsen Foundation, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and many others.  Dr. Kassioukov has published more than 120 peer-reviewed manuscripts, books, and book chapters, and he has won numerous national and international awards including the recent inaugural Alan Brown Award from ASIA in recognition of his work.

 

Brian K. Kwon, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Canada Research Chair in Spinal Cord Injury; Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia; Research Scientist, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD)

 

Brian Kwon is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia (UBC).  He is also a Research Scientist at the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) and the associate scientific director of the Rick Hansen Institute.  As a surgeon-scientist, he is particularly interested in the bi-directional process of translational research for spinal cord injury – both “bench to bedside” and “bedside back to bench”. He has worked extensively on establishing biomarkers of human SCI to facilitate human trials and on the development of preclinical animal models that can serve as testing grounds for novel therapeutic strategies.   He has also led initiatives to establish a framework for how promising therapies for SCI should be evaluated in the laboratory setting prior to translation into human patients.

 

Marie-Thérèse Laramée, BScPT, MSc

Transformation Specialist, Institut de Réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay de Montréal

 

Marie-Thérèse Laramée is a Specialist in the Application of the Generalization of Expertise (SAGE) in the SCI program at the Institut de Readaptation Gingras-Lindsay de Montreal (IRGLM). Marie-Thérèse has 15 years of experience as a physiotherapist working in SCI followed by over 10 years as a research coordinator of many SCI research projects. Since 2005 she has worked as a clinical research coordinator at IRGLM as part of the CRIR research centre whose focus is to link practice and research findings.

 

Amy Latimer-Cheung, PhD (Human Biodynamics)

Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University

 

Amy Latimer-Cheung is a tier II Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) research chair in physical activity promotion and disability.  The overarching goal of her research program is to increase physical activity participation among adults with a mobility impairment in an effort to minimize disability and maximize quality of life.  She is a founder and the executive director of Kingston Revved Up, an exercise program for adults with mobility impairment.

 

Gavin le Nobel, BScEng, MD

Post Graduate Year 1 Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Resident, University of Toronto

 

Gavin le Nobel is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto, Doctor of Medicine Program. An engineer by training, his main research interest is the clinical use of the international autonomic standards for documenting autonomic dysfunction following spinal cord injury.

 

Gavin is currently in his first year of residency training in otolaryngology head and neck surgery.

 

Valérie Lemay, BScOT, MSc

Transformation Specialist, institut de Réadaptation en Déficience Physique de Québec

 

Valérie Lemay is an occupational therapist in the SCI program at the Institut de Réadaptation en Déficience Physique de Québec. She is currently fulfilling the role of a site clinical advanced practice leader in the SCI-KMN. Valérie is also collaborating in many research projects and lectures in continuing education at Université Laval.

 

Lorna Lo, BSc, OT

Occupational Therapist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN

 

Lorna received her bachelor’s of science degree with a specialization in occupational therapy at the University of Toronto in 1999 and another bachelor’s of science degree with a specialization in human physiology at the University of Saskatchewan in 1997. She worked as an occupational therapist in the Assistive Technology Department at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - Lyndhurst Centre from 1999-2009 where she specialized in computer access for clients with physical impairments. She has made numerous presentations in this field including a workshop on computer accessibility for SCI at the 1st National SCI Conference. She is currently involved with the research department at the Lyndhurst Centre utilizing functional electrical stimulation (FES) for clients with a spinal cord injury and stroke. 

 

Kathleen Martin Ginis, PhD (Kinesiology)

Professor, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University

 

Kathleen Martin Ginis is a professor of Health and Exercise Psychology at McMaster University’s Department of Kinesiology, and is the founding Director of SCI Action Canada. Her research program focuses on psychosocial influences and consequences of physical activity participation, particularly among people with SCI. She has received nearly $7 million in research funding, including a $1 million Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Community-University Research Alliance grant to develop and implement physical activity interventions in the SCI community.

 

Colleen McGillivray, BSc OT, MD, FRCPC

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN

 

Colleen McMillan, PhD

Assistant Professor, University of Waterloo; Adjunct Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University; Mental Health Lead, The Centre for Family Medicine

 

Sylvie Nadeau, PhD

Professor, School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal

 

Mark S Nash, PhD, FACSM

Professor, Departments of Neurological Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine

Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami

 

Mark S Nash is a tenured professor of neurological surgery and rehabilitation medicine at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, director of research in rehabilitation medicine, and principal investigator (applied physiology research) for the Miami Project. He is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Nash has published more than 100 manuscripts, scholarly monographs and chapters on disability-related topics. He is currently chair of the Carbohydrates & Lipids Clinical Guideline Panel for the PVA Consortium on Spinal Cord Medicine, and served as principle investigator for the landmark National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) multicenter trial examining dyslipidemia accompanying tetraplegia.  He is currently PI for two NIDRR-sponsored grants examining causes and interventions for cardiometabolic disease after SCI, co-director of the NIDRR Model SCI Center, and principle investigator for a United States Department of Defense Multi-Center Trial on weight loss after SCI. Dr. Nash was recently honored by ASIA with the David Apple Award.

 

Vanessa Noonan, PhD, PT
Director of Research, Translational Research Program, Rick Hansen Institute

 

Vanessa Noonan is a physical therapist and she is currently the director of research for the Rick Hansen Institute.   Her primary research interest is in the development and assessment of outcome measures, particularly in the areas of activities, participation and quality of life.  She recently completed her post doctoral fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle and had the opportunity to work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored project Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS).

 

Vanessa has also been involved with the Rick Hansen SCI Registry and assisted in the development of a comprehensive community-follow-up questionnaire for the Registry. In addition, Vanessa has worked with colleagues internationally to develop data sets for activity and participation (Activities and Participation Basic Data Set) and quality of life (Quality of Life Basic Data Set).

 

Colleen O’Connell, MD, FRCPC

Research Chief, Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation

 

Colleen O’Connell completed medical school at Memorial University of Newfoundland and residency in PM&R at Dalhousie University.  She specializes in neurorehabilitation and is research chief at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in New Brunswick, Canada, with faculty appointments at Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine where she is Dalhousie faculty liaison for Global Health.  She is a member of the Canadian ALS Research Network, the Rick Hansen Institute, and the Atlantic Mobility Action Project.

 

In addition to her clinical and research practice, Colleen is founder and chair of Team Canada Healing Hands, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing rehabilitation care and training in developing countries.  She has been leading teams of health care professionals and support volunteers on outreach initiatives in Haiti, and has had the opportunity to work in areas of care delivery, training, and research in Haiti, Belize, Mozambique, Thailand, Malaysia, Kenya, and Nicaragua.  She was a member of Handicap International’s emergency response team in the 2010 Haiti earthquake.  She is co-chair of the CAPM&R Special Interest Group on International Health, is a member of the Disaster Committee of the International Spinal Cord Society and ISPRM, and is the Canadian representative to the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.  She resides in Keswick Ridge, New Brunswick, with her husband Jeff Campbell, her two Haitian-born boys Samuel and Vénel, and a collection of cats and dogs.  When not at work or overseas, she can usually be found in a hockey rink, complaining about the cold.

 

Roger G. Oatley

Partner Oatley, Vigmond Personal Injury Lawyers LLP

 

Roger Oatley has over 30 years experience as a plaintiff’s personal injury lawyer and restricts his practice to serious orthopedic injuries, neurotrauma, medical malpractice and fatalities.  A partner at Oatley, Vigmond, Roger is supported by a team of seven lawyers and about 35 staff.

 

Roger has been a prominent leader in the legal profession.  He has served as president of the Advocates’ Society.  He is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is also an elected Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America.  Both The Advocates’ Society and the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association have presented Roger with awards in recognition of his leadership in the field of advocacy.

 

Roger has also been a frequent contributor to legal education, and has presented from coast to coast in Canada and in the United States.  He is co-author of The Oatley-McLeish Guide to Motor Vehicle Litigation, author of Addressing the Jury, and the second edition of Addressing the Jury and co-author of The Oatley-McLeish Guide to Brain Injury Litigation, The Oatley-McLeish Guide to Anatomy and Impairment and The Oatley-Mcleish Guide to Demonstrative Advocacy.

 

Dale Orlando

Partner McLeish Orlando Personal Injury Lawyers

 

Dale Orlando is a founding partner of the firm McLeish Orlando LLP. He received a BA in Economics from McMaster University and his law degree from the University of Western Ontario. His practice is restricted to serious personal injury and wrongful death cases, acting on behalf of injured people and their family members.

 

Dale is the immediate past president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association, and is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and The Advocates’ Society. He has acted as co-chair and lectured at conferences held by the Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association and the Advocate Society and has also lectured at conferences held by the Law Society of Upper Canada, Canadian Bar Association of Ontario, the Canadian Institute, Insight and the Carleton County Law Association. Additionally, Dale has appeared as a guest lecturer at the University of Western Ontario, York University, Queens University, George Brown College and at various community hospitals and legal clinics.

 

Richard Preuss, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University

 

Ryan Salewski, MSc

PhD Candidate, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Research Institute – UHN

 

Kajana Satkunendrarajah, PhD

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Toronto Western Research Institute – UHN

 

Carol Scovil, BSc, PhD

Transformation Specialist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN

 

Carol Scovil divides her time between being an SCI transformation specialist and as an assistive technology consultant at the SCI Program at Toronto Rehab. Carol completed her doctorate in mechanical engineering, specializing in biomechanics, focusing on gait analysis and modeling. Carol has experience working in SCI rehab in Canada and in low income countries.

 

As a transformation specialist, Carol is responsible for facilitating the SCI-KMN project implementation in Toronto.

 

Christine Short, MD, FRCPC

Co-director, Rehabilitation and Supportive Care QEII Health Sciences Centre; Division Chief, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Co-Appointment, Division of Neurosurgery, Capital District Health Authority; Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University

 

Joanne Smith, BA, CNP.

Certified Nutritionist, Fruitful Elements, Neuro-Nuts

 

Joanne is a graduate of the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Toronto, holds a degree in psychology from York University, as well as a diploma in radio & television broadcasting from Seneca College.

 

As a certified nutritional practitioner, Ms. Smith specializes in providing optimal nutritional health for people with disabilities. Her expertise in the disability community comes from her personal experience of living with a spinal cord injury for over twenty years, as well as her years as host and producer of the Gemini award winning CBC television show Moving On, a national television program that focused on telling in-depth stories about Canadians with disabilities.  Ms. Smith fully understands the special needs of people with disabilities and her nutritional consulting practice helps others live to their maximum potential.

 

In addition to her nutritional practice, Ms. Smith currently hosts the television show Accessibility in Action and is co-author of Eat Well Live Well with Spinal Cord Injury, the first nutrition book dedicated to addressing the unique needs of people with SCI.

 

Ms. Smith’s dedication to raising awareness and improving the lives of Canadians with disabilities led to her receipt of the King Clancy Award in 2006, induction into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame in 2007 and being honored with the Gabriel Award in 2008.

 

Karen M. Smith, MD, FRCPC

Associate Professor, University of Manitoba, Health Sciences Centre

 

Michael Stacey, MBBS, DS, FRACS

Professor, Wound Healing and Occupational Performance Research Group, School of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Western Australia

 

Michael Stacey is a vascular surgeon who has research projects in the areas of venous leg ulcers and sitting acquired pressure ulcers. He is the lead investigator on an international multisite study on the risk factors for sitting acquired pressure ulcers.

 

John D. Steeves, PhD

Peter Wall Institute Distinguished Scholar in Residence & Professor of ICORD (International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries), University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health

 

John Steeves completed his PhD in neuroscience at the University of Manitoba, (Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine) in 1978. After a fellowship at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine, he was first appointed to the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1979 and has been affiliated with several departments in the Faculties of Science and Medicine at UBC. In 2002, he was the first appointment to the BC Leadership Endowed Chair program. He has also been a Wall Distinguished Scholar in Residence at UBC

More significantly, he is the founder of International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD) and was director for the first fifteen years (1995-2010). ICORD currently has over 300 researchers led by over 40 faculty members investigating various aspects of spinal cord injury (SCI) from preclinical discovery and development, through acute clinical trials and best rehabilitation practices, to community integration and ongoing care of medical and social challenges.  

Dr. Steeves brings over 35 years experience in SCI and neuroscience. He is or has been an executive member or chair of many national and international committees and organizations concerned with SCI (e.g. ASIA & ISCoS). He currently chairs Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor (SCOPE), which is the industry-academic-community roundtable for improving SCI clinical trials. He has an extensive list of publications and patents. He has started biotechnology companies, and serves on scientific and clinical advisory boards to several pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Over the years, his basic science research has characterized how neural pathways from the brainstem to the spinal pathways are essential for the initiation of locomotion in all vertebrates, including humans. He and his colleagues made significant contributions to the identification of CNS myelin as inhibitory to functional CNS repair. During the past decade, he has focused his activities on human studies and translational research, including: development of valid clinical trial protocols, neurological and electrophysiological outcome measures after human SCI, and activity-dependent rehabilitation of arm and hand function.

 

Jillian Swaine, BSc OT, Grad Cert (Public Health)

Research Associate Professor, Wound Healing and Occupational Performance Research Group, School of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Western Australia

 

Jillian Swaine is an occupational therapist and PhD candidate.  Her research projects are in the area of pressure ulcer etiology and prevention.

 

Keith Tansey, MD, PhD (Neurorehabilitation)

Director of Spinal Cord Injury Research and Restorative Neurology, Shepherd Center, Departments of Neurology and Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury Clinic, Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center

 

Keith Tansey completed his bachelor’s of science and master’s of science in biology and biomechanics at Stanford University and then his MD and PhD in neuroscience at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.  He completed his residency in neurology at Washington University in St. Louis and then fellowships in spinal cord injury research and neurorehabilitation at the University of California Los Angeles.  He returned to UT Southwestern and directed the spinal cord injury program there before moving to Shepherd Center. 

 

Dr. Tansey is board certified in neurology and spinal cord injury medicine.  He served as a fellow for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation and now serves on the boards of the American Spinal Injury Association, the American Society for Neurorehabilitation, and the International Society for Restorative Neurology. 

 

Dr. Tansey is interested in neural plasticity that leads to functional recovery after spinal cord injury and how that process can be augmented.

 

Charles H. Tator, CM, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS

Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto; Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital – UHN

 

Charles H. Tator is trained in neurosurgery and neuropathology and was chair of neurosurgery, at the University of Toronto. He was head of neurosurgery at the Toronto Western Hospital, and the University Health Network. In 1992, he founded ThinkFirst, Canada, a national brain and spinal cord injury foundation aimed at reducing the incidence of catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries. He has published 321 papers in peer review journals and 85 book chapters, mostly in the field of brain and spinal cord injury. He has performed research on the epidemiology, prevention and treatment of brain and spinal cord injury. Currently, his laboratory is focused on stem cells for regeneration of the injured nervous system. He has held two research chairs at the University of Toronto, the Dan Family Chair in Neurosurgery and the Campeau-Tator Chair in Brain and Spinal Cord Research. He is a member of the Order of Canada, and an inductee into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. At present, he is a senior scientist in the Toronto Western Research Institute and a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Toronto. He is the project leader for the Canadian Sports Concussion Project at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital. Recent awards include the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Canadian Neurosurgical Society and in 2012 the Excellence in Safety Award of USA Hockey.

 

Laura Titus, OT, PhD (candidate)

Adjunct Faculty, MCISc Wound Health School of Physical Therapy, Western University

 

Julia Totosy de Zepetnek, MSc, PhD candidate

PhD Candidate, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University

 

Andrea Townson, MD, FRCPC

Medical Site Lead, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre; Head and Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of British Columbia

 

Andrea Townson is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is a certificant of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.  In addition, she holds subspecialty certification in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine from the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her research interests include spinal cord injury, high tetraplegia and ventilator dependency and fatigue. She is a member of International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD) in Vancouver

 

Kristen Walden, BScPT

National Clinical Coordinator, Rick Hansen Institute; Spine Program Physiotherapist, GF Strong Rehab Centre

 

Kristen Walden is a physiotherapist who has been practicing in the area of spinal cord injuries across the continuum of care for 11 years. She works at GF Strong on the Spine Outpatient and Wound Care Programs, and is the national clinical coordinator for the Rick Hansen Institute. Her research interests include spinal cord injury and best practice implementation. She has provided training to more than 250 clinicians across Canada on assessing patients using the International Standards for the Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI).  

 

Gale Whiteneck, PhD

Director of Research, Craig Hospital

 

Gale Whiteneck has been the director of research at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado since 1986.  He is the principal investigator on a six-center collaborative spinal cord injury (SCI) study to identify specific rehabilitation interventions most strongly associated with better outcomes in the first year after SCI.  He is the author of three books, numerous articles, and the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART) and the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF), which have been used in the National SCI and TBI Databases and other disability research. 

 

Jared Wilcox, MSc, PhD (candidate)

PhD Candidate, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto; Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Research Institute – UHN

 

Jefferson Wilson, MD

Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Toronto Western Hospital – UHN; Spinal Cord Program, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto

Jefferson R. Wilson is a neurosurgery resident in the University of Toronto training program. At present he is also pursuing graduate studies under the supervision of Dr. Michael Fehlings which will ultimately lead to a PhD in clinical research methods and biostatistics. His main research interests are in the realm of spinal trauma, specifically predictive modeling in spinal cord injury, development of new classification systems for spinal trauma and planning and participating in clinical trials investigating new therapies for SCI. His research work is currently supported by post-doctoral fellowship grants from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation as well as from the Cervical Spine Research Society.

 

Dalton Wolfe, PhD

Associate Scientist, Program of Aging, Rehabilitation and Geriatric Care, Lawson Health Research Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care London

 

Jaynie Yang, PT, PhD

Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta

 

Jaynie Yang has undergraduate training in physical therapy from Queen’s University, graduate training from the University of Waterloo - specializing in the biomechanics of human walking, and post-doctoral training from the University of Alberta - specializing in the neuroscience of human walking.  She is best known for her work with young children, in which she showed that children have a very sophisticated control of stepping movements well before they walk independently.  Her current work in children addresses the limitations of the young nervous system in other forms of locomotion such as crawling, and the development of the ability to learn new motor tasks in walking.  Her translational research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying training-induced changes in walking after injuries to the nervous system, such as spinal cord injury and perinatal stroke, in order to improve physical therapy interventions for optimizing walking. 

 

Paul B. Yoo, PhD (Biomedical Engineering)

Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto

 

Paul Yoo is an assistant professor of biomaterials & biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering at the University of Toronto. He is an expert in the field of neural engineering in which his research seeks to better understand the neurophysiological mechanisms of disease and therefore apply these principles to developing novel therapies based on electrical neuromodulation. Dr. Yoo has published numerous peer-reviewed journal papers, patents and conference abstracts, and has also played an important role in conducting industry-sponsored research partnerships involving both medical technology start-up companies (Microtransponder Inc.) and large corporations (Johnson & Johnson, and Boston Scientific Corporation). Prior to joining the faculty of applied science and engineering at the University of Toronto in 2012, Dr. Yoo worked both as a post-doctoral research associate and assistant research professor at Duke University. Dr. Yoo received his bachelor’s of science from the University of Toronto in engineering science, a master’s of science in biomedical engineering from the University of Southern California, and PhD from Case Western Reserve University in biomedical engineering. 

 

Vera Zivanovic, MD

Research Coordinator, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – UHN

 

Vera Zivanovic received her medical degree in 1986 from the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia And Herzegovina. From 1986 until 1993, she worked as a family physician. Presently she is working as a research coordinator at the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory of Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.  She coordinated numerous research projects on stroke and spinal cord injury programs. Her research involves studying the benefits of functional electrical stimulation and robotic arm devices in the rehabilitation of upper extremity function in neurological population and has published various articles in this area.

 

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