Our People

Jerry M. Maniate

MD, M.Ed, FRCPC, FACP, CCPE

Founding Director & Investigator

Health Professions Education, Health Systems, Leadership, EDI

Jerry Maniate is a general internist at The Ottawa Hospital, an educator at the University of Ottawa and a researcher at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.  He is the former Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Education at The Ottawa Hospital. Dr. Maniate has extensive leadership experience in higher education in the health professions and health systems and also with national medical organizations.  His work is focused on understanding and addressing inequities in our health systems through collaborative partnerships using a scholarly lens.  He is actively engaged and recognized nationally and internationally for furthering the dialogue on these important topics.

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2112-4147

Yusra Ahmad

MD, FRCPC

Investigator

Structural inequities, Gender-based violence, Poverty & Homelessness, War Trauma, Refugee Mental Health, Muslim Mental Health, Global Mental Health, Faith-based approaches to healing, Mindfulness, Psychotherapy, SPMI Populations, Trauma-Informed Care

Yusra Ahmad is a community & academic psychiatrist based in Toronto who is committed to a comprehensive bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach in supporting my patients.  Dr. Ahmad is a passionate advocate for the systemic changes necessary to address the root causes of suffering and distress in our times.  She works at the Crossroads Clinic at WCH, the New Beginnings program at CAMH, with homeless clients through ICHA (Inner City Health Associates), runs Mindfully Muslim groups at Women's Health in Women's Hands and has a part-time private practice.  

Dr. Ahmad is a poet at heart and she believes in the incredible power of narrative, art, nature & spirituality alongside science to heal people, cultures, and communities.  Dr. Ahmad has worked as a consultant for numerous film & theatre projects including the award-winning medical drama, Transplant.  

Eusang Ahn

MD, MSc (Med Ed), BSc (Mktg)

Investigator

Medical Education, Cultural Competency, Emergency Medicine

Eusang Ahn is currently a resident physician with the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Ottawa, and is pursuing a PhD in medical education. As a former advertising account executive, language instructor and current father of twins, he has a strong interest in communication and its role in education. Prior to coming to Canada, he completed a separate residency in Emergency Medicine and was an independently practicing staff physician in Seoul, Korea. Eusang aims to draw on his previous experiences to specialize in cross-cultural dissemination of best practices, as viewed through the lens of Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity.

Rozen Alex

Psy.D., C. Psych

Investigator

Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, Training

In her current role as psychologist, Dr. Alex provides psychological assessment and intervention services to patients with cardiovascular diseases. She provides training and education on the role of EDI in training and provision of psychological services. Dr. Alex is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association's Standing Committee on Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and the Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs Anti Racism Working Group.

Ellen Alie

B.Sc (OT), MHA

Investigator

Health Policy, Health Systems

Ellen Odai Alie received a BSc in Psychology from Carleton University, a BSc in Occupational Therapy from Queen’s University and a  Masters in Health Administration from The University of Ottawa.  Ellen is currently the Manager, Integrated Cancer Screening and Prevention, Champlain Regional Cancer Program, and Corporate Manager Breast Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital. Her interests in EDI include facilitating authenticity and belonging in the workplace, and changing workplace culture in a systemic, process driven, sustainable way.

Lynn Ashdown

MD, M.MEd (pending)

Investigator

Patient Partnership, Medical Education, Social Accountability, Disability Advocacy

Lynn Ashdown is a patient experience expert who advocates for patient’s to be included in all levels of healthcare. She has a medical degree from The University of Ottawa, and was close to finishing her residency in family medicine when she began, and continues to navigate, a complex journey as a full-time patient. Dr. Ashdown is a patient partner for various organizations, gives presentations, contributes to research, and is involved with medical education, with a focus on patient partnership.

Gwen Barton

BNsC, MHA

Investigator

Indigenous peoples

Gwen Barton has been the Manager of the Indigenous Cancer Program at The Ottawa Hospital over the past seven years.  She has been working with colleagues, allies and Indigenous community partners to help reduce the burden of cancer on First Nation, Inuit and Metis people and improve the experience of patients and their families across the cancer trajectory.

Aimée Bouka

MD, MSc, CCFP

Investigator

Medical Education, Primary Care, Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression

Dr. Aimée Bouka is a rural family physician practicing in Gwich’in and Inuvialuit territories. She sits on the board of directors of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and is on the board of Advisors for the Black Physicians of Alberta Association. Her main academic interest is the application of antiracist and anti-oppressive frameworks to medical education and primary care.

Jamiu O. Busari

MBChB, MD, MHPE, PhD, CCPE

Investigator

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Clinical Leadership (Development), Medical Education

Jamiu Busari is an associate professor of medical education at Maastricht University, Dean of the HOH Academy and Consultant Pediatrician at Horacio Oduber Hospital, Aruba. He is a Maastricht University alumnus, a Harvard Macy Scholar and an HBS executive education graduate in Managing Health Care Delivery. He is a member of the diversity and inclusion advisory council at Maastricht University and a fervent advocate for diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) for the less privileged in society. He is a featured author and speaker on DEI related topics at international conferences and meetings and has published a number of papers on implicit bias, racism and gender discrimination in health care and medical education.

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8616-5564

Ming-Ka Chan

BSc (Psychology), MD, MHPE, FRCPC

Investigator

Healthcare Leadership Education, Social Justice, Health Professions Education, Equity/Diversity/Inclusivity/Decolonization

Ming-Ka Chan is a Chinese settler grateful to be living and working on Treaty 1 Territory/Homeland of the Metis Nation. A Pediatrics Clinician Educator at the University of Manitoba, her scholarship focuses on social justice & leadership education. She is currently the Co-Director, Office of Leadership Education, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and Chair, Sanokondu Leadership & Governance Team, a community of practice focused on health leadership education especially for learners.

Grace Christou

MD, MSc, FRCPC

Investigator

Patient Engagement, Diversity of Voices

Grace Christou is a hematologist in The Ottawa Hospital Leukemia Program and Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa. Her research interest is in engaging patients as co-creators in research prioritization and healthcare delivery. She is completing her MSc. in Epidemiology at the University of Ottawa on methods of public engagement in research and is passionate about improving the diversity of voices shaping our healthcare system.

Janet Corral

PhD

Investigator

Equity in Medical Education; Social Determinants of Health

Janet Corral is the Associate Dean of Medical Education and Professor of Medicine at the University of Nevada Reno. Her work aims to characterize a framework for the design, development and assessment of next generation eLearning and simulation tools for the practical and rapid development of expertise and complex problem solving.

Jennifer Dale-Tam

RN, MSN, CNCC(c), CCSNE

Investigator

Simulation, Nursing Education, Health Professions Education, Quality Improvement

Jennifer Dale-Tam is a certified simulation educator and a corporate nurse educator at The Ottawa Hospital with extensive experience in health professions’ education and clinical experience in acute surgical and critical care.  She has focus on creating, implementing, and evaluating experiential learning opportunities and programs for the health professions grounded in simulation pedagogy. Her research centers on educational programs and learner experience through a quality improvement lens.

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4461-7216

Victor Do

MD

Investigator

Leadership, Pediatrics, Systems Innovation & Equity

Victor Do is a PGY-2 Pediatrics Resident at the University of Toronto and graduated medical school from the University of Alberta. He has held many leadership roles including as former President of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students and board member with the Canadian Medical Association.
His academic interests include leadership development, pediatric health outcomes, systems innovation and equity.

Joni Ettinger

RN, BScN, MN

Investigator

Leadership, Quality Improvement, Evidence-Based Practice, Music and Health

Joni Ettinger received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Ottawa in 2005. After working as a bedside nurse for 15 years, she transitioned to Clinical Manager of The Ottawa Hospital Endoscopy program. Joni is interested in giving patients a voice by bringing music to patients’ bedsides, and has a passion for facilitating social justice for both patients and healthcare workers.

Claudia Hampel

RN, BN

Patient / Community Engagement Advisor & Investigator

Mental Health Nursing, Patient-Oriented Research, Patient Engagement

Claudia Hampel is the Patient and Family Engagement Lead at The Ottawa Hospital. Her work has led to the creation of the Patients as Partners Program at the hospital which has supported authentic patient engagement in a wide variety of projects, committees and initiatives.

Medina Jones

BSc (in progress)

Investigator

Anti-oppression, Anti-racism, Disability Access, Health Outcomes of Marginalized Peoples, Learner Experience, Community Care Practices

Medina Jones is a Biochemistry student at the University of Ottawa. She is interested in exploring the development and application of anti-oppressive practices in health systems, education, and community care services. Her academic interests intersect with her passion for social justice advocacy and are rooted in a desire to collaboratively address inequities in health systems to effect positive changes within her community.

Janet Jull

OT Reg (Ont), PhD

Investigator

Shared Decision-Making

Janet Jull develops and evaluates shared decision making tools and approaches to support client-centred care with a particular focus on health care systems. Much of Janet's work is done in partnerships with urban Indigenous, Inuit, First Nations, and Métis communities. Dr. Jull also investigates how research is conducted in partnerships; specifically when those who are engaged in the production of research, partner with those who contend with the real-world needs and constraints of health systems and their users.

Stéphanie Lalande

MA, PhD(C)

Investigator

Mental Health at Work, Supervision Relationships, Mental Health-Related Misdiagnosis

Stéphanie Lalande is a doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Ottawa. Stéphanie completed a master’s degree in Counselling and Spirituality from Saint-Paul University in 2019. Her past professional work experiences involve offering mental health services as a registered psychotherapist (inactive) and working as a child protection worker in a child welfare agency. Her research interests developed from her work and personal experiences, including mental health at work, supervision relationships, and mental health-related misdiagnosis. Stéphanie’s vision includes working on projects that will promote impactful
positive changes within her community and society. Specifically, Stéphanie aims to evaluate and address important current societal concerns such as mental health at work challenges within the health field. Therefore, Stéphanie’s mission is to contribute to the implementation of positive changes within society.