Dr. Leslie Bainbridge
Dr. Lesley Bainbridge contributed to the development and instruction of the first version of RHSC 509, ‘Facilitating Learning in Rehabilitation Contexts‘. After a break to complete her PhD studies she rejoined us in 2009 as a facilitator of RHSC 583, Applying Research to Practice on the topic of Interprofessional Practice.
A past Director of the UBC School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Head of the Division of Physical Therapy, Lesley had previous management roles at two Vancouver hospitals and practiced as a physical therapist in a wide variety of settings with clients of all ages. In 2005 she was seconded from her home Department of Physical Therapy to two interprofessional positions, serving as the Director of Interprofessional Education in the Faculty of Medicine to 2014, and through June 2015 as Associate Principal in the UBC College of Health Disciplines, a unit that focuses entirely on interprofessional and integrated curricula.
Lesley believes that completing a master’s degree in education gave her a broad area of knowledge and skills that transferred readily to her main research interests, namely leadership, geriatrics, teaching and learning, administration, and interprofessional education and collaborative practice. She has authored and/or co-authored book chapters and articles, including the Canadian National Competency Framework for Interprofessional Collaboration (www.cihc.ca). Interprofessional education and collaborative practice were the focus of her PhD studies, and have continued in her as evidenced by her national and international conferences presentations.
Lesley received a UBC Killam Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2003, in recognition of her effectiveness in teaching physical therapy students and many others. Retiring from UBC at the end of June, 2015, Lesley continues to support the MRSc program through student supervision as an emeritus faculty member. She looks forward to continued contact with learners who are grounded in the practice setting.
Dr. Skye Barbic
Dr. Skye Barbic is a registered occupational therapist with a clinical sub-specialist interest is the rehabilitation of adults with serious mental illness and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at UBC.
Her clinical training was at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and she completed her doctoral studies at McGill University. Skye completed post-doctoral fellowships at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and in the Departments of Psychiatry at UBC. In her post-graduate work she applied her expertise in health outcomes measurement to the field of psychiatry and mental health rehabilitation. She is an active member of the health outcomes research community and was awarded the top New Investigator Award at the International Society of Quality of Life Research congress for her work in the application of modern measurement methods to understanding depression.
Skye has taught courses in occupational therapy and supervised students at the University of Toronto, McGill and Queen’s. She is passionate about her profession and her goal is to promote the role for occupational therapists as evidence based leaders in mental health rehabilitation and beyond.
Skye is an instructor for RHSC 505: Measurement in Practice.
Dr. Cheryl Beach
Dr. Cheryl Beach is an instructor in RHSC 583 Applying Research to Practice which is an elective in the UBC MRSc program. She facilitates the Community Practice and Single Subject and Case Study Research sections of RHSC 583, and joined the UBC MRSc team of major project supervisors in 2008.
Cheryl received her doctorate in 2004 from the University of Surrey in Guildford, UK. Her thesis focused on community-based learning to promote self-efficacy of physiotherapy students in Hong Kong to interact with older adults. Her Bachelor of Science (Physical Therapy) and Master of Science (Rehabilitation) were completed at Queens University in 1989 and 1993, respectively. Her Master’s thesis focused on the development and testing of an instrument designed to assist with program evaluation at the Hospital for Disabled Children in Nepal.
In addition to her master’s work in Nepal, Cheryl has worked in Jamaica, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong, where she gained experience in neuro-geriatrics, research and education, as well as benefiting from the richness of the cultural diversity. She has previously worked with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) as Client Affairs Manager, BC and for Island Health as Director, Community Care Initiatives where her main projects were related to the use of technology in the community to improve health and healthcare systems outcomes.
Cheryl enjoys helping learners to bridge research with learning and practice. For Cheryl, education is about accepting challenges, asking questions, and learning together.
Marion Briggs
Marion Briggs is an instructor for RHSC 583 – Interprofessional Practice.
Her career spans more than 45 years in three Canadian Provinces and two States in the US. She practiced clinically as a physical therapist and was Director of Rehabilitation Services at the University Hospital in Edmonton. At the University of Alberta, she was also a research associate with the John Dosseter Health Ethics Centre in Edmonton. There, she was part of a research group examining relational ethics as the foundation for clinical bioethics.
She was CEO of Seeds of Corporate Consciousness, a management consulting firm specializing in organizational leadership and team dynamics. She was a practice consultant, operations leader for a long-term care centre and an assisted living facility in Vancouver and has worked in medical education at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, in Norfolk, Virginia, and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. She is a Phoenix Fellow with AMS Health, Toronto where she is involved with promoting compassionate person-centred care and health professional education.
In addition to her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy (U of A), she holds a Master of Arts in Leadership (Health) from Royal Roads University in BC, and a Doctoral degree through the Complexity and Management Research Institute at the University of Hertfordshire in England. Her doctoral work was related to understanding health care practices through the perspectives of complexity theory. Marion is married to Janet McElhaney. They have one daughter (son-in-law) and a grandson and currently live in Sudbury, Ontario.
Daniela Cavalcante
Daniela previously served as Co-Director of the Rehabilitation Sciences Online Programs (shared with Patricia Mortenson). She is a Clinical Associate Professor within the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy for RHSC 583 Applying Research to Practice and RHSC 581 Writing to Enhance Practice. Daniela holds a Bachelor of Science (Biology) degree from Simon Fraser University, Bachelor of Science Occupational Therapy degree from the University of Alberta, and Master’s of Rehabilitation Science (MRSc) degree form the University of British Columbia.
Daniela is a licensed occupational therapist with clinical experience across care settings focusing on adult neurorehabilitation and dementia care. She currently works as a health care manager in community care and clinically in her occupational therapy private practice. She is passionate about professional education and supporting students in applying MRSc course learnings towards optimal client or program outcomes and new career paths.
Mary Clark
My work in the online programs began while I was working towards my Masters in Distance Education. To meet the requirements of one course, I evaluated the learner support in the Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation program, which, by the way, was very good, and explained why the retention rates were so much higher than in other graduate programs delivered by distance.
I was so impressed that when it came time to choose my research topic, I returned to the program and requested permission to study the factors influencing critical thinking in online discussions. I wondered: if this program excelled at learner support, was it also good at developing the higher order thinking skills necessary for successful graduate work? And, more importantly, could it foster the thinking needed for solving the complexity of problems faced by health professionals in rehabilitation practice? Big topic — we are still working on the answer — with some interesting impact research underway. For my master’s thesis research I narrowed it down to factors influencing critical thinking skills during the online discussions in one course: RHSC 503: Reasoning and Decision Making. The results indicated that participating in online peer discussion fostered the development of critical thinking by encouraging structured reflection focused on clinical cases, and increased understanding through the thoughtful exchange of written communication.
Equipped with my shiny new Masters in May 2005, I was given the incredible opportunity to take on the role of interim coordinator of the UBC Rehabilitation Science Online Programs while Sue Stanton was on sabbatical. At the same time, I authored RHSC 581: Writing to Enhance Practice. Total immersion is a good thing, I told myself, but it meant breaking ties with work that I had done for many years. This included my role as managing editor of Occupational Therapy Now and other communications work for the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT).
Writing and collaborating online have been steady occupations of mine since 1987 when I moved to Vancouver and started my marketing communications company, Westprint Communications. Starting as a sideline to my occupational therapy practice in 1984, over the years it has grown from providing primarily graphic design, writing and editing services to include the development and delivery of print and online training/educational materials, a direct result of my Master’s studies. I continue to consult for various small businesses, not-for-profit and health professional organizations.
So where to now? Words are important; they are the main ingredients in written communication, and I believe there are important connections among professional language use, theory and clinical decision making that are worth exploring. If words are proxies of our thinking, do we pay enough attention to what we use in our day-to-day practice? By making our thinking more explicit can we demonstrate our competence to colleagues and the public? By doing so will it improve how we self monitor our competence? There lies a few budding research projects of mine, along with continued interest in learner support. My present research project is exploring role balance to understand learners’ adjustments and retention.
Dr. Leslie Duran
Leslie Duran, EdD, OT completed her Doctorate in Distance Education from Athabasca University in 2018, and a Masters of Science degree in occupational therapy at Colorado State University in 1995. She was the Director of the Rehabilitation Sciences Online Programs from July, 2018 to April, 2022. She has been an instructor for RHSC 505 – Measurement for Assessment, Planning, and Evaluation, and the Practice with Older Adults topic of RHSC 583 – Applying Research to Practice. She continues to supervise students completing major projects in RHSC 587 and RHSC 589. She is currently the Leader for Education and Communication for Community Health Services in Island Health.
Her doctoral research was a phenomenological inquiry into the lived experiences of graduate-level online learners. She has worked in a variety of settings including community health, long-term care, transitional care, and academia. Leslie has extensive experience teaching occupational therapy assessment across North America and internationally. She has co-authored articles published in peer-reviewed journals such as Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Australian Journal of Occupational Therapy, and the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.
Her leisure interests include playing the cello, gardening, vintage sewing, kayaking, and hiking with her dog.
Tracey Dyks
Tracey began online instructing in 2014 as a co-facilitator for RHSC 509 “Facilitating Learning in Rehabilitation Contexts”.
Tracey graduated from the University of Toronto and has worked as a registered Physiotherapist for over 25 years. Her clinical focus has included adult neurology, specifically stroke and acquired brain injury services in rehabilitation, community-based and acute care settings. Tracey has extensive post-licensure neurological training and has assisted in developing numerous workshops and courses for clinicians in Ontario. In 2005 she developed and taught an Adult Neurology workshop to physiatrists and physiotherapists throughout Bosnia-Hercegovina as part of a government funded project led by the International Centre for the Advancement of Community-Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR) based out of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. From 2008-2010 Tracey was seconded from her clinical role to work as an Education Consultant with the Ottawa Hospital Model of Inter-Professional Care (TOH IPMPC©), establishing an education plan to assist clinical teams in developing knowledge and skill in interprofessional practice. From 2010- 2016 she worked with the Champlain Regional Stroke Network as the Best Practice Team Physiotherapist based at The Ottawa Hospital. This role included clinical work as well as developing and providing education, and leading regional projects aimed at disseminating and improving uptake of stroke best practices throughout the care continuum. In November 2016 Tracey transitioned to her current role as Physiotherapy Profession Leader at The Ottawa Hospital General Campus where she oversees the practice of over 60 physiotherapists and physiotherapist assistants.
Tracey received a Master’s degree from the Faculty of Education (Concentration in Teaching, Learning and Evaluation) from the University of Ottawa in 2010. Her thesis and research interests include post-licensure professional development and clinical mentorship. Tracey is excited to learn with and from the perspectives of others who are grounded in clinical work.
Patti Erlendson
Patti began online instructing in 2006, when she co-facilitated RSOT 553: Developing Effective Programs in the UBC Master of Occupational Therapy program, a course in which she continues to be a facilitator. Later that year she facilitated a section of RHSC 583 on ‘Leadership and Management’ and she joined the RHSC 507, ‘Developing Effective Rehabilitation Programs’ facilitation team in 2007-08.
Patti graduated as an occupational therapist in Montreal Quebec and has worked clinically in a variety of settings from pediatric residential care, rehabilitation and a neurological ICU. Her interest in providing better-coordinated care across the continuum led to her interest in management.
Patti has held several leadership positions over her career. She retired in 2016 from the regional Occupational Therapy practice leader position for Vancouver Coastal Health. She was responsible for occupational therapy practice throughout the region; including community based mental health, home care, residential, rehabilitation, community hospitals and tertiary care hospitals.
The primary focus of Patti’s work at Vancouver Coastal Health was the standardization of practice that is evidence based. This work required up-to-date research information as well as skills and abilities in change management, team building and collaboration. It was an ongoing challenge and there was never a dull day at work. Writing business cases to support program improvements, and to justify existing programs and propose new programs was ongoing.
Patti completed her Master’s in Health Administration in 2002 and she was a student in the first web-based course offered by the School of Health Care and Epidemiology.
Clare Faulkner
Clare graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a combined degree in Occupational and Physical Therapy, and has maintained both qualifications. She has worked in hand therapy since 1989 and is the owner of Island Hand Therapy Clinic with 3 locations in the greater Victoria area in British Columbia. She mentors her staff, and regularly supervises students from both the UBC Master in Physical Therapy (MPT) and Master in Occupational Therapy (MOT) programs, as well as from other universities.
Teaching is part of Clare’s belief in the importance of on-going learning. She authored the student textbooks, teaches and examines related subjects for dance teachers, including anatomy, injury prevention, growth and development.
Clare was one of the first learners to begin the online programs and in 2010 graduated with a Masters in Rehabilitation Science. Her major project was a quantitative study looking at two protocols for post-operative treatment of extensor tendon lacerations. She has presented these findings at conferences, workshops, and in the UBC Research Relay Webinars.
She is now an instructor in RHSC 503 Reasoning and Decision Making, and RHSC 509 Facilitating Learning in Rehabilitation Contexts. Having seen the evolution of this program from the pilot courses to a full online Masters program, she is thrilled to be facilitating and giving other learners the same opportunities. “It is such an exciting way to expand practitioners’ knowledge base and application within their chosen field while continuing to work and live in their own community.”
Debbie Field
I have worked as an occupational therapist for over 35 years with a clinical interest in the use of assistive technologies that enable individuals to participate fully in their daily lives. I am also a Clinical Associate Professor within the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at University of British Columbia (UBC) where my involvement has spanned over 25 years as an instructor and clinical researcher.
My clinical training began at University of Toronto, in Toronto, Ontario with a post-graduate Master degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Indianapolis in the USA, with a focus on neurological conditions. I completed my doctoral studies at UBC where I investigated appropriate measurement tools and measured impacts on participation and mobility for children and youth who use power mobility devices to overcome chronic mobility limitations.
I have taught a variety of courses in occupational therapy at UBC including paediatric neurorehabilitation, research methods and practice skills, with an emphasis on use of assistive technologies. I’ve also taught about seating and wheeled mobility in the UBC Department of Physical Therapy. I have supervised occupational therapy students’ major research projects (both in-person and online programs) as well as students’ clinical placements. In my teaching and ongoing clinical work with children, youth and adults, I promote evidence-informed practice with a special interest in facilitating knowledge exchange and implementation of best practices to improve assessment and intervention effectiveness.
I am passionate about life-long learning and enjoy sharing my knowledge and skills. I have learned lots from clients, students and other team members, and I value the diversity of perspectives everyone has. Mentoring clinicians, educators and clinical researchers (from a variety of disciplines) is another passion. I have had the pleasure of presenting locally, nationally and internationally and have published in peer-reviewed journals on topics related to seating, mobility, and other assistive technologies, primarily for use by children and youth. When not working I enjoy being physically active with my husband, four children, West Highland terriers and friends. Little known fact – I’ve practiced OT in Canada, the US, and Australia.
Debi Francis
Debi is an instructor in RHSC 585 – Directed Studies as well as RHSC 581 – Writing to Enhance Practice and RHSC 583 – Applying Research to Practice – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Rehabilitation.
An occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience, Debi has taught internationally in occupational therapy and occupational therapist assistant and physiotherapist assistant (OTA & PTA) programs. She graduated from the Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation and Health Leadership program at Queen’s University, where her research focused on the experiences of racialized students in higher education.
In 2023, Debi was nominated by occupational therapy students at D’Youville University for the national Coalition of Occupational Therapist Advocates for Diversity Outstanding Faculty Award. She was selected for the award secondary to her leadership and embodiment of social justice. Her passion for equity and belonging are displayed by her dedication and devotion to facilitating inclusive and accessible academia to empower future health care professionals.
Debi worked clinically in pediatrics, acute care hospital, long term care, private insurance, and community based. She works part time as a Care Coordinator in a provincial home and community care support services program. Debi is the Board President of the Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada. She has extensive accreditation experience as a peer reviewer with the OTA & PTA Education Accreditation Program.
Jason Giesbrecht
Jason is a seasoned senior healthcare leader and physiotherapist with more than 22 years’ experience successfully leading teams within large and complex healthcare systems. He has successfully led across virtually all healthcare sectors including acute care, residential care, assisted living, community care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, primary care, rehabilitation and allied health services. Through the duration of his career, Jason has held numerous senior level positions such as Regional Director, Executive Director, Health Services Administrator and Chief Operating Officer.
Jason combines his passion for leadership with a commitment to continuous learning and evidence informed leadership practice through academic partnerships and collaboration. He is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (Canada) and Adjunct Lecturer in the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Fiji National University where he leads graduate level courses on healthcare leadership and management – he facilitates the RHSC 583 course in Transformational Leadership. In addition, Jason has collaborated with numerous academic institutions across western Canada, the South Pacific, and the Middle East to offer applied management training and leadership development opportunities.
With a keen interest in global development and international health, Jason has led and contributed to health system improvement projects in Central America and the Middle East.
Jason brings a practical firsthand leadership experience lens to leadership development and facilitation. With diverse real-world leadership know-how, he is able to translate theoretical leadership concepts into no-nonsense solutions for leaders struggling with day to day challenges. Using this approach, Jason has facilitated numerous leadership and emotional intelligence workshops, co-authored a number of e-books on leadership, and has been published in a well-respected peer-reviewed medical journal.
He holds a Bachelor Arts degree (Psychology) and Bachelor of Science degree (Physical Therapy) from the University of Saskatchewan, a Master of Science degree (Physical Therapy) from the University of Alberta, and a Graduate Certificate in Health System Leadership from Royal Roads University. Jason is also an EQ-i / EQ360 Certified Practitioner and Achieve Global Leadership trainer.
Jason has spent nearly two decades coaching leaders through challenging situations, advising senior executives, mentoring new managers, and successfully leading complex transformative change initiatives within large healthcare systems.
Simone Gruenig
Simone Gruenig completed her Bachelor of Science at Ottawa University, her Master of Science in Physical Therapy and her Master of Science (research) at the University of Toronto. Her research focused on discharge planning and the high-risk thoracic surgical population. After working in a few different major trauma centers, she relocated to Vancouver, B.C. with her family, to work for Vancouver Coastal Health where she has held practice support and coordinator positions for the medical-surgical teams.
In addition to the educator roles, she has held clinical positions in the areas of urology, gynecology, solid organ transplant/critical care, cardiac, palliative care and home health. She currently works part time in the downtown east side of Vancouver within an outreach program.
She has also worked part time in the Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, for the past 14 years, as a cardiorespiratory lecturer (pathophysiology, general and acute care patient populations) and currently is the Indigenous stream coordinator. Further, she has taught entry level and postgraduate courses across Canada, with a specialization in chest x-ray interpretation and evidence based cardiorespiratory standards.
Aside from her work as a physiotherapy educator and practicing physical therapist, she pursues research in the area of multiple student placements; Indigenous cultural humility; simulated learning; specializes in women’s health and is an international wheelchair rugby classifier.
Erin Klein
Erin Klein is an instructor for RHSC 501.
Erin is a registered occupational therapist, who has worked as a clinician for over 20 years. She studied occupational therapy at the University of Toronto and worked in a variety of settings, including hospital, community, school-based, and private practice. Much of her clinical practice in Toronto was working for the Toronto District School Board, providing consultative services to children in the low incidence programs. She has lived in Vancouver for the past 9 years and worked in early intervention.
Erin received her Masters of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of British Columbia, under the supervision of Dr. Jill Zwicker. The focus of her research was exploring the parental experience when raising a child with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Erin currently works as a research coordinator in Dr. Jill Zwicker’s lab at BC Children’s Research Institute, supporting brain imaging research on DCD. She also works as a project manager for the Child Development and Rehabilitation Evidence Centre at Sunny Hill Health Centre, supporting the development of implementation projects.
When Erin is not working, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.
Heather Hollman
Heather is an incoming instructor for RHSC 501 Evidence for Practice.
She is currently a PhD candidate in the Behavioural Medicine Lab at the University of Victoria where the research focus is on psychology of physical activity behaviour. She is especially interested in physical activity promotion that targets and is tailored to perinatal populations as well as populations with musculoskeletal conditions. Her doctoral dissertation is focused on physical activity mHealth tailored to postpartum individuals with lumbopelvic pain. She works as a research assistant on various projects in her lab as well as a lab instructor for the human anatomy and exercise prescription undergraduate courses in the School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education at the University of Victoria.
Prior to her doctoral studies, Heather practiced as a chiropractor for six years in Vancouver and her passion for evidence-based care led to taking the UBC Master of Rehabilitation Science (MRSc) program. Her major project focused on running-related injury prevention knowledge and behaviours among recreational runners. A major highlight of the UBC MRSc program for her was being able to tailor the projects of each of the courses to her own practice and research interests. She also enjoyed collaborating with the other students who had varying backgrounds and experiences within the realm of rehabilitation.
During her free time Heather can be found chasing her 3-year-old son and border collie/aussie shepherd, hopefully somewhere in a forest, on a beach, or up a mountain.
Dr. Karen Hurtubise
Dr. Karen Hurtubise is an instructor for RHSC 507: Developing Effective Rehabilitation Programs and RHSC 583: Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement. Her clinical focus over the past 20 years has been in pediatrics, across the continuum of care, specializing in both acute care and rehabilitation. She has held a variety of clinical leadership roles in Newfoundland and Labrador, and in Alberta, and national volunteer leadership positions with the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Karen completed her PhD at the University of Sherbrooke; her doctoral project focused on the evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of rehabilitation program for children with pain-related disability using a participatory approach.
Karen combines her studies with teaching and research activities. Along with instructing for RHSC 507, she also provides sessional teaching in neurodevelopmental pediatric, professional issues, patient education and management in rehabilitation, and research topics in the entry-level physiotherapy program at the Dalhousie University, in Nova Scotia and at the University of Sherbrooke, in Quebec.
She earned a Bachelor of Sciences (Physiotherapy) from the University of Ottawa in 1992 and completed a Master of Rehabilitation Science at the University of British Columbia in 2009. She published her original MRSc research on parents’ experiences in role negotiation in a Family Centre Care Model in 2011 in Infant and Young Children journal. A secondary analysis of parents learning strategies was published in 2017 in the Journal of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. Her research interests have evolved to include parent and children/youth rehabilitation experiences, adult learning, and rehabilitation program development, implementation, evaluation, and improvement.
Karen credits online learning with providing her with a network of individuals, liked minded in challenging the status quo, who have helped to broaden her thinking both contextually and theoretically, improved her confidence in describing her professional reasoning processes, aided in establishing the evidence in which these processes are founded, and fostered the development of skills necessary in identifying and evaluate outcomes that are important to a variety of stakeholders.
Wilma Jelley
Wilma Jelley has been involved with RHSC instruction since 2007. She has been a facilitator in RHSC 503, Reasoning and Decision Making, RHSC 583, Applying Research to Practice on Clinical Education and RHSC 509, Facilitating Learning in Rehabilitation Contexts. Wilma held the position of Chief of Physiotherapy at the Ottawa Hospital and prior to that the Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education position for the Physiotherapy program at the University of Ottawa. Wilma graduated with a B.Sc. in Physical Therapy from McGill University and a Master’s in Education from the University of Ottawa. Her clinical career was spent predominantly in pediatrics specifically in the area of school health. It was while completing her post-graduate degree that Wilma became interested in online learning. At the encouragement of her advisor, she took a course in online facilitation which led to more courses related to facilitating online learning, evaluation and curriculum development.
In 2013 Wilma was recognized by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association with the Mentorship Award. This award recognizes physiotherapists who through support and inspiration are actively involved in mentorship.
Wilma’s research interests have focused on sustainability of change initiatives within health care practice and education, as well as interprofessional and intraprofessional collaborative practice.
Andrea McNeill
Andrea has worked in both public and private settings in mental health, physical injury/rehabilitation, and return to work. DisABILITY management, return to function and life have been her focus and passion in her 20+ years as an occupational therapist and over 18 years, in various roles, at WorkSafeBC, where she is currently a Client Services Manager in the Return to Work Services department.
Andrea has been a clinical tutor, neuroanatomy, in the MOT program at UBC and is excited to be an instructor for RHSC 583 – Elective Course: Disability Management and RTW in the Master of Rehabilitation Science (MRSc) degree. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and a Master of Rehabilitation Science, all from UBC. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at UBC, and the current Chair of the Registration Committee for the College of Occupational Therapists of BC.
Antoinette Megens
Tonette is an instructor for RHSC 581, Writing to Enhance Practice. She graduated in 1994 from the University of Toronto with an undergraduate BScPT degree. She completed a research MSc degree from UBC in 1999. She also has an Editing Certificate from Simon Fraser University.
Tonette has worked in a variety of paediatric clinical settings, and is currently a clinical physical therapist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. She is involved in the Neonatal Follow-up Program, and the Wee-Start program, where she screens high-risk infants and children for delays in development and need for therapy services. Tonette has previously held positions as Chair of the Paediatric Division, and Newsletter Editor for the Paediatric Division of the CPA. Her research interests include quantitative measurement as well as functional outcomes for children following treatment. She has published in several peer-reviewed rehabilitation journals. Her writing experiences also include book reviews, peer reviews, conference presentations and the manual for a developmental screening test.
In her leisure time, Tonette enjoys hiking, cycling and swimming, as well as knitting and quilting.
Dr. Ben Mortenson
I have been teaching part time at UBC since 1999 (online and face-to-face) on topics including evidenced-based practice, clinical reasoning, and research methods. My online teaching includes RHSC 501, Evidence for Practice. I really enjoy teaching online as I think it is a great opportunity for practicing clinicians to return to school without the constraints of physical classrooms and I love the mutual learning that goes on.
I graduated from the University of Alberta in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. I completed my Masters of Science at UBC in 2002 and my Doctorate in 2009. I have a wide range of research interests including client-centered practice, outcome measurement, assistive technology, spinal cord injury and residential care. My doctoral research was a two-phase project that explored the impact of wheelchairs on those living in residential care. Currently, I am an assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at UBC. I am involved in a number of assistive-technology related studies including a longitudinal study looking at the natural history of power mobility use, development of a smart wheelchair for people with cognitive impairments and an intervention study that explores the impact of a client-centered assistive technology intervention on community dwelling individuals and their caregivers.
I am an avid bicycle commuter and I really enjoy the great outdoors and hanging out with my wife and three children.
Patricia Mortenson
Patricia previously served as Co-Director of the Rehabilitation Sciences Online Programs (shared with Daniela Cavalcante) and coordinator of the Major Project Course. She is a Clinical Associate Professor within the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and her involvement with RSOP began in 2007. She is a long-time instructor and previous course coordinator of RHSC 501 and was the Program Manager from 2016-18. She has supervised many major projects, and co-published with previous learners, including a Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy “Golden Quill” award winning paper with Ellie Wray, now herself an instructor with RSOP.
She particularly enjoys the diversity of learner backgrounds, the depth of on-line discussions and the ‘real life’ applicability of the courses and learning.
Patricia graduated from UBC with BSc(OT) from UBC, and later with a research based MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences. She continues clinical OT work at BC Children’s Hospital, in the Neuromuscular Program. From her involvement in clinical research, she has publications in several different peer-reviewed rehabilitation and medical journals, on topics ranging from outcomes post rhizotomy surgery, paediatric concussion, and plagiocephaly care.
Patricia is currently in doctoral studies at UBC, with a focus on rehabilitation for children living with spinal muscular atrophy. She is also currently a project coordinator with the Neuromuscular Disease Network 4 Canada, for the Expert Patient Capacity Building Project.
Patricia volunteers with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and Girl Guides of Canada, and when not juggling her day timer, she enjoys biking, hiking, knitting and generational debates with her teen-aged children (Gen X vs. Gen Z).
Stephanie Oviatt
Stephanie is a physiotherapist who graduated with a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Alberta in 2011 and a Bachelor of Science in Biomechanics from the University of Calgary in 2007. Stephanie practiced as a physiotherapist for several years in Alberta, primarily as an Intensive Care Unit Physiotherapist. As a clinician, Stephanie actively participated in research in the intensive care unit, and co-authored work published in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesiology. Her passion for evidence informed practice has led her to work as Clinical Practice Lead and Practice Support Lead in Calgary and now in Island Health in the North Island, respectively. Stephanie enjoys teaching and mentoring and actively promotes knowledge translation from evidence into practice through her current role as a Practice Support Lead.
When not working, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her husband and son being active outdoors; mostly mountain biking, hiking and camping.
Stephanie will be a facilitator for RHSC 501 in the RSOP.
Dr. Elly Park
Dr. Elly Park is an Assistant Professor of teaching in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at UBC. She is currently working in Prince George, BC as part of the Northern Rural Cohort MOT program.
Elly completed BSc at the University of British Columbia in Life Sciences, her MScOT at the University of Alberta in 2009. After a year of clinical practice, she went back to complete her PhD in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine in 2015. Her doctoral study was a narrative inquiry with young women with learning difficulties involved in the Canadian criminal justice system.
Elly has been teaching in the MScOT program for five years at the University of Alberta. Her teaching experiences span from introductory anatomy courses and labs, to the capstone critical review project with individual students. She has especially enjoyed the smaller seminar groups where students are able to share their experiences and foster learning in an inclusive environment.
Elly is passionate about relational ethics, where the researcher and participant have prolonged engagement based on respect, empathy and equity. She is especially interested in community-based research and working with vulnerable populations through a lens of social justice.
Sue Stanton
Sue Stanton spearheaded development of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation and the UBC Master of Rehabilitation Science programs, and was the Director of the UBC Rehabilitation Science Online Programs through June 2016.
After completing her occupational therapy qualifications, Sue received an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Distance Education (Technology) through Athabasca University, and MA and PhD degrees in education at UBC and Deakin University respectively. Her PhD research explored Canadian Educators’ Perspectives on the Future of Occupational Therapy Teaching. Such teaching continues to be an area of interest along with the administration, design and delivery of distance and online programs, and the implications of the changing education context for sustainable teaching in higher education.
Sue developed her first blended (online and face-to-face) courses in occupational therapy in 1998, and began teaching 100% online graduate courses in 2001 to increase rehabilitation practitioners’ access to post-professional education. Her online distance education studies, and program development experiences as a clinician, UBC occupational therapy fieldwork coordinator, and Head of the former Division of Occupational Therapy, informed her authorship of RHSC 507, ‘Developing Effective Rehabilitation Programs’, RHSC 587 and 589 Major Project courses, and co-authorship of RHSC 583, ‘Applying Research to Practice’. Sue believes strongly that well designed and facilitated online courses optimize opportunities for learner engagement and learning.
Sue received a UBC Killam Award for teaching excellence in occupational therapy and a 3M National Teaching Fellowship for teaching and educational leadership. In 2009, her work developing the rehabilitation science online programs earned her the UBC Faculty of Medicine, CME/CPD Innovation Award. She continues to contribute to the MRSc program as a UBC emerita faculty member.
Stefany Kawka
Stefany is experienced as a senior occupational therapist (OT) based in Ontario. After graduating from the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at McMaster University, she has worked as an OT working in multidisciplinary clinics and as a solo consultant supporting clients from LTD, WSIB and the auto industry. For several years she developed skills working with return to work, ergonomics, PGAP and CBT intervention programs. Over time she became involved with Conestoga College as a part-time instructor with the OTA/PTA program and as an instructor in varied courses within Liberal Arts and Health Studies. Stefany has successfully lead teams from hospital to community home care programs. To date, she has held manager and director- level positions within large and complex healthcare systems in three different regions in Ontario.
Stefany enjoys leadership, change management initiatives and ongoing education which motivated her to achieve her Master of Health Administration. She is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) with McMaster University and a sessional instructor with University of British Columbia, while she remains as a Director with Home & Community Care Support Services in Ontario. Her current portfolio includes Quality & Risk, Long-Term Care, Direct Care Nursing, Palliative Care, and Utilization & Business Support.
Ellie Wray
Ellie has practiced as an occupational therapist in pediatric settings since 2000, first in Ontario and now in British Columbia. She currently works as an occupational therapist at the Nanaimo Child Development Centre Society.
As a graduate from the Master of Rehabilitation Science program in 2009, Ellie has continued her involvement with the program as an instructor in RHSC 503 Reasoning and Decision Making. She enjoys the stimulation and challenge of the online learning environment, as well as the genuine support and connection felt with learners.
Ellie’s clinical and scholarly interests include pediatrics, cultural competence and family-centred practice. She feels that cultural competence, and its relationship to client-centred practice and clinical reasoning, is an exciting and evolving component of rehabilitation science in modern Canadian society. She published original research on this topic in 2011 in the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, for which she and her co-author received the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists’ Golden Quill Award in 2012. She is also an item writer, in the area of child and youth health, for the College of Occupational Therapists of BC Exam Development Sub-Committee which is charged with creating the first continuing competence exam for occupational therapists in British Columbia.
Claudia von Zweck
Claudia has broad-based experience in rehabilitation therapy as a clinician, administrator, educator and researcher. She has worked for many years as a community-based occupational therapist with both adults and children and continues today with her practice in Eastern Ontario. She worked in quality management and has held leadership positions with several not-for-profit organizations. Her experiences in these environments led to her interest in program development and evaluation that inform her teaching in RHSC 507, Developing Effective Rehabilitation Programs. Her program development experience includes national projects addressing older driver safety and fall prevention among seniors. Claudia has also led a number of national initiatives directed towards enabling the workforce integration of internationally educated occupational therapists (IEOTs).
Lifelong learning has been a priority for Claudia. She graduated with a degree in occupational therapy from the University of Toronto and subsequently completed her Master’s degree in community health and epidemiology and doctorate in rehabilitation science from Queen’s University. Throughout her career, Claudia has been involved in teaching as a fieldwork supervisor, as well as through serving as a guest lecturer at universities across Canada. Her work with IEOTs led to her involvement as the co-leader of a pilot bridging program offered to occupational therapists educated in other countries who wish to work in Canada.
Claudia enjoys teaching RHSC 581, Writing to Enhance Practice where she is able to use her knowledge and experience with professional writing. Her work experience has provided opportunities to write in different formats and for various audiences, including developing reports and other literature for health consumers and other specific groups. In addition, Claudia has published over 15 articles in peer-reviewed journals and provided over 30 peer-reviewed presentations at local, national and international conferences.