PRIMARY CARE DIETITIANS' ASSOCIATION

MEMBERSHIP
BENEFITS

TOOLS &
RESOURCES

UPCOMING
EVENTS

ABOUT the PCDA

WELCOME! The Primary Care Dietitians' Association (PCDA) supports and advocates for 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 NP-led clinics, community health centres, and aboriginal health access centres. The PCDA officially launched in April 2020. As a group of dietitians, we are here to support one another in our practice and share our knowledge base to support 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 Clinical Nutrition Manual.

• Recognition of dietitians working in primary care.

• Discounted rate for annual PCDA conference.

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

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

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PRESIDENT - SONIA FILICE

Sonia has been working as a Registered Dietitian in Primary Care in Windsor, ON since 2016 when she completed the Coordinated Program in Dietetics as well as her Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Science at Wayne State University.  She is a former recipient of the Barb Manilla Award of Excellence and an award-winning recipe creator.  She creates many of her own recipes to share with patients at her Family Health Team that focus on sustainable and economical ingredients while blending the science of nutrition with the art of food.

VICE PRESIDENT - LAURIE MICHAEL

Laurie (she/her) is from Charlottetown, PEI and 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), hospital inpatient/outpatient, clinical long-term care, outpatient clinical prenatal, postpartum and paediatrics, and currently as an RD and Project Coordinator with UPEI's Health Centred Research Clinic. As a proud, mixed-race, third-generation Lebanese-Canadian, she is a Board Member of CHANCES Family Centre and an active member of PEI's Livable Income Working Group and PCDA's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. 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.

SECRETARY / TREASURER - TAMEIKA SHAW

Tameika Shaw is the Manager of Primary Care Services with TAIBU Community Health Centre in Scarborough, Ontario. Over the last 12 years, Tameika has practiced as a community dietitian providing counselling on a wide range of diet-related conditions, planning and delivering programs, and working with various community agencies to address food insecurity. Leveraging the skills and knowledge gained in this role, she has made a seamless transition to health leadership with continued focus on improving health outcomes of the individual and community and is often described as approachable and humble while being effective in leadership and project management. In her current role, Tameika has co-led clinic initiatives that aim to improve patient access to care, build capacity and foster external partnerships. In addition to her primary job functions, she is the clinical lead in the Centre’s pandemic and COVID-19 response; including testing and vaccine initiatives. Tameika obtained her Bachelor of Applied Science in Nutrition and Food at Ryerson University and holds a graduate degree in Health Sciences from the University of Toronto. In addition to the PCDA, she is a member of the College of Dietitians of Ontario and the Community Health Centre Dietitian Action Group.

DIRECTOR - YIJING (CATHERINE) CAI

Yijing (Catherine) Cai has been a Registered Dietitian since 2018.  She has experience working in Primary Care and Long-Term Care settings. She enjoys the diversity in Primary Care and is currently an RD at the Crosstown Family Health Team.  She grew up in China and is a self-proclaimed, adventurous foodie. She enjoys exploring new areas, learning new cultures, and trying different cuisines in her spare time with her friends and family.

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 - KIM SANDILAND

Kim has been a Registered Dietitian since 2013 and has been working in Primary Care since she graduated from the Master of Food and Nutrition program at Brescia University College.  She is a founding member of the PCDA, and the its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. She supported the transition of the Dietitians’ of Canada FHT-Ontario Network to our National organization in 2020 with the leadership of Marg Alfieri. 

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 - TRACY HUSSEY

Tracy is an RD in Ontario and has worked in the health, non-profit and charity sectors for over 20 years.  She is a member of the Human Resources Professional Association and has the professional recruiter designation. She worked in primary care in RD and leadership roles for over 15 years.  Tracy has formal training and years of experience in governance, management and leadership, EDI, project management, quality improvement, occupational health and safety and privacy.  She has received provincial awards for her work. When she has down time she loves to cook, hike and spend time with her teenagers, partner and rescued Dominican street dog.  

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - KRISTEN GARLAND

Kristen has held various managerial positions throughout her 20-year corporate career with experience in leadership, strategy, public relations, marketing and communications. She has dedicated the last fifteen years to advocacy work, partnering with global organizations like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and Diabetes Canada, represented The Charles H. Best Diabetes Centre as the Chair of their Parent Advisory Council and Outreach & Engagement Committee. After her daughter’s diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes in 2013, Kristen returned to school to achieve her Masters of Applied Nutrition from the University of Guelph. She has since been working in primary care and private practice as a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator.