Speakers

Dr. Vickie Baracos

Vickie Baracos, PhD, is an oncology professor at the University of Alberta and a member of the Order of Canada. She has also served as the Alberta Cancer Foundation's chair in palliative care medicine. Cancer cachexia, a debilitating condition characterized by profound atrophy of skeletal muscle has been Vickie's main focus since 2003 and the subject of many of her key publications. Vickie also developed the use of clinical computed tomography to detect and precisely measure the muscle loss that is an integral part of cachexia.

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Dr. Cory Andrew Labrecque

Cory Andrew Labrecque, PhD, is professor of bioethics and theological ethics as well as inaugural chair of educational leadership in the ethics of life at the faculty of theology and religious studies at Université Laval (Quebec City), where he serves as vice-dean. Cory’s teaching and research explore how the Abrahamic religions (focusing on the Roman Catholic tradition) approach ethical issues in medicine (especially at the end of life), biotechnology (especially AI and healthcare), and the environment. He is a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, president of the Canadian Bioethics Society, and vice-president of Quebec’s National Committee for Ethics and Ageing.

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Lawrence Lee

Dr. Lawrence Lee has been a palliative care physician consultant in the Edmonton Zone Palliative Care Program since 2010. He's an Associate Clinical Professor with the Division of Palliative Care at the University of Alberta, Canadian Society of Palliative Medicine Board Member and a LEAP Master Facilitator with Pallium Canada.

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Dr. Megan Sellick

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.

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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.

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Kayla King, MSW, RSW

Kayla King is a Registered Social Worker with the Palliative Care Consult Service and the Intensive Care Unit. She completed her Master of Social Work in 2018 and has been working in various critical care areas alongside palliative care.

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Genevieve Lalumiere, RN, MN, CNS

Genevieve Lalumiere is a Clinical Nurse Specialist working as the coordinator and as a consultant with the Regional Palliative Consultation Team at Bruyere Health, Ottawa, and as a clinical palliative care coach in Ontario Health East. She has been working in the field of palliative care for 20 years.

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Anita Roopani

Anita Roopani, BScN, M.Ed., is a palliative Clinical Nurse currently working as a Palliative Clinical Coach in the Toronto area. She has over a decade of experience as a Palliative Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Integrated Long-Term Care Program.

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Pamela Paterson, MSc, MRT(T)

Pamela Paterson obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta followed by a diploma in Radiation Therapy. She recently completed her MSc while continuing to work in the Palliative Radiation Oncology Clinic at the CCI. She intends to challenge the advanced practice certification in radiotherapy in the future.

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Imam Dr. Abdul Hai Patel

Imam Dr. Abdul Hai Patel is President of the Canadian Multifaith Federation. He served on the Advisory Committee of the Ontario Law Commission on end-of-life care, decision-making capacity, and guardianship in palliative care. He is also a Chaplain with York Regional Police and a member of the Interfaith Advisory Committee of Corrections Canada.

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Dr. Shehnaz Hussain

Shehnaz Hussain is a Broker, Doctor of Natural Medicine, and Doctor of Humanitarian Services with over 20 years of experience in financial wellness, holistic care, and community leadership. She specializes in inclusive financial planning for families with special needs and offers trauma-informed, natural healing through Quantum Healing & Natural Medicine Solutions.

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Dr. Jasneet Parmar, MBBS, MSc, MCFP(COE)

Dr. Jasneet Parmar is a Care of the Elderly physician who has worked with the Specialized Geriatrics Program in Edmonton since 1992. She is a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta. She currently serves in the Home Living Care of the Elderly Service, providing assessments for homebound seniors.

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Serena Rix, BSc (Hons) Pharm, MSc (Pall Care), PharmD

Serena Rix is a Palliative Care Pharmacist with a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacy from Brighton, a PharmD from the University of Colorado, and an MSc in Palliative Care from the University of Glasgow. She is an adjunct member of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta and was the 2016 recipient of the APEX Award of Excellence in Pharmacy.

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Luz Zapata Cardona

Luz Zapata Cardona is an internationally trained Latin American physician with extensive experience in providing health-care services, education and patient navigation to people of diverse ages and conditions, including those living with cancer. She serves as a patient partner on multiple health equity research projects in cancer and palliative care.

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Nazret Russon

Nazret Russon holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a minor in anthropology from the University of Alberta. Nazret brings personal experience with cancer care and has been a patient partner in health and equity research since 2012.

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Ian McInnis

Ian McInnis completed a master’s degree in sociology at the University of Calgary in 2023. He recently worked with the palliative care team at the Indigenous Wellness Clinic and is now a research associate at the University of Alberta on a project focused on Indigenous health equity in partnership with the Métis Settlements.

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Charlotte Pooler, RN, PhD

Charlotte Pooler is a clinician scientist in palliative and end-of-life care with Specialty Programs in the Edmonton Zone, and an adjunct faculty member in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta.

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Veronica Big Plume

Veronica Big Plume is completing a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies at Royal Roads University. An Indigenous Elder from Tsuut’ina Nation in Treaty 7 territory, she joined the Telling the Stories team at the University of Calgary in August 2024, where she serves as lead interviewer and analyst.

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Rachel Carter, PhD

Rachel Carter, PhD, aims to make a meaningful impact in the health-care system through palliative care and advance care planning (ACP) research, particularly for equity-denied populations. Her work focuses on how implementation science can be used to facilitate change within health-care systems.

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Andrew Jeong

Dr. Andrew Jeong graduated from the St. Paul’s family medicine program in Vancouver, where he served as co-lead resident. His work focuses on improving the intersection between primary care and palliative care. He is currently completing enhanced skills training in palliative care at the University of British Columbia.

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Melanie Doiron, MHS, ACP

Melanie Doiron is a health-care leader with more than 20 years of experience in health-care administration, specializing in project management and quality improvement. An advanced care paramedic, she holds a Master of Health Studies from Athabasca University. She currently manages projects at Covenant Health’s Palliative Institute, enhancing health-care delivery and palliative care.

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Danica Hans, RN, BScN bilingual, CHPCN(C)

Danica Hans, RN, CHPCN(C), is the education lead for the Covenant Health Palliative Institute. She has worked as a sessional instructor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta and as a registered nurse and clinical nurse educator on the Tertiary Palliative Care Unit in Edmonton, Alberta.

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Sheila Killoran

Sheila Killoran, MA, MTA, FAMI, is an education lead with the Covenant Health Palliative Institute. She holds a master’s degree in creative arts therapies, with a focus on guided imagery, music and grief. An educator and music therapist, she has 18 years of experience working on the Tertiary Palliative Care Unit at the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta.

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Michelle Lack

Michelle Lack is an oncology RN with 15 years of experience. She is the program lead for cancer patient navigation with Cancer Care Alberta.

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Janet Vandale

Janet Vandale is an RN with experience in palliative care. She is the program lead for the Provincial Palliative Program with Cancer Care Alberta.

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Leonie Herx, MD, PhD, CHE, FCFP, CCFP (PC)

Dr. Leonie Herx is the Senior Scientific Director of the Palliative Institute, co-principal investigator for Pallium Canada’s Canadian Atlas of Palliative Care, a clinical professor of palliative medicine at the University of Calgary, and a consultant physician in adult and pediatric palliative medicine. She also serves as section chief and director of the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Program in the AHS Calgary Zone.

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Patricia Biondo, PhD

Patricia Biondo is research manager for the Division of Palliative Medicine at the University of Calgary and evaluation lead for the Palliative Institute’s Compassionate Alberta initiative. She has nearly 20 years of experience supporting palliative care research in Alberta, including the Palliative Care Early and Systematic project and the Advance Care Planning CRIO project.

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Mary-Ann Shantz

Mary-Ann Shantz is a researcher, writer and educator. She holds a doctoral degree in history from Carleton University and has six years of experience teaching history at MacEwan University. She is research coordinator for the Palliative Institute and, since late 2020, has coordinated the Palliative Care Public Awareness project.

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Meghan MacMillan

Meghan MacMillan is a music therapist with Lisaard and Innisfree Hospice in Kitchener, Ont. She provides bedside support to residents and their families, leads bereavement programs, and supports staff wellness. She also supervises students from Wilfrid Laurier University, where she earned her master’s degree in music therapy.

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Maureen Douglas

Maureen Douglas is a lawyer who has worked extensively in health policy research and program implementation in Alberta. Since 2014, she has led activities of the Covenant Health Palliative Institute and the Advance Care Planning (ACP) CRIO program focused on medical-legal collaboration in ACP. She has brought together health and legal professionals, government, academia, the public and others to identify gaps in ACP practices and has led the joint development of a continuing legal education curriculum, practice principles, a best-practice guide and a public webinar to share learnings on ACP.

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Laura Finkler-Kemeny

Laura Finkler-Kemeny is a master’s-trained registered nurse based on the ancestral, unceded and traditional territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations. Her clinical and research work has focused on palliative care, with a particular emphasis on Serious Illness Conversations (SICs), inspired by her practice in palliative care units and hospice. She is interested in the intersections of palliative care, health-systems change and communication skills. Most recently, with the BC Centre for Palliative Care, she co-led research and implementation initiatives to develop a framework for earlier, more frequent and higher-quality SICs.

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Vicki Kennedy

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