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HOST
Dr. Shazma Mithani
Physician Leadership Institute faculty
Shazma Mithani is an emergency physician at the Royal Alexandra and Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. She has worked as an adult and paediatric ER physician since 2014, after completing her residency at the University of Alberta. She finished medical school in 2009 at Western University in London, Ontario.Shazma has been involved in health advocacy for years and works with vulnerable patient populations everyday while on shift. Her advocacy includes working with all levels of government during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that the public and hospital capacity were protected. Shazmacontinues to advocate for system-wide change in areas such as emergency department overcrowding, EMS capacity, the drug poisoning crisis, and physician burnout.Outside of the hospital, she advocates for public health education through her social media platforms, as well as community initiatives, such as naloxone kit training.Shazma serves on the boards of the Alberta Medical Association and the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton.
HOST
Dr. Carl White Ulysse
CMA Member
Carl White Ulysse is an anesthesiologist at the Hospital for Sick Children, where he completed his fellowship in pediatric anesthesia. He is a graduate of the MDCM program at McGill University and the anesthesia residency program at the University of Toronto. Carl is a medical leader, having served as the first Black president of Resident Doctors of Canada, as well as president of the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO) and executive vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. Currently, he chairs the governance committee of the Canadian Resident Matching Service. In addition to his medical training, Carl completed a Master of Business Administration at Stanford University, in addition to a certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation. As a queer man of colour, Carl is passionate about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). After being involved with EDI workshops for business students at Stanford, he oversaw the initial phase of implementation of an EDI framework at PARO.
ELDER
Jenny Tenasco
Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg
Jenny Tenasco is a proud Anishinabe Algonquin Kokom (grandmother) from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg community north of Ottawa. She is a residential school survivor and a retired child and youth worker who has dedicated her life to working with Anishinabe children and youth. In her career, Jenny focused on teaching special needs children and sharing her knowledge of Anishinabe Algonquin culture, teachings and language. She firmly believes in the strength and resiliency of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.
KEYNOTE
Brittlestar
Content creator
Brittlestar, known to some as Stewart Reynolds (mainly his mum when he’s in trouble), has taken the digital world by storm with his sharp wit, family-friendly humor, and relatable commentary. With hundreds of thousands tuning in weekly and over 650 million views across platforms, Brittlestar’s videos make people laugh and think — a powerful combination that has captured a global fanbase. His creative collaborations range from household brands like Disney, Subway, and Walmart to celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds, Gordon Ramsay, and The Property Brothers. His videos even earned him an invite to the White House from the Obamas, a meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau, and speaking engagements across North America. In 2017, Brittlestar’s KFC campaign video “Explaining Canada Day to Americans” became the top branded video content on Facebook, and his many other viral campaigns have showcased his creativity, humour, and influence.
MODERATOR
André Picard
Health columnist, The Globe and Mail
André Picard is the health columnist at The Globe and Mail, and the author of six bestselling books. He has twice been named Canada’s top newspaper columnist in the National Newspaper Awards and is a recipient of the prestigious Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service Journalism. André has received much acclaim for his dedication to improving health care, including the Owen Adams Award, the highest CMA award for a non-physician. He is a graduate of the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, and has honorary doctorates from eight universities, including UBC and the University of Toronto. André is a member of the Order of Canada.
PANELLIST
Dr. Tom Frieden
Former director, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, Tom Frieden is a physician trained in internal medicine, infectious diseases, public health, and epidemiology. He is former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and former commissioner of the New York City Health Department. He also helped start Mike Bloomberg’s global health philanthropy, particularly the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, which has helped countries implement measures that will prevent more than 35 million deaths. As director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tom oversaw the work that helped end the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic. Tom founded Resolve to Save Lives in 2017 and leads the organization’s efforts to partner with countries to prevent 100 million deaths from cardiovascular disease and to make the world safer from epidemics. In the organization’s first seven years, these efforts prevented nearly eight million deaths.
PANELLIST
Apoorva Mandavilli
Science and global health reporter, The New York Times
Apoorva Mandavilli is a reporter for The New York Times, focusing on science and global health. She writes mainly about infectious diseases like Covid-19 and mpox, and scourges like H.I.V., malaria and tuberculosis that remain big killers in parts of the world. Her reporting explores the pathogens that cause these diseases, the tools to try and stop their spread, and the public health agencies that try to manage them. In 2021, Apoorva shared in the paper's Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of the pandemic, and was a member of the team that was a finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. She is also the 2019 winner of the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting and has won numerous other awards. Apoorva has been writing (and editing) articles about science and health for more than 20 years.
PANELLIST
Dr. Joss Reimer
CMA President
Joss Reimer served as chief medical officer for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Before this, she worked as medical lead and official spokesperson for Manitoba's COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Taskforce and as the medical director of public health for Winnipeg. She has expertise in health equity, immunizations, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections and harm reduction. Joss spent nine years as director of population health for undergraduate medical education at the University of Manitoba, where she developed and directed the four-year population health course still used today. She also maintains a clinical practice in maternity care, labour and delivery at Women's Hospital. Voted Humanitarian of the Year by Doctors Manitoba, Joss is passionate about physician wellness and public health.
PANELLIST
The Hon. Sylvia Jones
Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
Sylvia Jones is the Member of Provincial Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon. She is currently Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, where her focus is building a more connected and convenient healthcare system for all Ontarians. In her role, Sylvia has collaborated with healthcare partners across Ontario to get shovels in the ground for 50 hospital projects, triple the number of families eligible for publicly funded fertility services, make the largest investment in pediatric care in the province's history, provide faster access to publicly funded surgeries and procedures, grow the healthcare workforce, and work toward connecting every person in the province to a primary care provider by 2029. Previously, Sylvia served as Solicitor General, where she led Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout and championed public safety initiatives. She has lived in Dufferin-Caledon for over 30 years with her husband, David.
PANELLIST
The Hon. Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
Born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador, Premier Dr. Andrew Furey is a passionate orthopaedic trauma surgeon and educator with Memorial University’s School of Medicine. Andrew has a diverse education, which includes a Diploma in Organizational Leadership from Oxford University and a Masters in Clinical Epidemiology from Memorial. His strong work ethic has earned him many local, provincial, and national awards and honours. He was named Humanitarian of the Year by the Canadian Red Cross and earned the Governor General of Canada’s Meritorious Service Cross. In 2010, he helped create Team Broken Earth to provide medical relief after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. This Newfoundland and Labrador-born charity has since expanded in size and scope. Today, over 1,500 volunteers from across Canada, the US, and UK have participated in medical missions to Haiti as well as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. On top of that, Andrew helped found A Dollar A Day Foundation to support mental health initiatives across Canada.
PANELLIST
The Hon. Uzoma Asagwara
Manitoba’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care
Uzoma Asagwara was first elected as the MLA for Union Station in 2019, when they became one of the first black MLAs elected in Manitoba’s history. They served as the official opposition critic for health from 2019-2023. Before becoming an MLA, Uzoma was a psychiatric nurse, addictions specialist and community health and equity advocate. They have served as the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care since 2023. They are also a former member of the Canadian National Basketball team.
MODERATOR
Georgina Black
Chief Growth & Client Officer, Deloitte
As Chief Growth & Client Officer at Deloitte, Georgina Black leads their client, alliance and industry programs, focused on creating impact for clients and communities across Canada and globally. She is a member of the firm’s Executive and Global Clients & Industry teams. A trusted advisor, business leader, entrepreneur, and board member, Georgina is committed to strengthening Canada's health care economy through work at the intersection of the public and private sectors. She believes that a prosperous Canada requires an ambitious, modern, and accountable health care system. Georgina’s strategic acumen and inspired leadership have earned her recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. She is a sought-after speaker and panelist on the future of Canada’s health care economy and has co-authored influential reports including Catalyst: A Vision for a Thriving Canada 2030, Making Canada the Best Place to Age by 2030, and Digital Equity. Most recently, she contributed to the Public Policy Forum’s series, Taking Back Healthcare.
KEYNOTE
Dan Breznitz
Munk Chair of Innovation Studies, University of Toronto
Dan Breznitz brings a unique voice into questions about innovation, globalization, economic growth, local prosperity and inequality. His experiences in multiple countries and roles make him one of the world’s most dynamic thinkers, speakers and policy developers. Dan is a professor at the University of Toronto, where he also holds the Munk Chair of Innovation Studies and is co-director of the Innovation Policy Lab. He is known worldwide as an expert on rapid-innovation-based industries and their globalization, as well as for his pioneering research on the distributional impact of innovation policies. In addition, Dan is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research where he co-directs the program on innovation, equity and the future of prosperity. His most recent book, Innovation in Real Places: Strategies for Prosperity in an Unforgiving World, offers pragmatic advice while debunking dangerous myths on innovation, growth and prosperity. In 2021, it won the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy and was chosen one of the best business books by the Financial Times.
SPEAKER
Ambe Chenemu
CMA Patient Voice
Ambe Chenemu is a member of the CMA Patient Voice and is based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT). He is a husband, father, community organizer and advocate from Cameroon who is passionate about building strong and empowered communities. He is the founder and president of the Black Advocacy Coalition, founding president of the Global Shapers Hub in Yellowknife, founding member of Black CAN, and until recently, held the position of government advisor with the Tłı̨chǫ Government. Ambe is an advocate for the health care needs of people in the NWT and understands the gaps inservices in the North due to his own lived experience.
SPEAKER
William Gagnon
Health care systems decarbonization expert
William Gagnon is an expert in health care systems decarbonization and sustainable medicine. As the Director of Implementation at the Centre for Sustainable Medicine at the National University of Singapore, he supports health care leaders in decarbonizing their practices. A former Energy Transition Advisor at Doctors Without Borders, William spearheaded initiatives to decarbonize facilities, electrical systems, and vehicles in Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Uganda, where he learned firsthand the challenges of balancing sustainability with safety, security and critical health care needs. A French Canadian from Quebec, William holds a Bachelor of Building Engineering from Concordia University, a Master of Bioresource Engineering from McGill University, and two LEED professional accreditations. He has studied climate and leadership at both Harvard and Cornell Universities. In August 2023, William was among 25,000 residents evacuated from Yellowknife due to catastrophic wildfires. Named a Top 30 Under 30 sustainability leader by Corporate Knights, he often speaks about climate on global stages.
SPEAKER
Dr. Elisa Levi
Rural family physician
Elisa Levi practises family medicine on the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. With a distinguished and focused career in Indigenous health, she recently completed medical school and rural family medicine training at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University. She holds a Master of Public Health from Lakehead University and a Bachelor of Applied Science from Toronto Metropolitan University with dual designation as a registered dietitian. Elisa is proudly Anishinaabe, a mother and a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation in Ontario. She values reciprocity in her professional practice, contributing to multiple advisory committees, including serving as vice-chair of the Anishnawbe Health Foundation. Elisa is committed to advancing the health and well-being of her clients by integrating place-based principles to enhance patient care.
SPEAKER
Dr. Ashley Miller
Chief Medical Information Officer, Nova Scotia Health
Ashley Miller is an academic general internist, virtual care advocate and passionate champion for digitally enabled health care transformation. After graduating from the faculty of medicine at the University of Ottawa, she completed her residency in internal medicine and general internal medicine at Memorial University. She holds a Master of Science in Health Policy, Planning and Financing from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Ashley is an associate professor with Dalhousie University's department of medicine and enjoys a part-time clinical practice in diverse care settings in addition to her role as chief medical information officer (CMIO) for IWK Health and Nova Scotia Health. As CMIO, she is championing digital transformation across Nova Scotia, including as a leader of the One Person One Record initiative.
MODERATOR
Juanita Taylor
Senior reporter/host, CBC North
Originally from Arviat, Nunavut, Juanita Taylor embodies the values of the North. In 2009, she began her career with CBC in Yellowknife as a reporter, news reader, radio and television host. Juanita is now the senior reporter for CBC News Network covering the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. Occasionally she hosts The National and CBC Morning Live and has also made guest appearances hosting World Report and The Current. In 2023, Juanita won the Canadian Screen Award for Best National Reporter. She is currently based in Yellowknife.
PANELLIST
Treena Wasonti:io Delormier
Tahatikonhsontóntie’ Quebec Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research
Treena Wasonti:io Delormier is Kanien’kehà:ka (Mohawk) from the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory where she was raised and currently resides. She is an associate professor in the School of Human Nutrition and associate director of the Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment at McGill University. Her research focuses on Indigenous peoples’ food and nutrition, food sovereignty and health promotion. It addresses the social determinants of health that underlie health inequities in Indigenous populations, primarily in the context of colonialism. Treena is also strongly committed to enhancing the capacity of researchers and institutions to do research that respects the self-determination and knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples. As principal investigator at Tahatikonhsontóntie’ Quebec Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR), Treena draws on the collective talent of their team in a spirit of respect and cooperation, guided and informed by the communities and institutions with whom they work.
PANELLIST
Dr. Michael Dumont
LU’MA medical centre
Michael Dumont is an Anishinaabe family physician and member of Shawanaga First Nation, now making his home on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples. He helped establish Lu'ma Medical Centre in 2016 and serves as medical director for this team-based Indigenous primary care centre that integrates traditional Indigenous and Western medical approaches to health and healing. Michael is also a regular family physician for the Musqueam First Nation and serves as the inaugural chairperson for the First Nations and Aboriginal Primary Care Network, a partnership of eight Indigenous owned-and-operated clinics across Vancouver and Coast Salish territory. He is also a past vice-president and board member for the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada.
PANELLIST
Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne
Executive director, Joyce’s Principle Office
Atikamekw Nehirowiskwew from Manawan, Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and is currently finalizing a Master's degree in Public Management in an Indigenous context. Jennifer spent her childhood in Manawan, which inspired her to want to improve the living conditions of her nation’s members. After working for nearly 15 years in the public health and social services network, she is now executive director of Joyce’s Principle Office. Jennifer is also involved with her community's Atikamekw Women's Council in collectively improving their life conditions. Over the past 5 years, Jennifer has contributed to several initiatives related to cultural safety in health care, including with her professional association — l’Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec — where she’s been a member since 2009. She is part of their Groupe de concertation sur l'amélioration des soins aux Premières Nations et Inuit. Jennifer is committed to the preservation of the Atikamekw Nehiromowin language and the intergenerational transmission of ancestral knowledge.
PANELLIST
Debbie Eisan
Elder, Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre
Chief Petty Officer Second Class (Ret’d) Debbie Eisan is an Ojibway Anishinabe kwe from Batchewana First Nation and was born in Sault Ste. Marie. During her 36-year military career, she served numerous tours of duty, highlighted by her involvement in the close out operation of the United Nations Base in Rwanda, and her posting to the HMCS Iroquois, upon which she spent seven months in the Arabian Sea supporting the Global War on Terrorism. Debbie is the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Aboriginal Women in Leadership Foundation Award of Distinction (2004), the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022) for her work in advocating for and bringing cultural awareness to Aboriginal people serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. This year, she received the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Debbie now works as the community events planner at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax.
PANELLIST
Dr. Brent Young
Wije’winen Health Centre
Brent Young is Anishinaabe and a member of Sandy Bay First Nation. His mother is a Sixties Scoop Survivor, and his grandmother was a survivor of Sandy Bay Indian Residential School. He was born and raised in Unama’ki. He is a family physician at Sipekne’katik Health Centre, academic director for Indigenous health at Dalhousie Medical School, and founding clinical lead of Wije’winen Health Centre. He played a key role in supporting the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in establishing this service for the urban Indigenous community of Halifax in 2022. Through his leadership, Dalhousie Medical School has seen a substantial increase in the number of Indigenous medical students being admitted through a new Indigenous Admissions Pathway. This pathway is poised to become a key driver of the Indigenous physician workforce in the region and across Canada. His primary area of interest is dismantling anti-Indigenous racism in health care systems using rights-based frameworks.
MODERATOR
Alex Munter
CEO, CMA
Alex Munter joined the CMA as its chief executive officer (CEO) in December 2024, building on decades of experience in the health and social sector. From 2011 to 2024, he served as president and CEO of CHEO, one of Canada’s few stand-alone, full-service tertiary pediatric health and research centres. During his tenure, CHEO improved access to care by becoming a national leader in digital health, developing innovative new models of care and more than doubling in size. Before his work at CHEO, Alex served as CEO of the Champlain Local Health Integration Network and as executive director of the Youth Services Bureau, one of Ontario’s largest accredited children's mental health agencies. As a city and regional councillor in Ottawa from 1991 to 2003, he headed council committees responsible for municipally delivered services like public health, ambulances, long-term care centres and a host of health-related social services.
KEYNOTE
Anthony Morgan
Co-host, The Nature of Things
Anthony Morgan is an award-winning science communicator, Ph.D. researcher, startup founder and game designer who has hosted dozens of TV programs. He’s also the new host of The Nature of Things on CBC Television. He's obsessed with changing how people see, think and talk about science in their everyday lives. He's spent close to 20 years finding ways to do just that. He's worked at the Ontario Science Centre with Asap SCIENCE, written for newspapers, hosted CBC Radio, collaborated with municipal governments and serves on the steering committee of the misinformation-tackling Science Up First. This work and more has earned him multiple distinctions and award nominations, including a Falling Walls nomination for a breakthrough science engagement initiative and being named one of CBC's top 20 millennial change-makers.
KEYNOTE
Dr. Daniel Yang
VP of AI and Emerging Technology, Kaiser Permanente
Daniel Yang is vice president of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals. Under his leadership, Kaiser Permanente is plotting a course of responsible Al use that advances the organization's mission of providing high-quality, affordable care for its 12.5 million members and improving the health of its communities. In his role, Daniel ensures the organization is applying Al in ways that are safe, dependable, accurate, and equitable, establishes quality oversight for all Al applications, including those used in clinical operations, research, education, and related administrative functions, and partners with teams to develop structures and processes to evaluate, prioritize, manage, and monitor those applications. He represents Kaiser Permanente as a member of the US Al Safety Consortium and the Coalition for Health Al. Daniel is a practicing internal medicine physician. He completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Illinois, his internal medicine residency at the University of California, and a fellowship in health care systems design at Stanford University.
SPEAKER
Eddie Guo
Medical student
Eddie Guo is a medical student at the University of Calgary whose work focuses on applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care. He is the co-creator of OSCEai, a generative AI tool for simulated patient and physician interactions integrated into Canadian medical and nursing curricula, with users in more than 80 countries. Eddie's research explores applications of AI in medical education and neurosurgery, with a focus on language models for clinical decision support and personalized learning. Additionally, he serves as president of the Calgary Medical Students’ Association, representing the interests of more than 400 medical students.
SPEAKER
Carolyn McGregor
Dean of the Faculty of Business & IT, Ontario Tech University
Carolyn McGregor AM is dean of the Faculty of Business and IT at Ontario Tech University and founding co-director of the Joint Research Centre in AI for Health and Wellness between Ontario Tech University and the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Carolyn leads pioneering research in big data analytics, AI, edge computing and data mesh infrastructures. She applies this leading-edge research in her international award-winning Artemis and Athena AI platforms for health, wellness, resilience and adaptation in critical care, astronaut health, firefighter training and tactical officer resilience assessment and development. Carolyn has more than 200 refereed publications, more than $18 million in research funding and three patents in multiple jurisdictions. The media regularly call upon her to provide insight on the latest technology trends.
SPEAKER
Angus Pratt
CMA Patient Voice
Angus Pratt is a member of the CMA Patient Voice and a health activist, social media influencer, blogger, researcher, public speaker and writer. He is passionate about raising awareness of lung cancer, and is a regular presenter at the World Conference on Lung Cancer. He is also an advocate for breast cancer in men and broader health care issues. Angus has published several pieces on the emerging issue of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care from the patient perspective. He has also served as a reviewer of research grants for the Canadian Cancer Society and for the CMA’s Health Care Unburdened Grant program, which received many applications related to AI.
SPEAKER
Dr. Caley Shukalek
Chief Medical Officer, PurposeMed
Caley Shukalek is a Clinical Associate Professor in the departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, where he also completed medical school and his General Internal Medicine residency/fellowship training. Caley completed additional clinical and research training at Johns Hopkins University and The Johns Hopkins Hospital. His clinical research focuses on sexually transmitted and blood borne infection treatment and prevention with multiple active clinical trials. Caley is a physician administrator with Alberta Health Services and the Chief Medical Officer for PurposeMed, a technology-enabled health service company that strives to improve access to health services for underserved populations with complex health issues through its brands Freddie, Frida, and Foria.
KEYNOTE
LaToia Jones
Senior VP of Government Affairs & Political Partners, Hustle
LaToia A. Jones is an accomplished political strategist, respected community leader and seasoned organizer with more than 20 years of experience. Her career spans a broad range of global initiatives, including presidential campaigns, gubernatorial races and movement-building efforts, particularly those aimed at empowering marginalized communities. Currently, LaToia serves as Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Political Partners at Hustle, a progressive digital communications company. In this capacity, she is responsible for crafting and executing strategies to enhance Hustle's visibility, influence and engagement in the labour, political and legislative arenas. In addition to her role at Hustle, LaToia is the principal of her own firm, LAJ, LLC, and a partner at LiLaCo, a project management consulting firm that operates both domestically and internationally. LaToia also serves on the boards of several political and non-profit organizations.