Keynote Speaker
Dr. Aliki Thomas
Dr. Aliki Thomas is an occupational therapist and internationally recognized researcher whose work bridges education, practice, and policy to advance evidence-informed rehabilitation. She leads the K.E.E.P Lab at McGill University, where she develops innovative, person-centred strategies to close the gap between research and clinical practice. Dr. Thomas has published over 145 peer-reviewed papers, delivered more than 225 presentations, and secured over $12 million in research funding.
Storms, Silos, and Synergy: Interprofessionalism and the Rise of Epistemic Communities
Dr. Aliki Thomas
This session explores the challenges and barriers to interprofessional collaboration in health education and practice, while highlighting the potential of “synergy” through the formation of epistemic communities—groups united by shared knowledge and values. The speaker will propose that epistemic communities offer a promising lens to reconceptualize interprofessional teams—not merely as collaborative units, but as dynamic knowledge networks capable of shaping clinical practice and driving system-level change. Attendees will examine how fostering these communities can transform interprofessionalism into a more cohesive, evidence-informed, and impactful practice.
Panelists
A panel featuring Dr. Ruth Hannon, Dr. Cathy Risdon and Dr. Karim Vellani will share diverse, real-world perspectives on how interprofessionalism can be advanced through shared understanding, trust, and collaborative practice. Moderated by Dr. Aliki Thomas, with insights from her morning keynote presentation.
Dr. Ruth Hannon
Dr Ruth Hannon is a teaching professor with the School of Nursing and the Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program here at McMaster. She currently holds a joint appointment with a local Family Health Team where she continues to practice one day per week.
Dr. Cathy Risdon
Dr. Cathy Risdon is a practicing Family Physician and Chair of Family Medicine at McMaster. For the first part of her career, Dr. Risdon participated in educational leadership at the UGME level, centred on physician formation and the skills of practice which impact the human experience of caring and being cared for. Her work in co-creating the Professional Competencies program was the focus of her Doctorate of Management in Organizational Change from the University of Hertfordshire. Current crusades include the sustaining and centering of generalism and primary care to health system education and planning.
Dr. Karim Vellani
Dr Karim Vellani is a practicing Family Physician and the Chief Medical Officer at Shoppers Drug Mart. As part of a team, he’s helping to bring together Shoppers Drug Mart’s physical infrastructure, clinicians and digital services to provide much needed primary access points for patients across Canada. Prior to joining Shoppers Drug Mart, Dr Vellani practiced in a variety of clinical settings including academia, hospital and community. He’s held numerous healthcare leadership roles in quality improvement, informational technology, clinical coaching, and entrepreneurship. He's excited to see primary care evolve to where a patient and provider can have frictionless experiences in our healthcare system.
Speaker
Dr. Marco Zaccagnini
Dr. Marco Zaccagnini is a Banting postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawa and an embedded clinician-scientist with the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists. His current research centers on the scholarly roles of respiratory therapists and strategies to strengthen evidence-informed practice through integrated knowledge translation principles.
Valuing What We Know: Scholarly Practice as a Mechanism for Legitimacy