Centre for Mindfulness Leadership Committee
Todd Hill
CSM Affiliation: Professor for Dept of Family Med at CSM and Sr Instructor & Director of Behavioural Medicine in Family Medicine, Todd teaches mindfulness to residents, medical students, teaches U of C Classes, and labs, and runs a weekly drop-in mindfulness group for anyone at Cumming School of Medicine. Todd is also a Clinical Psychologist and Founder of CSM Centre for Mindfulness (2018)
Interest in Mindfulness: Todd practices mindfulness about 5 times per week and has been doing meditation practices since 1988. Todd integrated mindfulness teaching into Dept of Family Medicine curriculum: 2010. Hes been Lecturing on mindfulness 1st yr med students since 2018, MBSR training - starting 2016, Mindful Practice in Medicine: Chapin Mill – Batavia, NY) 2021
Other Interests: I love the outdoors, music, anything having to do with the water/the ocean, am an amateur boxing coach, try to stand on a surfboard whenever I can, and just learned to ride a motorcycle – aka male menopause management
Sonia Butalia
CSM Affiliation: Sonia is an Associate Professor of Medicine & Community Health Sciences, Endocrinologist and Scientist.
Interest in Mindfulness: Sonia has been meditating on/off for 2-3 years with an App, now ~daily
practice with more intention and she attended Mindful Practice in Medicine: 2024 (Banff)
Charlie Chen
CSM Affiliation: Charlie is a Clinical Associate Professor, Departments of Oncology and Family Medicine, Palliative care physician, Physician Advisor: Diversity, Wellness, and Development. Physician Experience, AHS Medical Affairs, and Medical Lead, ACP/GCD, Calgary Zone
Interest in Mindfulness: MBSR (2013) & MSC training (Jan 2024), On and off meditation for 11 years; daily sitting meditation practice for 3 years, Mindful Practice in Medicine: 2024 (Batavia NY) and Registered for MSC teaching program Sept, 2024
Simon Colgan
CSM Affiliation: full time palliative physician and I have special interest in underserved populations. Originally born bred and buttered in Northern Ireland. Medical training in UK worked from MSF in Afghanistan and eventually moved to Canada in 2007. I founded CAMPP in 2006 (www.campp.ca).
Interest in Mindfulness: 20+yrs of meditation, Previous MBCT, MBSR training, Received GRACE training 2015 in New Mexico with Roshi Joan Halifax, Graduate certification in Mindfulness teaching and training - University of Fraser valley, Mindful Practice in Medicine: 2024 (Banff), Mindfulness teaching for med students, colleagues, Exploring Zen Buddhism (with likelihood of taking formal training), Scheduled for intensive Zen Sesshin: Summer 2024
Other Interests: Interests include hiking, skiing, playing Irish music (flute/guitar/voice)
Andrew Daly
CSM Affiliation: Clinical Assoc Professor of Medicine, Head, Section of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant physician
Interest in Mindfulness: Mindfulness meditation practice for 7-8 years (started following a tragic patient experience), I Follow the writings of Susan Piver, John Kabat-Zinn, Shinryu Suzuki… and attended Mindful Practice in Medicine: 2024 (Banff)
Ward Flemons
CSM Affiliation: Professor of Medicine, Head, Respiratory Medicine, Quality and Safety Lead – CSM Precision Health Program, Vice-Chair, Dept of Medicine – Health Analytics, Quality, Safety
Interest in Mindfulness: Mindfulness practice +25 years – daily practice for 4 years, Power of Awareness course - Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach: 2020, Mindfulness Meditation Teachers Certification Program (Vipassana) - Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach: 2021 - 2023, Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM): 2023 (Banff), MPIM Facilitator workshop: 2023 (Chapin Mill – Batavia, NY)
Other interests: My professional career in leading and teaching healthcare quality and safety has introduced me to amazing people who have given so much of themselves, following tragic healthcare experiences in their own lives, to make the healthcare system safer for others. I enjoy spending time with family – my picture is with my youngest daughter on the set of the film, Falling Through the Cracks: Greg’s Story (my daughter was an ‘extra’ in the film) – Greg was an extremely bright, energetic engineer who lost a battle with cancer waiting for a system to get him into treatment. I have had the privilege of working with his family for the last decade.
Paul Fedak
CSM Affiliation: Professor, Dept of Cardiac Sciences, Director, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Cardiac Surgeon and Translational Scientist
Interest in Mindfulness: Self-study of ancient wisdom for a lifetime, Explored books, podcasts, apps etc., Executive leadership coaching toward mindfulness practices, and attended Mindful Practice in Medicine: 2024 (Banff)
Farah Jivraj
CSM Affiliation: Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Family physician at a teaching clinic and also working in sexual health, Division Director in the FM residency program and Assistant Director, University of Calgary Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (UCLIC)
Interest in Mindfulness: Mediating since childhood as part of my faith practice, Secular mindfulness practice (with headspace): 2013 and attended Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM): 2023 (Banff)
Lori Montgomery
CSM Affiliation: Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Anesthesiology Peri-operative and Pain Medicine, Family physician, focused practice in chronic pain at the Chronic Pain Centre and Community Integration Medical Lead for AHS Community and Primary Care in Calgary Zone
Interest in Mindfulness: Daily meditation practice since 2012, GRACE training (online) with Roshi Joan Halifax, Group meditation weekly (online) with Jeff Warren, Member, Calgary Insight Meditation Society, and attended Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM): 2023 (Banff)
Teresa Killam
CSM Affiliation: Clinical Lecturer, Dept of Family Medicine, Family physician in maternal newborn care and Associate Director in Student Advocacy and Wellness Hub
Interest in Mindfulness: Co-teach mindfulness in medicine with Todd Hill (previously in PGME and currently in UME), Personal mindfulness practice for 10 years (headspace, waking up) and attended Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM): 2023 (Banff)
Other Interests: I love spending time with my family, especially being outdoors hiking or skiing. You can find me walking my dog on Nose Hill Park everyday as well!
Susan Kuhn
CSM Affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Deputy Head, Professional Affairs Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist and Interests in tropical medicine and migrant health
Interest in Mindfulness: Decades-long exploration of compassion, mindfulness and Zen, Engaged Buddhism Retreat in tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, YMCA of the Rockies, Colorado 2009, Mindful Self-Compassion Workshop, Kristin Neff, 2018, GRACE online training with Roshi Joan Halifax 2019, Medicine and Compassion Retreat, Medicine and Compassion Project with Dr David Shlim and Lama Oser 2022 and attended Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM): 2023 (Banff)
Other Interests: Put me on a bicycle or trail, add mountains or sunsets, and I’m there.
Maitreyi Raman
CSM Affiliation: Associate Professor of Medicine Gastroenterologist and Physician, Nutrition Specialist Director Alberta's Collaboration of Excellence for Nutrition in Digestive Diseases Previous Director Clinician Investigator Program
Interest in Mindfulness: Daily practice of yoga, breathing and meditation (8 years). Trained in yoga nidra, and use it with patients in clinical practice as well as research. Half of my research program is centered in using mind body interventions to treat disorders of the gut brain axis, and to assess both clinical outcomes as well as mechanisms of action for their impact. We have developed a digital solution for patients with digestive diseases (www.lyfemd.com) that offers personalized mind body interventions to support integrative care.
Rory Sellmer
CSM Affiliation: Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Psychiatrist, Foothills Medical Centre and Residency program director
Interest in Mindfulness: Personal meditation practice last 10 years, using guided meditation products, Devloped and presented introductory mindfulness presentations for patient and professional groups and attended Mindful Practice in Medicine (MPIM): 2024 (Banff)
