Gordon Giesbrecht, Ph.D. is a Professor of Thermophysiology at the University of Manitoba. He has conducted hundreds of cold water immersion studies that have provided life-saving information about physiology and pre-hospital care for human hypothermia.  He has also conducted over 100 vehicle submersions with people in them, to study survival and exit strategies in sinking vehicles.  He has over 100 publications, and helped create instructional educational programs for drowning prevention and treatment, such as Beyond Cold Water Boot Camp; Baby It’s Cold Outside (www.bicorescue.com for responders and www.ownthecold.ca for the public) and written protocols used by Emergency Response Operators around the world. Dr. Giesbrecht has been a consultant for the military in Canada, the US and Sweden, as well as the Coast Guard in Canada and the US.  He has also worked with the FBI and other law enforcement organizations across Canada and the US.

Joshua is a staff emergency and hyperbaric medicine physician at the Misericordia Community Hospital in Edmonton. His interests include disaster medicine and prehospital care and he serves as the department of emergency medicine’s disaster medicine coordinator and also assists with teaching residents in core content rounds. He completed a masters in disaster medicine and an EMS fellowship. He is the Hazardous Materials Physician for the Calgary Fire Department and a transport physician with STARS as well as the medical director for multiple EMS agencies including an international air ambulance service. He is also active with several disaster relief organizations including Canada Task Force 2 which is Alberta’s all-hazards disaster response team and has been a part of multiple large scale deployments in Canada and abroad. He has worked in Fire/EMS in the Bow valley for over 15 years including with ski patrol. He co-hosts a disaster podcast called EPIC (Emergency Preparedness in Canada).

Dave is a Family Physician who works full time with the Canadian Armed Forces. He has deployed overseas with both the army and the navy. He has volunteered for over 10 years with Ground SAR teams in NS, NL and NWT. He completed his Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) in 2020, and is currently completing an extra year of residency in Emergency Medicine at Queen's. Dave was one of the co-founders of CAWM and currently serves as the CAWM President. Dave’s favourite outdoor activities include paddle sports, diving, orienteering, backcountry hiking and sport climbing.

Matt Frey is an Emergency Physician primarily based Calgary since completing his CCFP-EM residency there in 2013. He previously completed a BSc(Hons) and medical school at UBC. He remains active working in both provinces and holds Clinical Lecturer positions at UBC and U of C. He volunteers both locally with the Lake Louise Ski Patrol and globally, having previously worked in Haiti and Ethiopia. Despite COVID-related delays, he is finally formalizing his interest in Wilderness Medicine by completing his DiMM in 2022. Personal interests include mountain biking, climbing, travel for kiting or diving and spending time with family.

Steve Delage is a Canadian Forces Search and Rescue Technician (SAR Tech) that currently works at 1 Canadian Air Division under the Division Surgeon. In collaboration with the SAR Tech Medical Director, he helps with the SAR Tech medical training and standard across all SAR units in Canada. Join the military in 2000 as infantry soldier to complete two operational deployments, transfer SAR in 2007 to serve in two operational units 424 and 435 Squadron and spent 2 years at the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue (CFSSAR) as an instructor and standard Warrant Officer before his current employment.

Janet S. McLeod is a well known “psych guide” specializing in Clinical and Community Psychology. Janet guides mountain professionals to modulate and heal trauma, loss and critical stress injuries. Janet knows the terrain of recovery as a “thriver” from PTSD. This alchemy of training and life experience comes together so she can assist clients to move “stuck” memories into the present tense. Death and loss colours the tapestry of life in the mountains. As a founder of Mountain Muskox, Janet believes the next level of healing is through “Trauma Informed Peer Support”. Each person’s healing journey is to travel from the isolating burden of carrying loss individually to a community sense of safety, fellowship and caring with peers knowing similar experiences. Critical incidents cannot be carried by an individual alone, it takes a tribe, a community to remind us of our resilience and recovery.

Sarah has been a sponsored mountain athlete and ACMG Alpine Guide in the Bow Valley for 20 years. An avid climber she's established new routes in Canada, China, Japan, Africa, Iceland and North America, and worked full-time running a business focused primarily on teaching, guiding and empowering women in the mountains. In March of 2019 Sarah's world was turned upside down when a guided group on her women’s camp experienced a natural avalanche and claimed the life of her dearest friend. Through the shattered pieces of her foundation, she has learned that community, togetherness and compassion are the only ways to handle the grief, shame and regret of mountain accidents like hers. Her hope is to share these learnings while still learning herself how to embrace her passion for the mountains. She currently acts at the Executive Director of the Mountain Muskox and Ice climbing Ambassador for Avalanche Canada.

For the past 30 years, Lisa has worked in mountain and water rescue throughout the mountain national parks. She currently enjoys working with her Banff team where they receive approximately 400 calls per year, including calls to the Northern National Parks. She has a keen interest in optimizing all aspects patient care and transport. She co-founded and co-chairs the Canadian Mountain Park Backcountry Medical Council. Lisa lives in Banff with her family.

LCdr (Dr) Kaighley Brett is a Family Physician and a Consultant in Diving and Submarine Medicine (CDSM) with the Canadian Armed Forces. She is currently serving as the Head of the School of Operational Medicine at the Canadian Forces Environmental Medicine Establishment.

She has completed advanced training in Diving and submarine medicine, including a BScMedScHons in Underwater Medicine through Stellenbosch University in 2017 and a Fellowship in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine at the University of California San Diego in 2018.

Outside of medicine, she is a recreational diver with a passion for marine life and underwater photography.

Rebecca Basset is the Training Director and active Search Manager with Saskatoon Search and Rescue. She is the owner / operator and lead instructor with Back40 Wilderness First Aid, where she focuses on providing austere, high-fidelity experiences that are practical and engaging for learners of both medical and non-medical backgrounds. Rebecca graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a degree in Kinesiology in 2005. She and her family frequent the mountains to camp, hike, ice climb, bike, and snowmobile in the back country.

Dr Nick Fisher is a Family/ Emergency Medicine Practitioner. Originally from the UK, he trained at Glasgow University where he focussed on integrating mountaineering, climbing and skiing with medicine. He joined the British Army in 2001 on a promise of continuing this approach, however world events in September 2001 frustrated him, and he spent much of his military career in deserts rather than mountains. He retired from military service in 2012, moving to Pemberton, BC where he finally achieved his goal combining rural medicine with SAR, Ski Patrol and a busy family life with 2 young sons.

Bryce Culver is a Canadian Forces Search and Rescue Technician (SAR Tech) currently employed at the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) Headquarters. CJOC is the Force Employer of all Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations, including SAR. Bryce provides SAR Tech expert advice related to national provisions of SAR operations in collaboration with the 1 Canadian Air Division (1 CAD) SAR cell, SAR Squadrons across Canada, Joint Rescue Coordination Centres, Canadian Coast Guard, Public Safety and Transport Canada. Bryce first joined the CAF in 1999 as an Aviation Technician working on CF18 Fighter Jets later transferring to the SAR Tech occupation in 2005. Bryce has worked at 3 operational units 103, 424 and 442 Squadrons plus 1 year as a Standards Evaluator with the 1 CAD SAR Standards Evaluation Team before his current employment at CJOC HQ in Ottawa.

Peter is an Alberta ACP with over 35 years in the mountain parks. His background ranges from military medic to ski patroller to owner of the Jasper Ambulance service in 1980’s. Peter had the 1st Alberta public access defibrillator save while teaching an AED course at the Columbia Icefields. He teaches ACLS, ACLS-EP and ITLS and is an AWLS Instructor. Peter was instrumental is having the hypothermia protocols changed for Alberta Health Services EMS Branch. He also wrote the hypothermia chapter for ITLS Duty to Respond text. His passions are cycling, ocean kayaking and international travel.

Rob is the Manager of Teaching Resources for Raven RSM. He has been actively teaching Wilderness Medical and Rescue courses since 2009.

Rob has worked in various outdoor education fields all across Canada. Rob has spent 15 years guiding in the paddling community - working for organizations including Outward Bound and Canadian River Expeditions.

Rob currently works as a frontline Firefighter for Calgary Fire.

The very first person I befriended as a 12 year old kid moving from Ontario to Calgary in ’79, was the son of a Lake Louise ski patroller and ski instructor. Lake Louise and the Bow Valley have been my home and passion ever since. Friendly Fortress Mountain would give me free ski passes, lessons and swamp parties so long as I wore an ugly Patrol jacket and did a few hut duties. These early patrol connections introduced me to the world of ski racing in the late 90’s as the downhill event was moved from Whistler to Louise. And so my journey through an industry combining skiing and medicine began. I’ve been an ER doc in Canmore for 25 years and Chief of Medical for the Lake Louise Women’s World Cup Downhill races for as many. And I thoroughly enjoy giving back to the incredible patrol community as the medical director for Lake Louise. I’ve added mountain biking to the activities that keep me grounded along with my very special wife, 2 boys and 12 year old golden retriever.

Monday – Friday

• Thirty years of high-tech industry experience as a Mechanical Design Engineer and Senior Manager.  Worked for various company sizes ranging from small start-ups to International Corporations.
• Products varied from: Head Mounted Displays, Ruggedized Computers, Military Communication Systems, GPS products & high end Audio solutions.

Saturday – Sunday

• Joined the Canadian Ski Patrol (volunteer) at Lake Louise in 2002 and still enjoying the amazing experience.  Stepped forward for various leadership roles at all levels of the organization.  Currently the “P0” or Chief of Patrol for the Medical Team on the Ladies’ World Cup downhill week.
• We are a skiing family with ex-racer kids.
• Avid hunter in the Foothills of Alberta with both archery and rifle.  Perfected my jerky recipe
• Little league baseball coach for 12 years.

Dr Jamie Riggs is chief resident in emergency medicine at the University of Toronto. His interests lie in trauma, human factors, prehospital medicine and medical education. Jamie has shared his research on mental practice and HALO procedures nationally and internationally in forums such as the SMACC conference and the EMCrit blog. Outside of work he spends his time on a variety of bikes or searching for the perfect cup of coffee.

Mike is a Mountain Safety specialist based out of Canmore working for Alberta Environment and Parks in Kananaskis Region.

Mike was born in Alberta then began working with Alberta parks in the 90s obtaining his Association of Canadian Mountain Guides Ski Guide certification in 2003. During his time in parks he has attending numerous backcountry rescues in remote settings in all types of terrain. He was also one of the founding members of the Canadian Mountain Parks Backcountry medical council which represents Parks Canada and Kananaskis Rescue specialists and physicians in developing medical protocols and training priorities within these professional programs. Mike also works portions of his winters with RK Heliski as a heliski guide.

Dr. McPhalen works primarily at the Alberta Children’s Hospital where he has been Division Head, Medical Staff President and Cleft Palate Clinic Medical Director over the years. He also works in Undergrad Medical Education at the Cumming School of Medicine (U of C) as a Master Teacher and as co-chair of the Well Physician (Professionalism Skills) Course.

Outside of work at the Alberta Children’s Hospital he enjoys the mountains west of Calgary and serves as Medical Director for the Mountain Rescue Service in Kananaskis Country in the eastern Rocky Mountains. He is an active member of the Canadian Avalanche Association and is a validated avalanche dog handler with the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association.

Dr. Roy is an intensive care physician and a consultant in high altitude and wilderness medicine. He holds three diplomas in Mountain Medicine as well as a post-graduate Diploma in Remote and Offshore Medicine. He is co-program director of the WildernessMD/McGill University Resident Physician Elective in Wilderness Medicine and director of the Diploma in Wilderness & Expedition Medicine. His academic interests in wilderness medicine include Wilderness Medicine education, pre-existing medical conditions in the wilderness, and environmental implications for medications & equipment. He sits on the Medical Commission of the International Commission of Alpine Rescue, the UIAA Medical Committee, the WMS Research Committee, the Executive Committee of the International Society for Mountain Medicine, and the CAWM Governance Committee.

Speaker Biography coming soon.

I am a fourth-year medical student at the University of British Columbia in the Northern Medical Program. My interest in wilderness medicine grew over 6 years of working in search and rescue with the Canadian Coast Guard, both as seasonal crew and training staff. I am especially interested in pre-hospital acute care and simulation and look forward to learning about many more topics at this year’s conference! When I’m not on the water, I love to cross country ski, mountain bike and trail run!

Dr. Chris Lipp is a full time emergency physician in Calgary with a consistent outpatient practice at Innovative Sport Medicine; he also is passionate about all aspects of wilderness and austere medicine.

Emergency physician - Calgary AB - FMC/SHC

Clinical Lecturer, University of Calgary

Regional Lead - Calgary/Rockies - Climbing Escalade Canada

Innovative Sport Medicine

FAWM

Speaker Biography coming soon.

Jean-Sébastien is an outdoor guide, EMT, and flight nurse with a speciality in remote and austere environments. We has been working in healthcare since 2004, and has practiced all around the globe has an expedition nurse, guide, and wilderness medicine instructor. His current work is primarily in small indigenous villages in the Canadian arctic.

Jennifer Ma, BSc, MD Candidate 2023

Jen Ma is a 4th year medical student at Queen’s University and previous co-chair of the Queen’s Wilderness Medicine Interest Group. Growing up on the North Shore of Vancouver, Jen developed a keen interest in outdoor recreation and encountered various black bears, including many within her own neighbourhood. Prior to medical school, she completed her BSc in Behavioural Neuroscience at UBC and worked as a Bear Safari Guide in Whistler, BC. Her favourite outdoor activities include rock climbing, hiking/backpacking, road cycling, and skiing. She is excited to combine her passion for the outdoors with medicine as part of the CAWM community.

Cassandra Poirier is a second-year resident in Anesthesiology at the University of British Columbia. She completed her medical undergraduate degree at McGill University, where she presided over the Wilderness Medicine Association for two years. She is an avid mountain and ice climber having summitted some of the world’s highest mountains, including Mount Aconcagua (6,900 m). Her research interests include high altitude physiology and emergencies and regional anesthetic interventions in austere environments.

Rob worked as a raft guide and outdoor ed facilitator for a few years before going to school for social work. He then worked as an addictions counselor at a wilderness therapy program near Nordegg, Alberta, doing a mix of counselling and guiding. He is now a second year medical student at the University of Calgary. Professionally, he is interested in improving primary care for people with disabilities, making the wilderness more accessible to underrepresented groups, and adventure therapy. In his spare time, he likes getting outside with his friends, whether its biking, climbing, or splitboarding.

Father of 6 1/2 year old Bodie. Husband to Amy. Skier, ski mountaineer, ice climber, rock climber, mountain biker, surfer, mountain runner.

ALS Paramedic
SAR Medic3
TEAAM Aeromedical -president/founder/helicopter rescue paramedic
SARMed - owner/lead instructor
Search and Rescue Medic - 1991-2021
Whistler Blackcomb Pro Ski Patrol- 2004-2022
BC Ambulance Service - 1997-2018
Mountain Rescue Specialist
Swift Water Rescue Tech
Post Traumatic Stress Survivor
Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue - instructor 2006-2009
Justice Institute of BC Paramedic Academy - lead instructor/program development 1999-2006

Joel is a physiotherapist in Grande Prairie, Alberta. He currently works at Adventure Physiotherapy working with an outpatient musculoskeletal population and he works for Alberta Health Services in outpatient neurology and an intensive interdisciplinary community rehabilitation program. Joel is a volunteer member with Grande Prairie Technical Search and Rescue, and is currently a member in training. Whenever Joel is not in clinic or training you can find him cross country skiing, mountain biking, hiking, or most likely drinking a coffee and on the hunt for the Peace region’s best cinnamon bun.

Speaker Biography coming soon.

Major Melissa Gear is a physician with the Canadian Armed Forces. She has completed residencies in Family Medicine through Dalhousie University, and Aerospace Medicine with the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. Currently, she holds the position of Aeromedical Standards Flight Surgeon at the 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters in Winnipeg, MB and is part of the team that advises on medical aspects of Royal Canadian Air Force training and operations. While missing the ocean as a displaced Newfoundlander, she enjoys exploring the prairie skies and landscapes with her husband and two boys.

Dr. Jonathan Dean, MD BSc FRCPC PGDip MEd

Dr. Jonathan Dean is Past-President of Saskatoon Search and Rescue, member of the training committee, and active ground SAR team lead. He is an assistant professor and general internal medicine physician at the University of Saskatchewan, where he is involved in residency program curriculum development, and the clinical and simulation-based teaching of medical students and resident doctors. He holds a post-graduate diploma in medical education through the University of Dundee.

Dr. Trevor Day holds a B.Sc. and a Ph.D. (University of Calgary). He is currently a Professor of Physiology at Mount Royal University, where he teaches courses in basic and applied human physiology. His research interests include the integration and interactions between the heart, lungs, brain and kidneys in response to acute and chronic blood gas stressors (e.g., high altitude). His federally-funded research program (NSERC Discovery) includes undergraduate trainees in every aspect of the research endeavour. Trevor was recently inducted into the Royal Society of Canada as a member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists (2020-2027).

Neal Pollock holds a Research Chair in Hyperbaric and Diving Medicine and is an Associate Professor in Kinesiology at Université Laval in Québec, Canada. He was previously Research Director at Divers Alert Network (DAN) in Durham, North Carolina. His academic training is in zoology, exercise physiology and environmental physiology. He is an editor emeritus of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine.

Jeff Thurman, MD, FACEP, FAWM is a board-certified Emergency Medicine and EMS physician. He is Gratis Faculty at the University of Louisville in the Division of EMS. Jeff is currently medical director for several EMS services and LEMA for the US Forest Service in Kentucky. He is associate medical director for RedSTAR, a wilderness EMS response team, operating in Kentucky's Red River Gorge. Jeff is part of the leadership team for the IBSC project to develop a WP-C exam. He is a member of the WMS SAR committee, NAEMSP Wilderness EMS committee, and Kentucky Board of EMS Wilderness Paramedic Taskforce.

David Fifer is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medical Care and Director of the Center for Wilderness & Outdoor Public Safety at at Eastern Kentucky University. David also works as a Paramedic for Kentucky's Powell County Ambulance Service, where he is the founding coordinator of the Red River Gorge Special Treatment, Access, and Rescue team (RedSTAR) and flies with the Kentucky State Police as a hoist rescue technician.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine, and has been a key leader in the development of the International Board of Specialty Certification's WP-C (Certified Wilderness Paramedic) exam.

David earned his B.A. in Political Science and M.S. in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management from EKU, and is a Fellow in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine.

Stefan Cowtan is a fifth year FRCPC-EM resident at the University of Manitoba. His interest in wilderness medicine began with certification as a Wilderness First Responder and cold-water rescue technician while canoe tripping in Ontario, and he is currently pursuing a low-resource and wilderness medicine niche in residency.

Rebecca graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy. She initially developed her main interest for muscle balance and exercise prescription while working in North Vancouver. This is where she took Shirley Sarhmann’s muscle balance courses that inspired her present focus on specific exercises to treat mechanical dysfunctions. She moved to Banff in 2000 and rapidly developed extensive knowledge in mountain sport rehabilitation. Working closely with our local orthopaedic surgeons, Rebecca is always up to date and educated on all of the recent surgical techniques and rehabilitation protocols. This ensures a seamless transfer of patient care from the operating room to the physiotherapy gym. It is through a diligent home exercise program and habitual change of postures that Rebecca believes is the solution to a pain free healthy body.

Dr. Morakis is a fourth year resident in Emergency Medicine (EM) at Vancouver General Hospital.  She has a longstanding interest in Wilderness Medicine and is a candidate of the Fellowship of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. She has worked as an event medic during residency, including for a freediving competition. Outside the busy resident schedule, she can be found trying to adapt to west coast terrain – on skis, in hiking boots, or on her mountain bike.

Sydney Todorovich is a 5th year emergency medicine resident and POCUS fellow at Western University. Since starting medicine she's wanted to find a way to bring her work outdoors, completing wilderness electives and teaching sessions whenever possible. More recently she's become interested in how hand-held ultrasound can be effectively utilized in wilderness and austere environments and intends to weave these interests into her career moving forward. She spends her spare time canoe tripping, trail running, mountain biking, and has recently taken a liking to adventure racing.

I graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Kinesiology with Distinction from the University of Alberta and followed up my undergraduate studies with a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy in 2018. During this time, I played five years with the Golden Bears men’s soccer team, being named CIS Rookie of the Year in 2012. I was a five-time Canada West All-Star, two-time CIS All-Canadian, and two-time Golden Bears Soccer MVP. In 2016/17, my last year of eligibility, we won a CIS/USports National Championship and I was named the University of Alberta Male Athlete of the Year. I was also fortunate enough to have played professional soccer with FC Edmonton and the Vancouver Whitecaps U-23 team.

• President of Sirius Wilderness Medicine since December 2017 and Medical Director since 2013
• Emergency Medicine physician for more than 20 years in the Laurentians (St-Jérôme and Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts). Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Traumatology at the St-Jerome Hospital Center from 1999 to 2008.
• Northern Medicine (Nunavut, Nunavik and James Bay) intermittently over the years.
• Specialization in Sports and Exercise Medicine, Diploma in Mountain Medicine ( Grenoble).
• Medical Director of Centre de Medecine Sportive des Laurentides
• Specialist in Event Medicine: Medical Director for Dokever Canada and Ironman Mont-Tremblant events from 2012 to 2017 and since 2019 & volunteer physician at various races & events.
• Outdoor sports and endurance sports enthusiast : mountaineering and alpine hiking, nordic and cross-country skiing, telemark, mountain bike, triathlon, canoeing etc.

Dirk is a Resident Physician in the Emergency Medicine Program at the University of Calgary. Before medical school, he worked as a Primary Care Paramedic in a variety of settings, including as a Ski Patroller where his interest in Wilderness and Austere Medicine started. He continues to work with Canada Task Force 2, Alberta's National Disaster Response Team, and has interests in disaster, wilderness and prehospital transport medicine. Outside the hospital, he's happiest in the mountains skiing, trail running or enjoying a beverage.

Kevin has been a Physician for over three decades and works as an Emergency Physician in Calgary. He is a retired firefighter and is active in pre-hospital medical direction with roles in EMS, Downhill Ski Areas, Canada’s Alpine Ski team and one of Canada’s disaster teams. He has a diploma in mountain medicine and has been working in the Banff area as a volunteer ski patroller since 1988. He enjoys ski touring and mountaineering in the winter as well as mountain biking, hiking, golf and adventure motorcycling in the summer. He has 2 grown children and spends many days on the trails and slopes with his wife Diana in the Rockies.

Len is the Director of Medical Curriculum and Program Development for RavenRSM. He has been actively teaching wilderness medical courses since the 1980’s. Len has taught diverse clientele in Asia, South/Central America and across Canada. Len has degrees in Physical Education and specialities in Outdoor Ed. He has worked in various outdoor education settings including Outward Bound Canada. Len has been a member of OBC’s national safety committee for over 20 years. For over 40 years, Len has worked in a variety of leadership roles in pre-hospital care. Len maintains his clinical activity through working part time as an Advance Care Paramedic for the District Nipissing Paramedic Service.