Dr. Tiina Andersen is an internationally recognized expert in respiratory physiotherapy and home mechanical ventilation research, based at the Haukeland University Hospital and Western Norway University of Applied Sciences in Bergen, Norway. Her work focuses on airway clearance, mechanically assisted cough technologies, and optimizing respiratory care strategies for individuals with chronic respiratory failure who rely on long term ventilatory support. 

Dr. Andersen’s research has significantly contributed to understanding complex physiologic responses in ventilator assisted individuals and advancing evidence informed care practices that enhance secretion management, functional outcomes, and patient safety in both home and clinical settings. Her international collaborations bridge clinical practice, rehabilitation science, and health system design, strengthening global approaches to long term ventilation and integrated care across the continuum. 

Dr. Francine Buchanan is a nationally respected leader in patient and family engagement in healthcare research and system design. She champions authentic partnerships that embed lived experience into research, shared decision making, and service improvement.

A parent to a child with complex medical needs and an academic specializing in shared decision making and patient oriented research methods. She has shaped initiatives that ensure patient and family voices guide priorities, co design processes, and care delivery improvements in pediatrics and complex ventilator assisted care.  Her contributions span mentorship, methodological innovation, and national discourse on patient engagement as a cornerstone of equitable, person centred health systems.

Allison Freeman is a dedicated healthcare leader with over 13 years of progressive leadership experience and more than 20 years working in Canadian healthcare. With a clinical background as a pediatric Occupational Therapist, Allison brings a deep commitment to improving the healthcare experience for both patients and the professionals who support them. She has advanced this passion through a Master of Health Sciences in Health Administration from the University of Toronto and postgraduate studies in Organizational Leadership at the University of Oxford. In her role as Director of the Provincial Long Term Ventilation (LTV) Strategy, Allison applies innovative thinking, strategic leadership, and a strong focus on process improvement to advance a cohesive continuum of care for ventilator assisted individuals across Ontario. She is pleased to serve as Co Chair of the inaugural National Conference on Long Term Ventilation.

Clinical Lead Ontario Long Term Ventilation Strategy

Dr. Roger S. Goldstein is a Professor of Medicine and Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto and Head of Respiratory Medicine at University Health Network (West Park Healthcare Centre). He has a longstanding interest in long term ventilation and one of his earliest publications addressed elective ventilation using iron lungs and rocking beds. As the clinical lead for the Ontario LTV Strategy and part of the West Park Centre of Excellence in LTV, Dr. Goldstein is keen to promote education in this space at a national level. He has mentored trainees in medicine, physical therapy and respiratory therapy both in Canada and Internationally. Dr. Goldstein is also a recognized leader in pulmonary rehabilitation and the founding NSA Chair in Respiratory Rehabilitation Research. His team has significantly advanced quality of life for patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Dr. Goldstein has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Douglas McKim is a national leader in the care of individuals with neuromuscular respiratory complications and long-term ventilatory support needs. He served for three decades as Director of Canadian Alternatives in Non-Invasive Ventilation (CANVent) Respiratory Rehabilitation Services and previously led the Ottawa Hospital Sleep Centre.

His work has shaped national and international clinical guidelines and advanced standards of care for patients living with chronic respiratory failure. Dr. McKim has been honoured by the Canadian Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians and has received Muscular Dystrophy Canada’s George Karpati Researcher of the Year award. Widely respected for his collaborative leadership, he remains deeply committed to improving care across the ventilation lifespan.

Ontario Ventilator Equipment Pool
Kingston Health Sciences Centre

Regina Pizzuti is Director of Ontario’s Ventilator Equipment Pool (VEP), where she provides strategic leadership for one of Canada’s largest coordinated ventilator programs. She oversees multidisciplinary teams delivering province-wide equipment services and virtual supports, ensuring equitable, timely access to life-sustaining ventilation.

With more than four decades as a respiratory therapist, Regina’s work sits at the intersection of clinical care, policy, and system innovation. She has led modernization initiatives that strengthen service delivery, expand digital models of care, and foster collaboration among healthcare providers, government partners, and community organizations. Her leadership reflects a commitment to building sustainable, community-based patient-centred care.

Prof. Louise Rose is an internationally recognized critical care researcher whose work follows patients across the ventilation continuum — from ICU to home. She leads a program of research focused on improving outcomes and experience for individuals with acute and chronic respiratory failure, including those receiving long-term mechanical ventilation in hospital and community settings.

A former faculty member at the University of Toronto, Prof. Rose has led major international clinical trials and secured more than £22 million in competitive research funding. In 2023, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her leadership in digital innovations supporting patients and families during COVID-19. Her work continues to shape evidence-based ventilation care globally.

Dr. Lisa Wolfe is a pulmonologist, sleep medicine specialist, and critical care physician whose work spans the continuum from intensive care to home ventilation. Based at Northwestern University in Chicago, she has dedicated her career to advancing care for individuals with neuromuscular disease and chronic respiratory failure.

Her clinical and academic leadership focuses on optimizing long-term ventilation, strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration, and improving transitions across care settings. Recognized internationally for her expertise in home mechanical ventilation, Dr. Wolfe brings a systems-level perspective to bridging ICU, rehabilitation, and community care.

LTV Clinical Coordinator, Central Region Provincial Long-Term Ventilation; West Park Healthcare Centre

Ummaima Ali is a dedicated Registered Respiratory Therapist serving as a Long-Term Ventilation (LTV) Clinical Coordinator for the Ontario Central Region. With a strong background in respiratory care coordination and patient-centered clinical planning, Ummaima plays a pivotal role in supporting individuals requiring complex ventilation support across community and acute care settings.

In her role, Ummaima works collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams—including physicians, respiratory therapists, nurses, and allied health professionals—to ensure safe, effective, and evidence-informed care for patients transitioning to long-term ventilatory support. Her expertise includes care coordination, discharge planning, patient and family education, and program development aimed at improving outcomes and quality of life for ventilator-dependent individuals. Ummaima is particularly passionate about advancing integrated care models that bridge hospital and community services, reducing readmissions and enhancing continuity of care. She is committed to promoting best practices in long-term ventilation management and advocating for patient-centered approaches that respect the unique needs and goals of each individual.

Director, Sleep Medicine and Long-Term Ventilation Programs,
Staff Respirologist, Division of Respiratory Medicine,
Senior Associate Scientist, SickKids research Institute,
Professor, University of Toronto
The Hospital for Sick Children

Dr. Reshma Amin is a Pediatric Respirologist and the Director of Sleep Medicine and Long-Term Ventilation at the Hospital for Sick Children. She is a Clinician-Investigator and Senior Associate Scientist at the SickKids Research Institute, as well as a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Amin’s research program which includes multi-center randomized controlled trials and observational studies—focuses on characterizing the care burden experienced by children who use home mechanical ventilation and on evaluating innovative care delivery models. Her work aims to improve patient and family health-related quality of life, reduce preventable healthcare utilization, and enhance patient safety. In addition, her research integrates patient-reported outcomes and real-world evidence to inform national policy and healthcare strategies.

She also serves as Director of the Canadian Home Mechanical Ventilation Research Network. In 2025, Dr. Amin was recognized as Muscular Dystrophy Canada’s Researcher of the Year.

Professor of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne.
Research Fellow, Institute for Breathing and Sleep.
Physiotherapist, Victorian Respiratory Support Service.

Professor David Berlowitz holds a joint appointment from The University of Melbourne and Austin Health in Melbourne. David’s clinical practice and research addresses the causes and treatments of sleep and breathing disorders in neuromuscular disease, especially motor neurone disease and after spinal cord injury. David’s research encompasses epidemiology, sleep and respiratory physiology, imaging, clinical trials, machine-learning, and implementation science.

Associate Professor, Division of Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Western University

Dr. Bosma is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Western University, Associate Scientist at the London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute, and full-time critical care attending physician at University Hospital in London, Canada. Her research focus is mechanical ventilation, specifically patient-ventilator interaction and its impact on lung injury and respiratory muscle function, sleep, cognition/delirium, and weaning and recovery from critical illness. She has a special interest in proportional modes of ventilation, and was co-PI of the multi-national PROMIZING Study (Proportional Assist Ventilation for Minimizing the Duration of Mechanical Ventilation), published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025. She is the clinical director of the Critical Illness Recovery Program at London Health Sciences Centre.

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto;
Active Staff, Neurorehabilitation Program, West Park Healthcare Centre

Dr. Chris Boulias is a Physiatrist and Clinical Researcher at the West Park Healthcare Centre in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Boulias has been instrumental in the development of the clinical, education and research arms of the Spasticity Management Program at West Park. He is passionate about enabling his neurorehabilitation patients to live life to their fullest potential.

Dr. Boulias devotes considerable time to teaching and education, particularly in the field of Spasticity. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He is also a faculty member of several programs, the Canadian Spasticity Group Residency Course, and the Canadian Botulinum Toxin Conference. He has served on the board of directors for the international neurotoxins association. He has more than 50 publications and several studies ongoing. Dr. Boulias obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto. He received his PhD in the area of myelin research from the University of Toronto.

Dr. Boulias is also a student of art history and has a keen interest on the application of the visual arts in the teaching of medicine.

Associate Professor,
Program in Critical Care,
Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine,
Western University.

Dr. Butler is a Critical Care physician at Western University. For more than 2 decades he has worked within the Long-Term Weaning Unit at University Hospital in London Ontario in addition to attending in the Medical Surgical ICU and Cardiac Surgical ICU. For the past 5 years he has led the Home Respiratory and Ventilatory Care Clinic. This outpatient clinic looks after ventilated patients in the community in the Southwestern Ontario region. He also serves as the Southwest Ontario physician champion for the Ontario Long-Term Ventilation Strategy.

Paul Cameron is an Intensivist at London Health Sciences Centre and the Program Director for Adult Critical Care Medicine Subspecialty Residency Training Program at Western University in London, Canada. Clinically he provides service in Medical Surgical and Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Units along with the Critical Illness Recovery Program and Home Respiratory and Ventilatory Clinic at LHSC as part of the Provincial Long-Term Ventilation Strategy Hub.

Associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta
Team lead, Stollery's Pediatric Home Ventilation Program

Maria Castro-Codesal, MD, PhD, is a Pediatric Respirologist and Sleep Specialist, and Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta. Maria serves as the Medical Lead for the Stollery Pediatric Home Ventilation Program in Edmonton, AB, and has built provincial and national partnerships to advance care for children who require long-term respiratory support at home.

At the core of Dr. Castro’s research program are patient- and family-oriented approaches grounded in the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA). Her team uses participatory research methods to meaningfully engage patients, families, and interdisciplinary knowledge users in designing implementation research that brings evidence into practice. Currently, her main work focuses on developing a standardized EMR care pathway for children with tracheostomies, improving their transition from hospital to home and community life. Her overarching goal is to help these children and their families thrive and reach their fullest potential.

Otolaryngologist-in-Chief, St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health
Vice Chair Education and Director, Continuing Professional Development
Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Dr. Yvonne Chan is a Professor, Vice-Chair of Education, and Director of Continuing Professional Development in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Toronto, and serves as Otolaryngologist-in-Chief at St. Michael’s Hospital. She completed advanced fellowship training in rhinology and anterior skull base surgery in both the United States and Australia.

Since 2015, Dr. Chan has served as co-editor of the internationally recognized textbook K. J. Lee’s Essential Otolaryngology, now in its 13th edition. She has also co-edited several other authoritative texts, including Essential Rhinology and Allergy (Volumes 1 and 2) and Rhinology and Allergy: A Clinical Reference Guide.

Clinical Respiratory Educator
Technology for Living - Provincial Respiratory Outreach Program (PROP)

Lily is currently the Clinical Respiratory Educator with the Provincial Respiratory Outreach Program (PROP), the adult home ventilation program of beautiful British Columbia. Over the last 20 years, Lily has evolved from a keen bedside clinician to one that now focuses on building relationships and advocacy for person-centred care. She is continually inspired by the creativity, resilience, and individuality of the clients PROP serves in the community. In the last 12 years, she continues to grow with the home ventilation network, empowered by the advancements to better support individuals through a symbiotic care of face to face and virtual connections. She is excited to see how frictionless we as care providers can make home mechanical for our future.

Juanita Davis is a Long-Term Home Ventilator Specialist, Provincial Integrated Respiratory Services, Alberta Health Services, 2023 to present.

Worked as Pediatric Tracheostomy Simulation Coordinator, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Alberta Health Services, 2015 to 2023; Clinical Lead Respiratory Therapy, Integrated Home Care, Quality Education and Practice, Alberta Health Services, 2013 to 2015, was a Faculty Instructor, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, 1996 to 2013, and Graduated from Respiratory Therapy in 1990 - the number one song was Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2U” and the Simpsons aired for the first time in September that year.

Assistant Professor in the Departments of Medicine (Division of Respiratory Medicine) and Critical Care Medicine

Dr. Dial is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Medicine (Division of Respiratory Medicine) and Critical Care Medicine.

She is cross appointed at the Jewish General Hospital and the MUHC where she is the Director of the Montreal Chest Institute’s Respiratory and Critical Care Unit.

Dr. Dial's interests are critical care and observational research. She is director of the Respiratory Weaning Program and thus is responsible for the development of approaches to weaning patients from mechanical ventilation.

Professional Practice Leader, Ventilator Equipment Pool

Sandy Fodey is an accomplished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) and Certified Respiratory Educator (CRE) and a proud graduate of the Algonquin College Respiratory Therapy program. Her lifelong dedication to ventilator-assisted individuals began in 1994, working closely with neuromuscular patients.

Throughout her distinguished career, Sandy has been a driving force in respiratory care. At the Ventilator Equipment Pool, she directed clinical operations, participated in research initiatives, and mentored countless clinical staff and respiratory therapy students. She is a relentless and well-known advocate for her patients, most notably lobbying for dedicated professional respiratory therapy services within the local health network and successfully securing crucial funding for mechanical in-exsufflators. In recognition of her decades of mentorship, clinical excellence, and patient advocacy, she was awarded the inaugural KHSC Allied Health Education and Mentorship Award. Today, Sandy’s primary focus is on her granddaughter, though her legacy of advocacy and education continues to impact the respiratory care community.

Professor of Medicine | Senior Scientist | Critical Care and Respiratory Medicine
University Health Network, University of Toronto
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Critical Illness Outcomes and the Recovery Continuum

Dr. Herridge is a Senior Scientist in the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Chair of the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG) International Collaborations and Partnerships Group, Director of the Canadian Post ICU RECOVER Program and co-lead of CANCOV (Canadian 5-year follow-up of patients/caregivers after COVID-19). She has published extensively on patient and caregiver outcomes after critical illness.

She has received national and international research distinctions including Honorary Member of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (2016), Lifetime Achievement Award in Critical Care from the American Thoracic Society (2018), the Deborah Cook Mentorship Award from the CCCTG (2020), fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2021) and most recently, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Critical Illness Outcomes and the Recovery Continuum.

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Critical Care, McMaster University

Dr. Kimia Honarmand is an intensivist and clinician-scientist at Hamilton Health Sciences and an Assistant Professor at McMaster University; she was previously at Mackenzie Health. She holds a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology. Her clinical and academic work centres on patients with persistent critical illness — those who are slow to wean from mechanical ventilation and require prolonged ICU stays. She helped establish the Long Stay Program at Mackenzie Health in Ontario, a regional ICU-based recovery and weaning program for patients with persistent critical illness, and has presented internationally on designing systems of care for the slow-to-wean, long-stay patient. Dr. Honarmand's research program focuses on the long-term outcomes of critical illness survivors. She has led systematic reviews on the natural history of cognitive impairment after critical illness, and is Principal Applicant on the CONNECT Program at Hamilton Health Sciences, which is building capacity for ICU recovery care and research. Her broader contributions span guideline methodology and knowledge translation in critical care and serves as Director of Scientific Affairs for the Canadian Critical Care Society.

Assistant Professor-Division of Physiatry University of Toronto Consultant Physiatrist UHN-West Park Healthcare Centre

Dr. Farooq Ismail is a Physiatrist at West Park Healthcare Centre in Toronto, specializing in neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. He serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, with a focus on adult spasticity management, stroke, brain injury, and spinal cord injury rehabilitation.

Dr. Ismail completed his undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Kinesiology at McMaster University, followed by medical training at Western University, before specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Toronto.

Dr. Ismail is co-chair of the Educational Excellence in Spasticity Management program, providing training to Canadian physicians on the use of botulinum toxin in adult spasticity management. He has published extensively and his clinical expertise has been widely recognized in both academic and media circles.

Nurse Practitioner
Clinician Scientist
Assistant Professor, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto

Dr. Laura Istanboulian is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto, Canada. Her clinical expertise is in adult Critical Care, where she practiced as a Registered Nurse, and now as a Nurse Practitioner and Clinician Scientist in the Provincial Center for Excellence in Prolonged Ventilation Weaning at Michael Garron Hospital in Ontario, Canada. Her program of research focusses on co-creating and evaluating safe and equitable access to care across the continuum of adult critical illness for patients and their family caregivers.

Co-Chair, Division of Palliative Medicine
Clinical Director of Palliative Care, Providence Care
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario

Dr. Danielle Kain is an Assistant Professor and Co-Chair of the Division of Palliative Medicine at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She is the Clinical Director of Palliative Care at Providence Care Hospital and AB Smith Homestead House Hospice. She is also Co-Chair of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program at Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

Dr. Kain has led Palliative Care program development expansion at Queen's, integrating palliative care into several malignant and non-malignant outpatient clinics including the ALS multidisciplinary clinic, clinics for patients with advanced COPD/ILD, and embedding a palliative care physician in a rapid lung cancer diagnostic clinic (LDAP).

Dr. Kain is an award-winning clinician and educator at Queen's School of Medicine. She has developed a robust curriculum for physicians-in-training around Serious Illness Communication, teaching the next generation of physicians how to have compassionate conversations that matter to patients (and their loved ones) who are faced with life-threatening illness.

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University

Dr. Marta Kaminska is a respirologist at the McGill University Health Centre and Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine of McGill University. She completed pulmonary training and a Masters in epidemiology at McGill University and a sleep fellowship at University of Montreal. She is a Medical Director of the Quebec National Program for Home Ventilatory Assistance based at the McGill University Health Centre since 2008. She is co-Chair of the Home Mechanical Ventilation Assembly of the CTS from 2023-2026. Her research interests are in sleep-disordered breathing in neurodegenerative disease, and home ventilation in neuromuscular disorders and COPD.

Director, Division of Respirology, Weaning and Ventilation Programs, Adult Inpatient Tracheostomy Care Team
Michael Garron Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lecturer, Division of Respirology, University of Toronto

Marcus J. Kargel is a Respirologist and Critical Care Medicine physician at Michael Garron Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, where he serves as Division Head of Respirology, Director of Weaning and Ventilation Programs, and Director of the Adult Inpatient Tracheostomy Care Team.

Dr. Kargel graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1999 and completed residency training in Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Respirology in 2005. He provides inpatient care on MGH’s respirology service, including for mechanically ventilated patients in the Provincial Prolonged-Ventilation Weaning Centre of Excellence. His outpatient practice is based in the CHEST Centre at MGH, where he cares for patients with acute and chronic respiratory diseases.

Dr. Kargel is a Lecturer in the Division of Respirology at the University of Toronto and an active member of Ontario’s Provincial Long-Term Ventilation Strategy Committee. He also serves as Tariff Chair for the Respiratory Disease Section of the Ontario Medical Association and is a former peer assessor for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

Dr. Katz received her medical degree from McGill University in 1997. Following completion of Pediatrics residency and Pediatric Respirology Fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children/University of Toronto (2002), as well as training in Pediatric Sleep Medicine, she completed a Clinician-Investigator Program and Masters of Science at the University of Toronto (2006). Dr. Katz has worked as a Pediatric Respirologist and Clinician Investigator at CHEO since September 2003. She is appointed as a Senior Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute since 2017 and has served as the Division Head of Pediatric Respirology at CHEO since 2018. Dr. Katz also holds an appointment as Full Professor of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and is cross appointed at their School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventative Medicine.

Dr. Katz’s clinical care primarily focuses on sleep disordered breathing, home mechanical ventilation and complex respiratory care. Her research interests are informed by her clinical practice and predominantly centre on the use of assistive respiratory technologies for children with chronic diseases, particularly neuromuscular disease, and obesity. Her research also evaluates predictors and novel diagnostic modalities for pediatric sleep disordered breathing, pediatric home mechanical ventilation and long-term outcomes of chronic lung disease. Dr. Katz also serves in administrative leadership capacities on several national and international committees. She is the current Chair of the Sleep Network of the American College of Chest Physicians and Co-Chair of the Canadian Thoracic Society’s Home Mechanical Ventilation Assembly. Clinical Interests: Sleep disordered breathing, Respiratory aspects of neuromuscular disease, Home mechanical ventilation, Complex respiratory care, and Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Clinical Adjunct Lecturer Temetry Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Dr. Khindri is a Family Physician and hospitalist with a focus on long-term ventilated patients. He earned his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Family Medicine at the University at Buffalo. Since 2017, he has been practicing as a hospitalist in the Long-Term Ventilation Unit at West Park Healthcare Centre. In addition, he runs a family practice in Mississauga, Ontario, providing comprehensive primary care to the community.

Manager, Program Services
Provincial Long-Term Ventilation Strategy

Raj Kohli, RRT, is an experienced healthcare leader with nearly three decades of expertise in long-term ventilation (LTV) and community transitions. Currently serving as Manager of the Provincial Long-Term Ventilation Strategy at University Health Network- West Park Healthcare Centre, Raj has been instrumental in leveraging technology to transform LTV care across Ontario. Working alongside Critical Care Service Ontario, Provincial LTV Centres, and community partners, he has led the development of a provincial LTV portal, a centralized online LTV waitlist system, and a robust e-learning curriculum that has equipped RTs, RNs, RPNs and unregulated healthcare professionals with the tools to deliver safe, consistent LTV care across hospital and community settings. Raj leads a passionate and dedicated team committed to building the collaborative systems and digital tools that support ventilator-assisted individuals across the full continuum of care. With a shared focus on innovation and partnership, the team works closely with provincial partners to develop data strategies, streamline transitions from acute care to community, and explore emerging technologies that will expand access and improve outcomes for LTV patients and their caregivers.

Respirologist, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec;
Professor, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval

Doctor Maltais is pulmonologist and chief of the Pulmonary and Thoracic Surgery Department at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute. He is professor at the Faculté de médecine de l’Université Laval. His major interests include the physiopathology of exercise intolerance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary rehabilitation alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and limb muscle dysfunction in COPD. He is the recipient of awards from the ERS and CTS in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of COPD. Dr Maltais has authored or co-authored 350 scientific publications on COPD and related topics, including a contribution to the 2021 CTS Guidelines on long-term ventilation in COPD.

Professor of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan

Representing the American College of Chest Physicians

Dr. Marciniuk is recognized internationally as a leader in COPD and exercise physiology with more than 500 invited international presentations and 275 peer-reviewed publications. He has led and participated in many international practice guidelines in COPD, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and pulmonary rehabilitation, and recently chaired a multi-society international guideline on race and pulmonary function testing.

Dr. Marciniuk is a past-President of the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS) and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), and past-Chair of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS). He is Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and has been bestowed with the Distinguished Scientist Honor Award and the Thomas Petty Master FCCP Memorial Honor Lecture by the American College of Chest Physicians, the Founder’s Award by the Canadian Lung Association, and the Christie Memorial Lecture and Award by the Canadian Thoracic Society.

Assisted Ventilation Clinical and Research Fellow, University Health Network (West Park Healthcare Centre)

Dr. Morrison is an Australian specialist physician in Respirology and Sleep Medicine, currently completing a two-year Assisted Ventilation Fellowship at University Health Network (West Park Healthcare Centre) in Toronto, Canada. He has previously published research examining outcomes of long-term invasive mechanical ventilation in Queensland, including the identification of potential novel risk factors associated with poorer clinical outcomes.

Through his fellowship role, Dr. Morrison has gained broad and diverse exposure to ventilator dependent individuals across a range of care settings. He remains actively engaged in research, including the implementation of a care bundle aimed at reducing rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia within a long-term ventilation unit, and exploring the role of average volume-assured pressure support (AVAPS) in long-term invasive ventilation. In addition, he has collaborated with the Ontario Provincial Long-Term Ventilation Strategy, gaining valuable insight into system-level and organizational approaches to optimizing long-term ventilation care.

Outside of his clinical and academic pursuits, Dr. Morrison and his wife continue to enjoy their time in Canada, exploring the country’s vast landscapes and cultural diversity. He has also developed an unexpected enthusiasm for Canadian sports, particularly hockey and baseball. Through his involvement with the NCLTV Organizing Committee and his role as Scientific Co-Chair, Dr. Morrison considers it a great privilege to collaborate with the inspiring Canadian and international long-term ventilation community.

Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dalhousie University, and Medical Director and Research Chief at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in New Brunswick

Colleen O’Connell, MD, FRCPC is a Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Dalhousie University and Medical Director and Research Chief at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in New Brunswick, Canada. Dr. O’Connell is a national leader in respiratory care for individuals with spinal cord injury and complex disabilities, with a focus on non-invasive ventilation and integrated rehabilitation models. She leads the National Spinal Cord Injury Respiratory Pathway project, advancing standardized, evidence-informed care across Canada. Her work spans clinical innovation, research, and collaboration at national and international levels to improve outcomes for individuals living with respiratory impairment and neurological disorders.

Manager of Respiratory Services for Lachine Hospital and NPHVA, McGill University Health Center

Chantal Piché is a registered respiratory therapist currently serving as Manager of the National Program for Home Ventilation Assistance and for Respiratory Services at the Lachine Hospital part of the McGill University Health Center that houses a 20-bed long-term ventilation care unit.

With over 15 years of experience in critical care, her approach integrates clinical expertise with a profound interest in human nature. She is currently completing a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Montreal in management of health and social services, psychoeducation interventions and mental health.

Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Respirology
University of British Columbia

Dr. Shah is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Respirology at the University of British Columbia. She practices as a Respirologist, with focus on Neuromuscular Respiratory management at Vancouver General Hospital and University of British Columbia Hospital. Dr. Shah also serves as a Medical Advisor for the Provincial Respiratory Outreach Program, a provincial home ventilation program that supports patients across British Columbia.

RT Clinical Education Lead for Connected Care,
SickKids Hospital, Toronto

Faiza Syed is a Respiratory Therapist and Clinical Educator at SickKids Hospital in Toronto. Since 2000, she has built a diverse clinical foundation within the Paediatric ICU and the Long-term Ventilation Program. Currently with the Connected Care Program, Faiza specializes in simulation-based education to prepare patients, families and healthcare providers for the complexities of paediatric care. She is deeply committed to supporting children with medical complexity and their families, ensuring a safe and seamless transition from hospital to home.

Division Head, Respirology
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

Dr. Anu Tandon is a Respirologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. Her clinical focus is Sleep medicine and respiratory care of patients with neuromuscular disease, as well as those requiring home long-term ventilation. Dr. Tandon serves as the Director of the Home Mechanical Ventilation program and Division Head of Respirology at Sunnybrook. She is also the respiratory consultant in the ALS and SMA Clinic at Sunnybrook. Her role extends beyond clinical practice into education, where she trains and mentors Respirology and Neurology residents, focusing on the complex respiratory needs of their patients.

She has co-authored the first Canadian Best Practice Guidelines for ALS along with engaging in international clinical trials and quality improvement research, working to enhance home mechanical ventilation and optimize the care for neuromuscular and long-term ventilated patients in the community.

Division Head, Division of Adolescent Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children
Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Associate Scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute
Adjunct Scientist, ICES

Dr. Alène Toulany is the Division Head of Adolescent Medicine at SickKids and Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Toulany is widely recognized for her expertise in caring for adolescents with complex chronic physical and mental health conditions, as well as for her leadership in strengthening transitions from paediatric to adult care both locally and internationally. Her research program focuses on health services outcomes, system performance, and improving equity in care for youth with chronic health conditions, with a strong emphasis on meaningful youth and family engagement in research and health care design.

Since 2000, Peter Wijkstra has been working as a pulmonologist in the field of Home Mechanical Ventilation. In these 25 years he has built up a unique academic centre with close collaboration with the 3 other Dutch HMV centres. Currently his team of 30 professionals is responsible for more than 1100 patients in the northern part of our country. Based on this close contact they developed a national skills programme for care givers, they wrote guidelines for both adults and children while research is focussed on COPD and Neuromuscular diseases.

Queen’s University, Faculty of Health Sciences

Dr. Kevin Woo is a Full Professor at Queen’s University, Faculty of Health Sciences in Kingston, Canada. He also holds an academic appointment at Western University (Canada) and Curtin University (CRC Australia).

He is known as an established Canadian researcher and educator in the fields of wound management and chronic disease management, focusing on innovative solutions and technologies to improve clinical outcomes. Dr. Woo is the inaugural president of the Canadian Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and an affiliate scientist at the Institute for Education Research (TIER), University Health Network. He is the Chief Research Officer, Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Canada.

Pediatric Respirologist, British Columbia Children’s Hospital
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia

Lena Xiao is a Pediatric Respirologist and Sleep Physician at British Columbia Children’s Hospital. She is the Medical Director of the Pediatric Sleep Medicine Program and Program Director for the Pediatric Sleep Medicine Fellowship at the University of British Columbia. She completed fellowships in Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Sleep, and Long-term Ventilation at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. She also earned a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research from the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on expanding access to pediatric sleep and ventilation services, developing and evaluating personalized treatment strategies for sleep-disordered breathing, and advancing patient- and family-centered care.