FMPE’s Board of Directors brings together a wide range of voices, including current program members, faculty from McMaster’s Department of Family Medicine, national chairs of family medicine, and an academic representative from another Canadian university. The Board also includes a non-physician director-at-large, along with representation from family medicine residents and physicians in their first five years of practice. Together, they provide the insights and leadership that help shape the organization—both today and for the future.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Alison Baker – Representing Ontario
Alison Baker is a Family Physician in Brantford, Ontario, and an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University. She is the Assessment Director and Chair of the Central Competence Committee for McMaster’s Family Medicine Residency Program. She is a Fellow in the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and holds a Royal College Clinician Educator Area of Focused Competence. She is Chair of the CFPC’s Faculty Development Interest Group and Chair of the CFPC’s National Assessment Community of Practice and sits on the CFPC’s Faculty Development Education Committee and Certification Process and Assessment Committee. She is the lead physician for the Brant Family Health Organization and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee for the Brantford Brant Norfolk Ontario Health Team’s Primary Care Council.
Dr. Angela Escobia-Escaran – Residency Member
Dr. Angela Escobia-Escaran is a second-year Family Medicine resident at NOSM University in Thunder Bay. Originally from the Philippines, she brings a global and equity-focused perspective. Angela is interested in clinic, hospital practice, and women’s health. She is the first resident board member and co-chief of FMPE’s new advisory committee. She is passionate about lifelong learning, evidence-based medicine and supporting fellow residents and IMGs. Outside of medicine, she enjoys travelling, trying new foods, hiking, and playing badminton.
Dr. Kristin Heinrichs – Representing Manitoba, Saskatchewan, NWT & Nunavut
Dr. Kristin Heinrichs is a family medicine physician located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She has practiced since 2012. Dr. Heinrichs is a co-owner of a multidisciplinary family medicine clinic where she spends most of her time, but also does some hospitalist work at a small community hospital. She dedicates one day to the provincial medical assistance in dying team as an assessor and provider. Dr. Heinrichs has been a Facilitator of a Practice based learning program at FMPE since 2017, but started participating in the small group learning modules during her residency. In her spare time, she is a busy mother of two and enjoys backcountry camping and canoeing, cross country skiing, cycling, long distance running and tap dancing.
Dr. Ed Hirvi – Representing Academic Chairs of Family Medicine
Dr. Ed Hirvi is a Family Physician in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario working at the Group Health Centre. Dr. Hirvi is the Co-Section Chair for Family Medicine and Associate Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. He’s been a member of FMPE’s small group program since beginning in clinical practice thirteen years ago. He took over as group Facilitator for the past six years. Dr. Hirvi’s professional interests include medical education, EMRs, and care of the elderly. He has three boys and enjoys family outings at the many outdoor activities his community has to offer.
Dr. Melinda Caputo Janhager – First 5 Year Member
Melinda Caputo is a family physician in her first five years of practice based in Toronto, Ontario. She completed her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Carleton University in her hometown of Ottawa before moving to Toronto for medical school and residency. She has special interests in women’s health, mental health and medical education. She was introduced to FMPE through residency and is passionate about fostering a community of support for new graduates. Outside of medicine, she enjoys playing guitar, hiking and cycling.
Andrea Kostiuk – Director-at-Large
Andrea Kostiuk is an experienced brand strategist, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Concordia University. Having implemented commercial go to market plans at both local and global levels for major CPG companies, Andrea is proficient in strategic business planning and brand building. Andrea is excited to have joined as a board member in November of 2024, to help support FMPE’s mission of providing programs that are collaborative, evidence-based, supportive, flexible and focused on practice change to enhance patient care.
Dr. Annie Laflamme-Fillion – Atlantic Region
Dr. Annie Laflamme-Fillion is a family physician in Bathurst, New Brunswick, and a Professor at Université de Sherbrooke. She started with FMPE during residency (in 2009) and has been part of a small group since the beginning of her practice in family medicine in 2011. She co-owns a family medicine clinic that opened in 2020. She also practices women’s health, oncology, hospitalization care, minor surgery and teaches medical learners. She has been a facilitator of a practice-based learning program at FMPE since 2017, and afterward, her implication expanded in many other roles (facilitator trainor, facilitator/creator of a virtual group for Moncton residents, resident facilitator trainor). She truly enjoys meeting with her small group, the climate of trust, and being able to really achieve changes and improvements in the everyday practice of medicine.
Dr. Opeyemi Sobowale – FT appointee at a Canadian University (University of Manitoba)
Dr. Opeyemi Sobowale is a Family Physician working primarily out of a teaching clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a scope of practice that includes both inpatient and outpatient care. Dr. Sobowale attended the University of Ilorin in Nigeria for medical school, and then subsequently completed residency in Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba. She later joined the same Department of Family Medicine as a faculty member. Dr. Sobowale has a special interest in Medical Education and enjoys working in an academic environment with avid learners. In her non-medicine world, she enjoys the company of three teenage boys for movie nights, creating fun activities, and traveling with them for their numerous sport trips including hockey, football, basketball and volleyball.
Dr. Justin Weresch – FT appointee at a Canadian University (McMaster) – Chair
Dr. Justin Weresch currently works at McMaster Family Practice, one of the teaching units in the Department of Family Medicine’s Residency Program. In addition, serving as a primary preceptor for residents and medical students, he is the curriculum coordinator for the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences longitudinal curriculum for the residency program. He started small group learning with FMPE in residency and continues to attend meetings as a group member.
OFFICERS
Dr. Justin Weresch – Chair
Dr. Heather Armson – President and Executive Director
Ms. Erin McLeod – Secretary & Treasurer