Michael Carlos - Physiotherapy Alberta
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2021 Meet
Council the
Election Nominees
The following is the list of nominees for the 2021 Council Election. Voting will open March 24 and will
close April 14, 2021. Two candidates will be elected to serve a three-year term.
Get to know your nominees and don’t forget to vote!
Michael Carlos
“My name is Michael Carlos and I would like your humble consideration for me to join our
profession’s council. I have always advocated for the evidence based and functional approach
to physiotherapy, using both pragmatic skills alongside client education, empowering clients to
understand and participate in
their rehabilitation. As a council member, I would take that same approach, advocating simply for
what works! I’m a firm believer in the power of movement as medicine, needing to be prescribed
in dosages on a regular basis. After all, we evolved to move! I’m an avid runner and I advocate
functional exercise
prescription whenever possible, seeing the body as a structure to be strengthened, rather than a
vehicle to be coddled by comfort. My 4-year-old boy has taught me the power of movement at a young age too: he’s learned to ride a
bicycle early and enjoys playing U5 soccer which I also coach. This winter he is just getting into hockey!
My professional experience began in a busy sports clinic, then took me to various small towns around east central Alberta as a
contractor covering almost every practice area from outpatients to acute, and home care to long term care. I know the small-town
mentality as well as the big city mindset. Over the years I’ve learned the importance of taking time to understand your clients
rather than trying to meet quotas. Prior to graduating from physiotherapy at the University of Manitoba in 2009, I graduated with
two psychology-related degrees from the University of Winnipeg. My current job is full-time in home care, which I would also like to
advocate for as a council member. The current pandemic has stressed the need for keeping individuals as functionally independent
at home as possible, and I believe that our profession is best suited for doing so! As a first-time council member, I would help ensure
that client-centred evidence-based practice is always the focus. I would like to help find ways to further promote our profession as I
firmly believe that movement is the antidote to our modern ways. Our profession needs to be accessible to all: from the infant to the
elderly, the sedentary to the high-level athlete, the wheelchair user to the marathoner… all of us benefit from our profession and I
want to help ensure that all Albertans continue to recognize this and have the best physiotherapists available!”
Jacky Chow
“I have been a physiotherapist for just over 13 years. After completing the MScPT program at the
University of Alberta in 2007 I began working at the Foothills Medical Center in Calgary. For the next
3 years I worked in the areas of critical care, trauma, general surgery, acute neuro and neuro rehab.
Following this I had the opportunity to take on a supervisory role. In this role I oversaw a large
interdisciplinary Allied Health team.
In 2011 I joined the University of Alberta and helped establish the Department of Physical Therapy’s
Calgary satellite campus. I have been working for the U of A since then, while still getting in some
patient care time by picking up the occasional shift at the hospital.
The last 9 years with the U of A have been incredible. Helping to educate the next generation
of physiotherapists is a huge honor. As an associate teaching professor, I have taught courses
in professional issues, electrophysical agents, and biomechanics. My teaching efforts have been
recognized with two faculty teaching awards.
Over the years I have been involved in a number of committees. Within the U of A, I have worked on committees tasked with evaluating
the physiotherapy curriculum, determining admissions requirements and handling student appeals. For the last 8 years I have also
been a member of the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine interview committee where I help to develop interview
questions and train interviewers.
This past fall, I completed my Masters of Public Policy at the University of Calgary with a focus on health policy and social policy. My
intent in pursuing this Masters was to develop skills that would allow me to contribute to the profession of physiotherapy at a policy
level. Becoming a council member would be an opportunity for me to learn more about our profession and contribute to the future
progress of physiotherapy in Alberta.
I feel that my mix of experience in physiotherapy education, front line care, and interdisciplinary management has exposed me to many
aspects of the physiotherapy profession. I also hope that my varied education background, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, an
MSc in physiotherapy and a master’s in public policy, can add a unique perspective to Council.
Thank you.”
Jason Dyck
“Thank you for considering me as a Physiotherapy Alberta College + Association council
member. I am honoured to have the potential to give back to a profession that has provided me
with such an amazing career.
After completing my PhD and MScPT from the University of Alberta, I have been a practicing
Physical Therapist in Alberta since 2013. I currently own and operate a private practice Physical
Therapy clinic in Edmonton.
I have been working in private practice for 8 years, which I believe represents a unique
complement of experience and fresh ideas. I can still relate to the issues and concerns facing
new graduates, yet also can appreciate where the profession has developed from. A major factor
in my decision to apply for this position was to be a voice for newer graduates and represent the issues and concerns they
face as they mature through the profession.
Ultimately my goal is to continue to advance our profession forward by acting on your behalf. Given the uncertainty of a
new political landscape and changing health care system, it is more important than ever to continue to advocate for the
need for Physical Therapy services for all Albertan’s. Given the opportunity, I will do my best to advocate for all members of
Physiotherapy Alberta College + Association.”
Jon Gabbai
“I am a physiotherapist in Calgary with a wide range of clinical experience, currently working
in private practice.
Since graduating in the United Kingdom in 2007, I have since completed a Post-Graduate
Diploma in Advanced Physiotherapy, as well as obtaining advanced qualifications to perform
spinal manipulations, IMS/Dry Needling and ordering Diagnostic Imaging.
I believe that I have a really thorough understanding of the physiotherapy profession which
I think is so important to this role on Council, having spent 4 years working in acute care
at the Foothills Medical Centre in ICU and Neurology, 4 years in academia working at the
University of Alberta’s Department of Physical Therapy (and having the privilege to collaborate
with many of the physiotherapy members in the community to support clinical placements). I have since spent 2 years in
primary care management before taking up my latest challenge of private practice clinic ownership in 2017. We have really
strived to be part of the solution, represent our profession in prioritizing patients first and foremost, and growing a multi-
disciplinary team of amazing therapists who value positive culture above all else.
Given my experience, I truly believe I have a diverse grasp on the challenges that our profession faces and would relish the
chance to be part of a team that supports growth and fair representation of this amazing profession.
I have previously served on the Membership Committee for Physiotherapy Alberta as well as on various national committees
during my time with the U of A.
Outside of physiotherapy, I have an amazing wife and 3 kids who keep me very busy and aging beyond my years!
I’m keen to be considered for Council as I know more than ever the challenges health-care and our profession face in the
current climate, I appreciate the complexity of what this team has to deal with but also believe I can fairly represent individuals
across the spectrum of physiotherapy.”
Roya Hamad
“My name is Roya Hamad, I am a registered Physiotherapist in Alberta since 2008. I have been a
Physiotherapist for 16 years, 12 of which in Alberta. I started my Physiotherapy carrier overseas in
Saudi Arabia where I worked in neuro rehab for TBI and Brain stroke for 2 years. Moved to Outpatient
Ortho and MSK for another 6 months.Then 2.5 years of Pediatrics rehab.
I started working in Calgary, Alberta in 2008 in Alberta Health Services, Acute care as front line staff
Physiotherapist. Worked with Geriatrics, intensive care, Orthopedics, General medicine, Transplants,
and Renal. During this time, I also did private practice work in a busy clinic.
2013 -2018 team leader position in one of Alberta Health services acute care hospital
In 2018-present, Manager with Alberta Health services in Calgary leading a multidisciplinary team.
I am nominating myself to Physiotherapy Council because I believe that as a leader, I can and will support my Physiotherapy
community collogues with my several strong attributes as following:
1) Strong Strategic Planning,
• development of policy and programs to better support Alberta Physiotherapists in whatever they do.
• Works collaboratively with council members and community and teams to determine priorities, develop plans, implement
actions and evaluate progress.
2) Strong Operational Leadership:
• Contributes to the formulation of policies, developing programs and /or administering programs.
• Make recommendations for changes in clinical standards and practices.
3) Strong Relationship Management:
• Through interaction with internal and external partners and participants, influences the direction of key program initiatives.
4) Strong People Leadership:
• Provides leadership and support to members.
• Optimize, utilization of resources and achieve identified results.
• Identifies and Coordinates learning opportunities.
5) Strong Change Leadership:
• Ability to implement and support new or modified approaches, practices and processes
• Recognizes need for change in different areas and sets priorities. Continually analyses the change.
• Coordinates solution seeking to improve efficiency
• Implements and sustains a structure and process to share information, develop solutions and incorporate best practice.
• Participates in the piloting and evaluating of new ideas and explores creative solutions.
• Plans for change when identified.
• Leads and participates in committees and working groups.
6) Strong Resource Management:
• Collaborates to meet financial and utilization targets.
• Accesses and utilizes information to inform resource allocation
• Collaborates with key stakeholders.
• Engages team members to identify and access the resources, education.”
Dan Matchullis
“It is my passion to help steer Physiotherapy in a direction that considers the needs of both the
public, and private system. Too often Public and Private needs are evaluated in vacuums, and
decisions are made that may make sense for one but not the other. With a profession so deeply
intertwined in both, I believe we need people guiding our profession who are able to evaluate them
in tandem, taking into consideration both the present, but also how decisions may affect future
costs. This requires someone not only with experience working between the two systems, but also
someone with the motivation and drive to provide the right type of communication, to the right
people. As a Physiotherapist I have had the luxury of working as as both a clinician and manager
in deeply collaborative and multidisciplinary environments. This includes Family Medical Doctors,
Specialists, Chiropractors, Kinesiologists, Massage Therapists to name a few. I’ve gained exposure to
both public, and private billing and funding. I believe this experience has fostered a deep multifaceted
appreciation for the many challenges our healthcare system faces here in Alberta from the perspective of the patient, province and
practitioners. If elected to work with the Council, I promise to bring these insights into discussions steering our profession into the
future.”
Denise McDermott
“It has never been more evident to me than in the last year, navigating a global pandemic, the
importance of our governing body and the role it plays in protecting the public and setting standards
of practice for our membership. I have seen our profession evolve and grow over the years but was
never more proud than during this time in how we stepped up to work with the government to protect
Albertans.
I have settled in to running my own business, that will be open for 3 years in June, and we are about
to become empty nesters. This started me on a journey to explore opportunities to enhance how I
give back to my community. This is something my parents always modelled as I grew up in farming
and sporting communities. I have a strong passion form my profession and I believe strongly in the
importance of governing legislation.
I would be an excellent candidate for council as I have been a full time Physiotherapist in Alberta for 28 years. I have worked in a variety of
settings including schools, hospitals, community, and now private practice. I feel very strongly that the guidelines and standards set out
by the college are vital in protecting the public and also holding our membership to a level that continues to set us apart as an essential
service for Albertans.
I am a life long learner and am aware of the significant value in continuing professional development for our members. I have been around
through many of the changes to the process, so have experience to draw on in continuing to ensure this process serves the membership
while meeting the requirements of the governing legislation
I strive for excellence in all areas of my life but pride myself most for the standard I have always held in my professional career. I have
been through experiences that have shown me how important professionalism is and the negative impact it has when others don’t meet
those same standards. I have a business partner who is vigilant in understanding policy and governing legislation and she has guided me,
through operating our business and managing a pandemic, on researching, navigation and implementing these standards and legislation.
Surrounding yourself with like-minded professionals is fundamental for continued growth and excellence.
I look forward to this opportunity.”
Melissa Merritt
“I graduated from Dalhousie University in 1996 with my Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy and
spent my first few years in practice working in not-for-profit hospitals in the United States of America.
Following that, I made Calgary home in 1999 where I have worked in private practice, including owning
and operating my own private practice. I am a former council member of Physiotherapy Alberta, serving
from 2000-2004 which included one year as Secretary-Treasurer and my final year as President. Shortly
following my term on council, I became a member of the Discipline Committee/Hearing Tribunal and
have continued to serve when needed. I have served on a number of committees and working groups
including the Health Advisory Council (former Calgary Health Region), the Subject Matter Expert group
for the Physiotherapy National Exam, the Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols working group (with the
Department of Finance, Government of Alberta), and the Workers Compensation Board Physiotherapy
Advisory Committee. These experiences have allowed me the opportunity to see our profession through multiple lenses and fully
understand and appreciate the privilege of being a self-regulating profession.
In 2016, I graduated from McMaster University with a Master of Health Management and now work at the University of Calgary in an
interdisciplinary environment that not only blends public and private health care, but also research and clinical practice.
Physiotherapy Alberta has been faced with many challenges over the past few years, including changes which have impacted
physiotherapist’s scope of practice (including the ability to order diagnostic imaging within the public system) and the challenges all
physiotherapists have been facing with the pandemic. Given the current healthcare and economic climate, we will continue to face
challenges- most significantly, the possibility of needing to separate the regulatory function of the college from the professional advocacy
function of the association. I believe that this may also provide us with an opportunity to have not only a strong regulatory body to ensure
safe, effective, and ethical physiotherapy services, but will also provide physiotherapists the ability to have an association which can
freely advocate for the profession. Given my tenure as a physiotherapist in Alberta and my experience working with government and non-
government organizations, I think I am uniquely positioned to assist in navigating through these challenges.
I appreciate your consideration in allowing me to serve on the next Physiotherapy Alberta council.”
Vote for your new council members starting
March 24 to April 14, 2021.
Check your inbox March 24 for a unique URL to vote online!
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