Dr. Nicole Johnson

Dr. Nicole Johnson is a clinical pediatric rheumatologist practicing at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Johnson has been a passionate advocate for community awareness for children with rheumatic diseases. In addition, she has a special interest in medical education. She is the Evaluation Coordinator for Pediatric Clerkship for Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) and a member of the Student Academic Review Committee for the CSM. She has received many awards for teaching and education including the 2023 Department of Pediatrics CARE award for Education.

She has been actively engaged in anti-Black racism advocacy work. She holds the positions of Co-Curriculum Lead for Post Graduate Medical Education for Racial Equity in Healthcare at the Cumming School of Medicine, Chair for the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force for the Canadian Rheumatology Association and Board Executive and Physician Lead for the student mentor program for the Black Physicians’ Association of Alberta.

Her research interests include national investigator and international industry-led clinical trials in juvenile arthritis and pediatric rheumatology. More recently, she has been engaging in research related to health equity and anti-racism within medical education.

Timothy Caulfield, Research Chair, University of Alberta

Timothy Caulfield is a Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. His interdisciplinary research on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, the public representations of science and public health policy has allowed him to publish over 350 academic articles. He has won numerous academic and writing awards and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He contributes frequently to the popular press and is the author of two national bestsellers: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness (Penguin 2012) and Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash (Penguin 2015). His most recent book is Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety (Penguin Random House, 2020). Caulfield is also the host and co-producer of the award winning documentary TV show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has been shown in over 60 countries, including streaming on Netflix in North America.

Dr. Chris Simpson, MD FRCPC FACC FHRS FCCS FCAHS

Executive Vice President (Medical) and Chief Medical Officer, Ontario Health
Professor, Department of Medicine (Cardiology) and School of Policy Studies

Queen’s University
Past-President, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Past-President, Canadian Medical Association (2014-15)

Topic: “Lessons from the pandemic (so far) – the Ontario Experience”.

Over the course of more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario’s health care system has struggled to manage numerous waves and large fluctuations in supply and demand. Many lessons have been learned. As we transition from crisis to recovery, our opportunity will be not so much what we are recovering from, but what we want to recover from.

Dr. Mamta Gautam

Dr. Gautam is a psychiatrist, executive coach, tutor, consultant, speaker, and President of PEAK MD, Inc., a company that specializes in Leadership Resilience, and keeping well professionals well. Her two main areas of expertise are Physician Health and Physician Leadership.

Mark Black

Mark Black is a Heart and Double-Lung Transplant Recipient – turned – 4- Time Marathon Runner. A resilience expert, coach, and author, Mark helps people “Thrive in Challenging Times.” His programs provide the tools to transform your adversity into your advantage.

Mark doesn’t just teach resilience, he embodies it. Born with a life-threatening heart defect, Mark underwent two open-heart surgeries before the age of one. He battled his condition and its limitations for twenty-two years until he was forced to deal with the biggest obstacle of his young life. His doctor informed him that his heart was failing, and without a rare and dangerous heart and double-lung transplant, he would not see his 25th birthday.

In 2002, Mark was fortunate that a suitable donor was found. He not only survived the surgery, but less than 3 years later, Mark became the only man in history to run a marathon with someone else’s heart and lungs.

Mark is now a Certified Speaking Professional, a designation held by less than 1000 speakers in the world. He has inspired more than 150,000 people in more than 450 presentations, and has worked with global brands including Exxon Mobil and Mercedes Benz, as well as many national and regional associations.
Mark lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada where he spends as much time as possible with the most important people in his life; his wife Marise and their three children.

Andre Picard

“The Dreaded S-Word: Is Medicare Sustainable”

André Picard is one of Canada’s top health and public policy observers and commentators. He is the health columnist at The Globe and Mail, where he has been a staff writer for more than 30 years. He is also the author of numerous books and has received much acclaim for his writing and for his dedication to improving healthcare. In 2010, he was awarded a National Newspaper Award as Canada’s top newspaper columnist.

Bio:

André Picard is the health columnist at The Globe and Mail and the author of five books, including Matters of Life and Death: Public Health Issues in Canada, and The Path to Health Care Reform: Policies and Politics. He also has a large Twitter following at @picardonhealth.

André has received much acclaim for his writing, including the Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service Journalism and the Centennial Prize of the Pan-American Health Association, awarded to the top health journalist in the Americas.  He is also an eight-time finalist for the National Newspaper Awards – Canada’s version of the Pulitzer Prize.

He is a seasoned communicator who employs a conversational style to reach his audience. He enlivens his research and commentary with personal stories to provide context for his audience, including anecdotes from patients and health professionals the front lines.

André will enlighten and peak a sense of curiosity of audience members from all educational backgrounds. His work as one of North America’s top health journalists reflects his personality: Behind the placid exterior lies an inquisitive, perceptive and industrious scribe for whom the work only begins with the official story.

André is a graduate of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, and has received honourary doctorates from six universities, including the University of Toronto, UBC and the University of Manitoba.

Awards:

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Medal

Hyman Solomon Award for Excellence in Public Policy Journalism

National Newspaper Award | Canada’s Top Columnist