Presenters

Maria Castrellon Pardo | Co-Author

mariacastrellonpard@ucalgary.ca;
Maria Castrellon Pardo is a certified Patient and Community Engagement Researcher (PaCER, University of Calgary). She holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Universidad de la Sabana (Colombia) and a post-diploma in Health and Community Services Management from Bow Valley College. The combination of her lived experience as a mom, her training, and her trajectory promoting behavioural changes through community engagement interventions with a focus on knowledge translation and participatory-action research brings to our team a meaningful connection to the community and a liaison to patients. Maria is committed to maternal health improvement based on patient-oriented research as a way to empower and gather diverse voices to make transformations that respond to the real needs of pregnant patients and their families.

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Medea Myers-Stewart | Co-Author

medea.myersstewar1@ucalgary.ca;
Medea Myers-Stewart holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree specializing in Health Promotion from the University of Alberta. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with a focus on gender and sexuality from the University of Victoria. Medea is a passionate advocate for the health and well-being of women and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. She holds extensive experience developing initiatives focused on healthy sexuality and reproductive care. Medea is skilled in community engagement, program development, facilitation, and digital health communications.

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Monica Surti | Co-Author

monica.surti@ucalgary.ca;
Monica Surti is a Master of Public Health graduate specializing in Health Promotion from the University of Alberta. She also holds a First-class Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences degree from the University of Calgary. Monica's dedication to health policy and advocacy stems from her involvement in various initiatives combating anti-racism and advocating for equal healthcare access in Alberta. With a passion for health literacy, Monica brings a specialized focus on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) to the development and testing of VIP Canada and healthcare provider educational materials.

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Eliana Castillo | Co-Author

castillo@ucalgary.ca;
Dr. Eliana Castillo is Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Calgary, where her medical and teaching practice focuses on medical disorders in pregnancy and maternal infections. She has been active in the area of immunization during pregnancy, congenital CMV infection and maternal mortality at a local and national level through her work with the Society of Obstetrics and Gyneacologists of Canada, Alberta Perinatal Health Program and National Advisory Committee for Immunization.

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Marcia Bruce | POC-Point of Contact, Primary Presenter, Co-Author

marcia.bruce@ucalgary.ca;
Marcia Bruce is a patient research partner and a busy mom of three. After being diagnosed with celiac disease, she became interested in health research and transforming patient experience, which inspired her to become a Patient and Community Engagement Researcher (PaCER) through the University of Calgary. Marcia is currently contributing to a number of research projects and initiatives with Alberta Health Services and the University of Calgary in the areas of digestive health, chronic pain, women's health and reproductive infectious diseases, including CMV.

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Laija Beaulieu | Co-Presenter, Co-Author

lbeauli1@lakeheadu.ca;
Laija Beaulieu is a current PhD student in the Health Sciences program at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Thunder Bay is located in Northwestern Ontario and is considered a remote and rural city that serves many surrounding communities. Laija’s academic journey is inspired by her son, who is affected by cCMV and has profound bilateral deafness. Her son has received cochlear implants, which have restored his hearing, and Laija and her family are deeply grateful for this life-changing technology. However, living in a rural area has presented challenges in accessing healthcare for her family. Laija’s research takes a qualitative approach, focusing on raising awareness of CMV and cCMV, as well as advocating for equitable access to CMV-related healthcare services in remote and rural communities, which often face limited access to quality care.

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Lisa Robinson | Author

play-on-words@hotmail.com;
Speech Language Pathologist Mother