Dr. Pippa Hawley, MD, CCFC (PC), FRCPC
(Plenary speaker)
Dr. José Pereira
(Plenary speaker)
Amanda Lucas, RN, MN
(Concurrent speaker)
Jacqueline Hui, MD, MHPE, CCFP (PC), FCFP, DTMH
(Concurrent speaker)
Leeca Sonnema
(Concurrent speaker)
Matthieu Coulombe, Chaplain
(Concurrent speaker)
Fate Hurtada, RN
(Concurrent speaker)
Jamela Camat
(Concurrent speaker)
Joshua Black, PhD
(Concurrent speaker)
Stephanie Laing, PhD(c), MSW, RSW
(Concurrent speaker)
Avantika Vashisht
(Concurrent speaker)
Sheldon Wong, RN, BSc, BScN CHPCN(C)
(Concurrent speaker)
Jennifer Lam, RN
(Concurrent speaker)
Juliet Foster, RN
(Concurrent speaker)
Isobel Casey, BASc
(Concurrent speaker)
Dr. Cara Bablitz, MD, CCFP(PC)
(Concurrent speaker)
Speaker bios
Dr. Pippa Hawley
Dr. Pippa Hawley is a general internist by background and has practiced palliative medicine since 1997 in Vancouver, Canada. She has been active in palliative care research for over 20 years, including running investigator-initiated clinical trials in assessment and management of a variety of symptoms, particularly cancer pain and opioid-induced constipation. She is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia and teaches at all levels, including to patients and volunteers. She designed the “Bow Tie Model of 21st Century Palliative Care” as a tool to explain how modern palliative care is most effective when integrated alongside disease management, and therefore requires recognition that survivorship is a possibility. She is a co-author of Victory Lap: a no fear guide to living well with serious illness, for patients and their families.
Dr. José Pereira
Dr. José Pereira is director of research at the College of Family Physicians of Canada and professor of palliative care in the Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University. He is also professor in the Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa and is co-founder (in 2001) and scientific officer of Pallium Canada. Jose continues a clinical practice as a palliative care physician consultant at the William Osler Hospital in Brampton, Ontario. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the African Palliative Care Association and is participating as a member of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI) group.
Megan Sellick, MD, CCFC (PC), FRCPC
Dr. Megan Sellick worked in the Edmonton Zone Palliative Care Program from 2015-2022. In March of 2022 she joined the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre's palliative care team. She is a LEAP Facilitator, and Board Member of the Canadian Society of Palliative Medicine.
Contact info: sellick@ualberta.ca
Jacqueline Hui, MD, MHPE, CCFP (PC), FCFP, DTMH
Jacqueline Hui is a palliative care physician and medical educator at the University of Calgary. She leads Teacher and Faculty Development and collaborates with interprofessional colleagues to strengthen teaching and communication skills across teams.
Contact info: jacqueline.hui@ahs.ca
Juliet Foster, RN
Juliet Foster is a palliative and hospice certified registered nurse with over ten years of experience in palliative care. She currently works as the Advanced Disease Indigenous Cancer Patient Navigator in Cancer Care Alberta, supporting patients and families to navigate the health care system and connect with meaningful supports.
Contact info: juliet.foster@cancercarealberta.ca
Sheldon Wong, RN, BSc, BScN CHPCN(C)
Sheldon Wong is a Clinical Nurse Educator with Assisted Living Alberta, supporting the acute care palliative care consult teams across tertiary hospitals. He facilitates Pallium Canada LEAP education, has led Connect Care implementation and change management initiatives and supports system level practice improvement. He serves as President of CANO Alberta North Chapter.
Contact info: sheldon.wong@assistedlivingalberta.ca
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Hayley Sallis
Hayley Sallis is a contemplative end-of-life caregiver, grief practitioner, and founder of Mourning Midwife. For more than 30 years, she has worked at the intersection of frontline mental health, end-of-life care, grief, harm reduction, and community support, walking alongside individuals, families, and communities navigating death, loss, and profound life transitions. Hayley has stewarded Soloss network for 6 years—prototyping Grief and Loss community care at most recently at George’s House.
Contact info: Hayley@soloss.ca
Fate Hurtada, RN
Fate Hurtada, a Registered Nurse dedicated to senior and palliative care. My 16-year nursing journey began in the Philippines and led me to Canada in 2012, progressing from HCA to LPN, and achieving my RN designation in 2023. Currently, I serve at Foyer Lacombe Covenant Care and Sturgeon Hospital. Finding my true purpose in hospice care, I co-launched the 'Last Wish' program in 2025, an initiative featured on Global News, CTV, and the St. Albert Gazette.
Contact info: Fate.Hurtada@covenantcare.ca
Matthieu Coulombe, Chaplain
As the Chaplain at Foyer Lacombe, Matthieu plays a vital role in coordinating spiritual, emotional, and psychosocial support for residents nearing the end of life. With four years hospice experience, he understands the critical importance of person-centered and compassionate care. Matthieu co-created the Last Wish program, a deeply meaningful initiative that actively engages the whole team and community to honor residents' final aspirations.
Contact info: matthieu.coulombe@covenanthealth.ca
Jamela Camat
Jamela Camat is a clinical chaplain, grounded in Christ's humility and committed to seeking wisdom in every encounter. With a Master of Theological Studies degree from Newman Theological College and a BA in Philosophy from Concordia University of Edmonton, this chaplain brings both academic depth and pastoral presence to the ministry of care.
Contact info: jacamat@gss.org
Isobel Casey, BASc
Isobel Casey is a Research Coordinator in the Department of Oncology at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. She works with Dr. Helen Tam-Tham on palliative care research for advanced chronic kidney disease. Previously, she was a Research Assistant at BC Children's Hospital managing pediatric diabetes national registries
Contact info: isobel9casey@gmail.com
Dr. Cara Bablitz, MD CCFP(PC)
Dr. Cara Bablitz is a family physician and community palliative care practitioner whose work is grounded in the belief that compassionate healthcare should reach everyone—especially those who have historically been excluded from it. Through her leadership with George’s House and community-based palliative care initiatives in Edmonton, she provides care to people experiencing homelessness, structural vulnerability, substance use, poverty, and complex medical needs, meeting them wherever they are living rather than expecting them to navigate systems that often fail them.
Contact info: Cara.Bablitz@albertahealthservices.ca
Leeca Sonnema
Leeca holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Alberta, an Executive MBA from the University of Fredericton and the ICD.D designation in governance from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto. Today, she is a recognized leader in advancing caregiver-centered care, leading the provincial implementation and spread of the Caregiver-Centered Care (CCC) framework across Alberta.
Contact info: Leeca@ualberta.ca
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Joshua Black, PhD
Joshua Black, PhD, is a bereavement researcher and host of the Grief Dreams Podcast. His research interests include dreams of the deceased, continuing bonds, and bereavement in the context of homelessness. He is the co-director and co-producer (with Stephanie Laing) of the film No Fixed Address: The White Cart Memorial.
Contact info: jblack@bc-cpc.ca
Stephanie Laing, PhD(c), MSW, RSW
Stephanie Laing (PhD(c), MSW, RSW) is the Director of Operations for the Kelowna Homelessness Research Centre. Stephanie's research interests include forensic social work, co-responding police and mental health teams, and homelessness, including bereavement in the context of homelessness. She is an enthusiastic advocate for reciprocal and responsive community-based research.
Contact info: stephanie.laing@ubc.ca
Jennifer Lam, RN
Jennifer Lam, RN, trained on the Tertiary Palliative Care Unit at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Edmonton for 11 years before starting a consulting role at the University of Alberta Hospital in 2019. Other experience involves work on GIM and nephrology units and co-host of Care Chats Podcast for Palliative Nursing education.
Contact info: Jennifer.Lam4@assistedlivingalberta.ca
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Avantika Vashisht
Avantika Vashisht is a medical student and emerging researcher with a background in biomedical physiology and aging studies. Her work focuses on advance care planning, cultural perspectives in palliative care, and health equity. She has authored multiple publications and presentations and brings strong experience in mixed-methods research and community-engaged scholarship.
Contact info: avashish@sfu.ca
Amanda Lucas, RN, MN
Amanda Lucas is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with over 20 years of nursing experience, with the last 14 years in palliative and hospice care. She completed her Master's in Nursing in 2014 and has worked as a nursing consultant since 2015.
Contact info: Amanda.Lucas@assistedlivingalberta.ca
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Sheila Killoran, MTA, MA, FAMI
Sheila Killoran MA MTA FAMI is an Education Lead for the Covenant Health Palliative Institute. Sheila holds a Master's in Creative Arts Therapies, with an interest in guided imagery and music and grief. An educator and music therapist, she has 18 years' experience working at the Tertiary Palliative Care Unit of the Grey Nuns Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta.
Contact info: sheila.killoran@covenanthealth.ca
Mary-Ann Shantz
Mary-Ann Shantz is a researcher, writer, and educator. Mary-Ann has a doctoral degree in history from Carleton University and six years of experience teaching history at MacEwan University. She is the Research Coordinator for the Palliative Institute, and since late 2020 has coordinated the Palliative Care Public Awareness project.
Contact info: mary-ann.shantz@covenanthealth.ca
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