Danielle is a registered nurse who graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island in 2014. She holds a Master’s in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Alberta and works as a Clinical Evidence Expert with the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). At CFPC, Danielle helps lead systematic reviews and guideline methodologies, contributes to “Tools for Practice,” and shares her passion for evidence-based medicine through workshops and presentations. She has been part of the PEER team since 2017. Based in Edmonton, she shares life with her husband and their son August, who keeps her humble, caffeinated and wondering what sleep used to feel like.

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Dr. Derek Bryant is a family physician with nine years of experience in addiction medicine in the Yukon. He is the clinical lead for the Referred Care Clinic and Opioid Treatment Services, and also provides clinical support to the territory’s inpatient withdrawal management program, bed-based treatment services, and managed alcohol programs. His practice is rooted in a commitment to low-barrier, patient-centered care, with a particular focus on reaching individuals who face systemic barriers to accessing health services. He regularly runs a remote clinic at the Whitehorse emergency shelter to help meet the needs of underserved populations. Dr. Bryant currently serves as President of the Yukon Medical Association and is a member of the Yukon’s Substance Use Health Emergency Steering Committee.

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I am a family physician who fell in love with the north tree planting a long time ago and have made Whitehorse my home for more than 20 years. I have enjoyed emergency medicine, family practice, obstetrical care as well as abortion care, difficult IUDs, miscarriage management and outreach work in the small community of Carcross. At this point in my career I am very grateful to still love the work and I am looking forward to being part of Whitehorse becoming a residency site for family medicine. I love being a generalist. I am happiest on my bike or on the land or reading by a wood stove.

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Dr. Lesley Charles, MBChB is a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta and the Care of the Elderly Program Director

She received her MBChB from the University of Edinburgh in the UK in 1998, and in 2004 obtained a Diploma in the Care of the Elderly from the University of Alberta and later a Certificate of Added Competency from the CFPC. Dr. Charles has published extensively on decision-making capacity, COE program/competency and training and caregivers.

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Madeleine Cole, Sarah Cook and Stephanie Buchan are family doctors living in Nunavut, the NWT and Yukon respectively. They share a commitment to the values of family medicine and to sexual health and reproductive rights and justice. As family physicians in the northern territories, they work to improve health for Inuit, First Nations and Metis and aim to always be a resource, advocate and ally to all people who seek care. Through clinical care, medical education, leadership and community outreach, health literacy grows and slowly but surely health care systems improve: being part of positive change feels good!

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Jess has been a family physician in Edmonton’s inner city since 2012, providing primary care to patients that are unhoused and experience mental illness and substance use disorders at Radius Community Health and Healing. She joined the PEER team in September 2019 as an Assistant Professor with the University of Alberta. She is very passionate about educating primary care providers and learners to care for marginalized patients in a way that is empathic as well as evidence-based. She attended medical school and residency at the University of Alberta. She has 2 kids, a fluffy dog and a very patient partner.

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Mike is a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta. He practices in Peace River, Alberta using his additional skills training in gastroenterology.

He contributes to Tools for Practice, medical podcasts, CPD Roadshows, and academic detailing within Canada and enjoys presenting at local, provincial, national, and international events.

Mike also chairs the Practical Evidence for Informed Practice and Endoscopy Skills Day for Practicing Endoscopists conferences.

He is passionate about sports, coaches or has coached lacrosse, baseball and hockey. He enjoys the outdoors with his wife and three great (most times) teenagers.

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As the manager of the Tools for Practice and Simplified Guidelines programs at the College of Family Physicians of Canada, Adrienne Lindblad leads initiatives that bridge research and clinical application. Holding a pharmacy degree from the University of Saskatchewan, a hospital pharmacy residency from Halifax, and a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Toronto, she is deeply committed to education and mentorship, earning numerous awards for her contributions. Passionate about evidence-based medicine, she excels at translating research into practical, patient-centered care and is known for her engaging presentation skills.

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Fiona was born and raised in Arviat, Nunavut. After working for 3 years as an RN, including briefly in Nunavut and NWT, she went to NOSM University and became a family physician, graduating from residency in 2016. Living in Iqaluit since that time, she enjoys many aspects of women’s healthcare including obstetrics, family planning and breastfeeding medicine, and is currently the Chief of FP-Obstetrics. In her spare time she enjoys her kids, skiing, reading and baking.

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Dr. Justina Marianayagam is a PGY-4 Pediatrics Resident at the University of British Columbia, originally from Yellowknife, NT. She is passionate about improving access to pediatric care in rural, remote, and Northern communities. Locally, she has worked for NTHSSA to co-develop the territory’s first Allergy Referral Guideline and has supported health program evaluation with GNWT. Nationally and internationally, Justina has contributed to health systems research and knowledge translation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP). She is committed to returning North as a community-based Pediatrician to help build equitable, sustainable models of care for children and youth across the subarctic. In her spare time, you’ll find her fishing on the Big Lake—her record pike is 36 inches! 

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Dr. Miller is a lifelong Yukoner and early career Care of the Elderly physician living in Whitehorse. She is a full time locum in both Whitehorse and Inuvik, and is working to strengthen access to dementia care in both territories. She completed medical school at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and a rural family medicine residency through University of Alberta. Her Care of the Elderly residency training was completed through UBC. Her research interests include improving access to dementia care within Yukon and NWT.

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Dr. Leanne Niziol is a second-year Family Medicine resident at the University of Alberta and a proud citizen of Pehdzeh Kı́ First Nation. Born and raised in the Northwest Territories, she has family roots in the Dehcho and Sahtu regions. She completed her medical degree at the University of Manitoba.

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Dr. Conar R. O’Neil, MD MSc(HQ) FRCPC, is an infectious diseases physician and Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta. Since 2021, he has served as a consultant to the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority, collaborating with family physicians to support infectious disease care across the North.

He is Co-Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Covenant Health, providing leadership across 14 facilities in Alberta, and is actively involved in correctional health, viral hepatitis programs, and complex outpatient care.

Dr. O’Neil holds a Master’s in Healthcare Quality from Queen’s University and leads quality improvement initiatives focused on integrating hepatitis treatment into hospital and community settings. He is a frequent educator and supervisor, with over 50 invited lectures and multiple peer-reviewed publications.

His work emphasizes practical, collaborative approaches to improving infectious disease care in remote and underserved settings—particularly in partnership with primary care providers.

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I am a Rural Emergency Physician and have been practicing in Yellowknife, NT for 12 years. During these 12 years, I have had 4 kids. I grew up in Victoria, BC and trained at Queen’s University. I am the University of Alberta Family Medicine Yellowknife Site Co-Director and the Area Medical Director of Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife. My main clinical and educational areas of interest are in point of care ultrasound and team dynamics in emergency medicine. Outside of work and chasing my children, I enjoy going to my family cabin, sipping a locally brewed beverage (hot or cold), and getting active outside.

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Dr. Stachiw completed medical and residency training at the University of Saskatchewan. She travelled to Australia and New Zealand for fellowship training in ACL surgery, arthroscopic shoulder surgery and upper extremity surgery. She has called Yellowknife home for the last 8.5 years. Dr. Stachiw takes pride in being a generalist orthopedic surgeon. She loves orthopedic care of all conditions and patients from all ages and backgrounds. She is particularly interested in the complexities of pain in relation to orthopedic injuries and how to maximize recovery from injury.

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I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and completed my undergraduate and postgraduate studies, there. I specialized in psychiatry in 2007 and achieved my fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry in 2009. I led the outpatient child psychiatry team at a tertiary psychiatry hospital in Johannesburg for 4 years prior to making the move to Newfoundland , Canada in 2013. I had the privilege of providing child and adolescent consultation to Western Newfoundland for 8 yrs, prior to travelling up North. I have contracted with NTHSSA since 2022 and have expanded back to general psychiatry practice ( whilst keeping a keen interest in still focusing in on the youth). I was warned that the North has a way of capturing hearts, which has proven true, as we have been here now for 4 years :- and still going strong !

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