Scientific Advisory Committee

The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) is comprised of physicians, healthcare professionals, researchers, stakeholders and thought leaders in the field of brain injury from across Canada. The SAC collaborative is an integral oversight body that has provided advice and recommendations regarding content on our resource website to ensure objectivity, relevancy, and a high standard of scientific excellence.

The SAC evaluates the materials that are published through the Brain Injury Canada website and programs for accuracy and completeness. SAC members also provide an important conduit to identify the latest research in the field of brain injury. As new treatments and methods for supporting people living with brain injury are discovered and evaluated, SAC members provide insights into what this means within a Canadian context.

Brain Injury Canada is always seeking new members to join the SAC on a rotation basis. If you would like to participate to support survivors, their families and caregivers and to work with peers within the industry, please contact us.

We would like to thank the members of the SAC for continuing to build a network of care for Canadians living with brain injury in their community.

Members

Shelina Babul, PhD

Director/Sports Injury Specialist I BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit, BC Children’s Hospital
Director, CHIRPP,BC Children’s Hospital
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, UBC
Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital
Investigator, Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health, UBC

Carolina Bottari , erg. Ph. D.

Professeure agrégée
Faculté de médecine, École de réadaptation
Programme d’ergothérapie
Université de Montréal

Deidre Burns

Registered Dietitian
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Co-Chair (Clinical Practice) Dietitians of Canada

Mohamed-Amine Choukou, PhD 

Assistant Professor
Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Manitoba
Founding Director of the Rehabilitation Technology Lab

David Clarke MDCM, PhD, FRCSC, FACS 

Professor and Head, Neurosurgery
Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority

Angela Colantonio PhD, OT. Reg. (Ont.)

Professor, Rehabilitation Sciences Institute
Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Senior Scientist and Team leader, Acquired Brain Injury & Society Team,
KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network
Adjunct Scientist, ICES

John F Connolly Ph.D. 

Director, ARiEAL Research Centre
Professor, McMaster University

Nora Cullen, MD,MSc, FRCPC

Specialist, Physical Medicine and Rehab
Professor McMaster University
Division Director, PM&R
Chief, PM&R, Hamilton Health Sciences, St. Joseph’s Healthcare

Michael Ellis, MD, FRCS(C)

Medical Director, Pan Am Concussion Program
Co-Director, Canada North Concussion Network
Clinical Appointment, Department of Surgery and Pediatrics, Section of Neurosurgery, University of Manitoba
Scientist, Manitoba Institute of Child Health

Lisa Engel

Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba
Occupational Therapist
Rehabilitation Science Researcher

Alon Friedman MD, PhD

Professor of Neuroscience
Dennis Chair in Epilepsy Research
Departments of Medical Neuroscience and Paediatrics
Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University

Robin Green PhD, CPsych (Clinical Neuropsychology)

Canada Research Chair (tier II) traumatic brain injury
Co-Lead, Schroeder Brain Institute
Founder/Head – TeleRehab Centre for Acquired Brain Injury
Head, Brain Discovery and Recovery Team & Senior Scientist, UHN-Toronto Rehab

Kristian Goulet FRCPC

Assistant Professor University Of Ottawa
Medical Director of The CHEO Concussion Clinic, The Eastern Ontario Concussion Clinic, and The Pediatric Sports Medicine Clinic of Ottawa

Constance Lebrun MDCM, MPE, CCFP(SEM), FCFP, Dip. Sport Med, FACSM, FAMSSM

Professor and Enhanced Skills Programs Director
Department of Family Medicine
Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta
Consultant Sport Medicine Physician, Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic, Edmonton Clinic

Michael Hutchison PhD RKin

Assistant Professor
Director, Concussion Program
David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic
Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education
University of Toronto

Cameron Mang, CSEP-CEP, PhD

Assistant Professor
Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies
University of Regina

Carolyn Lemsky Ph.D.,C.Psych ABPP-CN

Clinical Director
Community Head Injury Resource Services

Shawn Marshall MD MSc FRCPC

Department Head Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Bruyere Continuing Care
Division Head Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Professor Department of Medicine
University of Ottawa/ Ottawa Hospital
Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre

Avril Mansfield PhD, RKin

Senior Scientist, KITE (TRI)
Research Division Head, KITE (TRI)
Associate Professor, Physical Therapy, University of Toronto

Emily Nalder, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto
March of Dimes Paul J.J. Martin Early Career Professor

Patrick McGrath, OC, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS

Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University
Scientist at the IWK Health Centre
Chair of the Board of Strongest Families Institute
CEO of 90Second Health

Kara Patterson PT, PhD

Associate professor, Physical Therapy, UofT
Scientist, KITE Research Institute, UHN

Will Panenka MD, MSc, FRCPC (Neurology and Psychiatry)

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia
BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Institute Investigator
Member British Columbia Provincial Neuropsychiatry Program
Medical Lead Neuropsychiatry Concussion Clinic
Neurology consultant Fraser Health Acquired Brain Injury Concussion Clinic

Noah Silverberg, PhD, R.Psych, ABPP-CN 

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia
Rehabilitation Research Program, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute

Kathryn Schneider PT, PhD

Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary
Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Hotchkiss Brain Institute

Charles Tator OC, MD, PhD, FRCSC FACS

Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto,
Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital,
Founder, ThinkFirst Canada
Board Member, Parachute Canada
Director, Canadian Concussion Centre.

Carmela Tartaglia, M.D., FRCPC

Marion and Gerald Soloway Chair in Brain Injury and Concussion Research
Associate Professor, Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto
Cognitive Neurologist, Memory Clinic – Toronto Western Hospital
Director Memory Clinical Trials Unit

Lyn Turkstra, PhD

Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science &  Assistant Dean, Speech-Language Pathology Program, School of Rehabilitation Science
McMaster University

Alexis Turgeon, MD MSc(Épid) FRCPC

Associate Professor, Research Director Division de soins intensifs adultes, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Université Laval
Canada Research Chair in Critical Care Neurology and Trauma
Co-chair, Canadian Traumatic Brain Research Consortium (CTRC)
Director, Cochrane Canada Francophone
Associate Director, Population Health and Optimal Health Practice Research Unit, Trauma – Emergency – Critical Care Medicine Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval

Cheryl Wellington

Basic Scientist
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
University of British Columbia

Paul van Donkelaar, PhD

Professor, School of Health and Exercise Sciences
The University of British Columbia

Catherine Wiseman-Hakes

Assistant Clinical Professor (adjunct), Speech-Language Pathology Program, School of Rehabilitation Science
McMaster University

Anne Wheeler PhD

Scientist, SickKids Research Institute
Neurosciences and Mental Health Program
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Physiology Department

Keith Yeates PhD, RPsych, ABPP, FCAHS

Ronald and Irene Ward Chair in Pediatric Brain Injury
Professor and Head, Department of Psychology
Adjunct Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences
University of Calgary

Roger Zemek, MD

Pediatric Emergency Physician and Director of Clinical Research , CHEO
Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
Clinical Research Chair in Pediatric Concussion, Brain and Mind Institute, University of Ottawa