Speakers
The INCAM Research Symposium 2026 will bring together leading researchers, educators, clinicians, and knowledge leaders advancing traditional, complementary and integrative healthcare (TCIH) research in Canada and internationally. Our keynote speakers, invited experts, workshop facilitators, and oral presenters will share current research, innovative approaches, and practical strategies for moving evidence into action and creating meaningful impact in healthcare.
Opening & Welcome
We are honoured to welcome Elder Ethel Starblanket, who will join us for the opening of the INCAM Research Symposium on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
Elder Ethel Starblanket is a First Nations woman from the Star Blanket Cree Nation which is located in southern Saskatchewan, Canada. She is a survivor of residential schools and through her healing journey became a trusted ceremonial Elder. She brings profound cultural knowledge, ceremonies, and spiritual guidance and also has a background in social work. She provides culturally grounded support to Indigenous children, youth, families, and caregivers, facilitating re-engagement with cultural practices and community life. Her contributions to research and community initiatives, including ethical oversight, participant recruitment, data collection and analysis, knowledge mobilization, and culturally responsive mentorship has been crucial in many community-led projects, including some age-tech focused projects. She has more than 10 decades of experience working to promote healing, community-building, and cultural revitalization within Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan.
Keynote Speakers
Meet our keynote speakers, whose presentations will explore emerging directions in integrative healthcare, the translation of research into practice, and opportunities to strengthen the integrative health community.
From Knowing to Doing: The Challenge of Mainstreaming Integrative Medicine | October 24 @ 9:00 AM
Dr. Lynda G. Balneaves, RN, PhD, is Full Professor and Associate Dean, Research in the College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. She has also held academic positions at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia.
Her research focuses on the use of complementary and integrative therapies in cancer care and the development and evaluation of knowledge translation and decision-support interventions for people living with cancer and oncology health professionals. She also conducts health policy and person-centred research related to medical and non-medical cannabis. Dr. Balneaves is a past president of the Society for Integrative Oncology and former Deputy Director of the Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids.
Investing in Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) for Sustainable Public Health - The Time is Now | October 25 @ 8:45 AM
Dr. Brenda Leung, PhD, ND, is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, where she holds the Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Healthcare. She also serves as Director of the Collaborative Health Research Institute of Southern Alberta and is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.
An epidemiologist and naturopathic doctor, Dr. Leung's interdisciplinary research spans maternal and child health, mental health, nutrition epidemiology, diabetes, acupuncture for chronic pain, and traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM). Her work emphasizes rigorous evidence generation through clinical trials, longitudinal cohort studies, mixed-methods research, and systematic reviews.
Dr. Leung currently serves as Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Society for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Research (ISCMR). She previously served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Interdisciplinary Network for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research (INCAM) and has been a Visiting Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine at the University of Technology Sydney.
Lifestyle, Leadership, and Learning Communities in the Next Wave of the Integrative Health Movement | October 24 @ 1:15 PM
Dr. Michael Epstein is a co-founder of the University of Saskatchewan Centre for Integrative Medicine, where he has served as Managing Director since 2002. For more than three decades, he has worked with health leaders, researchers, educators, health professionals, patients, community leaders, policymakers, philanthropists, and others to build support for integrative health and medicine in Saskatoon.
His work has focused extensively on change leadership, knowledge translation, and education within the integrative health sector. He has led public forums, experiential workshops, and interprofessional focus groups and has contributed to the development and delivery of undergraduate medical curriculum in integrative medicine, evidence-based medicine, and lifestyle medicine.
Dr. Epstein holds a PhD from the MIT Sloan School of Management, with concentrations in Decision Science, Organizational Behavior, and Management Information Systems.
Symposium Speakers & Panelists
Meet the featured speakers and panelists contributing to the 2026 INCAM Research Symposium. Bringing diverse perspectives from research, education, and interdisciplinary practice, these contributors will explore the opportunities and challenges of translating knowledge into meaningful impact through presentations, workshops, and moderated discussions. Their sessions invite critical reflection, knowledge exchange, and new approaches to advancing integrative health research and practice.
From Knowing to Doing - Mainstreaming Integrative Medicine in Context | October 24 @ 10:30 AM
Meera Jo Kachroo, PhD, is a socio-cultural anthropologist, researcher, and Professional Research Associate with the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health at the University of Saskatchewan. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Religion and Culture at St. Thomas More College.
With a background in classical and contemporary South Asian religion, Dr. Kachroo's current research explores integrative health in First Nations contexts, including yoga, meditation, and spiritual wellness.
Her work brings anthropological and cultural perspectives to discussions about integrative healthcare, particularly the importance of recognizing the philosophical, cultural, and spiritual foundations of traditional practices as they are incorporated into contemporary healthcare settings.
Learn more about Meera Jo Kachroo's work through a video highlighting the First Nations Yoga Research Project.
From Knowing to Doing: Mainstreaming Integrative Medicine in Context | Saturday, October 24 @ 10:30 AM
Dr. Pierre S. Haddad, PhD, is a recently retired researcher from the Université de Montréal, where he earned his doctorate in pharmacology. With more than 40 years of academic research experience and over 150 scientific publications, his areas of expertise include natural health products, Indigenous traditional medicine, metabolic diseases, diabetes, and obesity.
Since 2003, he has led the CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, investigating medicinal plants used in Canadian First Nations traditional medicine in relation to metabolic diseases. His work has earned national and international recognition.
Dr. Haddad has received several honours, including the Neil Towers Award from the Natural Health Product Research Society of Canada in 2014 and the Builder Award from the Quebec Certified Naturopaths Association in 2023. He is also the current president of the Quebec Guild of Herbalists.
Using the Power of Social Marketing in the Integrative Health Sector | October 24 @ 3:00 PM
Dr. Monica Sârghie, MBA, PhD, is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Edwards School of Business and Director of Interdisciplinary Programming, College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the University of Saskatchewan.
Dr. Sârghie's research explores consumer behaviour and social marketing from an interdisciplinary perspective, oriented toward wellbeing at the individual and societal level. Her work has been published in journals such as Social Marketing Quarterly, Journal of Marketing, and Journal of Marketing Research.
Dr. Sârghie has pioneered the development and teaching of Social Cause Marketing: Designing Change for Good, one of the first social marketing courses in Canadian higher education, and incorporates health-related social marketing into the graduate and undergraduate consumer behaviour courses she teaches.
She has delivered conference presentations, keynote lectures, workshops, and professional development seminars on harnessing the power of marketing for good, particularly in public interest contexts related to physical and mental wellbeing.
Dr. Sârghie holds a PhD from the University of Alberta and an MBA from Dalhousie University.
Mobilizing the Integrative Health Community | October 25 @ 10:45 AM
Dr. Chantal Morin, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, at the Université de Sherbrooke, Canada. She is also an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow with the Centre for Osteopathic Research and Leadership at Health Sciences University in the United Kingdom.
An occupational therapist since 1995 and an osteopath since 2002, Dr. Morin earned her PhD in Clinical Sciences in 2017 and holds a diploma in higher education pedagogy.
Her research interests include interprofessional collaboration, osteopathic assessment and practice, the reliability of manual evaluations, and the relationship between osteopathic dysfunctions and childhood conditions such as ear infections, postural asymmetry, and motor development.
Her work also examines the scientific evidence supporting osteopathy, barriers and facilitators to evidence-based practice, and, more recently, the implementation of non-pharmacological approaches to pain management in palliative care.
Mobilizing the Integrative Health Community | October 25 @ 10:45 AM
Dr. Joelle Nadeau, MSc, PhD, DC, is a chiropractor and neuroscientist whose work brings together clinical practice and research.
Her research experience includes neuropathic pain and peripheral nerve regeneration, reflecting a particular interest in the intersection of neuroscience and hands-on healthcare.
Her background in both chiropractic practice and neuroscience brings a research-informed perspective to conversations about manual therapies, health, and healthcare.
Mobilizing the Integrative Health Community | October 25 @ 10:45 AM
Dr. Donelda (Gowan) Leverick holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology, a Master of Science in Community Health & Epidemiology, and a PhD in Population Health Science from the University of Saskatchewan. She also holds a diploma from the Canadian College of Massage & Hydrotherapy.
Donelda is a Director of the Centre for Integrative Medicine in the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, College of Medicine, at the University of Saskatchewan, where she has held an Adjunct Professor appointment.
She is a former Research Chair on the Board of Directors of the Massage Therapist Association of Saskatchewan (MTAS) and a Past-Chair of INCAM.
Oral Research Presenters
Meet the researchers presenting their work through oral presentations at INCAM 2026, sharing research findings and clinical applications in complementary and integrative healthcare.
October 24 @ 1:30 PM
Presenting research exploring nutrition, mental health, and the evaluation of dietary interventions.
Biography and headshot forthcoming.
October 25 @ 8:30 AM
Presenting a multidisciplinary integrative health program focused on reversing obesity and achieving type 2 diabetes remission through nutrition, physical activity, behavioural support, and individualized medical care.
Biography and headshot forthcoming.
October 25 @ 8:30 AM
Presenting a multidisciplinary integrative health program focused on reversing obesity and achieving type 2 diabetes remission through nutrition, physical activity, behavioural support, and individualized medical care.
Biography and headshot forthcoming.
Networking Reception Panelists
Meet some of the featured panelists joining our free Knowledge Mobilization & Networking Reception on Saturday evening. Through a series of short conversations, panelists will share perspectives from across health, healthcare, research, and practice, with time between discussions for networking and connection.
Featured panelists include Dr. Tyler Maltman, Dr. Dee Dee Maltman, Dawn Rain, Poppy Wilson, Rand Teed, Chelsea Korpan-Sparks, Camille Lapierre, and Dr. Joelle Nadeau.
Saturday, October 24 | 5:30-8:00 PM | Park Town Hotel | Free to attend · Registration requested
Dr. Tyler Maltman, MD, CCFP, is a board-certified integrative medicine physician and family physician in Saskatoon. He is also an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.
His work focuses on healing-oriented care, with particular interests in medicinal movement and chronic pain management. His own experience managing chronic shoulder pain through an integrative approach has helped inform his interest in supporting people to live active and fulfilling lives while managing pain.
Dr. Maltman is also the author of Skelability, which encourages people to understand their unique skeletal structure and range of motion to support safe and effective movement.
Dr. Shirley (DeeDee) Maltman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology and a Director of the Centre for Integrative Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.
A physician with 41 years of experience, she has practised integrative medicine since 2012, developing individualized, evidence-informed therapeutic plans addressing lifestyle factors and inflammation. As she prepares to retire from clinical practice, she remains actively involved in research on integrative approaches to mental health, including the Neural Health Project, which investigates integrative medicine approaches to depression.
Dawn Rain, MSW, is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from Dalhousie University. She specializes in addictions and mental health, supporting individuals experiencing challenges related to substance use, gambling, anxiety, depression, and anger management.
Her practice incorporates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is also trained as both a mental health and equine specialist in the EAGALA model of equine-assisted therapy.
Poppy Wilson is associated with Horse Medicine Equine Assisted Wellness in Saskatoon and has a background in equine-assisted learning. She holds certification in Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) facilitation through Cartier Farms. Her involvement in this field reflects an interest in horse-human interactions and experiential approaches to learning and personal development. She brings an equine-assisted learning perspective to the broader conversation about animal-assisted approaches to health and well-being.
Rand Teed, BA, BEd, is a Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor and Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist with more than four decades of experience in substance use education, addiction prevention, and mental wellness. Working with both adolescents and adults, he is widely recognized for his efforts to promote informed decision-making, recovery, and psychological well-being.
Rand is the creator and host of the award-winning television series Drug Class and has received numerous honours for his contributions, including the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Drawing on his personal experience with substance use and long-term recovery, Rand brings a compassionate, practical perspective to his work, helping individuals and families better understand addiction and its impacts. He is also the author of two books: Which Way to Turn: Understanding Adolescent Substance Use and Collateral Damage: The Impact of Substance Use on Family and Friends.
Chelsea Korpan-Sparks holds a degree in Sociology and a post-degree diploma in Professional Addictions. She is currently completing her Bachelor of Social Work practicum with the Centre for Integrative Medicine.
Chelsea also serves as a Harm Reduction Counsellor at the University of Saskatchewan's Student Wellness Centre, where she provides student-centred counselling and facilitates SMART Recovery groups. Her diverse experience includes working alongside a therapy dog and facilitating international Pilates retreats.
Camille Lapierre, RMT has been a practicing massage therapist since 1997, with nearly 30 years of experience in full-time clinical practice. She is also President of the Massage Therapist Association of Saskatchewan (MTAS), where she has been actively involved with her professional association and the massage therapy community.
Her experience as both a clinician and professional association leader has contributed to an interest in how research and evidence can be translated into everyday massage therapy practice, supporting informed clinical decision-making and the continued development of the profession.
Throughout her career, Camille has found her work particularly rewarding through witnessing the benefits massage therapy can provide for her clients and community.
Outside of her treatment practice, Camille enjoys paper crafting, playing pickleball, and tending to her fruit garden.
