2025 DFCM Award of Excellence Winners
Congratulations to all our 2025 Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) Program Award winners! At this year's virtual Awards & Celebrations event on October 9, we will recognize and honour your contributions to your patients, communities, and our department.
Other awards can be found here.
Academic Physician of the Year
Dr. Stephen Marisette | Oak Valley Health
Dr. Stephen Marisette is an extremely highly valued academic physician. He has a broad-based, comprehensive family practice at the MFMTU. He is involved in education for medical students, residents, and practicing primary care clinicians. He has made significant contributions to scholarship through his work at the Foundation for Medical Practice Education. He has also provided guidance in Oak Valley Health's Academic Plan and organized monthly Grand Rounds to educate the entire professional staff at the hospital.
Excellence in Course/Program Development
Dr. Diana Toubassi | UHN - Toronto Western Hospital
Dr. Diana Toubassi has demonstrated exceptional leadership, infectious enthusiasm, and commitment in developing and implementing an innovative curriculum emphasizing the crucial connection between resident wellness and professional identity formation. Under her guidance, this collaborative effort has resulted in a curriculum that goes beyond traditional boundaries. Her openness to different perspectives and commitment to fostering a culture of collaboration have had a positive impact not only on the curriculum itself but also on the broader educational community within our institution.
Dr. Kay Shen | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Kay Shen exemplifies excellence in course and program development through her leadership of the Addiction Medicine Service at St. Joseph's Health Centre. Her commitment to learner support, innovative program design, and continuous improvement has significantly enhanced the educational experience. Dr. Shen's compassionate mentorship and dedication to excellence have profoundly impacted both learners and colleagues, making her a truly deserving nominee for this honour.
Excellence in Creative Professional Activity
Drs. Jeremy Chad and Michael Taglione | NYGH
Drs. Jeremy Chad and Michael Taglione designed and implemented a unique quality improvement project, whereby they procured AI Scribe licenses for Family Physicians and studied the impact on quality of care and administrative burden. Their work was presented at the AFHTO conference in 2024 and will be presented at the upcoming DFCM conference. Their creative and innovative work has paved the way for expansion of AI scribe uptake and helped our OHT procure some finding via the Health Care Unburdened Grant.
Dr. Sue Goldstein | Sinai Health System - Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Sue Goldstein has distinguished herself as a national expert in Menopausal care, expertise where she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence and innovation. Combining her interests in medical education and mature women’s health, Dr. Goldstein developed the Menopause Quick Six (MQ6) Menopause assessment tool and the accompanying MQ6 Treatment Algorithm. These were published in Canadian Family Physician in April 2017 and since have been used both across Canada, as well as internationally.
Excellence in Development and Use of Innovative Instructional Methods
Dr. Chris Gilchrist | Trillium Health Partners (Mississauga Hospital)
Dr. Gilchrist’s work on developing curricular supports centered in AI is outstanding! AI Teaching Assistants are an innovative method to support learning needs in a controlled online environment. The AI Teaching Assistants are custom-designed ChatGPT models integrated into the Introduction to Medicine (ITM) course for first-year medical students at the University of Toronto. These tools served as supplemental resources, providing personalized feedback, interactive content tutoring, and practice question support. They addressed gaps in traditional teaching by promoting active learning, improving accessibility, and improving psychological safety when students seeking help. The AI Teaching Assistants were particularly impactful for students in the lower performance quartile, helping to normalize their academic outcomes with their peers.
Excellence in Leadership: New Leadership
Dr. Bernard Ho | Sinai Health System - Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Bernard Ho is a dynamic and compassionate leader whose impact spans clinical education, health advocacy, and system transformation. From supporting learners and leading wellness initiatives to shaping national policy through CAEP and Canadian Doctors for Medicare, he brings vision, empathy, and action to every role. Bernard exemplifies the future of academic medicine—thoughtful, innovative, and values-driven—and is truly deserving of the DFCM Excellence in Leadership – New Leader Award.
Dr. Kim Lazare | NYGH
Dr. Kim Lazare has shown incredible leadership in her first 3+ years as postgraduate site director at NYGH. She faces challenges thoughtfully and compassionately. She is an innovator and embeds scholarship in every aspect of curriculum development. Residents, preceptors and colleagues respect and value her contribution, and the program continues to rise to new heights under her leadership.
Excellence in Leadership: Sustained
Dr. Azadeh Moaveni | UHN - Toronto Western Hospital
Dr. Azadeh Moaveni has been an inspirational undergraduate program director at the DFCM since 2015. She has won multiple awards for innovation in medical education, has been instrumental in undergraduate curriculum reform, and has received multiple grants to support medical education research. Dr Moaveni has presented internationally on topics related to undergraduate medical education. Dr Moaveni is most deserving of this award for sustained leadership.
Dr. Donatus Mutasingwa | Oak Valley Health
Dr. Donatus Mutasingwa is an important leader in academic family medicine at the University of Toronto. He is respected for his wisdom, vision and compassionate leadership. He is able to distill a clear vision and works with passion to pursue that vision. He has been effective in developing and expanding academic programming at Oak Valley Health. He has made numerous invaluable contributions to teaching and scholarship through various leadership roles that he has assumed, both locally and abroad.
Excellence in Quality Improvement
Dr. Ernie Shui Chung Mak | UHN - Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Ernie Shui Chung Mak’s commitment and contributions to advancing team-based quality improvement initiatives for the palliative care program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre cannot be overstated. He is a passionate promotor of quality improvement and his enthusiasm is truly infectious. Under his leadership we have successfully enhanced the holistic care we provide to patients and their families in a way that embraces the interdisciplinary approach that underpins all that we do in palliative care.
Dr. Linda Weber | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Linda Weber is a dynamic leader in quality improvement at St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Unity Health. She mobilizes teams to tackle complex challenges through PDSA cycles, improves access to urgent care, and enhances preventive care for marginalized populations. She champions high-quality resident QI projects and fosters strong team engagement. Her initiatives—including online urgent care booking and colon cancer screening strategies in schizophrenia patients—reflect her commitment to equity, innovation, and global impact through QI education in Ghana.
Excellence in Research: Mid Career Researcher
Dr. Nav Persaud | Unity Health Toronto - St. Michael's Hospital
As the Canada Research Chair in Health Justice, Dr. Nav Persaud leads clinical trials and other studies, international collaborations, and guidelines that promote health equity. His vision is to make academic contributions that inform changes in health care and public policy that promote health equity or justice.
Excellence in Research: Early Career Researcher
Dr. Rachel Walsh | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Dr. Rachel Walsh is a promising early career researcher with outstanding high-impact and award-winning contributions to family medicine research. She is the lead for an important and exciting research project studying family physician work preferences aiming to ultimately improve recruitment and retention of the primary care workforce in Ontario to alleviate the current primary care crisis. Dr. Walsh’s work is critical for ensuring the physician voice is incorporated in shaping the future of primary care.
Excellence in Social Responsibility
Dr. Lisa Salamon | Sinai Health System - Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Lisa Salamon is an advocate for Ontario’s physicians and their patients. Over the last decade she served as OMA District 11 Chair, ran the Covid 19 vaccine programs in Scarbrough, and speaks out for faculty experiencing harassment. She regularly appears in media to inform the public on topics such as: Covid 19, the healthcare crisis in emergency and family medicine, and the system at large. There’s no better example of ethically driven social responsibility.
Dr. Kathryn Dorman | Unity Health Toronto - St. Michael's Hospital
Dr. Kathryn Dorman is a compassionate advocate, educator, and clinician who exemplifies social responsibility in family medicine. Through her outreach-based, equity-driven care for structurally marginalized communities, Dr. Dorman builds trust and transforms lives. She teaches with humility and impact, co-creating harm reduction education with lived-experience partners. Whether at a bedside, community meeting, or national forum, she brings courage, empathy, and justice to everything she does. Her work inspires all of us to do better.
Mr. Tom Nguyen | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Mr. Tom Nguyen is an incredible asset to Sunnybrook DFCM. Since 2020, they have led innovative, community-focused health initiatives at Sunnybrook Academic Family Health Team. Highlights include implementing a chronic pain self-management group, launching physical activity programs such as “Getting Fit with FHT” and “Walk with a Doc,” supporting senior wellness through educational series and homebound care, leading trauma-informed therapy initiatives, and contributing to heat resilience research. These interdisciplinary programs address key health gaps, promote prevention, and enhance accessibility and equity for diverse patient populations.
Excellence in Teaching: Early Career
Ms. Zoe Wong | Southlake Regional Health Centre
Ms. Zoe Wong has shown her dedication to teaching residents, medical students and other learners in the unit since early on by participating in Academic half day, discussing cases and providing guidance to learners in clinic on daily basis. Ms. Zoe Wong is a great educator, approachable, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with.
Dr. Madelaine Baetz-Dougan | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Dr. Baetz-Dougan is an inspiring educator involved at every stage of medical training. She encourages clinical curiosity in her students and promotes competency and patient ownership in a safe and supportive environment. She is deeply invested in her learners' success and possesses a true gift for medical education.
Dr. Taylor Sedran | Southlake Regional Health Centre
Dr. Taylor Sedran has been actively involved in clinical and small group teaching and has undertaken many leadership roles within our site and the DFCM. She regularly seeks feedback from the learners to improve her teaching skills and to individualize her teaching to the needs of the learners. As the academic half day lead, she collaborates closely with the co-chief residents and jointly coordinates teaching sessions for all learners. Her pleasant and genuine personality have made her a favourite among the residents and teachers alike.
Excellence in Teaching: Sustained
Ms. Eugena Bryan | UHN - Toronto Western Hospital
Eugena is an outstanding nurse who has spent decades of her career in family medicine fostering the learning of new residents. Her compassion and dedication has shaped the lives of not only numerous patients but also helped in the growth and development of numerous medical clerks and residents. Eugena has been helping patients and learners in family medicine for over 20 years and we want to recognize all the work she has done.
Dr. Jennifer Hopfner | UHN - Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Jennifer Hopfner truly epitomizes the ideal teacher. She creates a learning environment that is welcoming, safe, inclusive and embraces the diverse range of experiences of the learners who rotate through the palliative care program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Her open-door policy for all learners makes her a safe haven in a complex healthcare system, and we are proud to work alongside her.
Dr. Lisa Tarshis | North York General Hospital
Dr. Lisa Tarshis has been an exemplar of teaching excellence and has shown a profound commitment to medical education at NYGH for many years. She has been a role model to many within our department and continues to inspire excellence in the next generation of family physicians.
Helen Batty Excellence in Faculty Development
Dr. Giovanna Sirianni | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Dr. Giovanna Sirianni has been an integral part of our palliative care team. She is a team player, supportive of the greater department, and consistently working towards faculty development activities.
Louise Nasmith
Dr. Nour Khatib | Oak Valley Health
Dr. Nour Khatib has made an impact on intimate partner violence (IPV) care in Canada. She led the development of the first Canadian National Emergency Medicine IPV Guidelines through a Position Statement published in CJEM. She championed knowledge dissemination through grand rounds, resident education, and international platforms. Her dedication to knowledge mobilization and advocacy ensures physicians are equipped to provide better, standardized care for IPV patients, leaving a lasting impact on family and emergency medicine nationwide.
Risa Freeman Award for Excellence in Education Scholarship: Newly Engaged
Dr. Alis Xu | Southlake Regional Health Centre
Dr. Alis Xu started her scholarly journey during her postgraduate training – tackling the biggest issue of the day, national curriculum reform. She continues to tackle the big questions as a faculty member, studying how education can sustained comprehensive care for recent graduates. Her insight, energy, and passion for education scholarship and evidence based teaching make her a rising star for DFCM’s education and scholarship mission.
Risa Freeman Award for Excellence in Education Scholarship: Sustained
Dr. Rajani Vairavanathan | Michael Garron Hospital - Toronto East Health Network
Dr. Vairavanathan exemplifies the spirit of the Risa Freeman Award through her passion for education, community care, and resident development. Her leadership in emergency and prenatal care, combined with her commitment to community-engaged scholarship, make her an inspiring role model. Dr. Vairavanathan is a visionary educator whose innovative approach to simulation-based learning and dedication to mentorship have transformed resident education at Michael Garron Hospital.
Dr. Abbas Ghavam-Rassoul | Unity Health Toronto - St. Michael's Hospital
Exemplifying the highest characteristics of a scholar, Dr. Abbas Ghavam-Rassoul has been a mentor and leader in education scholarship locally and internationally. Apart from his own scholarly works, he has made it possible for a generation of local and international learners and faculty to develop new capacities and excel in their own scholarly journeys – truly embodying the ideals of the Risa Freeman Award.
Staff Excellence
Ms. Luljeta Kokalari | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Luljeta has been an important facet of our Division of Long Term Care, as well as our department hospitalists for the past eight years. Her expertise, support, kindness, and helpful demeanor ensure incredible cross divisional collaboration.
Ms. Valerie Hilderal | DFCM
The Emergency Medicine PGY3 year is extremely fortunate to have the administrative support of Valerie Hilderal. Valerie has provided truly exceptional support to the program for many years. In her interactions with both faculty and residents alike, Val had demonstrated superb organizational skills, reliability, integrity, and collegiality. She is truly deserving of the Staff Excellence Award.
Staff Excellence in Collaboration
Ms. Nicole Reyes | DFCM
Nicole Reyes is a visionary collaborator whose leadership in accreditation, faculty development, and program advancement has strengthened the DFCM - PA community. From flawlessly executing the PA Program’s accreditation to spearheading initiatives like CFPC-accredited faculty sessions and the bachelor’s-to-master’s transition, Nicole bridges gaps with ingenuity and inclusivity. Her ability to unite teams, drive complex projects, and foster equity makes her an indispensable force for progress.
Mr. Jevon Manchester | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's Health Centre
As a Coordinator within the Urban Family Health Team, Jevon excels in fostering a collaborative atmosphere. His leadership is characterized by: Compassionate Understanding: Jevon consistently demonstrates empathy and understanding in his interactions with both colleagues and community members. Calm and Effective Leadership: His ability to remain calm under pressure allows for clear communication and effective problem-solving, enhancing team collaboration. Strong Community Affiliations: Jevon's commitment to building and maintaining strong relationships with community partners is vital to the success of our programs. Facilitating Teamwork: He actively promotes teamwork and ensures that all voices are heard, leading to more inclusive and effective outcomes.
Staff Excellence in Leadership Values
Ms. Carolyn Brooks | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Carolyn Brooks is a foundational leader at the RVH- Barrie community affiliated site. For 16 years she has led with compassion, innovation and dedication. Her authentic leadership has advanced academic excellence through innovative program development, curricular enhancements and mentorship. Her contributions span simulation-based education, resident wellness and faculty development. Her transformative impact locally and across the department has shaped a high-quality, community based training environment that prepares residents for comprehensive, compassionate care.
Staff Excellence in Quality and Innovation
Ms. Dana Arafeh | DFCM​​​​​​​
Dana Arafeh is the Patient & Family Engagement Specialist at the Department of Family & Community Medicine. She is passionate about involving patients and their families in every aspect of their care. Her goal is to promote patient and family voices as a key driver in all DFCM activities, and look for opportunities for meaningful patient and family engagement.
Staff New Employee Award
Ms. Anna Loi | DFCM
Anna is an absolute asset to all projects and programs that are lucky enough to have her. She is a project coordinating master, with a great eye for detail, without losing the overall larger vision. Anna brings her whole self to her work, fostering an environment of enthusiasm and creating momentum to push projects to their successful completion. She has been involved in numerous education projects at the DFCM that have and will continue to strengthen our department in a major way.
Ms. Johanna Skippon | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's Health Centre
Johanna Skippon is a rare gem—an inspiring collaborator who builds meaningful partnerships across programs, sites, and divisions with warmth, inclusivity, and strategic insight. She brings out the best in those around her, delivering exceptional results with grace, professionalism, and unwavering dedication. Her thoughtful leadership, commitment to equity, and uplifting presence make her both indispensable and deeply valued. Johanna truly embodies the spirit of the DFCM Staff Excellence in Collaboration Award and is richly deserving of this honour.
Sustained Excellence in Research
Dr. Bernard Le Foll | CAMH - Ursula Franklin Site
Dr. Bernard Le Foll is a clinician-scientist specializing in addiction medicine, with a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Paris-Sud. He leads Addiction Research at CAMH, chairs Addiction Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and is VP of Research & Academics at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. With over 300 publications and 100 grants, his work focuses on addiction neurobiology and treatment. He also serves on the CIHR Governing Council and advises on addiction policy.
Dr. Alice Ordean | Unity Health Toronto - St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. Alice Ordean is an Associate Professor and clinician-scientist whose research has transformed perinatal addiction care in Canada. As Medical Director of T-CUP and investigator at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, she has led groundbreaking studies, authored national guidelines, and published extensively. Her work has influenced policy, improved care for marginalized pregnant individuals, and built research capacity through mentorship. Despite limited protected time, she exemplifies excellence in research, leadership, and impact.