Aamir Haq is a family physician with a fellowship in palliative care. He maintains a busy family practice and provides hospice and home-based palliative care in Etobicoke, ON. As a proud generalist physician who trained and grew up in Northern Ontario, Aamir strives to maintain a career with a wide skill set. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he developed a focus in obesity medicine and enthusiastically helps his patients through their weight loss journey. Obesity is a chronic medical illness that impacts many domains of an individual’s life and its treatment involves a range of bio-psycho-social knowledge set that Aamir is passionate to engage in. In addition to clinical practice, he also enjoys teaching and providing mentorship to medical students.

Emily Kearsley-Ho is a family physician and diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She uses an evidence-based, holistic approach to weight management which considers the genetic, neurological, hormonal, and environmental drivers of weight. Emily also aims to reduce weight bias and stigma in healthcare. Most recently, she co-authored a journal article helping physicians understand, assess, and treat obesity. Her personal interests include reading, running, playing games, and traveling to try new food.

Pam Lau is a licensed physician in Family Medicine and Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She received her medical degree at the University of Toronto and then went on to pursue her residency training at McMaster University. She has a passion for obesity care and is excited to work with patients at the MWMCC. Aside from her obesity medicine work, she does surgical assisting at Markham-Stouffville Hospital. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 kids, reading or using her Peloton.

Melanie MacNeil is a family physician practicing in the Annapolis Valley. She has been living and practicing in Nova Scotia with her husband and 4 children since 2016. She graduated from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) in 2011 and completed her residency training in Family Medicine in 2013. Dr. MacNeil pursued further education in Obesity Medicine in order to treat the root cause of many chronic medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver, polycystic ovarian syndrome/infertility and sleep apnea. She has undergone extensive training in the evaluation and treatment of Obesity. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine which is the highest certification offered in Obesity Medicine. She is also a certified bariatric educator.

Anil Maheshwari, MD, is dual board certified in Family and Obesity Medicine and has over 20 years of experience as a primary care physician in both the US and Canadian healthcare systems. He is passionate about the treatment of obesity to prevent or help treat diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver, heart disease and sleep apnea. Dr. Maheshwari is an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) at McMaster University and enjoys giving talks about preventative health. He is also a Peer Leader for OntarioMD, assisting physicians in the optimal use of technology in clinical care. He has served as Chief of Family Medicine at Cambridge Memorial Hospital and Lead Physician at Grandview Medical Centre Family Health Team. He was a Henry Rutgers Scholar who double majored in biology and psychology in Rutgers University, graduating with an honors degree. He subsequently completed a Doctor of Medicine degree at New Jersey Medical School and a three year residency in Family Medicine at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey.

Sumit Makkar is a family physician who offers comprehensive primary care in Barrie, Ontario. He pursued his Bachelors in Pre-Health at the University of Waterloo before obtaining his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. He subsequently completed his Family Medicine Residency at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury. Sumit joined the Barrie community in September of 2017 and has since become a Director for the Barrie FHT/FHO, Co-Medical Director of the Barrie and Community Family Medicine Clinics and Medical Examiner for the Medical Council of Canada. His true passion is weight management. Presently he is pursuing a sub-specialty certification with the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

Diljaan Natt is family physician based out of Barrie, Ontario. He is board certified in family medicine through both the American Academy of Family Physicians as well as Canadian College of Family Physicians. In addition to his clinical practice, he has held leadership positions serving as board member for Barrie Family Health Organization as well as Medical Director for the Barrie and Community Family Medicine Clinics. Through his training and practice, he has developed a passion for weight management through healthy lifestyle measures and utilizing up-to-date, evidence-based medical treatments. Diljaan has completed the certificate for Obesity Management from Columbia University and is working towards certification from the American Board of Obesity Medicine.  He believes that "managing your weight encompasses strategies that will improve your overall mental and physical health, allowing you to be the best version of you!"

Nathalie Ranger is a primary care-trained physician who has focused her clinical practice in obesity medicine, alongside a background in addiction medicine. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Western University, and subsequently earned her medical doctorate (MD) at McMaster University. She completed family medicine residency at Queen’s University, followed by an addiction medicine fellowship in the University of Toronto PGY3 Enhanced Skills program. She is certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, with a Certificate of Added Competence in Addiction Medicine. She is also certified as an American Board of Obesity Medicine diplomate and has a special interest in providing psychotherapy to support sustained lifestyle change in treatment of obesity and related metabolic conditions. Nathalie is passionate about supporting patients to explore their values and feel empowered to take action in their journeys to finding their best weight. She enjoys living an active lifestyle, connecting with family and friends, and finding the fun and humour in things whenever possible!

Nada is a Registered Dietitian, mom, and avid foodie. She specializes in weight management and is passionate about helping people struggling with obesity find a balanced, sustainable, and enjoyable lifestyle to help them reach their best weight. She earned her Bachelor of Nutrition Science degree from McGill University and has a Masters in Public Health from the University of Toronto. Throughout her career, Nada advanced her skills and knowledge in behaviour change counselling to empower her clients to uncover the “why” behind eating and to help them develop the skills needed to engage in behaviours that are in line with their values. Throughout her work at the MWMCC, she hopes to make an impact by shattering the stigmas around obesity and normalizing conversations around obesity treatment options.

Lynette is a Dietitian and Certified Bariatric Educator in Nova Scotia. She studied Nutrition at Acadia University and has worked for over 20 years as a clinical dietitian in a regional hospital. During her career she developed an interest in obesity management which led to achieving her CBE designation in 2018, and she has been working with specialty services for obesity patients since then. She is excited by the advancements in research and treatment options that have been developed for obesity, and looks forward to continuing to provide evidence-based care to Canadians living with obesity at MWM.

Michelle Barish has been practicing dietetics for more than 20 years. She graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson Polytechnic University) where she obtained a Bachelor of Applied Science in Food and Nutrition. Michelle then completed a Graduate Clinical Internship at The Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation. Presently, Michelle counsels clients in a variety of settings, specializing in Weight management, Diabetes and IBD/IBS. She is passionate about all aspects of nutrition. As an experienced and trusted dietitian Michelle takes pride in her ability to work closely and empathically with her clients to ensure that their unique and individual needs are supported. She was the recipient of a Canada wide award from the Organization for Nutrition Education. When she is not working, Michelle loves spinning, cooking, spending time with her family and walking the dog.

Evelena completed her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition at St. F.X University in 2002 and graduated from The Moncton Hospital Graduate Dietetic Internship program in 2003. She has worked extensively in geriatrics however she started a private practice in 2017 to support people of all ages build healthier mindsets around food, mind and body. Evelena recognizes the overwhelming amount of misleading nutrition information available, the struggles with body image, the impacts of social media and the harms of diet culture and is passionate about supporting clients on their weight management journey.

After attaining her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Moncton, NB, Nicole gained experience working at a rural Community Health Centre for the New Brunswick Provincial Health Authority, doing policy and program development as the Provincial Healthy Eating Consultant for the Government, and lastly, working as the Manager of Population Health for the New Brunswick Provincial Health Authority. Her passion for health and nutrition, helping others, and her love for connecting with people, naturally led her to one-on-one nutrition consulting. Currently, Nicole works in Weight Management and teaches Nutrition at the University of New Brunswick in the Kinesiology Department. She has additional training in Binge Eating Disorder, Mindfulness and extensive experience with Emotional Eating. Nicole has dedicated her 14-year Registered Dietitian career to supporting her clients in transforming their lives and health in a way they can sustain, working with thousands of clients one-on-one to date. She is extremely passionate about providing evidence-based advice and individualized solutions to her clients.

Puichi Cheng is a Registered Dietitian with experience in helping clients improve health through evidence-based nutritional recommendations. She has worked in both private and public settings with areas of focus on nutrition management of chronic diseases and medical and surgical management of obesity. Puichi understands every person is unique and strives to provide individualized care and motivates clients in behavior changes that are sustainable and appropriate to the individuals' lifestyles. She believes all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle and weight management doesn't have to be restrictive!

Kaitlyn is one of the Registered Dietitians on the MWM Team. She has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Applied Human Nutrition from Mount Saint Vincent University. Kaitlyn has worked in numerous environments providing nutrition education and support. Among her favourites was leading a group weight management program for people at risk of type 2 diabetes. She currently runs a local accountability group for women looking to manage their weight and balance their lifestyle habits with food and exercise, and to help them learn and improve their food relationship and movement choices. She is passionate about weight management and helping guide clients as they take confident steps toward living their best and healthiest life for long-term wellness!

Evan Huang-Ku is a registered dietitian with a Master of Public Health degree. He has helped clients with various chronic diseases and nutritional issues through one-on-one nutrition counselling. Meeting with clients where they’re at, Evan practices client-centred care, operating from a lens of empathy, to support clients in achieving their best weight. Experienced in weight management and diabetes, he has both the certified bariatric educator and certified diabetes educator designations. Evan is proud to be part of the MWM team, leading a new chapter in medical weight management.

Hanifah is a Registered Dietitian with the MWM team. She’s been a dietitian for over 10 years, providing nutrition therapy for individuals looking to take steps to further their health and wellbeing. She has a passion for connecting with people and helping them build a pleasurable relationship with food, while supporting their health goals. Hanifah is originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba and now lives in Cambridge, Ontario with her husband and 2 kids. Her family loves spending time outdoors and she also loves watching all the true crime documentaries she can find!

Rosanna Lee has been a Registered Dietitian (RD) for over 5 years with diverse experiences in weight management and in chronic disease prevention. Her clinical experiences include working in acute care, primary care, rehabilitation, geriatric medicine, and in outpatient care. Her passion includes health promotion, research, and working with media. Rosanna has been featured as a nutrition expert in Costco Connection Magazine (Canada/ US/ Mexico), the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF), Global News, and in Huffington Post Canada. She looks forward to helping you on your journey to achieving your best health at the Medical Weight Management Centre of Canada.

Catherine is a Registered Dietitian. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences in Dietetics from McGill University in Montreal. She specializes in weight management, obesity, diabetes/pre-diabetes, women’s health, digestive health, chronic disease prevention, and counselling for behaviour change. She is passionate about helping clients ditch dieting to improve their relationship with food and develop sustainable eating habits. Her goal is to empower clients to achieve their best health by providing them with the tools and strategies they need to improve their physical and mental well being. Her counselling style is compassionate and collaborative. She works together with clients to develop a personalized plan that fits their lifestyle and is aligned with their values. She is excited to be part of the MWMCC team, providing evidence based obesity treatment and supporting clients with their health journey.

Shannon completed a Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Guelph, followed by a comprehensive dietetic internship with Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation. She has worked in both acute & community-based settings with a variety of patient populations including stroke, oncology, rehabilitation & diabetes. Throughout her career, she has developed a passion for the field of weight management after working with clients and realizing their struggle with the limited access to care and treatment options. Shannon aims to facilitate meaningful change and support patients with their individual health and nutrition goals.

Melanie has been a Medical Administrator for over 15 years, and what she loves the most about this field is the relationships with the patients. She not only loves assisting them with their administrative needs, but also building a rapport them. In her spare time, Melanie enjoys a great book, traveling with her husband and spending time at the family cottage with their furbaby Kia.

Sira is an administrative agent at MWM, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science. She has worked as a Quality Assurance Coordinator and as an Intake Coordinator, specifically in the setting of workplace health. She is passionate about weight management and believes that everyone deserves access to quality treatment. In her spare time, she enjoys taking walks, travelling, long drives and discovering new things.

Karen is one of the Administrators for MWM. She has an Honours bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, and has always had a passion for helping people become the best version of themselves. To broaden her pathway of supporting people, she attained her Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation. Through her 13 years in healthcare and her experience working in different industries, she is an advocate for all people and has found that with the right tools and support, people are more likely to achieve their goals. She is very excited to be a part of the MWMCC team, supporting people on their journey towards making real progress!