Dr. Mirella Veras is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Manitoba. She holds a Ph.D. in Population Health, an M.Sc. in Public Health and Epidemiology, and she completed postdoctoral training in rehabilitation. With a professional background in physiotherapy, Dr. Veras has over 20 years of interdisciplinary research and teaching experience. Her work focuses on digital health, telerehabilitation, and health equity, particularly the integration of artificial intelligence in rehabilitation services to support older adults, stroke survivors, and underserved populations. She is actively engaged in community-based research with Indigenous and remote communities in Canada.
Dr. Claudine Auger received both her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences (Rehabilitation Option) from Université de Montréal in 2005 and 2009, respectively. She is a full professor at the University of Montreal and co-scientific director of CRIR, the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montréal (CRIR). She leads a pan-Canadian research program that uses telehealth to improve the allocation, monitoring, and training of people who use technical aids and their caregivers.
Dr. Sara Ahmed is a physical therapist and Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, and Associate Member in Epidemiology and Family Medicine. She runs a research program and health informatics lab at the Lethbridge Layton Mackey. She is the scientific director of the Biomedical Research & Informatics Living Laboratory for Innovative Advances of New Technologies in Rehabilitation (BRILLIANT). She received FRSQ junior I and II, and senior research scholar awards, and she also holds an appointment in the Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation and the McGill University Health Center CORE, clinical epidemiology. She is also an advisor for the Implementation of Patient-Centered Outcomes for the Quebec Support Unit, and she is the scientific director of the FRQS Digital Health Network.
Dr. William C. Miller is a Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia. He pursued his undergraduate Occupational Therapy program at the University of British Columbia, followed by his MSc. and PhD in epidemiology at the University of Western Ontario and his Post-doctoral Fellowship at the University of British Columbia. He currently directs the MATTERs Lab, which is situated in the Centre for Aging SMART Rehabilitation Research Program at GF Strong in Vancouver, BC. Dr. Miller provides research mentorship to professional entry-level, MSc, and PhD students. He is a member of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Editorial Board, past president of the Canadian International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics, and fellow of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Dr. Michelle Nelson received her Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba. She is an Investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health. Additionally, she is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. Dr. Nelson leads a comprehensive applied research program aimed at enhancing the experiences and health outcomes of individuals with complex care needs through the design and implementation of community-oriented, person-centered interventions. Dr. Nelson also serves as Vice President of the World Stroke Organization (WSO), is a mentor for the WSO Future Leaders Program, and is a section lead for the Canadian Stroke Rehabilitation Best Practice Guidelines. She is also a Senior Associate of the International Foundation for Integrated Care, where she leads special interest groups and faculty for the Integrated Care Academy. Additionally, she is a member of the editorial board for the International Journal of Integrated Care and has served as a guest editor for special issues focused on the Community and Voluntary Sector in Integrated Care and Person and Community-Centered Approaches to Transitions of Care.
Dr. Hardeep Singh is a registered occupational therapist, Assistant Professor (tenure-stream) in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, and an Affiliate Scientist at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network. She currently holds the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada's New Investigator Award, and she previously held the March of Dimes Paul J. J. Martin Early Career Professorship (2021-2025). She holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Toronto and has completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Sinai Health System and Trillium Health Partners. Dr. Hardeep Singh’s research aims to improve equity within the design and delivery of rehabilitation and recovery services for individuals living with neurological diseases.
