meeting agenda
Welcome, History of the Indigenous Skin Spectrum Summit, Learning Objectives & Land Acknowledgement
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis & Dr. Blair Stonechild
8:30am EDT
North American Indigenous Skin Health Top Priorities: Canada and the United States
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis
8:40am EDT
Colour Atlas of Circumpolar Indigenous Peoples: An International Collaboration between Canada, Greenland, and the United States
Dr. Carsten Sauer Mikkelsen
9:00am EDT
Jordan's Principle
Andrea Brewer
9:10am EDT
My Lived Experiences with AD
Darryl Napash
9:35am EDT
Patient Engagement and Co-Development of Care for AD
Dr. Carolyn Jack
9:45am EDT
Advancing Acne Treatment: Clinical Experience from Northern Quebec
Sponsored by Bausch Health Canada
Dr. Ivan Litvinov
9:55am EDT
Including the Patient Voice: My Experience with Rosacea in Pigmented Skin and Why I Chose to Become an Advocate for Skin Health
Rikki Baker
10:45am EDT
Skin Cancer in Australian and New Zealand's Indigenous Peoples
Dr. Monique MacKenzie
10:55am EDT
Pigmented Basal Cell Carcinoma — Case Examples & The Importance of Dermoscopy
Dr. Megan MacGillivray
11:05am EDT
Skin of Colour in Dermatopathology: An Update
Dr. Archana Kakadekar
11:30am EDT
Understanding Indian Health Services: A Dive into its Role, Operations, and Impact on Native American Health in the United States
Dr. Anna Chacon
11:40am EDT
Bridging the Gap: Addressing Skin Health Inequities in Rural and Indigenous Communities - Sponsored by CeraVe
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis
11:50am EDT
Echo Skin and Wound: Multidisciplinary Solutions for Indigenous Skin Health
Dr. Gary Sibbald
1:25pm EDT
Virtual Tour of First Nations University of Canada
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis & Dr. Blair Stonechild
1:40pm EDT
Children's Eczema School in Greenland
Panninguaj Boassen
1:55pm EDT
Origins Dermatology Centre Rural and Remote Outreach Team: A Unique Combined Model Closing Gaps in Indigenous Health Disparities
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis & Origins Dermatology Centre
2:10pm EDT
HTLV-1 Dermatitis: Clinical Presentations in Indigenous Peoples Worldwide and When to Consider Testing
Dr. Ivan Litvinov
2:40pm EDT
Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Indigenous Peoples of Greenland
Dr. Lone Storgaard Hove
2:55pm EDT
Dermatology Clinical Trial Underrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in North America and Worldwide
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis
3:40pm EDT
Dermatoses in Black Skin: Rapid Fire
Dr. Tosin Odeshi
3:50pm EDT
Integrating Rural and Indigenous Skin Health into Dermatology Residency Curriculums
Dr. Brittany Waller
4:00pm EDT
Under-Representation of Skin of Colour Images in Dermatologic Textbooks
Michal Moshkovich
4:25pm EDT
Preferences and Values of Indigenous Peoples in Western Rural Canada Living with or Caregiving for Atopic Dermatitis
Dr. Nickoo Merati
4:30pm EDT
Autoimmune Rheumatologic Disease in North American Indigenous Peoples
Dr. Eric McMullen
4:40pm EDT
Acne in Native Americans
Katlin Wilson
4:45pm EDT
Indigenous Health Research and Closing Remarks
Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis
4:50pm EDT
conference faculty
Dr. Rachel Nehate Asiniwasis
Dr. Rachel Netahe Asiniwasis is a board-certified Dermatologist currently operating her own practice in her hometown of Regina, Sask., and seeing a wide base of patients in southern Saskatchewan. Since 2015, she and her small team have expanded to service several remote and northern First Nations communities around Saskatchewan through a mixture of in-person and teledermatology clinics.
Dr. Asiniwasis is of Plains Cree and Saulteaux background on her father’s side, and her mother is an English immigrant. Her last name, “Asiniwasis”, translates into “Stone child” in oral Cree, and it has been passed down to her that her middle name, “Netahe”, means “my heart”. Her father is a residential school survivor of nine years, and one of her most recent passions is learning more about health care challenges in remote and First Nations populations and developing proactive approaches to these challenges through a Truth and Reconciliation framework.
Dr. Asiniwasis also has a Master’s degree in clinical and translational research, and with this background hopes to continue to advocate for underserviced populations in Canadian Dermatology. She is the founder of Origins Dermatology Centre based in Regina, Sskatchewan.
Rikki Baker
Rikki Baker is an Anishinaabe and Dakota woman from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation. As a Program Advisor with the federal government, she works closely with coastal Indigenous communities to enhance marine safety. Based in Winnipeg, Rikki balances her professional life with her role as a mother to her son and infant daughter, as well as spending quality time with her husband. Outside of her family life, Rikki has a passion for music and enjoys exploring it in her free time.
Having struggled with rosacea and its management for more than a decade, Rikki is committed to sharing her experiences to help others who may be facing similar challenges. Through her personal journey, she aims to offer support and insights to those dealing with this condition.
Andrea Brewer
Andrea Brewer (LaFontaine) is an Indigenous Pharmacist currently practicing in Regina, Saskatchewan on Treaty 4 Territory where she was born and raised. She is Metis/Saulteaux, from Muskowekwan First Nation, on her father’s side. She received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 2007 from the University of Saskatchewan and completed a hospital pharmacy residency in 2008 from Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. With over 15 years of experience working in hospital, long term care, medical clinics and community retail pharmacies, Andrea is committed to practicing clinically to her full scope of practice as an injection certified, prescribing pharmacist. Andrea’s focus is on optimizing and minimizing the use of pharmaceutical medications and helping people make informed decisions that honour personal values. She also has over 10 years experience as a Certified Diabetes Educator providing direct patient care to people living with diabetes in collaboration with other practitioners. Other interests and expertise include pain management, mental health and skin disease among others.
Andrea works privately, out of her office located inside Origins Dermatology Centre, as an independent consultant who provides health related services, private medication counseling, workshops and public speaking. Her mission is to remove barriers and improve access to health care that is preventative, holistic, evidence based and culturally sensitive. One way Andrea is growing her independent practice is by visiting remote and on reserve First Nations communities in Saskatchewan.
When she is not working on the front lines in health care, Andrea enjoys live music, yoga and spending time with her husband and two sons who are from Garden Hill First Nation.
Dr. Anna Chacon
Dr. Anna Chacon is a renowned board-certified dermatologist from Miami. Inspired by her father, a critical care pioneer, she chose a career in medicine. Dr. Chacon is the only dermatologist serving the secluded Alaskan Bush region, often travelling by bush plane for patient care. She also provides vital dermatology services to Indigenous tribes across Florida, Alaska, and California, and offers teledermatology services. Dr. Chacon holds medical licenses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She also founded Indigenous Dermatology, a nonprofit focusing on dermatologic health in rural and tribal areas.
Dr. Lone Storgaard Hove
Lone is aiming to make research available for the local Inuit population of Greenland under the motto; if research is conducted in Greenland, Greenland must benefit from, and have access to that research.
Lone is currently working on bringing preventive and prophylactic information about specific dermatological issues prevalent in Greenland. She also facilitates research and treatment in all of Greenland, to alleviate pressure on health, and the healthcare sector, as well as address healthcare challenges for patients in the rural indigenous populations in Greenland.
She initiated the School of Child Eczema (Eksemskolen Kalaallit Nunaat) which is a traveling eczema school with focus on parent education in the Inuit population and also education of the local healthcare personal in the rural regions of Greenland.
Dr. Carolyn Jack
Dr. Carolyn Jack (MDCM, PhD, FRCPC) is an Assistant Professor, Dermatology, at McGill University, and a Junior Scientist at the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. In 2018, Dr. Jack founded the McGill University Hospital Network Center of Excellence for Atopic Dermatitis, the first tertiary care centre in Canada dedicated to adult atopic dermatitis. She is the co-founder of EczemaQ, an award-winning mobile health application, and the registered non-profit Patient Advisory Committee known as Eczéma Québec. As an FRQS Clinical Research Scholar, her research goal is to identify disease-modifying interventions in chronic atopic dermatitis.
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Dr. Archana Kakadekar
Archana Kakadekar is an anatomical pathologist subspecializing in dermatopathology and breast pathology. She completed her medical school in Lublin, Poland and Chicago, Illinois, and moved on to complete her general pathology residency at the University of Saskatchewan. Archana recently finished her 1-year fellowship in dermatopathology in Halifax and began her practice this past August in Saskatoon. Her interests include transgender medicine in the field of clinical and anatomical pathology, as well as skin of colour in anatomical pathology. Archana hopes to continue to expand her knowledge and educate healthcare colleagues on the importance of recognizing histological characteristics that impact the ability to diagnose different dermatologic conditions in skin of colour.
Dr. Ivan Litvinov
Dr. Litvinov (Associate Professor) is the Director/Chair of the Division of Dermatology for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and his medical degree at McGill, completing dermatology residency training at McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Prior to joining the faculty at McGill, Dr Litvinov practiced as an assistant professor and dermatology clinician-scientist at the University of Ottawa between 2015-2017.
During 2019-2021, Dr Litvinov served as regional director (Quebec) of the Canadian Dermatology Association. He also served as the president of the Skin Research Group of Canada (2021-2023). He is currently serving as the treasurer of the Canadian Dermatology Foundation and as a board member of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas. He is also actively involved in the literature, serving as an associate editor of Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery (JCMS) and Frontiers in Medicine, and as a deputy editor of JCMS Case Reports.
He is active in cutaneous research, particularly studying cutaneous lymphomas, keratinocyte carcinomas, and melanoma, and his research is supported by various grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canadian Cancer Society, Cancer Research Society and the Montreal Dermatology Research Institute. Dr Litvinov directs a translational research laboratory within the cancer research program of the MUHC-Research Institute and a skin cancer diagnosis and treatment clinic for solid organ transplant recipients. In 2020, Dr Litvinov received the Early Career Award in Cancer from CIHR and the 2019 President Cup Award for his contributions to dermatology and research.
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Dr. Monique Mackenzie
Dr Mackenzie (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is a Consultant Dermatologist at Skin Centre, New Zealand. She is the first indigenous Māori Dermatologist in New Zealand and completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at The University of Otago. She has worked in both Australia and the United Kingdom before returning home to complete an American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgical (ACMS) Fellowship under the mentorship of Dr Paul J Salmon.
Outside her passion for surgical oncology, Dr Mackenzie has been involved in many initiatives to help grow indigenous knowledge (Mātauranga Māori) and language (Te Reo Māori) in Dermatology. Most recently revising the New Zealand Dermatology Curriculum to include conditions specific to skin of colour and indigenous skin types, translation of dermatology scoring systems and growing public awareness on UV radiation and skin cancer risks for Māori and Pacific peoples.
Dr Mackenzie is a cofounder of New Zealand Dermatology Registrar Group (NZDRG) and active member of Melanoma NZ, New Zealand Dermatology Society Inc and American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery. She is a mother of three children and loves spending time in New Zealand’s great outdoors.
Dr. Megan MacGillivray
Dr. MacGillivray is a double board-certified Dermatologist with accreditation in both Canada and the United States.
Dr. MacGillivray completed her dermatology training at the University of Alberta where she served as co-chief resident. During her training she completed specialized rotations in Tropical Medicine (Toronto), Hair and Nail diseases (Miami), Skin of Colour (Dallas), and Melanoma Multidisciplinary Management (Edmonton). Before relocating to Barrier, ON she practiced at the Western Canadian Dermatology Institute, which had a strong focus on the treatment of skin cancer.
She relocated to Barrie, ON in 2021 and founded the FullCircleDerm Virtual Acne Clinic. She says "acne is an excellent condition to treat virtually. It is most often located on the face, which can be easily seen on camera." Many of her patients come from communities that don't have many dermatologists. A virtual clinic allows them to still receive care. "Many people don't realized that acne is a medical condition. And, if treatment is delayed, permanent scarring can result."
She also runs the Skin Cancer Biopsy Clinic at the Royal Victoria Regional Hospital and has a special focused Indigenous Health clinic. Dr. MacGillivray says, "The Indigenous Health-focused clinic increases access to care for communities that often face barriers."
When she's not helping patients, you'll find her on the local hiking trails with her poodle, Kylo. And yes, she confesses, she's a bit of a foodie and enjoys meeting friends at Barrie's quaint restaurants and cafes.
Dr. Eric McMullen
Dr. Eric McMullen is a dermatology resident at the University of Toronto and a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario. He has a keen interest in Indigenous dermatology, rural care, and the intersection of technology and medicine. He attended medical school at McMaster University and has published 45+ peer-reviewed articles on dermatology topics.
Dr. Nickoo Merati
Nickoo is a dermatology resident at McGill University, focusing on eczema amongst Indigenous peoples in Canada. She is committed to enhancing Indigenous engagement in medical and dermatologic research. With a background in qualitative and quantitative Indigenous health research, she completed a master's degree highlighting Indigenous youth voices with the James Bay Cree in Quebec, and is currently collaborating with southern Saskatchewan First Nations communities to help improve rural eczema care. A dedicated ally, she is passionate about advancing the health and well-being of Indigenous communities nationwide.
Dr. Carsten Sauer Mikkelsen
Dr. Carsten Sauer Mikkelsen is a board-certified dermatologist in Denmark and Norway since 1999. He has a passion for global dermatology with an interest in minority groups and a special interest in the Inuit culture and arctic dermatology. He has worked in multiple places in Greenland (Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Narsaq, Narsarsuaq, Maniitsoq, Qaanaaq and Ilulissat) and Norway (Kirkenes, Vadsjøen, Bodø, Vesterålen, Mosjøen, Ålesund, Stavanger, and Egernsund). He did his PhD research, epidemiological study in Guinea-Bissau (1999-2001) in West-Africa about Rotavirus in cihldren under five years of age. The study was financially supported by WHO and the Danish State Serum Institute. He has worked in private practice in Brønderslev, Denmark since 2009. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Research Center, Department of Dermato-venereology in Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark. He has published 135 articles registrered on Research Gate and works with digital solutions within dermatology in Norway and Denmark. He is a member of the International Society of Dermatology and makes presentations abroad. In his spare time, he travels a lot—to 86 different countries to date.
Michal Moshkovich
Michal Moshkovich is a medical student at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences from McMaster University. Her research explores emerging biologics and surgical techniques for hidradenitis suppurativa management, as well as treatment responses to novel therapies in pediatric alopecia areata. Committed to improving dermatologic care in underserved populations, Michal has conducted research on biologic therapy responses in skin of colour patients with atopic dermatitis. She is also involved in developing the International Circumpolar Inuit and Indigenous Skin Colour Atlas with Dr. Asiniwasis, a project aimed at improving dermatologic diagnoses in Indigenous and Inuit communities across Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. Michal co-leads the Skin Curriculum Outreach Team, organizing dermatology seminars nationwide for medical students to strengthen their physical exam and procedural skills. She serves as an Editor for the Toronto Notes Dermatology Editorial Team, helping refine and develop evidence-based content for this widely used medical student resource.
Darryl Napash
Darryl Napash is an interpreter for Cree patients at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)’s Glen site in Montreal and a patient partner at Eczema Québec with a special interest in access to care for Indigenous communities. He also serves as an interpreter for the Cree Health Board.
Darryl is of Eeyou Istchee First Nation background. He formerly lived in Chisasibi, a Cree community situated on James Bay in northern Quebec. He is passionate about raising awareness for the needs of Cree and Indigenous patients.
Dr. Tosin Odeshi
Dr. Tosin Odeshi is a double-board certified dermatologist, recognized by both the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Dermatology. She earned her Honors BSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology, as well as her medical degree, from the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Odeshi completed her dermatology residency at the University of Alberta, where she served as co-chief resident. She now practices in Saskatoon and holds an assistant professorship at the University of Saskatchewan, contributing to both the undergraduate medical curriculum and the dermatology residency program. With a special interest in skin of color, she is passionate about advancing equitable dermatological care and addressing the unique needs of underrepresented patient populations.
Dr. R. Gary Sibbald
Professor Gary Sibbald has been a wound care leader for over 35 years in Canada and internationally. As a dermatologist and internist early in his career, he recognized the gap in patient care regarding chronic wounds.
His clinical patient-centric care has successfully treated complex wounds reducing excessive pain, improving management of infection, the increased healing of chronic wounds or improved everyday living for patients with maintenance or non-healable wounds.
As an educator, Dr. Sibbald was co-founder of a key opinion leader course (International Interprofessional Wound Care Course-IIWCC) accredited by the University of Toronto. Since 1999, there have been 23 classes in Canada and 20 courses internationally.
Professor Sibbald has mentored and educated not only IIWCC graduates, but also fostered interprofessional leadership of nurses and allied health professionals. Professor Sibbald has been involved in many projects on an international level to improve the health qualities in various countries. One example is the Guyana Diabetes Foot Project, where Dr. Sibbald, along with an interprofessional team of nurses and chiropodists, travelled to Guyana to assess and treat the high rate of diabetes in the country, along with reducing diabetes-related lower limb amputations.
He is the founder of WoundPedia, a not-for-profit educational initiative. He is also Project Lead on ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Ontario Skin & Wound that virtually reached 450+ healthcare professionals in the first cycle (2018-2021) including Northern and Indigenous centres to create interprofessional skin and wound teams provincially.
He is an accomplished author and co-editor-in-chief with over 270 peer reviewed publications. He was also an investigator on numerous clinical trials leading to the launch of new products and innovations.
His continuing healthcare innovations in patient care, education and research have contributed to Canada’s leadership in wound management.
Dr. A. Blair Stonechild
Dr. Alexander Blair Stonechild is Professor of Indigenous Studies at the First Nations University of Canada in Regina, Saskatchewan. He is a member of the Muscowpetung First Nation, attended Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School and Campion Collegiate, obtained his Bachelor’s degree from McGill, and Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Regina.
In 1976, Dr. Stonechild became the first faculty member at First Nations University; he has been Dean of Academics and Executive Director of Development. Major publications include Loyal Till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion (1997); The New Buffalo: Aboriginal Post-secondary Policy in Canada (2006); Buffy Sainte-Marie: It’s My Way (2012); The Knowledge Seeker: Embracing Indigenous Spirituality (2016) and Loss of Indigenous Eden and the Fall of Spirituality (2020).
Dr. Brittany Waller
Dr. Brittany Waller is a board-certified dermatologist in both Canada and the United States of America. She obtained both a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and a Medical Degree at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Waller then completed her 5-year dermatology residency and a subspecialty fellowship through the University of Toronto.
After 10 years away, Dr. Waller returned to her roots and hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan to practice alongside Dr. Asiniwasis. Her father, Thomas Waller, has done extensive work in Indigenous Business Law and land claim negotiation over the last 50 years in the province. Dr. Waller is excited to share her perspectives of practicing medicine in both large urban and critically underserviced settings and learning from the other speakers and participants during this meeting.
Katie Wilson
Katie Wilson (she/her) is a Luiseño/Payómkawichum third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota and recently completed a Post-Sophomore Fellowship in Pathology at the Department of Laboratory medicine and Pathology at University of Minnesota. She received her BS in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry from University of California, Irvine and a MS in AApplied Life Sciences from Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, CA. She serves as vice chair of the AMA Committee for American Indian Affairs, advocating for equitable care for AI/AN populations with her most recent resolution focused on Tribally-Directed Precision Medicine Research. She was recently selected as a Udall Foundation Native American Graduate Fellow in Tribal Policy. An aspiring dermatologist and dermatopathologist, her current research focuses on disparities in the diagnosis and management of cutaneous malignancies in AI/AN people. She is also a member of the International Coalition for Culturally Sensitive Death Investigations, advocating for jusitce and equitable care in the death investigations of Native people.
conference faculty
Dr. Rachel Nehate Asiniwasis
Dr. Rachel Netahe Asiniwasis is a board-certified Dermatologist currently operating her own practice in her hometown of Regina, Sask., and seeing a wide base of patients in southern Saskatchewan. Since 2015, she and her small team have expanded to service several remote and northern First Nations communities around Saskatchewan through a mixture of in-person and teledermatology clinics.
Dr. Asiniwasis is of Plains Cree and Saulteaux background on her father’s side, and her mother is an English immigrant. Her last name, “Asiniwasis”, translates into “Stone child” in oral Cree, and it has been passed down to her that her middle name, “Netahe”, means “my heart”. Her father is a residential school survivor of nine years, and one of her most recent passions is learning more about health care challenges in remote and First Nations populations and developing proactive approaches to these challenges through a Truth and Reconciliation framework.
Dr. Asiniwasis also has a Master’s degree in clinical and translational research, and with this background hopes to continue to advocate for underserviced populations in Canadian Dermatology. She is the founder of Origins Dermatology Centre based in Regina, Sskatchewan.
Rikki Baker
Rikki Baker is an Anishinaabe and Dakota woman from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation. As a Program Advisor with the federal government, she works closely with coastal Indigenous communities to enhance marine safety. Based in Winnipeg, Rikki balances her professional life with her role as a mother to her son and infant daughter, as well as spending quality time with her husband. Outside of her family life, Rikki has a passion for music and enjoys exploring it in her free time.
Having struggled with rosacea and its management for more than a decade, Rikki is committed to sharing her experiences to help others who may be facing similar challenges. Through her personal journey, she aims to offer support and insights to those dealing with this condition.
Andrea Brewer
Andrea Brewer (LaFontaine) is an Indigenous Pharmacist currently practicing in Regina, Saskatchewan on Treaty 4 Territory where she was born and raised. She is Metis/Saulteaux, from Muskowekwan First Nation, on her father’s side. She received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 2007 from the University of Saskatchewan and completed a hospital pharmacy residency in 2008 from Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. With over 15 years of experience working in hospital, long term care, medical clinics and community retail pharmacies, Andrea is committed to practicing clinically to her full scope of practice as an injection certified, prescribing pharmacist. Andrea’s focus is on optimizing and minimizing the use of pharmaceutical medications and helping people make informed decisions that honour personal values. She also has over 10 years experience as a Certified Diabetes Educator providing direct patient care to people living with diabetes in collaboration with other practitioners. Other interests and expertise include pain management, mental health and skin disease among others.
Andrea works privately, out of her office located inside Origins Dermatology Centre, as an independent consultant who provides health related services, private medication counseling, workshops and public speaking. Her mission is to remove barriers and improve access to health care that is preventative, holistic, evidence based and culturally sensitive. One way Andrea is growing her independent practice is by visiting remote and on reserve First Nations communities in Saskatchewan.
When she is not working on the front lines in health care, Andrea enjoys live music, yoga and spending time with her husband and two sons who are from Garden Hill First Nation.
Dr. Anna Chacon
Dr. Anna Chacon is a renowned board-certified dermatologist from Miami. Inspired by her father, a critical care pioneer, she chose a career in medicine. Dr. Chacon is the only dermatologist serving the secluded Alaskan Bush region, often travelling by bush plane for patient care. She also provides vital dermatology services to Indigenous tribes across Florida, Alaska, and California, and offers teledermatology services. Dr. Chacon holds medical licenses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She also founded Indigenous Dermatology, a nonprofit focusing on dermatologic health in rural and tribal areas.
Dr. Lone Storgaard Hove
Lone is aiming to make research available for the local Inuit population of Greenland under the motto; if research is conducted in Greenland, Greenland must benefit from, and have access to that research.
Lone is currently working on bringing preventive and prophylactic information about specific dermatological issues prevalent in Greenland. She also facilitates research and treatment in all of Greenland, to alleviate pressure on health, and the healthcare sector, as well as address healthcare challenges for patients in the rural indigenous populations in Greenland.
She initiated the School of Child Eczema (Eksemskolen Kalaallit Nunaat) which is a traveling eczema school with focus on parent education in the Inuit population and also education of the local healthcare personal in the rural regions of Greenland.
Dr. Carolyn Jack
Dr. Carolyn Jack (MDCM, PhD, FRCPC) is an Assistant Professor, Dermatology, at McGill University, and a Junior Scientist at the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. In 2018, Dr. Jack founded the McGill University Hospital Network Center of Excellence for Atopic Dermatitis, the first tertiary care centre in Canada dedicated to adult atopic dermatitis. She is the co-founder of EczemaQ, an award-winning mobile health application, and the registered non-profit Patient Advisory Committee known as Eczéma Québec. As an FRQS Clinical Research Scholar, her research goal is to identify disease-modifying interventions in chronic atopic dermatitis.
Dr. Archana Kakadekar
Archana Kakadekar is an anatomical pathologist subspecializing in dermatopathology and breast pathology. She completed her medical school in Lublin, Poland and Chicago, Illinois, and moved on to complete her general pathology residency at the University of Saskatchewan. Archana recently finished her 1-year fellowship in dermatopathology in Halifax and began her practice this past August in Saskatoon. Her interests include transgender medicine in the field of clinical and anatomical pathology, as well as skin of colour in anatomical pathology. Archana hopes to continue to expand her knowledge and educate healthcare colleagues on the importance of recognizing histological characteristics that impact the ability to diagnose different dermatologic conditions in skin of colour.
Dr. Ivan Litvinov
Dr. Litvinov (Associate Professor) is the Director/Chair of the Division of Dermatology for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at McGill University. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and his medical degree at McGill, completing dermatology residency training at McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Prior to joining the faculty at McGill, Dr Litvinov practiced as an assistant professor and dermatology clinician-scientist at the University of Ottawa between 2015-2017.
During 2019-2021, Dr Litvinov served as regional director (Quebec) of the Canadian Dermatology Association. He also served as the president of the Skin Research Group of Canada (2021-2023). He is currently serving as the treasurer of the Canadian Dermatology Foundation and as a board member of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas. He is also actively involved in the literature, serving as an associate editor of Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery (JCMS) and Frontiers in Medicine, and as a deputy editor of JCMS Case Reports.
He is active in cutaneous research, particularly studying cutaneous lymphomas, keratinocyte carcinomas, and melanoma, and his research is supported by various grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canadian Cancer Society, Cancer Research Society and the Montreal Dermatology Research Institute. Dr Litvinov directs a translational research laboratory within the cancer research program of the MUHC-Research Institute and a skin cancer diagnosis and treatment clinic for solid organ transplant recipients. In 2020, Dr Litvinov received the Early Career Award in Cancer from CIHR and the 2019 President Cup Award for his contributions to dermatology and research.
Dr. Monique Mackenzie
Dr Mackenzie (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is a Consultant Dermatologist at Skin Centre, New Zealand. She is the first indigenous Māori Dermatologist in New Zealand and completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery at The University of Otago. She has worked in both Australia and the United Kingdom before returning home to complete an American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgical (ACMS) Fellowship under the mentorship of Dr Paul J Salmon.
Outside her passion for surgical oncology, Dr Mackenzie has been involved in many initiatives to help grow indigenous knowledge (Mātauranga Māori) and language (Te Reo Māori) in Dermatology. Most recently revising the New Zealand Dermatology Curriculum to include conditions specific to skin of colour and indigenous skin types, translation of dermatology scoring systems and growing public awareness on UV radiation and skin cancer risks for Māori and Pacific peoples.
Dr Mackenzie is a cofounder of New Zealand Dermatology Registrar Group (NZDRG) and active member of Melanoma NZ, New Zealand Dermatology Society Inc and American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery. She is a mother of three children and loves spending time in New Zealand’s great outdoors.
Dr. Megan MacGillivray
Dr. MacGillivray is a double board-certified Dermatologist with accreditation in both Canada and the United States.
Dr. MacGillivray completed her dermatology training at the University of Alberta where she served as co-chief resident. During her training she completed specialized rotations in Tropical Medicine (Toronto), Hair and Nail diseases (Miami), Skin of Colour (Dallas), and Melanoma Multidisciplinary Management (Edmonton). Before relocating to Barrier, ON she practiced at the Western Canadian Dermatology Institute, which had a strong focus on the treatment of skin cancer.
She relocated to Barrie, ON in 2021 and founded the FullCircleDerm Virtual Acne Clinic. She says "acne is an excellent condition to treat virtually. It is most often located on the face, which can be easily seen on camera." Many of her patients come from communities that don't have many dermatologists. A virtual clinic allows them to still receive care. "Many people don't realized that acne is a medical condition. And, if treatment is delayed, permanent scarring can result."
She also runs the Skin Cancer Biopsy Clinic at the Royal Victoria Regional Hospital and has a special focused Indigenous Health clinic. Dr. MacGillivray says, "The Indigenous Health-focused clinic increases access to care for communities that often face barriers."
When she's not helping patients, you'll find her on the local hiking trails with her poodle, Kylo. And yes, she confesses, she's a bit of a foodie and enjoys meeting friends at Barrie's quaint restaurants and cafes.
Dr. Eric McMullen
Dr. Eric McMullen is a dermatology resident at the University of Toronto and a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario. He has a keen interest in Indigenous dermatology, rural care, and the intersection of technology and medicine. He attended medical school at McMaster University and has published 45+ peer-reviewed articles on dermatology topics.
Dr. Nickoo Merati
Nickoo is a dermatology resident at McGill University, focusing on eczema amongst Indigenous peoples in Canada. She is committed to enhancing Indigenous engagement in medical and dermatologic research. With a background in qualitative and quantitative Indigenous health research, she completed a master's degree highlighting Indigenous youth voices with the James Bay Cree in Quebec, and is currently collaborating with southern Saskatchewan First Nations communities to help improve rural eczema care. A dedicated ally, she is passionate about advancing the health and well-being of Indigenous communities nationwide.
Dr. Carsten Sauer Mikkelsen
Dr. Carsten Sauer Mikkelsen is a board-certified dermatologist in Denmark and Norway since 1999. He has a passion for global dermatology with an interest in minority groups and a special interest in the Inuit culture and arctic dermatology. He has worked in multiple places in Greenland (Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Narsaq, Narsarsuaq, Maniitsoq, Qaanaaq and Ilulissat) and Norway (Kirkenes, Vadsjøen, Bodø, Vesterålen, Mosjøen, Ålesund, Stavanger, and Egernsund). He did his PhD research, epidemiological study in Guinea-Bissau (1999-2001) in West-Africa about Rotavirus in cihldren under five years of age. The study was financially supported by WHO and the Danish State Serum Institute. He has worked in private practice in Brønderslev, Denmark since 2009. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Research Center, Department of Dermato-venereology in Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark. He has published 135 articles registrered on Research Gate and works with digital solutions within dermatology in Norway and Denmark. He is a member of the International Society of Dermatology and makes presentations abroad. In his spare time, he travels a lot—to 86 different countries to date.
Michal Moshkovich
Michal Moshkovich is a medical student at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences from McMaster University. Her research explores emerging biologics and surgical techniques for hidradenitis suppurativa management, as well as treatment responses to novel therapies in pediatric alopecia areata. Committed to improving dermatologic care in underserved populations, Michal has conducted research on biologic therapy responses in skin of colour patients with atopic dermatitis. She is also involved in developing the International Circumpolar Inuit and Indigenous Skin Colour Atlas with Dr. Asiniwasis, a project aimed at improving dermatologic diagnoses in Indigenous and Inuit communities across Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. Michal co-leads the Skin Curriculum Outreach Team, organizing dermatology seminars nationwide for medical students to strengthen their physical exam and procedural skills. She serves as an Editor for the Toronto Notes Dermatology Editorial Team, helping refine and develop evidence-based content for this widely used medical student resource.
Darryl Napash
Darryl Napash is an interpreter for Cree patients at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)’s Glen site in Montreal and a patient partner at Eczema Québec with a special interest in access to care for Indigenous communities. He also serves as an interpreter for the Cree Health Board.
Darryl is of Eeyou Istchee First Nation background. He formerly lived in Chisasibi, a Cree community situated on James Bay in northern Quebec. He is passionate about raising awareness for the needs of Cree and Indigenous patients.
Dr. Tosin Odeshi
Dr. Tosin Odeshi is a double-board certified dermatologist, recognized by both the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Dermatology. She earned her Honors BSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology, as well as her medical degree, from the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Odeshi completed her dermatology residency at the University of Alberta, where she served as co-chief resident. She now practices in Saskatoon and holds an assistant professorship at the University of Saskatchewan, contributing to both the undergraduate medical curriculum and the dermatology residency program. With a special interest in skin of color, she is passionate about advancing equitable dermatological care and addressing the unique needs of underrepresented patient populations.
Dr. R. Gary Sibbald
Professor Gary Sibbald has been a wound care leader for over 35 years in Canada and internationally. As a dermatologist and internist early in his career, he recognized the gap in patient care regarding chronic wounds.
His clinical patient-centric care has successfully treated complex wounds reducing excessive pain, improving management of infection, the increased healing of chronic wounds or improved everyday living for patients with maintenance or non-healable wounds.
As an educator, Dr. Sibbald was co-founder of a key opinion leader course (International Interprofessional Wound Care Course-IIWCC) accredited by the University of Toronto. Since 1999, there have been 23 classes in Canada and 20 courses internationally.
Professor Sibbald has mentored and educated not only IIWCC graduates, but also fostered interprofessional leadership of nurses and allied health professionals. Professor Sibbald has been involved in many projects on an international level to improve the health qualities in various countries. One example is the Guyana Diabetes Foot Project, where Dr. Sibbald, along with an interprofessional team of nurses and chiropodists, travelled to Guyana to assess and treat the high rate of diabetes in the country, along with reducing diabetes-related lower limb amputations.
He is the founder of WoundPedia, a not-for-profit educational initiative. He is also Project Lead on ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Ontario Skin & Wound that virtually reached 450+ healthcare professionals in the first cycle (2018-2021) including Northern and Indigenous centres to create interprofessional skin and wound teams provincially.
He is an accomplished author and co-editor-in-chief with over 270 peer reviewed publications. He was also an investigator on numerous clinical trials leading to the launch of new products and innovations.
His continuing healthcare innovations in patient care, education and research have contributed to Canada’s leadership in wound management.
Dr. A. Blair Stonechild
Dr. Alexander Blair Stonechild is Professor of Indigenous Studies at the First Nations University of Canada in Regina, Saskatchewan. He is a member of the Muscowpetung First Nation, attended Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School and Campion Collegiate, obtained his Bachelor’s degree from McGill, and Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Regina.
In 1976, Dr. Stonechild became the first faculty member at First Nations University; he has been Dean of Academics and Executive Director of Development. Major publications include Loyal Till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion (1997); The New Buffalo: Aboriginal Post-secondary Policy in Canada (2006); Buffy Sainte-Marie: It’s My Way (2012); The Knowledge Seeker: Embracing Indigenous Spirituality (2016) and Loss of Indigenous Eden and the Fall of Spirituality (2020).
Dr. Brittany Waller
Dr. Brittany Waller is a board-certified dermatologist in both Canada and the United States of America. She obtained both a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and a Medical Degree at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Waller then completed her 5-year dermatology residency and a subspecialty fellowship through the University of Toronto.
After 10 years away, Dr. Waller returned to her roots and hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan to practice alongside Dr. Asiniwasis. Her father, Thomas Waller, has done extensive work in Indigenous Business Law and land claim negotiation over the last 50 years in the province. Dr. Waller is excited to share her perspectives of practicing medicine in both large urban and critically underserviced settings and learning from the other speakers and participants during this meeting.
Katie Wilson
Katie Wilson (she/her) is a Luiseño/Payómkawichum third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota and recently completed a Post-Sophomore Fellowship in Pathology at the Department of Laboratory medicine and Pathology at University of Minnesota. She received her BS in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry from University of California, Irvine and a MS in AApplied Life Sciences from Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, CA. She serves as vice chair of the AMA Committee for American Indian Affairs, advocating for equitable care for AI/AN populations with her most recent resolution focused on Tribally-Directed Precision Medicine Research. She was recently selected as a Udall Foundation Native American Graduate Fellow in Tribal Policy. An aspiring dermatologist and dermatopathologist, her current research focuses on disparities in the diagnosis and management of cutaneous malignancies in AI/AN people. She is also a member of the International Coalition for Culturally Sensitive Death Investigations, advocating for jusitce and equitable care in the death investigations of Native people.