2025 AHPA Virtual Pre-Course
Friday, February 7, 2025 — 1:00–4:00 pm EST
Agenda
| Session | Presenter | Time |
| Networking | 12:30 – 1:00pm EST | |
| Opening Remarks | AHPA President | 1:00 – 1:10 pm EST |
| Arthritis Action Plan Update | Shawn Brady | 1:10 – 1:40 pm EST |
| Break | 1:40 – 1:55 pm EST | |
| The MUSTs, SHOULDs and ASPIREs of the new CRA Transition Clinical Practice Guidelines – Easy clinical applications for Adult and Pediatric Teams | Julie Herrington | 1:55 – 2:55 pm EST |
| Stretch Break | Cynthia Roberts | 2:55 – 3:10 pm EST |
| StopOsteoARthritis (SOAR): a virtually delivered knee health program for persons living with increased risk of OA due to activity related knee injury | Dr. Jackie Whittaker | 3:10 – 4:00 pm EST |
| Closing Remarks | Moderator | 4:00 – 4:05 pm EST |
| Discussion | All via Zoom Meeting | 4:05 – 4:30 pm EST |
Presenters
Shawn Brady — Arthritis Action Plan Update
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Vice President, Arthritis Rehabilitation and Education Program and Innovation, Arthritis Society Canada
Healthcare Leader | Strategy and Rehabilitation Specialist
Shawn Brady is a seasoned healthcare leader with a distinguished career spanning over 20 years, marked by his pioneering contributions to health system transformation with a strong focus on rehabilitation. His expertise encompasses strategy development, innovative models of care, and fostering interprofessional practice and education within healthcare settings.
Shawn’s leadership style is characterized by a relational approach that fosters collaboration and drives impactful change across sectors. His visionary leadership has been instrumental in implementing transformative initiatives that enhance patient care and outcomes.
Currently, Shawn serves as the Vice President of the Arthritis Rehabilitation and Education Program and Innovation at the Arthritis Society Canada. In this role, he leads strategic initiatives aimed at advancing rehabilitation practices and promoting educational innovations in arthritis care nationwide.
Previously, Shawn held the position of Senior Clinical Director for Rehabilitation and Complex Continuing Care at Providence Healthcare/Unity Health Toronto, where he played a pivotal role in optimizing clinical operations and enhancing patient-centered care delivery.
In addition to his professional achievements, Shawn is known for his diverse interests outside of healthcare. He is an avid runner who values physical fitness as a cornerstone of personal well-being. Furthermore, Shawn is a dedicated professional musician, reflecting his passion for creativity and artistic expression.
Julie Herrington, PT, MSc, ACPAC — The MUSTs, SHOULDs and ASPIREs of the new CRA Transition Clinical Practice Guidelines – Easy clinical applications for Adult and Pediatric Teams
Other descriptors include:
- Advanced Physiotherapist Practitioner - McMaster Children’s Hospital Pediatric and Young Adult Rheumatology
- Assistant Clinic Professor (Adjunct) School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University
- ACPAC SIG chair
Transition Related:
- Co-First Author of the CRA Transition Clinical Practice Guidelines (set to be published in 2025)
- First Authors: Julie Herrington & Nadia Luca
- Senior Author: Elizabeth Stringer
AHPA Clinical Innovation Award Winner 2022 for: ACPAC therapist virtual coaching of Young Adults as they transition into Adult Rheumatology Care; an adaptation of care due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Recent paper published for our research project on Coaching during Transition:
Transition to Adulthood through Coaching and Empowerment in Rheumatology (TRACER): A feasibility study protocol
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295174
**and the best qualifier is Mother of 3 Young Adults** ????
Cynthia Roberts — Stretch Break
Cynthia Roberts is a Physiotherapist with over 24 years of experience who has been at Arthritis Society Canada since 2019 as a part of the Arthritis Rehabilitation and Education Program in the Halton region. Her past experience includes working in private practice, at Canada’s National Ballet School, and in private home care. While at Arthritis Society Canada, Cynthia has facilitated labs on arthritis assessment and management for the MSc PT and MSc OT students at McMaster University. As someone who lives with Axial Spondyloarthritis, she has a unique perspective as both patient and clinician that informs her work.
Dr. Jackie Whittaker — StopOsteoARthritis (SOAR): a virtually delivered knee health program for persons living with increased risk of OA due to activity related knee injury
The topic:
Knee injuries are common, life-altering, and a potent risk factor for osteoarthritis. Despite this, people who have knee injuries rarely seek or receive care that promotes risk awareness, self-management or targets risk factors. This inaction results in an unmet need commonly expressed as - ‘I had no idea my knee injury was going to impact me for the rest of my life, I wish I’d known what I could’ve done different’. This presentation will discuss the development and evaluation of an education and exercise-based prevention program called SOAR (Stop OsteoARthritis) that targets those at greatest risk of early-onset post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis
Bio:
Dr. Jackie Whittaker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and member of the Centre for Aging SMART at the University of British Columbia. She is also a Senior Research Scientist at Arthritis Research Canada. As a physiotherapist, her research takes a lifespan approach to preventing musculoskeletal conditions, with a particular emphasis on exercise-based interventions, knee injuries and early-onset post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis. Jackie’s research is guided by 21 years of clinical practice.