Dr. Abdulazeez Salawu specializes in the treatment of sarcoma, gastrointestinal cancer, and peritoneal malignancy. He is also a PI in the Phase 1 Drug Development Program. He underwent specialty training in Medical Oncology in Sheffield, United Kingdom, and holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the University of Sheffield. His research expertise lies in structural and functional genomics, disease models, and biomarker development. His current research focuses on translational oncology and early-phase drug development, particularly using biomarkers to guide personalized cancer therapies. He is the recipient of the Novartis Oncology Young Canadian Investigator Award and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Merit and Young Investigator Awards. He is also an equity-focused clinical investigator with an interest in disparities and representation in oncology clinical research.

Dr. Govindarajan is a surgical oncologist at Sinai Health and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. He specializes in gastrointestinal cancers with a specific focus on peritoneal malignancy. He also serves as the provincial lead for the Survivorship Program at Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario.

Dr. Carmona obtained his medical degree, including residencies in internal medicine and medical oncology, at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He subsequently pursued a fellowship in breast and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, with a significant focus on clinical cancer genetics, at the University of Toronto/Odette Cancer Centre. Dr. Carmona holds a Master of Science in Molecular Biomedicine and a Doctorate in Clinical Trials and Methodology from the National Cancer Institute of Mexico, where he designed one of the earliest investigator-initiated trials to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of the chemo-immunotherapy approach. His clinical and research interests are centered on generating practical evidence for breast and GI malignancies, emphasizing real-world treatment outcomes, particularly in the realm of clinical cancer genetics. In this regard, he aims to expand the cancer genetics and high-risk program by producing impactful real-world evidence (RWE) to optimize screening, risk reduction strategies and new therapeutic approaches for patients living with breast and GI cancers.

Dr. Clarence Wong is a Professor, Director and Section Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Alberta and Alberta Health Services. He is a therapeutic endoscopist and the medical director of the Endoscopic Ablation Program focusing on the management of gastrointestinal dysplasia and cancers. Dr. Wong is a member of the Alberta Provincial GI Tumour Group and is  also an attending staff at the Cross Cancer Institute where he initiated a Gastroenterology Consultation clinic for oncology patients. He was the provincial medical director of the Alberta Colorectal Cancer Screening program and is currently the co-chair of the Provincial Endoscopic Operations Committee and the Provincial Medical Lead for the Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Centralized Access and Triage (GI-CAT) Program. He is a member of the national CanSCCRN colon cancer research network. Dr. Wong has received awards for excellence in medical education including the Certificate of Merit from the Canadian Association of Medical Education, Distinguished Educator Award from the Alberta Society of Gastroenterology, and the University of Alberta Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. He has also been awarded the Alberta Medical Association Long-Service Award.

Radiologist at Joint Department Medical Imaging University of Toronto, working at TGH, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Hospital and Toronto Western. Dual trained and cross appointed in Molecular and Abdominal Imaging divisions. Main interest is Oncology Imaging, using US, CT, MR and PET/CT - PET/MR as imaging tools for diagnosis and restaging of oncologic patients.

Dr David earned her MD from the University of Toronto where she also completed her residency in Radiology. She then did a fellowship in Interventional Radiology which she completed in 2003. She joined the staff at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto that same year.  She holds the rank of Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Medicine and is the Fellowship supervisor at Sunnybrook. She served as a member of the Interventional Oncology Emerging Technologies Working Group that secured funding for ablation, TACE and TARE for Ontario patients.

Dr. Eric Marsden, ND is a recognized leader in the field of integrative and naturopathic medicine, with over two decades of clinical, academic, and research experience. He earned his undergraduate degree in Human Biology from the University of Toronto and graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in 2002. His passion for integrative medicine was inspired by personal experiences with chronic illness in his family and the limitations he observed in conventional care.  

Early in his career, Dr. Marsden founded Body Mind Science Resources, the first professional health product dispensary at CCNM, which he continues to operate today. His international training includes time in Germany, where he observed the successful integration of non-conventional therapies in the treatment of chronic diseases, especially cancer.

Dr. Marsden is the founder and Medical Director of the Marsden Centre for Excellence in Integrative Medicine, a state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary facility in Vaughan, Ontario, focused on complex chronic disease and integrative cancer care. He established Canada’s first postgraduate residency in naturopathic oncology and has educated practitioners across the globe on topics including intravenous therapy, environmental medicine, and supportive cancer care.

He is also actively involved in research and policy development, co-authoring the Principles of Care Guidelines for naturopathic oncology and sitting on advisory boards including the Colorectal Cancer Research and Advocacy Network. Dr. Marsden has received numerous awards for his contributions to the profession and remains a sought-after speaker, educator, and thought leader in evidence-informed integrative care.

Felicia Newell is CCRAN's National Registered Dietitian. She has a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Applied Human Nutrition, and has worked in areas such as research, education, healthcare, and private practice for 14 years. She is has an immense passion for providing help and guidance to all patients, but especially those fighting colorectal cancer. Felicia assesses patients for their nutritional needs and provides evidenced-informed nutrition recommendations and support to help optimize their bodies’ ability to fight cancer and tolerate treatments. She also oversees the expansion of CCRAN's My Foods for Life Program, in addition to the development of a primary and secondary cancer prevention program.

Dr. Gonzalo Sapisochin is Staff Surgeon at The Toronto General Hospital, UHN. Dr. Sapisochin received his Medical Diploma in 2005 from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain and went on to complete his General Surgery residency training in 2011 at the University Hospital of Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona where he successfully defended his  Doctoral Thesis,  “Optimization of Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma”, to receive his PhD be the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona. He went on to complete his Clinical Fellowship in Abdominal Transplant & HPB Surgical Oncology with the University of Toronto and was subsequently recruited in a position at the Toronto General Hospital as Staff Surgeon with the Multi-Organ Transplant Program and the Division of General Surgery. He is currently an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto. Dr. Sapisochin main research interest is the “interface” between liver transplantation and cancer. He has been one of the drivers of the concept of Transplant Oncology and chaired in 2019 the ILTS Consensus Conference in this topic. He has focused his research in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and colorectal liver metastases. He has published more than 100 original manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Hepatology, Hepatology or Annals of Surgery.

I work with the NYGH Colorectal Cancer Survivorship program as a NP and have been in this position for 8 years. As a team, we provide medical surveillance and address short and long term side effects of colorectal cancer treatment. We have a team of acute care physicians and allied health providers (dieticians, social workers etc) to best meet the needs of CRC patients.  I have worked extensively in health care and education. Previously, I worked as a  primary care nurse practitioner at Mt. Sinai Family Medicine Unit, lecturer at the University of Toronto (Nursing) and Outpost nurse in Northern Ontario (Health Canada).

With decades of experience in public relations and public affairs, Joanne is a trusted advisor to clients in the healthcare industry and non-profit sectors. She excels in all aspects of communications, disease awareness, and advocacy engagement. Joanne's expertise is further enriched by her leadership roles in communications for two national patient advocacy organizations. She collaborates seamlessly with clients to drive and support regulatory and reimbursement efforts, ensuring that healthcare innovations are accessible to all Canadians who can benefit from them.  Joanne has developed extensive expertise in various therapeutic areas, including neurology, oncology, and rare diseases including hematologic, neuromuscular, and metabolic disorders. She has successfully built and implemented numerous pan-Canadian provincial campaigns to secure access to life-changing diagnostics, drugs, and devices. A career highlight for Joanne was leading healthcare provider communications for the launch of Canada’s first colorectal cancer screening program.  An active volunteer with several patient advocacy groups, Joanne currently is a Director of the Canadian iRARE Centres and previously served on the Board of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders.

Kim Meeking, is the co-lead for Queering Cancer, a grassroots partnership aimed at improving cancer care for sexual and gender diverse (SGD) individuals. Kim is a radiation therapist with over 10 years of experience managing oncology clinical trials in the UK and Canada, along with 5+ years in the non-profit sector. Kim holds a Masters in Clinical and Health Research, and their interests focus on fostering inclusivity in clinical trials and enhancing cancer care for SGD populations through community-based research.

Lauren is a passionate and accomplished leader in patient advocacy and stakeholder engagement. With over a decade of experience empowering organizations, healthcare professionals, and patient communities, Lauren excels at creating and executing tailored advocacy strategies that champion vital causes.  Lauren has held senior leadership roles with organizations such as EVERSANA and the ALS Society of Canada, where she strategically guided multi-faceted patient engagement and advocacy initiatives. Her expertises are rooted in shaping national and international health policy recommendations, developing transformative advocacy training programs, and spearheading successful communication campaigns. Her work has led to improved access to therapies and strengthened relationships across industry, patient groups, and policymakers.  Known for her vibrant, energetic approach, Lauren brings enthusiasm and authenticity to every interaction, fostering deep relationships that yield sustainable solutions. She is recognized for her ability to lead teams with empathy and purpose, create safe spaces for growth, and collaborate across diverse groups to achieve shared goals.

Dr. Lauren Walker is a Registered Psychologist in Alberta and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Psychology at the University of Calgary. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2013 and completed a Clinical Fellowship specializing in Oncology and Sexuality in 2015. Dr. Walker established the University of Calgary’s Oncology Sexual Health Lab in 2015 and maintains an active research program in sexual health. She has written 60 peer reviewed articles on psychosocial and sexual adaptation to. Her research role is currently funded by the Daniel Family Leadership Chair in Psychosocial Oncology. From 2015-2019, Dr. Walker led the Tom Baker Cancer Centre’s OASIS (Oncology and Sexuality, Intimacy & Survivorship) Program. She is the Director and co-founder of the Androgen Deprivation Therapy Educational Program, designed to support prostate cancer patients undergoing hormonal therapy. She also spends runs a group practice specialized in sexuality and intimate relationships in Calgary, offering in person and virtual sex therapy services. When she’s not doing research, seeing clients or supervising mentees, she can be found sharing translating sex science for the public on Instagram: @drlaurenwalker

Dr. Cypel is a Staff Thoracic Surgeon at University Health Network (UHN) and a Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He is the Surgical Director of the Ajmera Transplant Center at UHN and Artificial Lung Program at UHN. He received his MD in 1999 and completed his general surgery and thoracic surgery residency program in 2004. In 2005 he started his post-doctoral research fellowship at the Latner Thoracic Surgery Laboratory. During this time, he developed a new method of lung preservation and donor lung repair called Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion (EVLP). This method is now used clinically in Toronto and in many other centers, and has significantly increased the number of transplantable lungs. He subsequently performed a 3 years fellowship in thoracic oncology, cardiac surgery, and lung transplantation at the University of Toronto. His main clinical interests are in artificial lung devices, Ex vivo and In vivo Lung Perfusion and lung transplantation. Dr. Cypel currently holds the prestigious Canada Research Chair in Lung Transplantation from the Government of Canada and he is the principal investigator in very innovative clinical trials, such as the use of uncontrolled donation after cardio-circulatory death for lung transplantation and in vivo lung perfusion with chemotherapy to treat patients with lung metastases. He is a Member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) and a Fellow from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC).

Dr. Mary Jane Esplen is Professor and former Vice- Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and worked as Clinician- Scientist at University Health Network and Mount Sinai hospital in Toronto. She founded de Souza Institute –a National Centre of education for oncology health professionals. She held Career Scientist awards from CIHR and NCIC for psychosocial oncology research, completing studies of psychotherapeutic treatments to support adjustment to being diagnosed with cancer or receiving genetic risk information in breast, colorectal or pancreatic cancer.  Other areas of research include studies addressing body image among cancer survivors or the management of grief and loss.  Dr. Esplen gives numerous workshops and keynotes and has received several awards, including the lifetime achievement award from Canadian Association Psychosocial Oncology and the Bernard Fox Memorial Award from International Psycho-oncology Society.

Dr. Krzyzanowska is a Professor of Medicine at University of Toronto and a practicing GI medical oncologist at Sunnybrook. She is the Chief of the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook and the Regional Vice President, Cancer Services for the Toronto Central North region with Ontario Health – Cancer Care Ontario. Her research seeks to advance the science and practice of healthcare quality as it relates to the delivery of cancer care. Dr. Krzyzanowska obtained her medical degree and clinical training at the University of Toronto then completed a research fellowship at the Centre for Outcomes and Policy Research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Karanicolas received his MD degree from the University of Western Ontario in 2003 & his PhD in health research methodology, clinical epidemiology and bio statistics from McMaster University in 2008. He completed his residency in general surgery at Western University in 2009 and a fellowship in surgical oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in 2011. Dr. Karanicolas is a surgical oncologist & scientist at the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre & holds a Professor title at both the Department of Surgery and the Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation at the University of Toronto. The overarching theme of his research program is the development & conduct of clinical trials in surgical oncology. Dr. Karanicolas is also the surgical lead for the hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy program at the Odette Cancer Centre, the only such program in Canada.

Dr. Petra Wildgoose is a Family Physician with a specialization in Oncology. She is the lead of the Young Adult Colorectal Cancer Program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, where she addresses the physical, psychological, social, and lifestyle concerns unique to this patient population, and provides long-term survivorship care. She also works in the division of General Surgery as a surgical assistant in colorectal and hepatobiliary oncology. She received her certification in Family Medicine from the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto in 2018, and prior to this, completed two years of residency training in General Surgery. She also has specific interests in both mental health and the care of young adults. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in Adolescent Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and previously worked as an inpatient physician at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. Her current interests are looking at the application of mindfulness-based interventions in improving the quality of life of young adult colorectal cancer patients. She is thrilled to be involved with CCRAN to promote awareness of early-age onset colorectal cancer.

Sonya Grewal received a Masters specializing in Genetics from McMaster University and then went on to earn a second Masters degree in Genetic Counselling from the University of British Columbia. She is certified by the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors and remains an active member of the CAGC, serving most recently as a member of the board of directors and the certification committee.  Sonya has been a Genetic Counsellor in the Cancer Genetics Clinic at North York General Hospital for over 15 years and played a key role in creating the Familial Colon Cancer Clinic.  Over the years she has provided support and education to patients and families affected by various inherited cancer syndromes. Sonya is also a Registered Psychotherapist whose interests include working with patients and families dealing with hereditary genetic conditions.