Meet the team
Dr. Serge Gauthier, Director of the Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Research Unit of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging; Professor, Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, and Medicine at McGill University
Serge Gauthier is a clinical neurologist specialising in the development of new tools for diagnosis and treatments for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. He was the Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging from 1986 to 1997, and became a senior scientist of the CIHR-Rx&D program (Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies) in 1997. Dr. Gauthier is the Academic Co-Lead for the Dementia Education Program and Professor Emeritus, Neurology and Psychiatry at McGill University. His accomplishments led to him being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014 and the National Order of Québec in 2017.
Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto, Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging; Professor, Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, McGill University
Pedro Rosa-Neto is a clinical neurologist with expertise in the quantification of dementia pathophysiology and preclinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease using biomarkers. He is affiliated with the Douglas Research Institute; le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; and the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Psychiatry and Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University. He was appointed Director of the McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging in 2017. This was soon followed by a Professor position in Neurology at McGill University in 2019.
Dr. José A. Morais, Professor, Department of Medicine at McGill University; Director, Division of Geriatric Medicine, School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, Department of Experimental Medicine
José A. Morais is Professor of Medicine at McGill University. He is a senior scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in the Metabolic Disorders and Complications axis. In 2009, he became Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine, McGill University, as well as of the MUHC and Jewish General Hospital. He is also Co-Director of the Quebec Network for Research on Aging and is the Academic Lead of the Dementia Education Program of the McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. He was the Founder and first Director of the Centre of Excellence on Aging and Chronic Disease of the RUISSS McGill from 2012–2015.
Claire Webster, Founder and Ambassador, Dementia Education Program, McGill University; Founder and President of Caregiver Crosswalk Inc.
Claire Webster is a Certified Alzheimer Care Consultant (PAC), Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA), as well as a conference speaker and educator in the field of caring for an individual with dementia. She is Founder and President of Caregiver Crosswalk Inc., a consulting firm that provides education and support services to help individuals navigate the journey of Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia related illnesses. Claire works in collaboration with McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Division of Geriatric Medicine. She is the Founder and Ambassador of the McGill Dementia Education Program and “McGill Cares,” a weekly webcast series designed to support family care partners.
Dr. Isabelle Gélinas, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy; Researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation
Isabelle Gélinas, PhD is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University. She is also a researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation in Montreal.
Her research focuses on the daily activities and the contextual factors (personal and environmental) that shape the level of social participation and community engagement of older adults with disability. More specifically, her research interests include the measurement of functional abilities in persons with cognitive deficits such as dementias. She developed the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD), a measure of functional abilities in activities of daily living, which is used clinically and in clinical trials internationally.
Since then, she has continued collaborations related to the translation and use of this tool in different studies. Her research also focuses on issues related to different forms of transportation mobility, including driving.
She is a researcher on Team 16- Driving and Dementia of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA)/CIHR, and is working in close collaboration with different partners, including clinicians and researchers, at an international level to develop evidence-based approaches that are clinically relevant.
Dr. Tamara Ellen Carver, Director of the Office of Ed-TECH (Education Technology and E-learning Collaboration for Health), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning, McGill University; Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Sciences Education, McGill University Faculty Member, McGill Executive Institute, Desautels Faculty of Management
Tamara Carver is the Director of the Office of Ed-TECH (Education Technology and E-learning Collaboration for Health) for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, located at the Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning. She is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Health Sciences Education and her research focuses on medical education, health professions education, faculty development, education technology, online learning, remote learning, and communities of learning.
Dr. Carver completed her Master of Science at Concordia University, specializing in clinical exercise physiology, then earned her PhD from McGill’s Faculty of Education in 2014. During her post-doctoral training (2014-2017) in the Department of Family Medicine, she developed their first blended and online graduate courses, as well as the online Scholarly Activity Program for clinical teachers and residents.
This experience, along with her key role in developing the original and highly successful International Blended Education Programs (China, Brazil, Switzerland, France) and Faculty Development Blended Education Program (McGill), led to the creation of Family Medicine Innovations in Learning (FMIL) in the Department of Family Medicine in 2017, where she was Assistant Professor and Education Lead. Dr. Carver is a member of the Executive Committee of the Dementia Education Program at McGill University and is leading the development of the Dementia Education Program’s online curriculum, as well as other educational and outreach activities related to dementia education.
Diane Weidner, Communication and Events Officer, Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
Diane Weidner is a strategic communications officer with extensive experience in the planning and execution of marketing, advertising and public relations campaigns.
She has worked with national brands in the healthcare, beverage, cosmetics and software industries. With her creative background in graphic design and strong writing skills, Diane is able to quickly grasp concepts and turn them into engaging content and strong visual identities.
Carol Servaes, Project Manager
Carol Servaes is a project coordinator with international experience in writing reports, proposals and contracts in the medical field. Furthermore, she worked as a research associate contacting and recruiting medical officials to participate in focus groups on medical imaging techniques.
After finishing her Master’s degree in Humanitarian Logistics and Emergency Management, she took the opportunity to work as a logistics coordinator for non-governmental humanitarian organizations. During this time, she focused on working with elder individuals that experienced severe mental distress, organizing group activities, events and identifying their personal needs.
Maria Vincelli, Dementia Education Program Coordinator
Maria Vincelli is administrative coordinator for the McGill Dementia Education Program. Her work experience includes program administration, internal communications and research team coordination for projects that combine scientific expertise and lived experience. Prior to joining McGill, she worked in communications for the Canadian Association of Midwives and the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives. Her educational background is in environmental studies and journalism.
Zeina Salameh, Instructional Designer, Ed-TECH; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning, McGill University; Lead Instructional Designer, Dementia Education Program
Zeina Salameh is an Instructional Designer at the Office of Ed-TECH for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Ms. Salameh is the lead instructional designer for the McGill University Dementia Education Program’s online curriculum. She is also a member of the Education Committee to support educational and outreach activities related to dementia. Ms. Salameh earned her Master’s degree in Educational Technology and has extensive experience analysing worldwide education programs related to dementia.
Her current work focuses on the analysis, design and development of courses and curriculums for caregivers, health professionals and other professionals who live and work with people living with dementia.
Leila Zahabi, Program and Innovation Manager, Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
Leila Zahabi is a program and innovation manager with a demonstrated history of working in the educational and healthcare industry. With her background in management, special education and simulation, she has been able to bring many projects of the Dementia Education Program into effect, including the workshops created to help educate family caregivers about dementia at the Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning.