Speakers
Please find below a preview of the slate of renowned speakers will address the topic Exploring Inclusive Kinesiology: Breaking Barriers for All at this year's Kin Can Conference.
The goal of the conference is to help broaden the knowledge of Kinesiologists by creating an interactive and educational platform to share scientific insights, the latest research, and applicative findings and share real-world examples to help elevate and enhance the profession.
More speakers will be added as they are announced.
A full schedule of the event November 4-5 will be released soon.
2023 Kin Can Conference Speakers

Hip and Knee Replacements Explained
Tera Mezynski and Kerry Carlson of Active Initiatives
Currently, 1 in 5 Canadians live with osteoarthritis. With recent advances in orthopedic procedures for total arthroplasties, more people at younger ages are having total knee and hip replacements. Because of cutbacks and staff shortages, they are likely having less post-op rehab time and coming to you sooner. These people are looking for
In this dynamic presentation by physiotherapists, learn latest total joint surgical procedures for hips and knees. Topics covered include: surgical overview, types of material, explanation of muscles directly involved in the procedure, post-op restrictions, prevention of dislocations and infections, and expected functional outcomes for the first 3 months. When can people return to work? Can they play sports post op? Can they run? Attend this presentation and find out!
This webinar is for new and seasoned kinesiologists working with the osteoarthritis and pre/ post-op total hip and knee population. Find out how you can help them reach their very best outcomes!
Learning outcomes:
• The latest surgical techniques for total hips and knees
• The Dos and Don’ts in the first 12 weeks post-op
• Key tips on how to help your client optimize their post-op recovery and have long term success with their total joint surgery
Tera (B(Sc) Kinesiology, M(Sc) Physical Therapy) has over 15 years of experience as a physical therapist in all areas of health care. Prior to obtaining a master's degree in physical therapy, she worked as a kinesiologist. Tera has extensive training in lower extremity arthroplasty and has helped to develop patient surgical pathways. Neuromuscular exercise, muscle patterning and advanced exercise prescription are some of her areas of expertise and passion. Tera's presentation style and knowledge will engage you during the session whether in person or virtual. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
Kerry (B(Sc) Physiology, B(Sc) Physical Therapy) has 25 years of experience in all areas of physical therapy including injury rehabilitation and health promotion. Prior to physical therapy, she was a research assistant in the Physiology department at UBC. She believes a little movement throughout the day goes a long way and that small changes can dramatically improve our health outcomes. Kerry has a gift for dual task and cognitive exercise. Her exercise programs for 1:1 and group for vestibular, cognition and dual task that are second to none. Kerry has a love of research and professional development for herself and those around her.
Presented in partnership with



Préparation physique pour un triathlon de longue distance, mise à jour pour les kinésiologues
François Lalonde, docteur en science de l’activité physique
Cette formation vous permettra d’optimiser la prise en charge d’une clientèle pratiquant le triathlon amateur. Vous apprendrez :
• Favoriser une santé globale chez le triathlète amateur. Quand trop peut être nocif…
• À utiliser une évaluation afin de prévenir certains problèmes musculosquelettiques par le choix d’exercices complémentaires.
• Mise à jour des tests physiologiques à l’effort pour créer vos zones d’entraînement.
• Un survol des dernières publications scientifiques en lien avec le triathlon.
L’objectif est d’utiliser le triathlon comme un outil pour mener une vie active et d’optimiser la santé.
Dr Lalonde est actuellement en train de compléter son Fellowship avec le Functional Movement System É-U, il est professeur associé à l’Université du Québec à Montréal et formateur au Programme national de formation des entraîneurs pour triathlon Canada. Dr François Lalonde détient un doctorat en science de l’activité physique de l’Université de Montréal où il a travaillé sur le préconditionnement ischémique en contexte de performance et de réadaptation. Dr Lalonde a également été stagiaire postdoctorale au CRCHUM et à l’UQAM où il a travaillé sur plusieurs projets et particulièrement sur le suivi des triathlètes amateurs. Dr Lalonde est aussi connu pour son rôle à titre de spécialiste de l’exercice dans le soutien à la mission spatiale de l’astronaute David Saint-Jacques de l’Agence spatiale canadienne. Dr Lalonde a un intérêt marqué pour la santé et le suivi des athlètes d’endurance amateur. Dr Lalonde détient également une formation d’ostéopathe, il est entraîneur certifié par triathlon triathlon Canada, il est certifié par Ironman Univeritytm, Crossfittm, certified functional strenght coachtm, il est physiologiste de l’exercice certifié de la SCPE et membre de la fédération des kinésiologues du Québec. Dr Lalonde a lui-même et athlète amateur et il cumule plus de 150 événements sportifs.
Présenté en partenariat avec



mHealth (mobile health technologies) interventions addressing the physical inactivity crisis in community settings
Dr. Peter Rawlek and Dr. Scott Rollo, GoGetFit.com
We will highlight the following:
- the significance of the global physical inactivity crisis and the far-reaching health, economic, environmental and social consequences;
- existing public health guidelines (e.g., 24-Hour Movement Guidelines);
- the need for upstream policies/initiatives and scalable and inclusive interventions;
- the role of the healthcare system and allied health professionals (opportunities for networking and partnership);
- the role and effectiveness of mHealth (mobile health technology) interventions targeting physical activity; and
- introduce the work we are invested in and the mHealth solutions we have focused on, with a specific focus on a) school-aged children and youth and b) at-risk adults / clinical populations.
We will address why digital health and health technology innovations, if well designed with administrators’ needs paired to the overwhelming demand, hold particular advantages for facilitating physical activity and promoting healthy active living in an inclusive manner.
Following this presentation, participants will:
- gain a deeper appreciation of the power of well-designed and evidence-based digital health solutions for promoting healthy active living;
- be informed of unique opportunities for networking and collaboration with primary care providers and school systems; and
- appreciate their unique capability to impact the physical activity crisis we are confronted with.
Dr. Peter Rawlek’s 25-year career as an emergency room physician has witnessed the growing impact of lifestyle-related diseases on patients and their families. His early career included roles as a Trauma Team Leader at the University of Alberta, STARS flight physician, and rural medical director for STARS. Peter, the driving force behind GoGet.Fit, has a singular mission: to enhance exercise adherence for the 80% of Canadians, hesitant exercise-novices, starting PA in their homes and communities. Novel is this technology's seamlessly networking healthcare professionals with community-based exercise specialists, efficiently extending one professional's impact to hundreds within communities.
Dr. Scott Rollo is currently a Health Promotion Specialist with Canadian Forces Morale & Welfare Services at CFB Borden. He is also Director of Research, Strategy and Content Development for GoGet.Fit – a health technology company, and Scientific Director for PHIT Canada - a national non-profit organization. Previously, Dr. Rollo was a postdoctoral research fellow with the Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO) research group at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and with the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. His research predominantly focused on population-based measurement and surveillance of 24-hour movement behaviours and health among both adult and paediatric populations. He has a PhD in Kinesiology from The University of Western Ontario, specializing in evidence-based health promotion, health behaviour change and behavioural medicine research.
Presented in partnership with

All are welcome! How to create a safe and inclusive environment in your practice


Brittany McBeath (MSc) and Lucie Lévesque (PhD)
Municipalities, organizations, institutions, and clinics across Canada have begun to recognize the need to revisit their policies and practices related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. This session will introduce kinesiologists and professionals in the sport, recreation, health, and fitness fields with a foundational understanding of inclusive kinesiology, enabling them to recognize and address challenges while actively creating culturally safe and equitable environments within their practices. Engagement with Indigenous peoples will be emphasized.
Following this presentation, participants will:
1. Understand the multifaceted nature of inclusivity within the field of kinesiology.
2. Be able to identify and address key challenges related to inclusivity in kinesiology, including barriers to participation and inequities in access to health and fitness services.
3. Be able to cultivate culturally safe environments.
4. Know how to adapt their teaching methods, exercise programming, and communication styles to cater to diverse populations.
Brittany McBeath (MSc) is Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) with ancestral roots in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and is a registered band member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. She is a 4th year PhD candidate studying under the supervision of Dr. Lucie Lévesque within the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University. For the past six years, Brittany has been conducting research in partnership with the Kahnawà:ke Schools Diabetes Prevention Program. She is well versed in the principles of community-engaged research and use of participatory methods that prioritize the highest standard of culturally safe practices. Brittany has extensive experience living and working within the context of First Nations and Urban Indigenous communities pursuing work related to health promotion, sport, type 2 diabetes prevention, cultural safety and the revitalization of Indigenous language and culture.
Lucie Lévesque (PhD), who is of French and Irish settler descent, leads the Community-Engaged Heath Promotion Research group in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University. Her research focuses on program evaluation and implementation science examining community-based physical activity interventions through an ecological lens. A long-time member of the Kahnawà:ke Schools Diabetes Prevention Program (KSDPP) research team, and frequent collaborator on Indigenous research initiatives, Dr. Lévesque has extensive experience working with and learning from Indigenous communities within a CBPR framework founded on respectful relationships.
Presented in partnership with

Exercise Prescription for persons living with Obesity: A collaborative approach between Therapeutic Recreation and Kinesiology


Katie Wadden and Gillian Batten, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Following this presentation, you will:
- Learn about the prevalence of obesity and unique barriers to physical activity participation that exist for this population;
- Have an understanding of how to incorporate the social determinants of health into exercise prescription;
- Learn how Recreational Therapists can work together to deliver a holistic and inclusive exercise program for persons living with obesity.
Dr. Katie Wadden completed her undergraduate and Master's degrees at MUN in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation. In 2017, Dr. Wadden completed her Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of British Columbia. After her Ph.D., she was awarded a CIHR Postdoctoral fellowship to work in MUN's Recovery and Performance Lab in the Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Katie Wadden is an Assistant Professor in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Dr. Wadden investigates the effects of movement-based interventions on novel brain-body measures in clinical populations. Specifically, Katie studies individuals with stroke and multiple sclerosis and patients in the preconception and postpartum phases of reproduction. Outside of research, Dr. Wadden is the President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Kinesiology Association, where she advocates for the importance of the profession of Kinesiology in all settings where physical activity and exercise are prescribed.
Gillian Batten completed her undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Recreation, concentration in Therapeutic Recreation from Memorial University in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation. She became a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist in 2013 and completed a Master of Health Studies from Athabasca University.
Gillian Batten currently works as an instructor in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Gillian still holds a clinical position with Newfoundland Health Services in Mental Health and Addictions program at the Waterford Hospital. Gillian has served on the Newfoundland and Labrador and Therapeutic Recreation Association (NLTRA) as president as well as in other various roles and has a keen passion in the advancement of Therapeutic Recreation in the province. Gillian’s current research interests have focused on trialing a Recreation Therapy program at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary and looking at the benefits of community re-integration with inmates upon release. She has also looked at the benefits of integrating Recreation Therapy into schools to improve youth mental health and social emotional learning.
Presented in partnership with


Combining nutritional or pharmaceutical interventions with exercise training for preventing osteoporosis - what works and what doesn't work
Phil Chilibeck, PhD
Following this presentation, participants will:
- Learn which nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals compliment or interfere with the effects of exercise for improving bone density.
- Learn which exercises are optimal for people who have osteoporosis.
Phil Chilibeck is a professor in Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan. His teaching area is exercise physiology and his research involves exercise and nutritional interventions for clinical populations (i.e., those at risk for diabetes or osteoporosis) and for high-performance athletes. He received his B.Sc. from the University of Ottawa, M.Sc. from McMaster, and Ph.D. from Western University. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta before coming to University of Saskatchewan. He is a Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Clinical Exercise Physiologist, has served as Chair of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, coached baseball, trained hockey players, and has been playing rugby for close to 30 years.
Presented in partnership with

Promoting Physical Activity for EveryBODY: What can we do as Kinesiologists?

Dr. Angela Alberga, PhD
Dr. Alberga completed her MSc and PhD in Human Kinetics and practiced for many years as a CSEP-CEP with children, adolescents and adults living with obesity and diabetes in clinical health research settings. She has over 15+ years experience in health research and knowledge translation in pediatric obesity and the reduction of weight bias, stigma and discrimination in healthcare and educational settings. She is now an Associate Professor, Quebec Health Research Scholar and Research Chair in the Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. She leads an interdisciplinary research program working with researchers around the world to better understand how school, healthcare and other societal and institutional factors influence weight-related issues including obesity, eating disorders, physical inactivity and weight stigma across the lifespan.
Presented in partnership with

Session information to come
Nolan Turnbull
Presented in partnership with

Putting the 'all' in physically active: Exercise prescription for people with physical disabilities

Dr. Jasmin Ma, PhD
This prentation includes:
- Identify key exercise considerations for prescribing exercise for people with disabilities
- Apply disability-specific exercise considerations to leading individual and group exercise sessions
- Summarize key resources for prescribing exercise for people with disability
Dr. Jasmin Ma is an assistant professor of teaching in the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, a Clinician Investigator with Arthritis Research Canada, Investigator with the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, and a kinesiologist. She teaches and provides training in the areas of exercise prescription, physical activity behaviour change, and disability. Her research and educational leadership activities include three areas of focus: 1) implementing experiential learning opportunities in community-based exercise settings, 2) co-developing knowledge translation tools for clinicians to promote and prescribe physical activity for people with chronic disease and disability, and 3) advancing the methodology of physical activity counselling and tailoring, particularly for people with arthritis and spinal cord injury.

Plyometrics for Everyone - An inclusive approach to exercise-based ACLR Rehab
Carmen Bott, MSc.
When we hear the term plyometrics, we often think "elite athlete." But, did you know they are a very integral part of any lower extremity exercise-based rehab program? It is insufficient to restore balance and lower body strength. We must also address power deficits; there are adaptations in the sensorimotor system that only plyometrics can address. In this session, Carmen will walk you through a series of plyometric drills that are safe, effective and easy to learn for everyday-people returning to activity from ACLR. You will learn that plyometrics are actually a scalable activity choice, versus a choice reserved only for the 'elite.'
Carmen Bott holds a Master's Degree in Exercise Science and is a practicing Kinesiologist with the B.C.A.K. Under the supervision of Dr. Jack Taunton, her academic research focused on load monitoring and physical performance indicators in University level Basketball athletes. Currently, she is investigating best practice in return to play after ACLR. Carmen has evolved into an International Educator. She is sought after for her methodology & coaching tactics in preparing Combative & Repeat-Sprint Team Sport Athletes. After several years of working with top Wrestlers, Carmen published The Wrestler's Edge. It has sold 100's of copies worldwide. Carmen is also a Lecturer at Simon Fraser University. Her interests lie in teaching applied kinesiology and she engages her students in the following courses:
BPK 143 - Exercise: Health and Performance
BPK 343 - Assessment and Exercise Prescription
BPK 375 - Growth and Motor Development
As a Physical Performance Coach, Carmen has 20+ years of hands-on experience from the learn to train level to the High Performance & professional level. Give her a puzzle and watch the problem-solving unfold. She has returned many athletes to sport after injury.