Board of Directors
The "Canadian Academy of Pain Management" has been incorporated as a non-profit organization within Canada. The Letters Patent are on file in the administrative headquarters of the Canadian Academy of Pain Management.
CAPM is organized with a Board of Directors from which is chosen a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and other Officers, together acting as the executive of the Canadian Academy of Pain Management.
President - Dr. Lydia Hatcher, MD, CCFP, FCFP, CHE, D-CAPM
Dr. Hatcher graduated with her MD in 1982 from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). In 1984, she received certification with the College of Family Physicians of Canada and in 1994, was certified with the Canadian College of Health Service Executives. In 2016 she became a Diplomate with the Canadian Academy of Pain Management. In 1998, Dr. Hatcher received the Canadian Psychiatric Association’s annual Mental Health Awareness Award. In 2001, the College of Family Physicians of Canada awarded her a fellowship.
Dr. Hatcher has been doing pain management for over 30 years. Her focus is on a bio-psycho-social approach to pain management. Dr. Hatcher has been a medical inspector for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and Newfoundland and was Chief of Family Medicine at St Joesphs Healthcare, Hamilton, ON from 2013-2018.
She has held numerous leadership positions including, Past President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, Board Member of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Chair GP Forum CMA and Director of Continuing Medical Education at MUN.
She is a member of the Canadian Pain Care Forum and was on the expert panel for the 2010 and 2017 Canadian Opioid Guideline. She is a member of the Canadian Pain Society and the International Association for the Study of Pain. Dr. Hatcher is an Associate Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at both McMaster University and MUN.
Past President/Chair - Credentialing - Dr. Eldon Tunks, MD FRCP(C)
Graduated Toronto Faculty of Medicine 1969. Internship St. Joseph’s Hospital Hamilton 1969-1970
Residency Department of Psychiatry McMaster 1970-1974 – graduated FRCP(C). Academic appointment McMaster University 1974-2000. Academic Appointment since 2000-: Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, McMaster University.
Teaching Undergraduate Medical Students and Postgraduate Residents (McMaster Medical School).
Teaching CMCC Residents since 1997.
During 1973 headed up a group of faculty (Anesthesiology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) to develop a multidisciplinary pain clinic at McMaster Medical Center (physiatrists, anesthetists, neurosurgeon, orthopedic surgeon, gynecologist, physiotherapists, occupational therapist, social worker, psychiatrist).
Director of Pain Clinic at McMaster Division from 1976 to 1979, then directed the Pain Program at Chedoke Division 1979 until 2000 and continued Pain Medicine Consultant role PM&R Department, Rehabilitation Center, to 2023. Now retired from medical practice.
Clinical activity included pain management/pain relief with spinal cord injury, stroke, amputees, back and neck trauma, myalgias, neuralgias, headaches, central sensitization, arthritis, complex pain syndromes.
Present Clinical Appointment to end of 2024: Consultant in Pain Management and in Psychiatry, Regional Rehabilitation Center, Hamilton General Hospital/Hamilton Health Sciences Corp.
Publications: books, chapters, journal articles in epidemiology of pain, psychological and psychiatric and psychotherapy issues in pain, fibromyalgia and myofascial pain, chronic pain management, evidence based chronic pain management, pain management guidelines.
Past President of Canadian Academy of Pain Management.
Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award, by Canadian Pain Society, June 2006
Recipient of Outstanding Leadership Award, by M.G. de Groote Pain Clinic /Hamilton Health Sciences / McMaster University, November 2013
Recipient of Patients’ Choice Award, by Patients Canada/St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton/Ontario Medical Association, January 17 2014
Recipient of Jane Gillett Award of Excellence in Teaching, McMaster U Div. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, June 19 2019
Honorary lifetime member of Canadian Academy of Pain Management.
Vice-Chair, Associate Newsletter Editor - Dr. Eleni Hapidou, PhD, C. Psych
Dr. Hapidou received her Doctorate in Psychology from McMaster University in 1989. She completed three post-docs: a) University of Western Ontario (with a fellowship from the Arthritis Society) (1988-1991), University of Waterloo (Research Scientist, 1991-1992), and c) McMaster University – Chedoke McMaster Hospitals (Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology Residency, 1992-1993) before becoming a Registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario in 1993. Dr. Hapidou has been a psychologist with the Interdisciplinary Chronic Pain Management Program of Hamilton Health Sciences since 1992 (now, the Michael G DeGroote Pan Clinic). She has trained several psychologists, residents, and students in the field. She has also been a Faculty member in Psychiatry, Psychology, Bachelor of Health Sciences Program, and Clinical Behavioral Sciences for almost 30 years. She has served two terms as a) the Psychology Practice Leader and b) Chief of Psychology at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS). She has also served two terms on the New Investigator Fund and Early Career Awards Committees at HHS. Dr. Hapidou has founded the Yoga classes at the Interdisciplinary Pain Program and has been serving as the Yoga Instructor since 2009. She is currently a psychologist at the Michael G DeGroote Pain Clinic, and an executive member of the Michael G DeGroote Pain Institute for Research and Care. She has her own research program in program evaluation, and is involved in many research projects, has presented nationally and internationally, and has published extensively. She has also developed psychometric instruments to measure pain satisfaction, and goal accomplishment, and has validated several measures for use in research with patients with chronic pain. She is a reviewer for several pain journals such as the Journal of Pain (editorial board) and the Clinical Journal of Pain. She is also a Diplomate of the Canadian Academy of Pain Management (Vice President) and has been teaching credentialing courses for an interdisciplinary group of clinicians for over 14 years.
Secretary - Dr. Indraneel (Indy) Ghosh
Dr. Indraneel (Indy) Ghosh is an Emergency Physician and Chronic Pain Physician, specializing in medical cannabis. He graduated medical school from Queen’s University, and then completed his residency at U of T, followed by a fellowship at McMaster University. His first foray into senior leadership was in academia, as the Program Director for the CCFP Emergency Medicine Fellowship training program. From there, he was recruited to Director of Medical Education and Research at Mackenzie Health Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as Chief & Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Mackenzie Health. After completing his term, he was then appointed as Chief & Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Chatham Kent Health Alliance, and subsequently promoted to Senior Medical Director of Strategy, Access and Flow. Currently, he practices at THP, and is also a Board Member at several non-profit organizations, including the Canadian Association of Pain Management (CAPM), Hamilton Brain Injury Association (HBIA), and TheHealthLine.ca.
Treasurer - Dr. Ali Fateh, HBSc, MD
Dr. Fateh, a distinguished graduate of McMaster University, completed his Specialty Training in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program. Throughout and following his residency, he dedicated extensive time to the field of pain management, honing his expertise and refining his skills in addressing complex pain conditions. He is deeply passionate about Pain Medicine, with specialized focus areas including musculoskeletal pain, headaches, chronic pain management, post-stroke pain management, spinal cord injury pain management, and image-guided interventional procedures. Throughout his training, he gained invaluable experience working closely with Dr. Eldon Tunks, a renowned expert in chronic pain management. Dr. Fateh approaches pain assessment with a unique perspective, emphasizing functional capability over traditional numeric rating scales. As a dedicated Physiatrist, he views pain management through the lens of enhancing functionality, empowering his patients to achieve improved quality of life and regain their independence.
Education Committee Chair - Dr. Michael A. Boucher - BKin, MD, CCFP, MCIME
Assistant Clinical Professor, McMaster University
I am a duly qualified physician licensed to practice in Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. I have been in active practice since 2003. I obtained both a Bachelor of Kinesiology degree and a Doctor of Medicine degree from McMaster University. I then completed two years of residency training in Orthopaedic Surgery followed by a postgraduate program in family medicine. I have been affiliated with McMaster University as an Assistant Clinical Professor.
I am experienced in the management of poly-trauma, having previously been employed as a Trauma Team Leader at the Hamilton General Hospital for over seven years. I have previously practiced general emergency medicine in a variety of tertiary care and rural hospitals in Ontario. I am the Medical Director of Burlington Pain Care, a Level II OHP Facility, where I coordinate the efforts of a multidisciplinary team in the treatment of chronic pain. My current research interests surround the role of Ketamine in chronic pain management.
The Canadian Academy of Pain Management has granted me Diplomate status with credentialing in Interventional Chronic Pain Medicine; I now serve on the board of directors.
I have completed numerous defence and plaintiff Medical Legal Examinations within my field of expertise. I am certified in the use of the 4th, 5th, and 6th Editions of the “AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment” and have been granted the prestigious Master Certified Independent Medical Examiner qualification by the ABIME.
I was previously engaged as an Infantry Officer, and subsequently as a Medical Officer with the Canadian Forces for 17 years. I have extensive experience managing patients in the pre-hospital environment, in a general emergency hospital setting and as a Trauma Team Leader in a Level I Trauma Facility, and now manage the long-term impact of injury in its chronic form.
Board Members
Martha Bauer, BSc, OT
Martha Bauer began her Occupational Therapy practice in pain management in 1991 at Chedoke Pain Management program 1991-2000 and the Ennis Pain Centre 2000- 2018. Martha worked for employers, insurers, lawyers and most recently at the McMaster Family Practice where among other OT roles, she ran a function focused pain management group. Martha is currently taking some time away from work in "semi-retirment". Martha has been involved in research and program evaluation and has presented at the AFHTO, CAOT, OSOT conferences regarding the role of Occupational Therapy in pain management . Martha has taught in the McMaster School of Rehabilitation Sciences programs for both Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students regarding the role of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary rehabilitation in chronic pain management. Martha has presented on the role of occupational therapy and activity engagement and the Ontario Pain Network. Martha was the President -Elect of the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists 2018-2019 and is now President 2019-2021. Martha has been with CAPM and on the Board for 14 years and is involved in facilitating the CAPM Credentialing Course. Martha is currently the Editor of the CAPM Newsletter and looks forward to continuing to use the Newsletter to both present relevant information about multidisciplinary pain management as well as receiving input about accomplishments and topics of interest from the members.
Dr. Anthony Di Fonzo, HBSc, MMI, MD
Dr. Di Fonzo completed his Family Medicine residency and medical school program at the University of Toronto before becoming an interventional chronic pain physician through the auspices of the CPSO. He currently sits as a Chronic Pain Medical Expert for the CMPA and achieved Certified Independent Medical Examiner (CIME) status through the ABIME. He is also trained as CPSO Assessor in chronic pain management, and has been a Diplomat of the CAPM since 2018.
Dr. Di Fonzo founded and acts as Medical Director for the Releva Chronic Pain Centre, an innovative community-based chronic pain facility with multiple locations, including sites in Etobicoke and Mississauga. He enjoys lecturing on chronic pain both in the community and at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine, where he holds Academic Appointment.
His current interests include approaching complex healthcare challenges from a systems-based approach, and exploring the potential applications of artificial intelligence in chronic pain management.
Dr. Chris Giorshev, MD, MBA
Dr. Giorshev is a licensed physician in the province of Ontario. He has a change of scope in both interventional chronic pain and addiction medicine with the CPSO (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario). He has been practicing addiction medicine since 2012 and interventional pain management since 2007.
He is a Diplomate with the Canadian Academy of Pain Management (CAPM) and was a Diplomate with the American Academy of Pain Management. Both of these organizations emphasize educational efforts to improve physicians’ care.
Dr. Giorshev was a part of the CPSO Interventional Pain Working Group. This committee applied the Out-of-Hospital Standards in Interventional Pain Premises to the Out-of-Hospital Premises (OHP) Inspection Program.
As a member of the Clinical Expert Advisory Committee of the 2017 Canadian Guideline for Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain, he helped to establish a framework by which physicians prescribe opioids in Canada.
He was an assessor with the CPSO and assessed many practices as they relate to chronic pain and addictions.
He has been a member of the executive of the Ontario Medical Association Section on Chronic Pain since 2010 and is currently the past chair of the section. The scope as chair involves negotiations with the MOH and working with the CPSO on the standards of care for chronic pain management in the province.
He was included on the advisory committee on the chronic pain quality standard for the province. The goals include to establish ideal standards for the treatment of chronic pain patients in Ontario.
Dr. Garry Palak, MD, BCH, BAO, FRCPC
Garry Palak is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and duly licensed to practice Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine in the Provinces of British Columbia. After his primary residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation he completed a second Royal College sub-specialty residency in Pain Medicine. He is presently a Consultant Specialist and Co-Owner of the Initium Centre for Pain Medicine in the Fraser Valley and at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia. He is the Medical Lead for Rehabilitation Services in the Northern Health Authority. His current practice in physiatry and pain medicine is broad based where areas of interest include musculoskeletal medicine, axial spine pain, spasticity management, PRP, and interventional procedures. He is involved in teaching medical students, residents, fellows, staff physicians and parahealth professionals.
Dr. Suneel Upadhye, MD, MSc, FRCPC, DCAPM
Associate Professor, Dept of Medicine, McMaster University
Director, Minerva Pain Management Group
Dr. Upadhye completed his Royal College Emergency Medicine certification in 2001, and is an Associate Professor in Emergency Medicine (EM) at McMaster University. He also completed his Masters in Health Research Methodology, Evidence & Impact (HEI) at McMaster with a focus in critical appraisal methdology (2005), and has been an active researcher/educator in knowledge translation, evidence-based medicine and clinical practice guidelines methodology (Level II INGUIDE Guidelines International Network Methodologist) since then. He is a founding member of the Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM) program, a global knowledge translation project with multiple international presentations and publications since 2005. He is an award-winning educator and researcher, a former Royal College Examiner, and has most recently been involved with the new McMaster Quality Improvement & Patient Safety teaching courses. He is also the inaugural Research Lead for the EM Researchers of Niagara (EMRoN), a novel community EM research initiative in Niagara Health.
He has been practicing in adult non-cancer chronic pain since 2010, and is a Diplomate of CAPM since 2015. He is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners (2016). As the Director of the Minerva Pain Management Group in Hamilton (Ontario), he has supervised McMaster resident learners in community pain care, and conducted numerous research projects that have led to peer-reviewed publications in leading pain journals. Current research interests include the use of cannabinoids in chronic non-cancer pain, and patient engagement/values/preferences in chronic pain care.
Honorary Members
Ruth Dubin, MD, PhD, FCFP
Physician, Project Echo Ontario
Harold Merskey, DM, FRCP, FRCPC, FRCPsych
Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario
Barry J. Sessle, MDS, PhD, FRSC
Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of Toronto