Angeline Abela, ACP, BHSc-P(Hons.), MA – Fellow
Angeline Abela is an Advanced Care Paramedic working as a Senior Quality Assurance Strategist with Alberta Health Services. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Applied Health Studies in Paramedicine, as well as a Master of Arts in Leadership from the University of Guelph, and is looking to start her PhD in the near future. Her research interests include female leadership development, diversity and inclusion, employment interview process and design, and organizational behavior. Follow Angeline on Twitter @AngAbela or find her on LinkedIn.
Dr. Gina Agarwal MBBS, PhD, MRCGP, CCFP, FCFP, DFFP – Collaborator-Scientist
Dr. Gina Agarwal is a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University. She joined the department in 2000 after training and working in England. Gina is the Principal Investigator of the McMaster Community Paramedicine Research Team and a practicing family physician at the McMaster Family Practice (MFP). Her research focuses on improving health systems for vulnerable populations. Gina is committed to ensuring adequate care is provided at the right time and place to those most in need. Her most recent research with the Community Paramedicine at Clinic (CP@Clinic) involves paramedics holding drop-in sessions at select subsidized housing buildings with high numbers of 911 calls. The results of a pilot study showed that the program significantly lowered the number of ambulance calls, improved quality of life, and lowered systolic blood pressure among older adults in subsidized housing. Gina is also involved in training family medicine residents and supervising undergraduate, masters and doctoral students
Amir Allana, PCP, BASc, MSc – Fellow
Amir Allana is Manager of Patient Care Delivery in Interior BC with BCEHS. Amir holds an MSc in Health Services Research from the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto. His graduate research was based at the Upstream Lab, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital. His research interests relate to how paramedics interact with community-based health and social service organizations, and what role paramedics (can) play in integrated care. This includes risk assessment tools and decision-making around paramedic-initiated referrals to non-hospital services, treatment on-scene, and transport to alternate destinations. Amir has a special interest in interventions that address the social determinants of health in under-served populations: people living in poverty, with chronic mental health conditions and addiction, and socially-isolated seniors. Prior to being a paramedic, Amir was an engineer and public planner – but we don’t talk about that. Follow him on Twitter @amirallana.
Eric Alonzi, PCP, BHSc(c) – Member
Eric Alonzi is a Primary Care Paramedic with York Region Paramedic Services after graduating from Georgian College in 2019. During his time at Georgian College, his abstract on the effects of fatigue on paramedic students’ ability to perform CPR, driving simulation, and memory recollection was published by Canadian Paramedicine. Currently, Eric is pursuing a Bachelor of Health Sciences at Queen’s University and is looking forward to contributing further to paramedicine research in the near future.
Richard Armour, BParamedPrac, MSc, MParamedicine, PhD(c), AACPara – Senior Fellow
Richard Armour is an Intensive Care Paramedic with Ambulance Victoria, Australia, having previously worked with BC Emergency Health Services in the capacities of Advanced Care Paramedic, Paramedic Specialist and Paramedic Practice Leader. He holds a Bachelor of Paramedic Practice, a Master of Science in Advanced Emergency Care and a Master of Paramedicine (Critical Care). Richard has recently begun work with Monash University exploring novel roles for paramedics in supporting people who use substances, including integration of paramedics into the wider health system and developing care pathways grounded in the patient voice.
Jennifer Bacon, PCP – Member
Jennifer is a Primary Care Paramedic with Alberta Health Services (AHS) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) since graduating from NAIT in 2008. Currently Jennifer is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Administration at the University of Athabasca. Jennifer has also completed certifications in Graphic Design and Photography. Since 2018, Jennifer has been a research assistant with the AHS EMS Science and Research team. She has been the lead organizer for the EMS and Paramedic Research Days. Jennifer has also assisted in helping the lead scientist in applied research projects and studies for EMS. In addition, she interprets data for the CanROC national database and annotates electronic physical health data. Jennifer is excited about learning and collaborating on past, current and future research studies that align with EMS.
Dr. Alan M. Batt, CCP, PhD – Scientist, Co-Chair (he/him)
Dr. Alan Batt is Paramedicine Program Lead at Queen’s University, Associate Professor (adjunct) at Monash University, and Assistant Professor (status) at the University of Toronto. He is Deputy Editor of Paramedicine, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and a Member of the Academy of Medical Educators (UK). He is an Associate of the Prehospital Care Research Forum at UCLA. His program of research uses mixed methods approaches to explore health professions education, the expanding role of the paramedic, care of under-served and marginalized populations, and structural and social determinants of health. Alan serves as a subject matter expert on paramedicine and health professions education for a number of national and international organisations. He received the 2018 Award of Excellence for Leadership and Community Building from the Paramedic Association of Canada. He supervises several PhD, Masters, and Honours students, many of whom are McNally Project members. Alan can be reached at a.batt@mcnallyproject.ca. View his research on Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate.
Dr. Ian Blanchard, ACP, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Ian Blanchard has worked in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems in Canada and the United Kingdom for the last twenty five years in various capacities, including as an Advanced Care Paramedic, quality assurance strategist, and researcher. He is the Scientist for the Alberta Health Services (AHS) EMS system, and the provincial co-chair of the AHS EMS Research Committee. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Department of Community Health Sciences in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. In these capacities, Ian works with a dedicated group of individuals to build the science, research and knowledge translation enterprise of EMS systems and the paramedic profession.
Lindsey Boechler, ACP, PhD(c), MA – Senior Fellow
Lindsey Boechler is a Research Manager with the Centre of Health Research, Innovation and Scholarship (CHRIS), Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Canada. Lindsey practiced as an advanced care paramedic in urban, rural, and northern settings for more than a decade prior to becoming an educator. She began with the Saskatchewan Polytechnic School of Health Sciences in 2015 as a Paramedic programs faculty member, transitioning into the role of Program Head in 2017. Lindsey obtained her Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University in 2019 and is currently a PhD student at the University of Saskatchewan. Lindsey is a 2022 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship recipient and she received the 2022 Award of Excellence for Research and Innovation from the Paramedic Association of Canada. Lindsey’s current research explores how virtual reality (VR) technology can be used to promote the mental health and well-being of Indigenous youth living in rural and remote communities and frontline personnel (paramedics and police officers) across Canada. Follow Lindsey on Twitter @BoechlerLindsey.
Michael Bosnyak, BHS, A-EMD – Member
Michael is currently an Emergency Management Operations Officer with Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General. He has experience in many roles, including: Toronto Paramedic Services EMD, Training Officer, Emergency Medical Responder, First Aid/CME Instructor, Incident Command and Operations Supervisor. Michael obtained his Bachelor’s degree from York University, where he studied Healthcare Management, Informatics and Healthcare Policy. He also holds certificates from Humber College in Emergency Telecommunications and from Ryerson University in Disaster & Emergency Management. Michael brings an emergency management perspective to the paramedicine research field. His research interests relating to paramedicine include call triaging improvements, improving resource deployment models, mobile integrated healthcare models, and increasing paramedics’ roles in disaster response. Michael would also like to eventually pursue a Master’s degree in emergency management in the future. He can be found on LinkedIn, or contacted at michael.bosnyak@ontario.ca.
Jennifer Bolster – ACP, BPara(Hons.), PhD student – Senior Fellow
Jennifer Bolster is an Advanced Care Paramedic who is Director of Clinical Services with Ambulance Tasmania. She is a former Paramedic Practice Leader with BCEHS. She practiced as a paramedic in BC for 8 years, and before that she worked as a Community Health Worker and served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reserve Medical Technician. She worked as an instructor at both of BC’s paramedic institutions. She completed a Bachelor of Paramedicine (Honours) with Monash University, focused on the paramedic’s role in caring for people who use drugs. She is now undertaking a PhD in Paramedicine at Monash University furthering this research. Her research interests include paramedic mental health and resilience, contemporary leadership styles, organizational culture, and women in paramedicine.
Dr. Ron Bowles, BEd, MET, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Ron Bowles is Dean of the Office of Applied Research & Graduate Studies at Justice Institute of British Columbia. Ron has a PhD in Curriculum Studies (UBC), a Master of Educational Technology (UBC), and B. Ed. (Adult Education). His educational research has explored active and experiential learning, as well as technology-supported distributed learning; his doctoral work focused on high fidelity simulation and the development of clinical judgment in paramedic students. Ron continues to teach and develop curriculum for paramedics nationally and internationally. He conducts, publishes, and presents on research in diverse areas including professionalization of paramedicine, developing conceptual models and minimum data sets for mass gathering medicine, building community resilience, and emergency management. He is involved in several national-level organizations and initiatives to advance the profession of paramedicine.
Sonja deBruyn, PCP – Member
Sonja is a PCP in Ontario. Prior to entering the paramedic program, she completed a certificate in Pre-Health Sciences and achieved Dean’s Honour Roll. Sonja has a passion for emergency medicine and pre-hospital care and an interest in research and evidence-based practice. During the summer of 2020, Dalhousie University published her critically appraised topic on Paramedic Preparedness Involving Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). She would like to continue pursuing her interest in research and hopes to make an impact on paramedic practice.
Dr. Madison Brydges, PCP, HBSc, MA, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Madison Brydges is a Primary Care Paramedic with Halton Region Paramedic Services. Madison holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, a Master of Arts in Health, Aging & Society and a PhD from McMaster University. Her research adopts a sociological lens to understand the role of paramedics in the healthcare workforce. She uses primarily qualitative methodologies, including ethnography. Madison can be reached at m.brydges@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow Madison on Twitter @MadiBrydges. View her research on PubMed.
Jason Buick, ACPf, BSc(Hons.), MSc, PhD(c) – Senior Fellow
Jason Buick is a Ph.D. student in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on prehospital resuscitation of life-threatening emergencies and evidence based clinical decision rules for paramedics. His PhD thesis aims to derive and validate a prediction model for clinical deterioration among prehospital STEMI patients during transport to the PCI center. Jason has methodological experience with using large epidemiological databases for observational research. Jason holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology degree from McMaster University and a Master of Science in Health Service Research from the University of Toronto. For his MSc thesis, Jason used Geographical Information System analysis to evaluate neighbourhood determinants on survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and bystander CPR. Jason currently serves as an expert systematic reviewer with the International Liaison Committee of Resuscitation (ILCOR) and has previously been an evidence reviewer for the 2015 Basic Life Support Taskforce. Jason can be reached at j.buick@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow Jason on Twitter @jason_buick. View his research on PubMed, ResearchGate or ResearcherID.
Colby Burwell – ACP, MA – Fellow
Colby Burwell is an Advanced Care Paramedic and Senior Trauma Specialist with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. He is currently responsible for clinical and administrative program management of the Regina area Trauma Program. He has worked as a primary care and advanced care paramedic in both ground ambulance and fixed wing environments in urban, rural, and remote Saskatchewan. Colby also has experience as an operational leader in acute care nursing and primary health care delivery. He completed his Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies through Royal Roads University, with particular passion for systems thinking, values-based leadership, and understanding how organizational culture affects team performance and learning.
Chris Callaghan – PCP, HBSc – Member
Chris Callaghan is a Primary Care Paramedic with the Region of Waterloo. Prior to completing his paramedic education Chris completed an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from the University of Guelph. Chris has published on Mass Gathering Medicine with the Mass Gathering Medicine Interest Group at the University of British Columbia. Chris hopes to continue to contribute to paramedic led research initiatives, and is passionate about evidence-based practice within paramedicine. View his research on ResearchGate.
Cheryl Cameron, ACP, BA(Hons.), MEd, PhD student – Senior Fellow
Cheryl Cameron is an Advanced Care Paramedic currently working as Director of Operations for the Canadian Virtual Hospice. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Master of Education in Health Sciences Education and Certificates in Adult/Continuing Education and Occupational Health and Safety. She is a member of the leadership team at the Paramedic Pay it Forward Award and provides both educational and operational program expertise on a number of national initiatives in the sphere of paramedicine and palliative care. Her research interests include mentoring, preceptorship, and interprofessional/interdisciplinary education, with additional interests in quality and patient safety, female leadership advocacy, and policy development. Cheryl is undertaking a PhD at Monash University. Follow Cheryl on Twitter @cherylcookie21 or find her on LinkedIn.
Dr. Anthony Campeau, ACP, BSc, MEd, EdD – Senior Fellow
Dr. Campeau is a paramedic researcher at the Sunnybrook Centre for Prehospital Medicine where he has an appointment as a Practice-Based Researcher. His main area of interest is the professionalization of paramedicine with an emphasis on the context of paramedic practice, which he considers to be the defining characteristic of this field. In 2008 he published the first formal theory of paramedic practice. He holds a doctorate in Educational Theory and Policy Studies from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. He has published extensively on paramedicine in a variety of peer-reviewed journals both as principal investigator and as a member of a research team. He is also a university and college faculty member and serves as an expert external reviewer for several academic journals. Dr. Campeau had an extensive career with Ontario’s Ministry of Health, beginning with working in land and air ambulances and finishing as the Senior Manager of the Provincial Ambulance Program. He was also the provincial operational coordinator for the widely recognized Ontario Pre-hospital Advanced Life Support Studies (OPALS) that demonstrated the benefits of paramedic services. He can be reached at anthony.campeau@sunnybrook.ca.
Zach Cantor, PCP, BA(Hons.) – Member
Zach Cantor is an Education Coordinator with the Regional Paramedic Program of Eastern Ontario (RPPEO). Zach is also a practicing paramedic in Ontario, and has experience working for a large urban service, and a smaller rural service, in the operations, community paramedicine, research, and supervisory arenas. In addition to his clinical and education roles, Zach has a passion for paramedic led research, where his research interests revolve around paediatrics in the prehospital environment. Zach is also the founder and host of the internationally acclaimed Critical Levels podcast, which can be accessed here. Follow him on Twitter @zachcantor, or his podcast @criticalevels.
Diana Chan McNally, Dipl. of Community Work, BFA, MA, MEd – Collaborator-Fellow (she/they)
Diana Chan McNally , a former frontline worker, is the Training and Engagement Coordinator for the Toronto Drop-in Network. She oversees advocacy initiatives and learning opportunities for 56 organizations supporting unhoused people across the City of Toronto. As someone with lived-experience of social services and of being unhoused, Diana’s work focuses on human rights and equity issues for people who are experiencing homelessness. She is particularly involved in rights’ protections for residents of encampments. Diana is also an instructor in George Brown College’s Social Service Worker and Community Worker programs, and has served on the steering committees and boards of Justice for Children and Youth and Health Providers Against Poverty.
Thérésa J. Choisi, EMD, EMD-Q, BSc, MSc (Hons.) – Fellow
Thérésa Choisi is co-coordinator of the Research Program at Urgences-santé, one of the largest emergency medical services in Canada. She has eight years’ experience as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD), being promoted to Team Leader, then Quality Assurance Specialist (EMD-Q). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from the University René Descartes (Paris V) and an Honours Master’s degree in Experimental Health Sciences from the University of Québec. In addition to her operational expertise, she coordinates interventional, qualitative and comparative-effectiveness research, with an emphasis on data management and survey methods. Her research interests include 911 call-taking and dispatch operations, mental wellness of healthcare workers, and quality of care (patient oriented research). Currently, she leads three studies focusing on agreement between information collected by EMD and what is observed by the paramedics and/or diagnosed at the hospital.
Jake Coady, PCP – Member
Jake is a Primary Care Paramedic with Middlesex-London Paramedic Service and Oneida Paramedic Service. Jake has a passion for pre-hospital care and paramedicine, and hopes to improve paramedic practice through research and education. His current work revolves around clinical placements and psychology in paramedicine. Jake would like to pursue further medical education and obtain a degree in the near future.
Dr. Michael Corman, PhD – Collaborator-Scientist
Bio coming soon!
Dr. Luc de Montigny, BA(Hons.), MUP, PhD – Collaborator-Scientist, Director of Collaboration
Dr. Luc de Montigny is the Research Coordinator for Urgences-santé, one of Canada’s largest emergency medical services, where he leads the research program, manages collaborative studies, and develops internal capacity and projects. He holds a doctoral degree in Urban Design & Planning from the University of Washington. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Epidemiology at McGill University, where he is currently an Adjunct Professor, and continues to do research consulting for the Surveillance Lab. He is the principal investigator for the National Defense-funded project Precision prehospital risk-prediction through machine learning applied to healthcare databases. He is a volunteer emergency medical responder for the City of Côte-St-Luc.
Sebastian Diebel, BSc, MSc, AEMCA, MD(c) – Fellow
Sebastian Diebel is a medical student at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM). Prior to that he completed paramedicine studies (soins paramédicaux) at Collège Boréal in Sudbury. In addition, Sebastian holds a Master’s degree in Kinesiology from Lakehead University, and an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from the University of Mount Olive. He has published research regarding altitude training and varsity running athletes and his Master’s thesis focused on running economy and assessing novel means to measure it. He is excited to learn and contribute to the discipline of paramedic research. Sebastian can be reached at sebastian_diebel@hotmail.com.
Dr. Becky Donelon, ACP, EdD, MADL – Senior Fellow
Dr. Becky Donelon is a paramedic educator and researcher located in Alberta, Canada. Becky has a Doctor of Education, Specialization in Educational Leadership, University of Calgary, a Master of Distributed Learning and Leadership from Royal Roads University, and completed a combined certificate in Adult Learning, Organizational Behavior and Social Justice from University of Calgary alongside the Advanced Care Paramedic diploma from SAIT Polytechnic. Research focus includes paramedic practice education pedagogy, health equity, paramedic ways of knowing and relational learning spaces. She continues to teach paramedics and works to improve paramedic education through participation in local and national projects and initiatives. Becky can be reached at beckyjdonelon@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @becjo2016
Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly, PhD, MPH, MSW, LICSW, NREMT, FAEMS – Scientist
Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Windsor. She holds a PhD in Social Work as well as a Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Public Health (MPH). Dr. Donnelly is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Fellow of the Academy of EMS (FAEMS) with the National Association of EMS Physicians. Dr. Donnelly’s primary research interest is in workforce health issues, with a focus on mental health, in paramedicine. She has maintained certification as Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) since 1999 and has worked in both ALS and BLS capacities. A list of her publications and presentations are available at www.elizabethdonnelly.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @EDonnellyPhD.
Trystan Donnelly, ACP, BSc, MEd(c) – Fellow
Trystan Donnelly is an Advanced Care Paramedic who has worked in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems in Alberta and British Columbia for the last twenty five years. His career has been spent in ground ambulance, dual response (fire-based) service, rotary wing, and management capacities. Currently, his work centers around education & curriculum development, rotary-wing medical rescue, and work with national regulatory agencies. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the University of Alberta and has returned to the UofA to study a Master of Education in Health Sciences. His research interests include the efficacy of continuing medical education, the challenges of delivering medical care in austere and resource-poor settings, and remote hyperbaric medicine.
Dr. Ian Drennan, ACP, BScHK, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Ian Drennan completed his Ph.D. at the Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital. He works as an Advanced Care Paramedic with York Region Paramedic Services and an instructor with Sunnybrook Centre for Prehospital Medicine. Ian also holds a part-time faculty position in the health sciences department at Georgian College. His PhD research focused on the development of clinical prediction rules and the treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Other research interests include clinical aspects of prehospital care including community paramedicine, trauma, and sepsis. He is experienced in research methodology in systematic reviews, observational research through the use of large epidemiologic datasets, and randomized controlled trials in the prehospital setting. Ian has received funding from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and is the past recipient of a 2014 Young Investigator Award from the American Heart Association. Ian is a member of a number of committees related to paramedic practice and research. He currently sits as a member of the International Liaison Committee of Resuscitation (ILCOR) Advanced Life Support (ALS) taskforce. He was an evidence reviewer for the 2015 ILCOR Basic Life Support (BLS) and ALS taskforces, and a writing group member for the 2015 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and ECC. Ian can be reached at i.drennan@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow Ian on Twitter @IanR_Drennan. View his research on PubMed, ResearchGate or ResearcherID.
Susan Dugas, PCP, BSc – Member
Susan is currently an Operations Manager for Ambulance New Brunswick (ANB) in Moncton and is currently working on a project to evaluate the ANB Pre-Hospital Alternative Low-Risk Triage (Pre-ALRT) program. This is a paramedic led “treat and refer” pathway that identifies non-urgent patients following a 911 call, who are then provided with referral information for alternate healthcare services in lieu of transport to ED. Susan was also part of the team responsible for implementation of the provincial Paramedics Providing Palliative Care at Home initiative. Her career in Paramedic Services spans over three decades and includes many hours on the road as a front-line paramedic, teaching students as a paramedic educator and program manager, and several years as part of the ANB Training & Quality Assurance team. Susan has contributed to several resuscitation research projects aimed at improving survival from sudden cardiac arrest. She was recognized in 2016 by the Paramedic Association of New Brunswick (PANB) for Outstanding Contribution to Community for her successful work in leading a team to improve public recognition of cardiac arrest, and to increase bystander CPR rates along with public Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use in New Brunswick.
Ryan Elliott, PCP(r), Hons BA – Member
Ryan is a former Ontario PCP who is now attending the Graduate Entry Medical Program at the University of Limerick in Ireland.
Ryan has a continuing interest in Paramedicine and looks forward to promoting the paramedic profession.
Richard Ferron, ACP, BEd(AdEd), MHM, PhD student – Senior Fellow
Rick Ferron started his career as a Paramedic in Niagara after graduating from Niagara College in 1991, and has worked as a Primary Care Paramedic, Advanced Care Paramedic, and in various management level positions leading to his current position as Deputy Chief, System Performance with Niagara Emergency Medical Services. Rick received his Bachelors of Education (Adult Education) degree from Brock University in 2009 and his Master of Health Management from McMaster University in 2015. Rick is a current PhD student in Health Research Methods at McMaster University. In his current portfolio, Rick is responsible for overseeing quality assurance, quality improvement, training, research and decision support as well as Mobile Integrated Healthcare for Niagara EMS. Rick is currently co-chair of the Clinical Key Performance Indicators Working Group for the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada, and was previously a member of the ad-hoc committee for operational stress injury. Rick’s research interests include EMS system design (including call triage, response prioritization and resource deployment processes), quality assurance, performance measurement, EMS provider education, and EMS leadership. In addition to membership in a number of professional organizations, Rick is a Certified Health Executive with the College of Health Leaders. Follow Rick on Twitter @RickFerron
Dr. Polly Ford-Jones, PCP, BA(Hons.), MA, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Polly Ford-Jones completed her PhD in Health Policy and Equity in the School of Health Policy and Management at York University, Toronto Ontario, and is a Primary Care Paramedic with Halton Region Paramedic Services. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Psychology and a Master of Arts in Health Policy and Equity. Polly holds a part-time faculty position in the Humber College School of Health Sciences. Her research focuses on mental health and psycho-social calls to paramedic services in the prehospital setting, exploring the training, education, and policy guiding paramedic practice in mental health calls. Additionally, her research explores the ways in which paramedics can inform an understanding of the social determinants of health and mental health and the factors contributing to distress and leading individuals to activate paramedic services. She uses qualitative research methods with experience in ethnographic research. Polly can be reached at pollyfj@yorku.ca and @pollyfordjones on Twitter. View her research on ResearchGate.
Kathleen Fox, ACP, BSc(Hons.) – Member
Kathleen Fox is an Advanced Care Paramedic working with Toronto Paramedic Services and Hamilton Paramedic Services in Ontario. She has a Bachelor of Science with Honours Specialization in Kinesiology from Western University. She holds a part-time faculty position with Humber College in the Faculty of Health Sciences & Wellness. She is interested in getting involved in pre-hospital research in the near future.
Marc Gessaroli, PCP, MA(c) – Fellow
Marc is a Primary Care Paramedic Unit Chief with BC Emergency Health Services. Marc completed his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia and is currently pursuing an Master of Arts degree through Athabasca University. His research interests focus on utilizing the field of Human Factors to identify and mitigate EMS medical errors, as well as focusing on revamping existing organizational leadership structures to better meet the needs of frontline staff and their patients. Throughout his career, Marc has supported the development of paramedic practice as an author, educator, and now as a leader. Marc looks forward to continuing participating in the development of paramedic-driven advances in paramedic practice through collaborative research.
Dr. Judah Goldstein, PCP, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Judah Goldstein is the Research Coordinator for Emergency Health Services Nova Scotia. Judah is a Primary Care Paramedic and has worked in the EHS ground ambulance system since 2000. He received an Interdisciplinary PhD from Dalhousie University in 2013. Judah is an Assistant Professor with the Dalhousie University Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Emergency Medical Services and Affiliated Scientist with the Nova Scotia Health Authority, Department of Emergency Medicine. He is a Lecturer in the University of Prince Edward Island, Bachelor of Science in Paramedicine program. His areas of research are frailty assessment and management, geriatrics, and health services research.
Marc Goudie, ACP, BEd, BSocSc(Hons.), MA – Fellow
Bio coming soon.
Adam Greene, CCP, MSc, PhD student – Senior Fellow
Adam is a Critical Care Paramedic with the British Columbia Ambulance Service and the current chief of the Greater Vancouver base. In addition to his clinical practice, he holds a variety of academic appointments in both Canada and Wales. Adam holds an MSc in Critical Care from Cardiff University and is currently undertaking a PhD at Monash University. His research interests include prehospital transfusion and transport medicine and he can be reached at adam.greene@bcehs.ca or on Twitter @BCEHSCCP
Jennifer Greene, ACP, MSc(c) – Fellow
Jen is an Advanced Care Paramedic in Nova Scotia. Clinically, Jen is a ground ACP and Clinical Support Paramedic. She also works in the QEII department and with the NSHA Simulation Program. Jen’s primary research role is as the Knowledge Translation Scientist for the Dalhousie University Division of EMS. In this role, she coordinates the international evidence synthesis endeavour; the Prehospital Evidence Based Practice Program. Jen believes in fostering a culture of evidence-based medicine (EBM) among paramedics as part of our clinical identity. To instill this knowledge, she teaches EBM to paramedic student across Canada. She is passionate about advancing paramedicine through conducting paramedic led research in the EMS setting. She has published guidelines with the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Jen is working to put paramedics at the table in guideline development and is the evidence consultant for the EHSNS Ground and LifeFlight CPGs. She is striving to represent paramedics as leaders in medicine, and is currently completing an MSc in Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University. Her thesis is on predictors related to treatment in EMS patients experiencing sepsis.
Sean Hackett, ACP, PhD student – Senior Fellow
Sean Hackett is a PhD student at the University of Toronto Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, concentrating on Health Professions Education Research, specifically assessment science. Having spent most of his career in the pursuit of educating and operationalizing paramedic performance, Sean has consistently returned to study the theoretical foundations that form education and assessment. Sean seeks to understand further the paradigms and theories that affect medical professional performance and how assessment can promote education. With over twenty years of frontline practice as an Advanced Care and Community Paramedic, Sean has clinical depth out-of-hospital. As a father of a child with a rare congenital heart syndrome, Sean has gained significant experience from all dimensions of the healthcare system. You can follow Sean on Twitter or Instagram @cnuhackett.
Desmond Hedderson, ACP, MSc(c) – Fellow
Desmond is an Advanced Care Paramedic and graduate of the BSc major in Paramedicine program from the University of PEI where he was the founding president of the UPEI Paramedicine Society. Currently completing his MSc in Health Informatics from the University of Victoria, his research focuses on using health information technology and terminology standards to improve paramedic workflow and continuity of patient care. He can be found on Linkedin or at desmondhedderson@gmail.com.
J.D. Heffern, ACP, MBA(c) – Fellow
Bio coming soon!
Jennie Helmer, ACP, MEd, PhD(c) – Senior Fellow
Jennie Helmer is an Advanced Care Paramedic working as Chief Operations Officer with BCEHS. She holds a Master of Education, and is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia in the School of Population and Public Health- Department of Medicine. Her research interests include better understanding what the future paramedic looks like, palliative emergencies and cardiac arrest management. Jennie can be reached at jennie.helmer@bcehs.ca or on Twitter @helmerfarm or find her on LinkedIn.
Lindsay Henderson PCP, BHSc, MPH(c) – Fellow
Lindsay is a Primary Care Paramedic with Halton Region, and works as an alternate for the Community Paramedic division. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Health Science from the University of Ottawa, and is currently a student at the University of Toronto in the Master of Public Health – Family and Community Medicine program. Lindsay has experience with both the mobile COVID testing team and the paramedic vaccination program within the community. Her interests lie within the development of community paramedicine, end of life care and advance directives, and public health.
Trevor Hines Duncliffe, PCP, BA, MA, PhD(c) – Senior Fellow
Trevor Hines Duncliffe is a PhD student in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Western Ontario and has a paramedic faculty appointment at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. He holds a Master of Arts and Honours Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from The University of Western Ontario. Trevor’s research interests include stress and its impact on health care providers’ performance, inter-professional teams in health care, and the aging process with a particular focus on maintaining dignity as people age. His doctoral research is focused on the impact stress has on medical inter-professional teams performance. Follow Trevor’s work through his ResearchGate profile.
Laura Hirello, PCP, BSc, MHA, PhD student – Senior Fellow, Director of Equity and Inclusion (she/her)
Laura Hirello is a Primary Care Paramedic currently working as a workforce reporting analyst for the IWK Health Centre in Halifax Nova Scotia. She completed her Master of Health Administration at Dalhousie University, and also holds a BSc in Chemistry and Neuroscience from Dalhousie University. She is a counselor for the College of Paramedics of Nova Scotia (CPNS) and is a member of the CPNS Legislative Review Committee. Laura is also involved in multiple research initiatives at the IWK Health Centre, Nova Scotia Health Authority, and Dalhousie University. Her current academic work focuses on trends in the equity of healthcare utilization in Canada. Laura’s other interests include paramedic systems design, analytics, health policy, organizational behavior and female leadership in paramedicine. Follow Laura on twitter @LHirello or find her on LinkedIn.
Marea Hosien, PCP, BSc(Hons.)(c) – Member
Marea Hosien is a Primary Care Paramedic and a Bachelors of Sciences candidate at the University of Toronto. She is pursuing research in the area of hallway medicine as it relates to the pre-hospital setting and paramedics. Her other research interests include public policy as it pertains to paramedics in Ontario. She can be reached at marea.hosien@mail.utoronto.ca
Charles Humphrey, ACP, BA(Hons.), MA – Fellow
Charles Humphrey is an Advanced Care Paramedic with the City of Greater Sudbury, is involved in clinical research at Health Sciences North Centre for Prehospital Care, and teaches wilderness medicine through Wilderness Medical Associates International. He holds a BA (Honours) in Political Science and Contemporary Studies from the University of King’s College, and an MA in Political Science from Dalhousie University. Prior to starting a career in prehospital care, Charles had extensive experience in teaching and research in the domains of politics and public policy both in Canada and China. He is the Paramedic Lead on an in-progress clinical study of the feasibility and safety of making reduction of patellar dislocations a part of the Ontario paramedic scope of practice. Charles is interested in research in both the clinical and public policy dimension, and currently sits on the Ontario Base Hospital Group Medical Advisory Committee. His goals for future research are directed towards studying and improving paramedic clinical decision making and establishing the marginal risks of unnecessary ED transport
Dr. Aman Hussain, PhD – Collaborator-Scientist
Dr. Aman Hussain is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Applied Health in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Winnipeg. He is a trained social scientist who has utilized qualitative methodologies for his research. Importantly, he values spending time within the work contexts that he studies and as a result, has adopted ethnographic approaches to working with physicians and First Responders. He has presented at medical conferences, military conferences (with a First Responder stream), and qualitative research methods conferences. He is interested in researching the learning that occurs in occupations characterized as high risk, high stress, and/or high consequence. His research has been conducted across a variety of disciplines including Kinesiology, Emergency Medicine, Nursing, Emergency Medical Services, Physical Education, Leadership, and Applied Computer Science.
Jacob Hutton, PCP, BA, MSc(c) – Fellow
Bio coming soon!
Michael Johnson – ACP, BSc(Hon), MSc(c) – Fellow
Michael Johnson is an Advanced Care Paramedic in Peterborough, Ontario, as well as a theory, lab and clinical instructor for Durham College. Michael completed his PCP at Fleming College and his ACP training at Durham College. He has also competed a joint major undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology from Trent University. His undergraduate degree allowed for an introduction to research through a self directed Undergraduate Thesis which focused on the effects of Epilepsy and Seizure Activity on Long Term Memory in a Rat Model. Michael is a candidate in the Charles Sturt Master of Science in Paramedicine (Critical Care) program. He is hopeful that this will provide opportunities to further explore the education/perceptions paramedics have on the topic of psuedoseizures.
Tania M Johnston, ACP, BScN, MHS – Fellow
Tania Johnston holds a Master in Health Studies from Athabasca University and is a full time Lecturer in Paramedicine with Charles Sturt University in New South Wales, Australia. She completed all her education in Alberta including a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Alberta and Advanced Paramedic Diploma at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Spending time in both Australia and Vernon, British Columbia, Tania maintains her clinical practice working casually as an Intensive Care Paramedic and Emergency Nurse. Her primary paramedic research interests include out of hospital ketamine administration, palliative care, paramedic identity and rural and remote practice. She has a keen interest in supporting Canadian paramedics to attain university credentials and recently forged a pathway for ACPs and CCPs to bridge their diplomas to either a Bachelor of Paramedicine or Master of Paramedicine. Follow Tania on Twitter @TaniaOzCan or email her at tjohnston@csu.edu.au
William Johnston, PCP, BA(Hons.) MSc – Fellow, Director of Curriculum and Planning
William Johnston is a Primary Care Paramedic with the Ottawa Paramedic Service. He is a graduate of McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, and an MSc in Health Science Education. He has a keen interest in paramedic driven research with a focus on paramedic initial and continuing education, simulation, and frailty and falls in older adults. Will can be reached at w.johnston@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow him on Twitter @seewillyj. View his research on ResearchGate.
Chelsea Lanos, ACP, BSc, MSc – Fellow, Director of Membership and Outreach
Chelsea Lanos is an Advanced Care/Community Paramedic with the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Ottawa, and an MSc in Critical Care from Cardiff University. Chelsea is a Clinical Research Assistant with The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s Clinical Epidemiology program. Chelsea is a strong advocate for paramedic led research, and her interests are primarily organ and tissue donation as it relates to the role of paramedics in the setting of out-of-hospital death. In addition, Chelsea is passionate about end of life care at home, and the implications of medical ethics on advanced care directives, including ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ orders in the paramedic setting. She can be reached at c.lanos@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow her on twitter @cjlanos. View her research on ResearchGate.
Shannon Leduc, ACP, MSc – Fellow
Bio coming soon
Jakki Lea, ACP – Member
Jakki is a registered ACP in both Canada and Australia. She has worked in academia and as a Clinical Instructor for numerous years. Throughout her career, she has participated in various scholarly actives and in research projects. She continues to value the research that has been achieved and is ongoing in the paramedic profession and looks forward to collaborating with others in the McNally Project.
Jonathan Lee, CCP, MSc(c) – Fellow
Jonathan Lee is a Critical Care Paramedic with Ornge in Toronto, Canada with clinical experience in 911, critical care, aeromedical and paediatric critical care transport. In addition to his clinical practice, he is also Adjunct Faculty in the Paramedic Program at Georgian College. Jonathan’s teaching experience includes classroom, clinical and field education, as well as curriculum development and design across a number of health professions. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Critical Care from Cardiff University. His interests surround paediatrics, especially the confidence and competence of prehospital providers caring for acutely ill children. Jonathan can be contacted via Twitter and LinkedIn.
Dr. Matthew Leyenaar, PCP, BSc, MA, PhD – Scientist, Director of Strategic Development
Dr. Matthew Leyenaar completed his PhD in the Health Services Research stream of the Health Research Methodology program at McMaster University. He also holds an MA in Geography from McMaster where his thesis investigated spatial-temporal patterns of repeated users of paramedic services. His interests in these challenges were developed during his time working as a paramedic in Eastern Ontario and completing an undergraduate degree in Geography, concentrating in Geomatics and applying his studies to paramedic service deployment planning. His present research seeks to improve both patient outcomes and service provision by evaluating patient care episodes, risk-factors associated with non-critical use, and collaborative approaches that improve accessibility to care. Matthew has been a member of the CSA Group Technical Committee on Community Paramedicine and served as Paramedic-at-large on the Canadian EMS Research Network Executive Board. He received the 2019 Award of Excellence for Research and Innovation from the Paramedic Association of Canada. Matthew can be reached at m.leyenaar@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow Matthew on Twitter @MatthewLeyenaar. View his research on ResearchGate.
Tyne Lunn, ACP – member (she/her)
Tyne Lunn is an Advanced Care Paramedic and Community Paramedic. Drawing on the unique value of working within multiple rural clinical practice settings, Tyne cultivates collaborative relationships with public service stakeholders and healthcare allies. Her desire to push the leading edge of her profession forward has led to her expanded roles in Community Paramedicine, multidisciplinary committee membership, provincial and national project work, education, research, and leadership. Her research interests include palliative and end of life care, professionalism, cognitive bias, women’s leadership, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion, and accessible health equity. Tyne is completing her Bachelor of Paramedicine (Hons) at Monash University. View her research on ResearchGate. Follow her on Twitter: @Tyne_River.
Meghan Lysko, PCP, BSc(Hons.) MSc – Fellow
Meghan Lysko is a Primary Care Paramedic with Oxford County in Ontario. Prior to paramedicine, Meghan obtained her Honours Bachelor of Science degree with a human biology specialization from the University of Toronto. Meghan then completed her Master of Science degree within the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. Her focus was in neuro-rehabilitation at the cellular level following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in an animal model. Meghan moved into paramedicine with goals of working more directly with patients, but hopes to continue to fuse her research background with her growing paramedicine knowledge. Some of Meghan’s research interests in the field of paramedicine so far include; infection control and recognition and treatment of addiction. Some of her previous research can be found on PubMed, or follow her on ResearchGate.
Christopher MacDonald, PCP, BSc(Hons.), MSc, PhD(c) – Senior Fellow
Christopher MacDonald is a Ph.D. student in the Occupational and Environmental Health division at the University of Toronto, and a Primary Care Paramedic with the Region of Durham Paramedic Services. He holds an Honours of Science in Biological Science from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science in Community Health, specializing in wound care and prevention, from the University of Toronto. Previous research projects include establishing a more evidence-informed role for paramedics in the provision of wound care and injury prevention at the community level. His doctoral research aims to contrast occupational health determinants and resilience across frontline police officers, firefighters, and paramedics.
Dr. Timothy Makrides, ACP, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Tim Makrides started his career in the Australian Defence Force in 2006 where he served as a medic for six years before transitioning to the Queensland Ambulance Service, Australia. After three years as an Advanced Care Paramedic working in some of Australia’s most remote communities Tim undertook his Critical Care training and transitioned to the CCP role for three years before making the move across to Canada to work for BC Emergency Health Services. He is currently Executive Director of Clinical Services with Ambulance Tasmania. Tim holds both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in paramedic practice and leadership, and a PhD focused on systems of paramedic leadership from Monash University. He also holds several academic appointments, is the Managing Editor of the Journal of High Threat & Austere Medicine and has a strong interest in paramedic leadership, resuscitation medicine and high threat medicine.
Rory A. Marshall, PCP, MSc, PhD student – Senior Fellow
Rory A. Marshall is a paramedic working with British Columbia Emergency Health Services and a PhD Student at the School of Health and Exercise Sciences in the Faculty of Health and Social Development at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. He completed his Primary Care Paramedic training at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. On the academic side, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and business at Vancouver Island University and his Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. He has also had international paramedic experience practicing in New Zealand and Central America. Rory’s research interests include resuscitation, brain injury, and intimate partner violence. He is an active member of SOAR (Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury Through Research) and CanROC (Canadian Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium). Rory can be reached at Rory.Marshall@ubc.ca or on Twitter @RoryAMarshall.
Paige Mason, PCP, BA(Hons.) MA – Fellow
Paige Mason is a Primary Care Paramedic with the Ottawa Paramedic Service. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from Western University, and an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Royal Roads University. She is an enthusiastic paramedic researcher with speaking engagements nationally and internationally. She is passionate about paramedic driven research and her research interests include female leadership in paramedicine, organizational culture, human factors, decision making, as well as the impact of appreciative inquiry and positive psychology on performance. Paige can be reached at p.mason@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow her on Twitter @paigemason2. View her research on ResearchGate.
Dr. Justin Mausz, ACP, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Justin Mausz is an Advanced Care Paramedic with Peel Regional Paramedic Services. Justin holds a Bachelor of Allied Health Science from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Health Science Education from McMaster University and he completed his PhD at the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Justin’s undergraduate and masters research focused primarily on education, and how context influences learning and performance. His PhD research used a mixed methods approach to explore the socio-cultural characteristics of paramedic mental health, including the prevalence and risk factors of work-related mental illness among paramedics. Methodologically, Justin works primarily in qualitative research paradigms, and has a particular interest in constructivist grounded theory, but also has experience with biostatistics. Justin can be reached at justin.mausz@peelregion.ca. Follow Justin on Twitter @Prof_Dewey. View his research on PubMed and ResearchGate.
Dr. Neil McDonald, ACP, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Neil McDonald is an Advanced Care Paramedic in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He currently works as a Training Officer and Research Coordinator with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, and holds a cross-appointment as Lecturer in Department of Emergency Medicine in the Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba. He has been involved in recent projects on prehospital trauma treatment, equity in cardiac care, substance use, and community paramedic programs.
Brent McLeod, ACP, MPH, MHM – Fellow
Brent McLeod is a Paramedic Supervisor and Advanced Care Paramedic with Hamilton Paramedic Service who has been seconded to the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Norfolk Emergency Services Steering Committee as the Community Paramedicine (CP) Strategic Lead. In this role he has helped implement performance monitoring metrics, develop program goals with a focus on ED avoidance, liaise with emergency service partners to identify system gaps, improve system-level coordination, assist with aligning five community paramedicine programs, and continues to explore ongoing opportunities to encourage collaborations and knowledge transfer. Brent holds a combined Master of Public Health and Master of Health Management from the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia) and an Adjunct Lecturer position with the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University. His current research contributions support all areas of CP, prehospital system improvement, stakeholder engagement, as well as out-of-hospital medical and trauma interventions. Brent stays active in the community as a council member of the Hamilton Immigrant Partnership Council and serves as the Treasurer on the Canadian EMS Research Network Executive Board. View his research on PubMed and ResearchGate.
Léo Minvielle, ACP-f – Member
Léo Minvielle is an Advanced Care Paramedic flight and 3rd year student of the Bachelor of Science in Paramedicine at the University of Prince Edward Island. His paramedic experience is a blend of rural and urban 911 response as well as fixed-wing aeromedical transport in the critical care setting. His interests in paramedicine research are focused around the implementation of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in paramedic clinical practice, evolving paramedic education to meet the demands of evidence based practice, and the role of paramedics in harm reduction.
Lindsay Moore, ACP, BSc, MSc(c) – Fellow
Lindsay Moore is an Advanced Care Paramedic at Island EMS and holds a BSc in Paramedicine from the University of Prince Edward Island. She is pursuing an MSc in Epidemiology at The Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Her research will be focused on a decolonization strategy to reduce staphylococcus aureus in hip and knee arthroplasty. She has a special interest in infectious disease and hopes to continue research in the area of infectious disease relating to the prehospital setting.
Dr. Graham Munro, CCP, PhD – Scientist
Graham has been extensively involved in paramedicine for over 40 years as a clinician at the primary, advanced, and critical care levels in the land and air environments, a manager, educator, and academic. He holds a BHSc in Paramedicine, a Master of Health Services Management, Grad Cert in Disaster Medicine, a PhD by publication, and is a registered paramedic in Australia with AHPRA. Graham has been in tertiary education for over 15 years and has held lecturing positions in paramedicine at Charles Sturt University, and the University of Tasmania, course coordinator at La Trobe University, and Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator and National Course Coordinator in paramedicine at the Australian Catholic University North Sydney. He has been involved in the development and evaluation of curriculum and has sat on the Low-Risk Ethics Committee of the School of Biomedical Sciences at Charles Sturt University. Graham has been involved extensively in paramedicine research with over 18 journal articles and four textbook chapters, along with the supervision of higher-degree students. He is presently a consultant in paramedic tertiary education.
Kevin O’Hara, ACP, BSc – Member
Bio coming soon!
Mary Osinga, CCPf, HBSc, MHPE – Fellow
Mary Osinga is Critical Care Flight Paramedic and a professor at Fleming College. She worked for the air ambulance service in Ontario for 25 years. She is the Director of Education for the Ontario Paramedic Association. Mary holds a Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, where her thesis focused on the role of self reflection in continuing education (CE). Her research interests include motivation in education, communities of practice and various aspects of continuing professional development (CPD) . Mary can be reached at m.osinga@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow her on Twitter @maryosinga. View her research on ResearchGate.
Gürkan Özel, ACP, FP-C, MSc, PhD(c) – Senior Fellow
Bio coming soon!
Joe Pedulla, ACP, RRT, BASc, BSc, MHSc – Fellow
Joe Pedulla is an Advanced Care Paramedic and a Registered Respiratory Therapist who holds a Master of Health Science (Health Administration) from the University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation. Joe also holds a BASc in Engineering and a BSc in Physiology from the University of Toronto. He is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Care Leaders and holds an international certification as a Project Management Professional. He is currently completing his Six Sigma Lean Black Belt. He has a passion for improvement science, organizational behaviour, health policy, and system design and is most interested applying this theory to novel response models for integrated 911 responses. He has been involved in community paramedicine since its inception and currently oversees the Community Paramedicine programs in Hamilton. Previous work included hospital-based research into lung protective strategies, effects of noise on premature infants, thermal redesign of neonatal transport decks, software development for niche research markets, managing the East Toronto Health Link, leading the development of Niagara’s OMEGA Project (Phase 1 & 2) and leading a simulation study of alternate response models. He is also a part time consultant and has served as content expert for several industry related projects.
Kaitlin Peters, ACP – Member
Kaitlin is an Advanced Care Paramedic and Clinical Educator based in a rural service area. She has always been malleable to change in the paramedic profession and has recently developed a passion for evidence-based practice and clinical decision making. Realizing the importance of Canadian research and the impact it will have on the paramedic profession in Canada, Kaitlin is excited for the opportunities to branch out and participate in ongoing research initiatives. Professional interest areas include rural health services, public health, community paramedicine and integrated health care, as well as women in leadership, paramedic professionalism and mentorship.
Rachael Pfeil, PCP, BHSc(Hons.), MScCH(c) – Fellow
Rachael Pfeil is a Primary Care Paramedic in Hamilton, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) from McMaster University. Prior to becoming a paramedic, she studied the GI microbiome in the department of immunology and worked as a teaching assistant in epidemiology. Currently she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Community Health: Mental Health and Addictions, at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Some areas of interest include withdrawal management in incarcerated and other vulnerable populations, the role of social determinants of health on ambulance utilization, cognitive bias in prehospital paramedic practice, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and substance use. During the pandemic, Rachael acted as navigator for the community paramedic program’s mobile COVID-19 testing and vaccination program and became interested in how the mobility and skills of paramedics can be used to better reach marginalized populations. rachael.pfeil@mail.utoronto.ca
Dr. Nico Preston, PCP, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Nico Preston is a data scientist with a decade of professional experience in biosurveillance and pharmacovigilance. He works as Director of Research and Evaluation with BC Emergency Health Services, with interests in out-of-hospital research, technology, and innovation. Nico has an academic background in biological, computational, and mathematical sciences, with a certificate in global health. He’s leveraged data and web technologies for a wide range of applications from emergency management and disaster response, to health decision support and diagnostics. Past leadership roles include technical project manager, principal investigator, and principal management consultant. Nico is passionate about data-driven health solutions, and seeks to fuse his research and development background with clinical experience in paramedicine.
Scott D. Ramey, CCPf, BHSc, MScHQ – Fellow
Scott Ramey is Division Chief of Medical Programs, Research, and Quality Improvement with Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency Service. Formerly a Critical Care Flight Paramedic with British Columbia Emergency Health Services and Ontario’s ORNGE Medical Transport; as well as Deputy Chief of Professional Standards and Quality with land Paramedic Services. Scott holds a BHSc in Paramedicine from Medicine Hat College, Alberta. He completed a Master of Science with Queens University department of graduate studies in Healthcare Quality, Risk & Safety. His current research interests include leadership principles within complex systems that result in quality and safety at the front-lines of healthcare and emergency services, Human Factors, and System Safety. Research experience ranges from grant application through to publication. Scott can be reached at s.ramey@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow him on Twitter @sdramey. View his research on ResearchGate.
Jason Richmond, ACP, MEd(c) – Fellow
Jason is a registered ACP in Alberta and flying critical care fixed wing out of the North West Territories. He has worked in curriculum development and clinical instruction for several years. Formerly chaired the Continuing Education Centre for Emergency Services, a non-profit education provider, and volunteer for the Alberta Paramedic Association. Jason continues with a Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education. He is currently pursuing interests in how machine learning can facilitate patient safety in prehospital environments.
Jakob Rodger, ACP, BParamedicine, MSc(c) – Fellow
Jakob is a practicing Advanced Care Paramedic in Eastern Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Paramedicine from Charles Sturt University. He is completing a Master of Science in Critical Care at Cardiff University. His future research interests include prehospital resuscitation, critical care transport and advanced diagnostic modalities.
Michel Ruest, ACP, BA, MPS(c), PMP – Fellow
Michel Ruest is a Master of Public Safety candidate in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. As a former Deputy Chief with the County of Renfrew Paramedic Service, Michel was instrumental in the design and implementation of the early version of the Community Paramedic Program. Michel holds a Project Management Professional certification with the Project Management Institute. Michel is a reviewer for the Australian Journal of Paramedicine and the Journal of Paramedic Practice. As a CSA Group Technical Committee member, Michel participates on the following standards development: Paramedic Response to Opioids; Paramedic Ground Emergency Response Vehicles & Equipment; Paramedic H&S in the Workplace; Community Paramedicine Framework; and, Paramedic Data Information Governance. An advocate of paramedic led research, Michel has a interest in exploring areas of policy, practice, and social change. View his research on ResearchGate. Michel is on Twitter @MRuest1, and can be found on LinkedIn.
Sarah Salvis, ACP, BHSc MGHL(c) – Fellow
Sarah works as an Advisor, Paramedic Services Well-Being for Peel Regional Paramedic Services (PRPS). That work involves helping to lead the Psychological Health and Safety program in her Service. Prior to moving into the Advisor role, she was employed as an Advanced Care Paramedic on the Tactical Team with PRPS. She has previously held roles of Service Instructor, Base Hospital Faculty, and Research Assistant at different organizations. Sarah holds an Honours Science Degree, Specialist in Paramedicine from the University of Toronto. She is working towards a Master of Global Healthcare Leadership with University of Oxford. She has an interest in mental health and wellbeing initiatives for first responders. She is excited to be researching implementation strategies related to paramedic workforce health and wellbeing supports for her master’s dissertation. She can be found on LinkedIn, but otherwise tries to avoid social media at present.
Esther Schaaff, PCP, BHSc(c) – Member
Esther Schaaff is a Primary Care Paramedic with Toronto Paramedic Services and a student in the Bachelor of Health Science program at Queens University. Her current interests include psycho-social aspects of prehospital medicine, paramedic peer mentoring, and simulation and human factors in paramedic education. She is excited to participate in paramedic-led research in the near future. Esther can be found on Twitter @rookiemedic22.
Julie Sinclair, PCP, RN, BSc, MScN – Fellow
Julie Sinclair is in Ottawa, Ontario and works as a Coordinator with the Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario. She has worked as a Primary Care Paramedic in Ottawa and Registered Nurse at Winchester District Memorial Hospital on the medical/surgical floor. She holds a BSc in Physiology and MSc(A) in Nursing from McGill University and a BSc in Biomedical Toxicology from the University of Guelph. Her interest in research began when she worked as research assistant on the prehospital C-Spine Validation study and was further fueled during her Master’s training; her academic research project focused on adherence to clinical practice guidelines. After graduating, she worked with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute as research associate and was involved in the seminal OPALS and ROC studies. Her research interests, beyond trauma and cardiac arrests, include: patient and provider safety, clinical decisions guidelines, and alternative destinations of care. Follow her on Twitter @JECSinc. View her research on ResearchGate.
Meagan Slack, ACP, BA(Hons.) MSc – Fellow
Meagan Slack is an Advanced Care Paramedic and Paramedic Education Specialist with Ornge and Fanshawe College. She is also a Founding Member of the PHARMers Journal and Social Club, promoting paramedic CME with a focus on simulation-based training, team building and social networking. She completed a Master of Science in Health Science Education at McMaster University in 2020, with scholarly work on the role of social capital/networks in team training and ad hoc team performance. Her professional interests include paramedic recruitment practices, paramedic peer mentorship and faculty development. You can follow Meagan on Twitter at @Meg1523
Chris Smith, ACP, BSc(Hons.) MSc – Fellow
Chris Smith is a full time Advanced Care Paramedic with Peterborough County/City Paramedics (PCCP). In addition to his road shift, he also serves part time as PCCP’s Research Lead. He recently completed a 5 year tour as a service educator. Prior to starting his career as a Paramedic, Chris earned an Honours BSc in Biology (emphasis Health Sciences), with an honours thesis in Virology, before completing his PCP at Fleming College and ACP at Durham College. Today, Chris’ research interests are focused on innovative approaches to existing electronic paramedic data using statistical analyses. He holds an MSc in Applied Modelling and Quantitative Methods from Trent University. His most recent project involved partnering with local public health agencies to develop a live monitoring system of opioid overdoses and changes in the overdose population. Prior areas of research include sepsis detection and capnography in the prehospital environment.
Dugg Steary, CCPf, MA – Fellow
Dugg Steary is a Paramedic Practice Leader with BCEHS and Lead Educator at Columbia Paramedic Academy. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Dugg is an experienced paramedic educator and researcher. He has experience with urban, rural, helicopter-based, CBRNe, and austere environment paramedicine. He holds a Master of Arts in Learning and Technology from Royal Roads University with research focused on the online continuing professional development of paramedics. Dugg has additional research interest in student engagement, education technology, faculty development, education and clinical standards. Follow Dugg on Twitter, visit his education blog, or view his research on ResearchGate.
J. Alex Stirling PCP, MSc(c) – Fellow
Alex Stirling is a licensed Primary Care Paramedic working in Nova Scotia, Canada. He is currently a masters candidate enrolled in Dalhousie Epidemiology and Applied Health Research program. During his time at Dalhousie, Alex focused the majority of his studying on statistical analysis, methodological principles, and knowledge translation, achieving the People’s choice award for Dalhousie 3-minute thesis competition. Alex’s current masters thesis focuses on prehospital airway management but has contributed to work in several areas, including frailty, sepsis, and knowledge translation. He is dedicated to advancing the field of prehospital medicine, taking every opportunity to join committees, knowledge translation teams, research opportunities, and presentations. Alex’s research primarily focused on prehospital care in nova scotia, but he is looking for opportunities to expand his knowledge on prehospital care outside of Atlantic Canada. Please feel free to reach out through email at alex.stirling@dal.ca
David Suthers, PCP – Member
David has been a Primary Care Paramedic with Peterborough County/City Paramedics (PCCP) since 2022. Other than working on the road, David is passionate about continuing education and hopes to learn more about paramedic research and the enhancement of paramedic practice. With a goal of pursuing further education and a degree in the near future, David is eager to start the journey towards future contribution to the project and maximize his learning along the way.
Patrick Suthers, PCP, BHSc – Member
Patrick Suthers is a Primary Care Paramedic with the County of Simcoe Paramedic Services and has been working since 2018. Outside of working on the road, Patrick is excited to contribute to the field of paramedic led research, and has already collaborated on a number of projects with other McNally Project members.
John Taplin, ACP, BA, MSc – Fellow
John Taplin is an Advanced Care Paramedic with Alberta Health Services EMS in Calgary and works as a Research Analyst with the Health Technology Assessment Unit at the O’Brien Institute for Public Health. He completed a Master of Science in Community Health Sciences specializing in Health Economics at the University of Calgary. John was the recipient of the 2017 EMS Research Education Development Studentship bursary through the EMS Foundation. He completed his BA in Economics at the University of Calgary and has previously worked in EMS management with Siksika Nation – a First Nation in Southern Alberta – and as a Policy Analyst with the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Health. His research and professional interests include addressing health inequities through evidence-informed policy, performing economic evaluations that guide health services, and improving paramedic integration in health systems. Follow John on Twitter @mediconomist
Dr. Walter Tavares, ACP, PhD – Scientist, Co-Chair
Dr. Walter Tavares is a Scientist and Associate Professor at The Wilson Centre and Post-MD Education (Post Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Medical Education) at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Medicine. He is also a Scientist and Advanced Care Paramedic with York Region Paramedic and Senior Services. Walter holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics with specializations in Health Research Methods and Medical Education. His research interests include simulation and work-based education, assessment of clinical competence, validity, simulation and practice innovations. Walter can be reached at w.tavares@mcnallyproject.ca. Follow Walter on Twitter @WalterTava. View his research on PubMed and ResearchGate.
Sean Teed, CCP, MEd – Fellow
Sean is a licensed critical care paramedic with the College of Paramedics Nova Scotia. Sean’s diverse experiential background includes practicing as a critical care flight paramedic out of hospital on fixed wing, rotor wing and critical care land transport machines and in-hospital within the emergency department. Sean received his Master of Education at ST FX University which was deeply rooted in concepts of Social Justice and the social determinants of health. Sean was the paramedic educator for Nova Scotia Health, prior to moving to the Learning Institute for Health Care Professionals as Lead Faculty for the Critical Care Paramedic Program in Nova Scotia. Sean’s personal values statement is simply to “Put Care back in Career” and values integrity, kindness, and compassion. The evolution of paramedicine is happening so fast that it is challenging to remain on top of this evolution, however, caring for people and families in our communities remains at the root of this evolution and also Sean’s motivation to continue the paramedic evolution. Sean’s interest remain in the affective domain of learning and preparing learners to be emotionally intelligent, socially responsive, and resilient.
Janessa Tom, BSc, MPH – Fellow
Janessa Tom is a Project Coordinator with BC Emergency Health Services. She completed a Bachelor of Science in microbiology and French language at the University of British Columbia and a Master of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan, where she focused her studies on health policy and healthcare systems management. Janessa supported the COVID-19 Occupational Risks, Seroprevalence and Immunity among Paramedics (CORSIP) study and continues to work as a Research Assistant on the Epinephrine Dose: Optimal versus Standard Evaluation (EpiDOSE) clinical trial with Providence Health Research Institute. Before joining BCEHS, Janessa worked in Indigenous health and had the opportunity to work alongside global organizations such as the World Health Organization and the UN, as well as several international NGOs that advocate for equitable access to healthcare among Indigenous communities worldwide. Janessa’s research interests include how systemic racism in the healthcare system impacts patient care and the impacts of structural violence against people of colour that work within the healthcare system. Janessa also recently finished her Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) training and is looking forward to learning more about paramedicine from the frontline.
Willem van Lankvelt, ACP. BSc(Hons.) – Member
Willem is a paramedic in Winnipeg for the last 18 years, the last 13 years as an Advanced Care Paramedic. He also has experience with community paramedicine, Tactical EMS and has been a peer support member for many years. His interest in research developed during his time at Lakehead University where he acquired an Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology with a major in human anatomy. Over the last 2 years he has been involved in a few studies as a subject after being the victim of cyclist MVC with many significant injuries including a fractured skull and TBI. As he is finding his new role in paramedicine he would love to become involved in research that would benefit patients and providers.
Dr. Charlene Vacon, PCP, BA(Hons.), MA, PhD – Scientist
Dr. Charlene Vacon is a manager at the Regional Paramedic Program for Eastern Ontario. She has worked in paramedic service operation, quality, education and research roles in Quebec, as well as in government EMS policy and regulation in Alberta. Charlene holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Communications earned jointly at Concordia University, the University of Montreal and the University of Quebec at Montreal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and a Master of Arts, both in sociology from Acadia University. In addition to contributing to the research literature, Charlene enjoys communicating with lay audiences. Her current interests in Canadian paramedicine include quality and performance measurement, governance, leadership, ethics, Canadian social history and the study of women. Find Charlene on LinkedIn and Twitter @charlene_vacon.
Radu Venter, ACP, MA, BA – Fellow
Radu Venter is a Flight Paramedic working for Yukon EMS. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Western University and a Master of War Studies from the Royal Military of College. He is interested in critical thinking in paramedicine and examining the ideas underlying paramedic thinking and decision-making
Dr. Efrem Violato, PhD – Collaborator-Scientist
Efrem Violato is a Research Associate at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Centre for Advanced Medical Simulation. He received his PhD from the University of Alberta and has a background in Social-Cognitive and Educational Psychology with a focus on health professional education and training, simulation, and assessment. Efrem’s role at NAIT-CAMS includes conducting educational and simulation-based research with the various health programs at NAIT including Paramedicine. He is also involved in conducting simulation-based usability testing for medical devices and digital health technologies.
David Wolff, PCP, BClinPrac, MAdEd, EdD(c) – Senior Fellow
David Wolff completed his Bachelors Degree in Clinical Practice at Charles Sturt University in 2009, a Master of Adult Education at St. Francis Xavier University, NS in 2020, and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (Ed.D.): Traumatology Cognate, at Liberty University, VA, USA. David first entered the paramedic field in 1986 and has worked as a Primary Care Paramedic, owned and operated a Patient Transportation Service, and served as a Paramedic Program Coordinator/Instructor. In 2008, David moved into paramedic services management performing many diverse roles including Quality Assurance Manager, Field Superintendent, Commander of Training, and finally Deputy Chief, eventually becoming a Certified Municipal Manager (CMM III, EMS Executive) prior to returning to school. David has extensive experience with online education and currently serves as a Project Manager and Educational Consultant for Premergency Inc.
Cameron Woodman, PCP, BHSc(c) – Member
Cameron works as a Primary Care Paramedic with Halton Region Paramedic Services and has been working since 2016. He also works on a regular part-time contract basis for Humber College as a clinical skills laboratory instructor. He is currently completing an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences at Queen’s University and currently striving to get involved in more paramedic-led research. Cameron looks forward to contributing to the development and advancement of this rapidly growing profession in Canada.
International Collaborators
Dr. Georgette Eaton BSc(Hons) PGCert MSc McPara FHEA DPhil – International Collaborator – Scientist
Georgette’s DPhil studies focused on understanding the role of paramedics in primary care within the UK National Health Service, and she uses realist methodology to undertake mixed-methods research with an aim to create and support intelligent policy within this area. As well as research, Georgette continues to practise clinically as an Advanced Paramedic (and independent prescriber) in primary and urgent care and is currently the Clinical Practice Development Manager for Advanced Paramedic Practitioners Urgent Care in London Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Georgette can be reached on Twitter and her research can be viewed on Researchgate.
Dr. Robin Pap, NDipEMC, BTechEMC, HDipHEd, MScMed(EmergMed), PhD – International Collaborator – Scientist
Robin is a lecturer and academic program advisor for paramedicine at Western Sydney University (WSU), Australia. He has worked in various clinical, leadership, and academic roles in numerous healthcare organisations and academic institutions for over 20 years and across six countries. His research interests are in improvement science, quality/performance measurement, patient safety, and evidence/knowledge synthesis.
Dr. Paul Simpson PhD – International Collaborator – Scientist
Bio coming soon!
Dr. Buck Reed Dip Eng, BCA, Dip ParaSci (Ambulance), GradCertHSM, MIHM, PhD – International Collaborator – Scientist
Dr. Buck Reed is Lecturer in Paramedicine at Charles Sturt University. He has almost 20 years of experience as a clinical paramedic and over a decade of experience as an academic and researcher. Buck was the first rural paramedic in Australia to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship. Buck’s PhD focussed on paramedic professionalisation and regulation. His other research interests include paramedic identity, community paramedicine, and paramedic wellness. He currently supervises students at the PhD, Masters and Honours level as well as MD student research projects.