Ryan Bennett, CCPA
President
Originally from Hastings, Ontario, Ryan has called New Brunswick home for the past couple of decades—originally Saint John and now Fredericton. After obtaining a BSc from the University of New Brunswick and working for some time in Residence Life, Counselling and Student Services he went on to become a 2014 graduate of the University of Manitoba’s MPAS program. Ryan has worked in both rural emergency medicine in Gimli, Manitoba and most currently in Fredericton, NB in the Emergency Department at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital. He has an interest in orthopedic emergencies, sports and wilderness medicine. Outside of work he likes hiking in the great outdoors, camping, partaking in stories by the campfire and enjoying a brew at one of the many local breweries/pubs around town with friends and family. It is my wish to continue to advocate and help grow the PA profession in New Brunswick, and indeed the Maritimes.
Kirsten Luomala, CD,DMSc, MPAS, CCPA
Past - President
Originally from BC, Kirsten joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1987. She served for 26 years with deployments to Alert, Haiti and Afghanistan. She was selected for the CAF PA program in 2007 and graduated in the inaugural BSc PA class in 2009. Kirsten subsequently was then posted to the Canadian Forces Medical School assigned to teach in the CAF PA program. While on her 2nd deployment to Afghanistan in 2013 she completed her Master of PA studies in Education and ER medicine from the University of Nebraska while assisting in developing the Combat PA program for the Afghanistan National Army. Kirsten retired from the CAF in 2014 to accept a position in Alberta’s Demonstration Project in Neurosurgery at University of Alberta where she currently works. She attended the University of Lynchburg, graduating in 2021 with her DMSc in Neurosurgery. Kirsten has been involved in the CAPA in various capacities, and directly involved in the successful regulation of Alberta PAs in Apr 2021. She currently resides in Spruce Grove with her family.
Lisa Stewart, CCPA
Director - British Columbia
Lisa has nine years experience as a physician assistant with a focus in Plastic Surgery; trauma and burn medicine. She has a diverse background, starting her career in commerce before returning to university to study science, yoga and then health care. Lisa’s journey as a PA was inspired from her role as a Medical Technician Reservist with the Canadian Armed Forces. She attended the University of Manitoba to obtain her Master’s degree in PA Studies in 2012. Initially she worked in Critical Care medicine in Winnipeg, and in 2014 she moved to Calgary to work in Critical Care until she transferred to work in Plastic Surgery at the Foothills Medical Center.
Lisa has recently returned to her home province of British Columbia, settling in the Comox Valley with her husband and two young children. She continues to be a strong advocate for the PA profession, while seeking out her next great challenge.
Kylie Shaughnessy
Alternate Director - British Columbia
Kylie is a Physician Assistant currently practicing in Emergency Medicine in British Columbia. She graduated from the University of Toronto BScPA Program in 2022, during her studies she was involved as PA lead for the interprofessional healthcare students association and was recognized as her class PA student of the year. She began her career working in as a PA in orthopaedics and sports medicine in Toronto before pivoting to an emergency medicine role in early 2025. Kylie is among the first PAs working in BC, actively contributing to the development and recognition of the profession in the province. She brings prior leadership experience and a passion for advocacy, with a commitment to advancing the PA role through education, engagement, and collaboration with healthcare stakeholders. Kylie is dedicated to demonstrating the critical value PAs bring to patient care and the broader healthcare system in BC. In her free time, Kylie enjoys experiencing all that her new home in BC has to offer, including hiking in the mountains, running along the beautiful coastline and cycling.
Jaime Hernandez
Director - Alberta
Jaime has had the privilege of working with the General Internal Medicine (GIM) team at the Sturgeon Community Hospital for the past 3 years. His passion for medicine was developed during his 17 years in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). There Jaime practiced family medicine, occupational health, prehospital medicine, and operational medicine.
Jaime’s interest in serving with the CAF was born from a sense of gratitude to Canada that welcomed him and his family when they immigrated from El Salvador to Calgary when he was an infant. Jaime was with the Royal Canadian Medical Corps, first as a medic, where he deployed overseas to Afghanistan and Kuwait, as well as to domestic operations in Nunavut. Through the military he trained as a Physician Assistant and eventually retired from the CAF in 2023.
Currently Jaime lives in Edmonton, with his incredible wife, Chenai, and has three amazing children. As a family, they enjoy travelling and have most enjoyed visiting Brazil, Zimbabwe, El Salvador, and have recently travelled to Curaçao. They look forward to many more adventures in the future.
Gabriel DeMone
Alternate Director - Alberta
Gabriel DeMone is a Physician Assistant in the Emergency Department at Red Deer Regional Hospital, where he became the department’s first PA in 2023. He brings 14 years of experience with the Canadian Armed Forces, initially serving as a Medical Technician before completing his PA training through the CAF in 2022. His military career included clinical, operational, and educational roles in Ontario and Nova Scotia, including service aboard HMCS St. John’s.
Since transitioning to civilian practice, Gabe has become actively involved in advancing the PA profession in Canada. He served as Alternate Director for British Columbia on the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants Board of Directors from 2023–2025 and is currently Co-Chair of PAs for Research, Scholarship and Education in Canada (PARSEC). Through these roles, he has developed a particular interest in professional advocacy, education, leadership, and strengthening the role of PAs within the Canadian healthcare system.
Gabe is a Clinical Lecturer with the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine and serves as Assistant Clerkship Lead – Student Assessment with its Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. He is entering the final year of his Master of Precision Health at the University of Calgary, focusing on Health Professions Education Leadership. Through his clinical, educational, and leadership roles, he has developed a particular interest in supporting the growth of the PA profession through strong education, assessment, and professional advocacy.
Gabe lives in Penhold, Alberta, with his wife, Paige, and their dog, Khel. They enjoy escaping to the mountains whenever time permits.
Ashley Millham, CD, CCPA
Director - Saskatchewan
Ashley Millham is currently employed as a Physician Assistant at Diavik Diamond mine in the NWT, working for 24/7 Occupational and Emergency Medical Services.
He has recently retired after 35 years of service in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Having graduated the CAF PA program in 2010, he worked as a PA in Canadian Special Operation Command for 5 years before taking roles as unit training officer and clinic detachment commander.
He finished his CAF career serving as Officer Commanding of Banting Company, and CAF Physician Assistant Program Director at the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Center (CFHSTC) in Borden, ON.
Ashley Millham has had operational deployments in Cyprus, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Central and South America, Sub-Sahara Africa, and Iraq. Additionally, he deployed to domestic operations: Winnipeg flood in 1997, the Ice Storm in 1998, and as the senior medical authority for Task Force Aurora, providing COVID-19 vaccinations to northern Manitoba communities in 2021.
He has been happily married to his dedicated wife, Suzanne for 26 years. Their daughters, Belana, and Cheyanne, attend University of Ottawa majoring in marketing and studying nursing.
Quinn Wonitowy
Alternate Director - Manitoba
Quinn Wonitowy is a 2025 graduate of the University of Manitoba’s MPAS program. Prior to becoming a PA, she worked as a lab technician at the National Microbiology Laboratory within the Wastewater Epidemiology group. She now practices in family medicine in Winnipeg.
Kevin Kitzul, CCPA
Director - Ontario
Kevin Kitzul is a Saskatchewan Born Physician Assistant, who started out his career as a military medic, where he gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in healthcare ranging from clinical to operational conditions. He graduated from the Canadian Armed Forces Physician Assistant Program in 2009. He has operational experience in a multitude of nations and environments and fondly looks back at his time in the military as one of great learning experiences. Upon retirement in 2014, he has worked at the Windsor Regional Hospital Emergency, in Primary Care at the Harrow Health Centre FHT and is presently employed as a Sleep Medicine PA at 3 locations throughout southwestern Ontario. Kevin has been a proud member of CAPA since graduation and twice before has held the position of Alternate Director in Ontario from 2010-2014. He stepped back into the role of Alternate Director in 2021 and is looking to complete a 2nd term again as your Alternate Director – Ontario. He is a strong advocate for the profession and is looking forward to working with you the members of Ontario, the incoming Provincial Director and CAPA to ensure the continued growth and strength of the profession.
Katrina Pullia
Alternate Director - Ontario
Katrina graduated from the McMaster PA program in 2018 and began her career in Winnipeg, Manitoba, working in Adult Psychiatry. After three years, she returned to her home province of Ontario and now practices in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at CHEO in Ottawa. She has a strong passion for clinical research and serves as the secretary for PARSEC. Katrina is excited to bring this energy to CAPA, with the goal of inspiring and supporting more PA-driven research initiatives.
Guillaume Couture, CCPA
Director - Québec
Guillaume is a 2017 graduate of the Canadian Armed Forces PA program. He started with the CAF in the reserves, and in transferred into the regular forces in 2003. As med tech, Guillaume toured in Bosnia, Afghanistan and DART in Nepal. Also did a tour on HMSC Nanaimo and was the station PA at CFS Alert.
Guillaume now works at the 41 H SVC C St-Jean as a PA and is the clinical supervisor. He is also involved in patient safety and quality improvement projects.
Guillaume lives with family in St-Bruno, QC where he enjoys, hiking, kayaking and SUP.
Geneviève St-Onge
Alternate Director - Québec
Geneviève a joint les Forces Armées Canadiennes en 2007 en tant que technicienne médicale et a gradué du Programme d’Adjoint au Médecin Militaire des Forces Armées Canadiennes en 2021. Tant comme technicienne médicale qu’adjointe au médecin, elle a eu l’opportunité de participer à des déploiements opérationnels tel que des tournées en Afghanistan, au Népal avec le Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), en Allemagne et en Lettonie. Aussi, elle a participé à des opérations domestiques au Canada en tant que AM de la SFC Alert au Nunavut et lors des feux de forêts dans le Nord du Québec en 2023.
Toujours active au sein des FAC, Geneviève travaille maintenant au Centre de Santé Valcartier dans la région de Québec comme AM aux soins primaires et en médecine occupationnelle en plus de s’impliquer dans les formations d’ITLS pour les techniciens médicaux en tant que directrice de la région de Québec.
Iain Chiasson, CCPA
Alternate Director - New Brunswick
Born in Wolfville NS, Iain currently calls Oromocto NB home.
Iain joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a Medic in 2002. As a medic he deployed to Afghanistan in 2007, 2009 and 2012. He went on to become an instructor at the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre in CFB Borden Ontario in 2013. In 2017 he was accepted to the CAF Physician Assistant program and graduated in 2019. He was then posted to New Brunswick and deployed to Latvia in 2020.
He continues to serve full time with the Navy in Halifax as a primary care and dive medicine Physician Assistant. Iain also works as a Casual Emergency PA at the Dr Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton since 2022. Iain and his wife Meghan are the proud parents of six children who love hiking, camping and exploring this beautiful province they call home.
Theresa Hegmann
Director - Prince Edward Island
Theresa Hegmann graduated from the University of Iowa Physician Assistant Program in 1991. She began her career in rural family medicine, practicing for a decade in northern California and later in her home state of Iowa. Her passion for teaching emerged through precepting students in the clinical setting, ultimately leading her to join the faculty of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Services in 2001.
Over the next 24 years, she contributed to the education of nearly 600 PA students at a top‑ranked program, working alongside exceptional colleagues while pursuing research interests, writing for publication, maintaining part‑time clinical practice, and serving the PA profession at both state and national levels. She retired in 2025 as a Clinical Professor Emeritus.
Not yet ready to step away from patient care, Theresa and her husband embarked on a late‑in‑life adventure and relocated to Prince Edward Island, Canada. She now practices full‑time in a single‑physician primary care practice in Summerside, PEI, returning to her roots in rural family medicine.
Allie Penrose
Director - Nova Scotia
A lifelong Nova Scotian, Allie Penrose completed her undergraduate studies in Biology and Neuroscience at Acadia University before pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant through Dalhousie University’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. Prior to becoming a PA, she worked as a Tissue Bank Specialist at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, gaining valuable insight into many areas of healthcare and a deeper appreciation for the impact healthcare professionals can have on patients and families.
Allie’s passion for the PA profession began early in her training and has continued to grow throughout her career. During PA school, she served as the CAPA class representative and later as the national PA student representative, experiences that fostered her interest in advocacy and professional engagement. Today, she practices in family medicine and remains passionate about supporting the PA profession and contributing to its continued growth and recognition across Canada.
Jennifer Bell
Alternate Director - Nova Scotia
Jennifer Bell, MPAS, CCPA, RRT, BHSc (Kinesiology), is an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant in Nova Scotia. As a member of Dalhousie’s inaugural PA class, Jennifer is excited to help shape the future of a profession that is still growing in Nova Scotia. Before becoming a PA, Jennifer practiced as a Respiratory Therapist, working in diverse healthcare settings across Nova Scotia. Her experience caring for patients throughout the province inspired her to pursue the PA profession after recognizing its potential to improve access to high-quality, collaborative healthcare.
She has a strong passion for advocating for the PA profession and is excited to support its continued growth and integration as an essential member of healthcare teams across Canada. Jennifer has lived in Nova Scotia her entire life and although she enjoys travelling, there is no other place she could imagine calling home. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Irene Doucette
CAF Representative
Maj Irene Doucette was born in, and grew up in, Cambridge, Ontario. After high school she moved to Toronto, ON to attend university at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) where she started her studies in Fashion Design. Major Doucette decided to take a 180-degree deviation from her studies and enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in March of 1999 as a Medical Assistant.
After attending Basic Recruit Training in St. Jean, Quebec Maj Doucette completed her first qualification level training in Borden, On. Following graduation from training then Private Doucette, was posted to Petawawa, On. She spent 10 years in Petawawa working in several different positions within various units on the base as well as completing two deployments to Kabul and Kandahar, Afghanistan with Task Force Afghanistan.
Following her time in Petawawa, Maj Doucette moved to Yellowknife, NT where she worked with the Joint Task Force (North) as a member of the Area Support Unit. Living and working North of 60 provided Maj Doucette with many unique experiences including her first opportunity to participate in the National Veterans Week Speakers’ Program where she spoke to children in Ulukhaktok, NU.
Maj Doucette was briefly posted to Vancouver, BC before returning to Ontario to begin her Physician Assistant (PA) studies with the University of Nebraska Medical School. Maj Doucette graduated in 2016 and then moved to beautiful Esquimalt, BC.
During the years spent on Vancouver Island, Maj Doucette, worked as a Physician Assistant in the CAF clinic and in several ships of the Royal Canadian Navy Pacific Fleet completing 2 international deployments as well as sailing the beautiful coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest.
In August 2023, Major Doucette was promoted to her current rank. She now works in Ottawa as a Staff Officer in the Directorate of Medical Policy at National Defence headquarters. Maj Doucette lives in Manotick, On with her best canine companions Louie and Olive. She enjoys several hobbies including sewing, knitting, baking, hiking, SUP and cycling.
Christine Kwon
Student Representative
“My name is Christine Kwon, and I am currently a student in the University of Saskatchewan MPAS program. I am honoured to serve as your CAPA Student Representative for the 2026–2027 term and look forward to connecting with PA students across the country.
I am passionate about supporting the PA profession and strengthening student engagement nationally. Over the coming year, I hope to improve communication among PA students by hosting student meetings and sharing updates about CAPA initiatives and opportunities. My goal is to create space for students to share ideas, ask questions, and ensure student perspectives are represented at the national level.”
Thank you again!
Best regards,
Christine Kwon