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About
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ABOUT the PCDA

Membership
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WELCOME! The Primary Care Dietitians' Association (PCDA) officially launched in April of 2020 to support and advocate for registered dietitians working in primary care across Canada. We started as the Family Health Team Registered Dietitian Network in 2006 and have grown over the years to now include dietitians working in various primary care and outpatient settings, private practice and aboriginal health access centres. As a group of dietitians, we are here to support one another in our practice and share our knowledge base to enhance best practice within primary care.

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Benefits of PCDA membership:

  • Access to patient resources, EMR tools and standardized tool kits.

  • Advocate for primary care dietitians, both provincially and federally.

  • Support and advance our profession and leadership within the primary care environment.

  • Continuing education through webinars and KTEs provided free to all members.

  • Peer support through PCDA's listserv.

  • Access to Nutrition Care Manual.

  • Recognition of dietitians working in primary care.

  • Discounted rate for annual PCDA conference.

  • Interest Groups; e.g. Virtual Practice, Critical Care, Northern Regional Group, Dietetics Student Support, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, etc.

  • Development of regional strategies to improve patient care and access to primary care dietitians.

VISION:

Primary care dietitians are the leaders in equitable and inclusive medical nutrition therapy for our communities and clients..

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MISSION STATEMENT:

Encouraging primary care dietitians to become highly skilled in providing equitable and inclusive medical nutrition therapy, disease prevention and health promotion through collaboration, education and mentorship. We advocate for access, capacity and integration of dietitians within comprehensive primary care. 

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VALUES:

  • Evidence Based Practice

  • Interprofessional HealthCare

  • Collaboration & Sharing

  • Continuous Learning & Improvement

  • Transparency

  • Diversity, Equity &Inclusion

  • Mentorship and Preceptorship

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30+

Years of Experience

263

Professional Members

32

Student Members

10

Provinces Represented

BOARD of DIRECTORS

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PRESIDENT - TAMEIKA SHAW

Tameika Shaw has a 16-year career within the not-for-profit sector. Initially starting as a volunteer and then a Registered Dietitian within the community health setting, she currently serves as the Director of Population Health and Evaluation at Davenport Perth Neighborhood and Community Health Centre and President of the Board of Directors,  Primary Care Dietitians Association.

Tameika is dedicated to advancing community and population wellness through innovative and collaborative health promotion and health equity initiatives. She capitalizes on the intricate interplay between clinical, social, and environmental factors and her program planning expertise to spearhead various community and population-based healthcare initiatives. These initiatives aim to improve access to health and social care through multi-pronged approaches including health education,  clinical programs, community outreach, quality improvement and evaluation.
Tameika is a firm believer in the power and autonomy of community and is committed to fostering community engagement, creating program opportunities, capacity building activities and strong stakeholder collaborations in the communities in which she lives and works.  

Tameika earned her Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) in Nutrition and Food from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and holds a MHSc in Community Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Toronto. She is a member of the College of Dietitians of Ontario, the Canadian Black Registered Dietitians Association, and currently serves as the President of the Primary Care Dietitians Association, a national organization representing primary care dietitians across Canada.

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VICE PRESIDENT - VACANT

If you are interested in joining the PCDA's Board, please contact Tameika Shaw.

SECRETARY / TREASURER - CHRISTINA TRAN

Christina Tran has been an RD since 2013. After completing her undergraduate degree from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and her masters at the University of Toronto, Christina spent some time working in public health at Nutrition Connections (formerly The Nutrition Resource Centre). In 2015 Christina joined Sherbourne Health where she focused primarily on newcomers through individual counselling, capacity building, community engagement, and more. In 2023, Christina joined the West Durham Family Health Team and is excited to continue working in primary care. Outside of work you can find her exploring different trails with her dog.

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DIRECTOR - RAWAN ALJBOUR

Rawan is an Internationally educated professional dietitian, who has been providing nutrition services for over 15 years. She graduated from the University of Jordan in 2007 and worked in the Middle East for almost 7 years. In 2015, Rawan moved to Canada with a dream to become an RD. She attended the Internationally Educated Professional in Nutrition (IEPN) Program in 2017 at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) to achieve her Canadian registration allowing her to practice in Canada, and has been working as a Primary Care dietitian ever since. As a member of the PCDA's Board of Directors, Rawan hopes to improve cultural dietetic practices by providing education and enlightening dietitians about Middle eastern cultural foods and traditions. Rawan enjoys hiking in nature, photography, traveling, and trying new foods. She also enjoys cooking and sharing her Middle eastern recipes on her Instagram Account.

DIRECTOR - LAURIE MICHAEL

Laurie (she/her) is from Charlottetown, PEI and is an RD and Project Coordinator at UPEI's Health Research Network. She has been working as an RD since 2008 after completing the Northern Ontario Dietetic Internship program, following a Bachelor of Nutritional Sciences at UPEI. She also completed Ryerson's Food Security Certificate (2012) and a Masters in Public Health from Lakehead University (2019). Laurie has been privileged to work in a variety of practice settings in Ontario, Nova Scotia and PEI; including a family health team (FHT); inpatient/outpatient; clinical long-term care; convalescent care; clinical outpatient prenatal, postpartum and pediatrics. As a proud, mixed-race, third-generation Lebanese-Canadian, she is an active member of PEI's Livable Income Working Group, PCDA's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, and established an EDI Committee within her current role at UPEI. Laurie enjoys pursuing her passions for cooking, photography, travel, reading, visiting Island beaches, seeing family & friends, and exploring astronomy. Most of all, she loves spending time with her husband and their two adorable boys.

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DIRECTOR - ASHLEY LYONS

Ashley completed a Bachelor of Health Science and Bachelor of Science in Nutrition at the University of Western Ontario, followed by her Masters of Applied Nutrition and dietetic internship at the University of Guelph. She has worked as a Registered Dietitian since 2010 and has experience working in long term care and chronic disease management. She is a Certified Diabetes Educator and enjoys helping people reach their diabetes management goals through healthy eating and lifestyle interventions. In addition to her work as a Registered Dietitian, Ashley has held various management positions and has a passion for helping others learn and develop to their full potential. When she is not working, Ashley enjoys running, hiking, camping and spending time with her family and friends.

DIRECTOR - MELISSA ARSENAULT

Melissa is from a small Acadian French community in PEI. She has been working as a dietitian since 2014. Melissa has been fortunate to gain dietetic experiences in a variety of settings such as inpatients/outpatient, long term care, palliative care, prenatal and postnatal, pediatrics and home care. She is currently working in an ambulatory setting with diabetes and chronic disease management. Melissa is also a board Certified Lactation Consultant since 2021. She is a board member of a family resource centre servings 6 Francophones region in PEI. During her spare time, she enjoys cooking/baking and spending time outside being active. She mostly enjoys the PEI summers, where she gets to spend her time at the cottage with her children.

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JUNIOR DIRECTOR - ASMA MUSA

Asma Musa is a Junior Director on the Primary Care Dietitians’ Association (PCDA) Board of Directors. She is currently completing her Master’s in Public Health (Nutrition and Dietetics) at the University of Toronto. With a strong focus on community impact, Asma has supported culturally inclusive initiatives through her practicum work at TAIBU Community Health Centre and the Coalition for Healthy School Foods, where she advocated for anti-racism and Black Food Sovereignty in school nutrition programs.
Asma co-founded Say Somaali, a mentorship program connecting Somali professionals with mentees to foster career growth and leadership. She also organizes conferences and professional development initiatives to support young dietitians entering the workforce. Fluent in English and Somali, Asma is committed to addressing health inequities and empowering diverse communities through her work.

Board
Staff
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PCDA ADVISORS

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Advisor - Heather
Advisor - Marg
Advisors
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