Dr. Charl Els is a Psychiatrist, Addiction Specialist, and a Medical Review Officer (MRO). He qualified as a physician in South Africa and completed post-graduate training in Psychiatry (cum laude), in South Africa and completed two fellowships in Addiction Medicine and Addiction Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Dr. Els is a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and a medical consultant at the LifeMark Health Institute in Edmonton. Since 1999 he has acted in the capacity of clinical service delivery, research, teaching, policy work, volunteering and has provided expert witness testimony before the Court of Queen’s Bench (for both the Crown and for defendants), the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, and the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta. He has been retained by the Crown for Alberta Justice, the Canadian Medical Protective Association, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, United Nurses of Alberta, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. Dr. Els is an Associate (adjunct) Professor at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health and at the Department of Psychiatry. He is the past-president of the Addiction Section of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, the Addiction Section of the Alberta Medical Association, past Director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, and completed a term on the Board of the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Els has repeatedly represented the Alberta Medical Association on an Inter-Ministrial level and is the principal investigator on several studies. He has authored journal publications (including the BMJ, The CDC's journal, the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry) and authored four chapters in text books. He has presented his academic work in countries on five continents in the last few years. He is the founder of a Charitable Organization and enjoys playing golf. Dr. Els regularly appears on CTV as a health panelist and volunteers for the Health Consumers Society.
Dr. Diane Kunyk is a Registered Nurse interested in the role of health policies as moral agent. Her particular areas of interest include reducing disparities and power differentials for individuals experiencing mental illness and/or addiction. Dr. Kunyk's background is in policy development and implementation; research and evaluation; public, population and community health; with substantive exposure to tobacco control. She received several awards and scholarships during her PhD studies at the University of Alberta including the President's Doctoral Fellowship and Government of Alberta Graduate Citizenship Award. Dr. Kunyk has authored several journal and chapter publications and presented her academic work at scientific conferences. She volunteers for the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta as well as other charitable organizations including the Health Consumers Society.
Patrick Hlavac-Winsor holds a BFA (Hons. with Distinction) from the University of Victoria, an LLB from the University of Ottawa, and is currently completing an MBA at the University of Calgary with a concentration in Global Energy Management. His practice has previously focused on mergers and acquisitions in the oil and gas industry, and included advising clients on corporate filings, drilling, and research on various energy sector issues. Past experience in marketing, communications and litigation provided Patrick with a broad perspective in the energy industry. Patrick has been previously involved with numerous not-for- profit engagements including Calgary Arts Development, and as Communications Director for YMCA Calgary.
Debra Scharf is a registered nurse and tobacco counsellor. She completed her psychiatric nursing diploma at Alberta Hospital Edmonton and her BScN and Master of Nursing at the University of Alberta. She received an Addiction Studies Certificate from the University of Alberta Faculty of Extension and a Tobacco Treatment Specialist Certificate from Mayo Clinic, Minnesota. She was the tobacco treatment counsellor for Alberta Hospital Edmonton for two years and led the transition for the site to go smoke-free. Debra has worked with the mentally ill population for over 25 years, and currently works in the community as a mental health therapist. Debra’s master’s thesis involved a qualitative research study exploring mental health nurses’ attitudes of their patients’ smoking behaviours. She currently is a board member of the Problem Gambling Resource Network of Alberta and on the executive for UNA Local 183.