Speakers
Monica Aggarwal
Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Monica Aggarwal is an assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Monica’s primary professional and research interests are health services delivery and health policy in Canada, with emphasis on primary and community health care. Monica has built her career on developing research evidence that will inform health care policy and result in better outcomes for patients, populations, clinicians and the health care system. Monica’s research interests include primary care reform, primary care governance, collaborative and team-based models, medical education, research productivity and impact, practice-based research networks, diversity, equity and inclusion in research within higher education and at population level.
Mohamed Alarakhia
Family Physician, Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team; and CEO, eHealth Centre of Excellence
Mohamed Alarakhia is a family physician at the Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team; CEO of the eHealth Centre of Excellence; an assistant clinical professor at McMaster University, where he is the Faculty Digital Health and Innovation Lead at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine; an adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo; and a board member for Digital Health Canada and the KW4 Primary Care Network. Dr Alarakhia was awarded the Digital Health Executive of the Year Award in 2019 and the College of Family Physicians of Canada Award of Excellence in 2018 and 2022. In 2024, he was the recipient of the John C. Sibley Award for Excellence in Education for Part Time Faculty. Dr Alarakhia and the eHealth Centre of Excellence won the Innovation Award in 2022 from the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. The eHealth Centre of Excellence received a Canadian Medical Association Joule Innovation Grant and an AFHTO Team Award in 2020, as well as a Patient Care Innovation Team Award at the 2019 Canadian Health Informatics Awards and a 2019 Ingenious Award from Information Technology Association of Canada.
Shannon Berg
Executive Director, Primary Health Care and Virtual Services, First Nations Health Authority
Shannon Berg currently serves as Executive Director, Primary Health Care and Virtual Services with the First Nations Health Authority in BC. She lives, works and plays on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish people including the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Shannon is a registered occupational therapist in BC, and holds a PhD in health services research and a MSc in health services planning and administration, both from University of BC. She is an associate with the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation (C2E2) and clinical faculty with the University of BC Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
Sacha Bhatia
Executive Vice President, Primary and Community-Based Care, Ontario Health
Sacha Bhatia is the Executive Vice President, Primary and Community-Based Care, at Ontario Health. Previously, he was the FM Hill Chair in Health Systems Solutions and the Chief Medical Innovation Officer of Women’s College Hospital (WCH), as well as the Division Head of Cardiology at WCH. A scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (IC/ES) and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, he has been published in international peer reviewed journals like the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA Internal Medicine. In 2013, he founded the Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV) and served as its Director until 2019. He has been a commentator on Bloomberg News, CTV News and the CBC, and has been asked to give over 100 presentations internationally, nationally and regionally over the past 6 years.
Onil Bhattacharyya
Director, Institute for Health Systems Solutions and Virtual Care, Women’s College Hospital; and Associate Professor, University of Toronto
Onil Bhattacharyya is the Frigon Blau Chair in Family Medicine Research at Women’s College Hospital and Director of the Institute for Health Systems Solutions and Virtual Care, and an associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. He is co-chair of the Canadian Primary Care Research Network. He was a Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice at the Commonwealth Fund in New York City and a Takemi Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. Onil is a practicing family physician and his work focuses on evaluation of digital health tools, balancing rigour and responsiveness to conduct research in collaboration with policymakers to inform allocation decisions.
Ivy Bourgeault
Professor, University of Ottawa
Ivy Lynn Bourgeault is a professor in the School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies at the University of Ottawa and the University Research Chair in Gender, Diversity and the Professions. She leads the Canadian Health Workforce Network, the Empowering Women Leaders in Health initiative and co-leads the Team Primary Care: Training for Transformation project. Dr Bourgeault has garnered an international reputation for her research on the health workforce, particularly from a gender lens. Past projects have examined the migration and integration of health workers from a comparative perspective and primary and maternity care workforce issues. Recent projects focus on care relationships in home and long-term care, and on psychological health and safety of professional workers. She has been a consultant to various provincial Ministries of Health in Canada, to Health Canada, the pan American Health Organization, the OECD, and the World Health Organization. Board experience includes the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative, the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the international journal, Human Resources for Health. She was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in September 2016 and received the 2016/17 University of Ottawa Award for Excellence in Research.
Rick Glazier
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
Rick Glazier is Scientific Director of the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and a Senior Core Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. He is also a staff family physician at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and a Scientist in its Centre for Urban Health Solutions, a Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and Dalla Lana School of Public Health. His research interests include evaluating health system transformation, primary care health services delivery models, health of disadvantaged populations, management of chronic conditions, and population-based and geographic methods for improving equity in health.
Laura Housden
President, Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada
Laura Housden is a family practice nurse practitioner with over 18 years of NP experience. Her early career as a registered nurse spanned acute care, primary care, street outreach, and research nursing. She was the first graduate of UBC’s NP program to complete a PhD in nursing, with her doctoral research focusing on healthcare delivery models for patients with chronic conditions. Laura is the Executive Director of Nurse Practitioners for Fraser Health Authority, where she leads a team of 200 NPs and staff. In this role, she works closely with NPs and operational leadership to advance the development, integration, and sustainability of NP positions, shaping the regional NP strategy. She also provides clinical care as an NP with the Indigenous Health team in Surrey, BC. Laura also serves as President of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada, the pan-Canadian voice for NPs. In this capacity, she collaborates with NP leaders and stakeholders across the country, advocating for policies that strengthen NP practice and enhance healthcare delivery.
Treena Klassen
Executive Director, Palliser Primary Care Network
Dr Treena Klassen is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years of experience in primary care and mental health. She holds a specialty certificate in advanced mental health, a graduate degree in education, and a doctorate in business administration, with research focused on Registered Nurse leadership in the Patient’s Medical Home (PMH). Dr Klassen’s career spans roles in in-home care for individuals with chronic mental illness, acute mental health settings, and regional mental health education. She has led curriculum design, clinical assessments, policy writing, and accreditation support across healthcare systems. As Executive Director of a primary care network in southeastern Alberta for over 18 years, she oversees ~40 PMHs, focusing on teamwork, patient safety, quality improvement, and community interconnectivity. A recognized leader, Dr Klassen has chaired the CNA Network of Nursing Specialties, was the inaugural chair of the CNA Specialty Nursing Practice Council, was the President of the CFPNA and has contributed to national initiatives, including the 2019 PMH update with the CFPC and the development of competencies for Registered Nurses in primary care. Her expertise in research, governance, policy writing, and strategic development continues to drive improvements in healthcare delivery.
Rita McCracken
Assistant Professor, Department of Family Practice, University of BC
Rita McCracken (she/her) is a family doctor and uninvited guest on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish people. She is also an assistant professor in the Department of Family Practice, UBC. She chose medicine as a second career after working in human resources for high tech companies and has an undergraduate degree in commerce (1992) from the University of Alberta. Dr McCracken completed medical school (2006) at the University of Calgary and her Family Practice residency (2008) at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Her PhD (2018) is from the University of BC Experimental Medicine program where she studied primary care prescribing practices that minimize harm from prescription medication, especially for older people. She studies the family doctor “shortage” in Canada and structures and interventions that can increase equitable patient access to high quality, longitudinal primary care. She is frequently invited by broadcast and print media to comment on the issues related to the lack of adequate access to primary care.
Ray Messom
Principal, Nous Group
Ray Messom has more than 20 years of experience as a healthcare executive, leader, system thinker, evaluator and implementor. Ray has worked extensively first-hand with governments as a senior executive within Ministries of Health and provincial-wide service providers and, in Australia, as a Primary Health Network CEO. In addition to his direct experience in the health sectors, Ray has worked as an international management consultant across Canada and Australia at national, provincial and local levels. He is currently leading Nous Group‘s Canadian Health Practice, working across social, primary, community, acute and continuing care systems. He works at the nexus of academia, and public and private sectors to achieve improved outcomes for Canadians. He is passionate about driving equitable access, system improvement and person-centred approaches.
Shaneel Pathak
Member, Patient Council, Canadian Primary Care Research Network
Shaneel’s transformative journey from caregiver to health innovator ignites his passion for reshaping the healthcare landscape. His experience taught him that life continues to grow if you turn grief into gratitude. As a dynamic speaker, Shaneel passionately shares his vision for empowering patients and enhancing care through accessible, actionable insights. He is the co-founder of Zamplo, a digital health platform designed to provide real-world data for Patient Support Programs while enabling individuals to take charge of their own care. Zamplo ensures that all data remains with the individual for life, empowering them to advocate effectively for themselves. Shaneel has a BEng in Computer Engineering, a MA in Political Economy, and currently sits on the patient council of the Canadian Primary Care Research Network.
Bob Phillips
Founding Executive Director, Center for Professionalism and Value in Health Care
A nationally recognized leader on primary care policy and healthcare reform, Robert Phillips was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in 2010. In 2018, he was named the founding Executive Director of the Center for Professionalism and Value in Health Care. He is a graduate of the Missouri University of Science and Technology and the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he graduated with honors for special distinction. He completed training in family medicine at the University of Missouri in 1998, followed by a two-year fellowship in health services research and public health. After fellowship, Dr Phillips became assistant director of the Robert Graham Center, Washington DC, and from 2004 to 2012, he served as its director. In 2012, he moved to the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) as Vice President for Research and Policy, where he led the launch of a national clinical registry. He currently practices part-time in a community-based residency program in Fairfax, Virginia, and is Professor of Family Medicine at Georgetown University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He served on the American Medical Association’s Council on Medical Education and as president of the National Residency Matching Program. From 2006 to 2010, he was vice chair of the US Council on Graduate Medical Education, and from 2015 to 2019, he served on the National Committee for Vital and Health Statistics as co-chair of Population Health.
Norma Rabbitskin
Senior Health Nurse, Sturgeon Lake First Nation
Norma Rabbitskin is a fluent Cree speaker and a member of the Big River First Nation, Saskatchewan. As the Senior Health Nurse, Norma oversees the primary care, community health and home care programs for the Sturgeon Lake First Nation. She is a strong proponent Matriarch in the continual enhancement of community based-programs and research initiatives; Norma works with Elders/Knowledge keepers to maintain traditional healing practices and to achieve optimal wellness, in all aspects of daily life. In a professional capacity, Norma’s Nehiyaw heritage informs her philosophy of nursing and grounds her beliefs of well-being within a worldview and these values guide her work ethic in providing holistic health care. Norma works to build cultural competencies within the workplace that meet the cultural-relevant care needs of the clients, families and Nation. In March 2020, she received Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association (SRNA) Award for Excellence in Truth and Reconciliation award which is given to a registered nurse for moving reconciliation forward in Saskatchewan. The award criteria are based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, specifically numbers 18 through 22. Currently, Norma is co-project lead in the Revitalizing Birthing/ Midwifery demonstration project for Sturgeon Lake First Nation.
Vivian Ramsden
Professor, University of Saskatchewan
Vivian Ramsden, a Registered Nurse, is a Distinguished Professor and Director of the Research Division in the Department of Academic Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. She teaches in the areas of clinical research methods and primary care/family medicine research. As a participatory researcher, she is a passionate advocate for authentic engagement, co-creation and transformative action research which involves strategies to engage individuals and communities in identifying and addressing locally relevant issues that impact health and wellness. She is an Honorary Member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Jennifer Rayner
Director of Research and Policy, Alliance for Healthier Communities
Jennifer Rayner is the Director of Research and Policy at the Alliance for Healthier Communities, where she supports 100+ community based primary care organizations in Ontario. She is an applied health services researcher with interests in primary health care, interprofessional teams, health equity, and learning health systems. Jennifer is also a Research Professor at Western University within the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine; an Associate Professor at University of Toronto in the Department of Community and Family Medicine and the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation; and a scientist with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). She works in collaboration with researchers, evaluators and policy makers to improve care for people with barriers. Her community based primary care experience includes leadership roles in policy, planning, performance, accountability and quality improvement.
Ghislaine Rouly
Member, Patient Council, Canadian Primary Care Research Network
Ghislaine Rouly has been a patient since birth, living with two orphan genetic diseases and surviving three major cancers. She has acquired a unique level of experiential knowledge as a patient and as peer mentor accompanying people living with complex medical and social issues. She has published eight articles in international peer-reviewed journals and given more than 86 lectures (including 30 invited international conferences). She is also co-founder of the Caring Community action research program on peer integration in community care. Her expertise as a patient researcher is solicited by several organizations in North America, including the Canadian Primary Care Research Network, Patient-Centered Outcome Research Institute, and North American Primary Care Research Group, and internationally (France, Ireland, United Kingdom and Japan).
Walter Wodchis
Associate Professor, University of Toronto
Walter Wodchis is Associate Professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. He is also a Research Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and an Adjunct Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. His main research interests are health economics and financing, health care policy evaluation, and long-term care. He is also the principal investigator for the Health System Performance Research Network. In this program, he leads a team focused on research projects that identify complex populations with chronic conditions who transition through multiple health care sectors and develop health system performance measurement for these populations.