Panel of Speakers

Madeleine Ashcroft RN BScN MHS, CIC

Regional IPAC Specialist
Public Health Ontario, Toronto

Madeleine is a Nightingale nurse (London, England) and has worked in many specialty areas, including critical care, operating rooms, midwifery, renal, intravenous therapy, community care, and as a college educator, before getting into infection prevention and control (IPAC) a few years before SARS hit Toronto. Witnessing the impact of an infectious disease on the entire health care system inspired Madeleine to pursue progressive IPAC opportunities in acute, chronic, and rehab hospitals, long-term care, and regional networks. Being part of the WHO Ebola relief mission in Sierra Leone in 2015, the IPAC Canada Standards and Guidelines Committee, the Canadian Network of Nursing Specialties, and the Canadian Nurses Association Board, has brought her new perspectives and life-enhancing relationships.

Louise Azzara CPHI (C), BSc. EH, MSc. ID, CIC

Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator, Clinical Service  Clinical Service Department, Simcoe Muskoka District health Department 
Louise has been working in Public Health for 25 years as a Public Health Inspector and began her career working for the Province of Saskatchewan in 1994. In 2000 she joined the Muskoka Parry Sound District Health Unit which amalgamated as the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit in 2005. She worked in the General PHI Program up until 2002 and began specializing in IPAC on the Communicable Disease Investigation Unit and Surveillance Units. In 2013 she took on the position of Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator. Graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health at Ryerson University and obtained a Master of Science in Infectious Diseases in 2009 from the University of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In 2013 she became certified in Infection Control CIC and recertified in 2017. She currently is a member of the Provincial Infectious Disease Advisory Committee (PIDAC)-IPAC.

Isabelle Guerreiro RN CIC

Program IPAC Specialist
Public Health Ontario, Orillia

Isabelle’s background is nursing. She joined the infection prevention and control world in 2001 and is now an IPAC Specialist with Public Health Ontario. Isabelle actively leads/participates on PHO’s Infection Control Resource Teams and supports public health units with IPAC Lapse Risk Assessments. She has maintained her certification from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology since 2005. 

Shari Hughes PT, BScPT, M.Sc.

Shari Hughes is an experienced physiotherapist and currently works as a Practice Advisor at the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, where she previously served as Associate Registrar for 10 years. Prior to joining the College, Shari worked at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto as a PT and Practice Leader for 17 years.

Carolyn Vandyken, BHSc, PT, Cred MDT, CCMA (acup) 

Carolyn Vandyken is a highly regarded physiotherapist who practices and teaches in both pelvic health and persistent pain. She embraced the biopsychosocial perspective ten years ago, and has immersed herself in writing journal articles, doing original research, writing chapters in textbooks, writing a pain education book with Dr. Louw and Dr. Hilton, teaching courses based on an integrated framework for a biopsychosocial perspective, and best of all, treating patients. Carolyn's passion for the integration of a biopsychosocial framework is obvious in all of her pursuits. Carolyn often presents at both local and international conferences and participates regularly in several international conferences each year to increase her scientific knowledge and apply this knowledge to her clinical and teaching practice.