Selection Board

Martin Ferguson-Pell, Ph.D., C.Phys, FRSA, completed a BSc (Hons) in physics at Exeter University in the UK and then a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He has held academic appointments in Glasgow; New York (Helen Hayes Hospital and Department of Orthopedics, Columbia University); and London, UK (Neuromuscular Restoration and Rehabilitation [Disability and Technology], Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, University College London). In 2007 Dr. Ferguson-Pell was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. He designed, developed and directs the U of A’s Rehabilitation Robotics Laboratory, which has a strong focus on developing point-of-care technologies that deliver comprehensive virtual clinical assessments between urban specialty clinics and rural and isolated health centres. Dr. Ferguson-Pell has founded two spin-offs from his research. ELIXR Simulations is a non-profit taking on the challenge of ensuring that XR is used effectively in training and education where complex simulations and 3D constructs represent particular challenges for learners. Click&Push Accessibility is providing advanced approaches using novel technologies to improve accessibility to public spaces. He was the 2024 winner of the ASTech Award for Medical, Healthcare, and Pharmaceuticals – Application (Academic Collaboration).

Geoff Fernie, C.M., O.Ont., Ph.D., P.Eng., C.Eng., FCAHS, FCAE, is a Professor in the Department of Surgery and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. He is a bioengineer whose passion is preventing accidents, injuries and illnesses. During his tenure as Director of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (TRI) from 2003 to 2018, he grew the research institute to be the top rehabilitation research centre in the world. He has a track record of taking inventions from the laboratory to market.  He has over 175 peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters and has been awarded nearly 50 patents. Dr. Fernie is a founder and CEO of Hygienic Echo Inc., which he launched to bring his inventions related to infection prevention to market. He is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario.

Patrick McGrath, O.C., Ph.D., FRSC, FCAH, is a practicing clinical psychologist, scientist, former health administrator and social entrepreneur. He is a Senior Scientist at the Royal Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University and Scientist at the IWK Health Centre. Dr. McGrath’s career has focused on translating research into care. He has published papers on pain in disabled children; the well-being of parents of persons with disability; and PTSD in parents of children with disability. His current research involves developing and evaluating e-health interventions. He is scientific/clinical lead of the Superminds, a virtual, coach-delivered, modular mental health aftercare program for amputee graduates of the Superhumans Health Centre in Ukraine and their families. Dr. McGrath’s accolades include appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada, fellow of the Royal Society and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, along with the Manning Foundation Principal Award and the Governor General’s Innovation Award.

Carol L. Richards, O.C., C.Q., Ph.D., F.Pht., FCAHS, is a Professor Emerita in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval. One of the first physiotherapists to obtain a Ph.D. in Canada, she is known for her pioneering research, leadership, vision and advocacy that have propelled the development of the rehabilitation sciences and the physiotherapy profession and led to improved quality of care in Quebec, Canada and beyond. Dr. Richards is the founding Director of the Quebec Provincial Research Network, the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration and founding President of the Fondation Artère that assists the social reintegration of persons recovering from a stroke and their caregivers. She is a member of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Knight of the Ordre National du Québec and holds honourary doctorates from the University of Ottawa, Université de Sherbrooke and Dalhousie University.

Rob Snoek, PLY, is a three-time Canadian Paralympian in athletics who has demonstrated excellent on the world stage, competing with the support of state-of-the-art prosthetic technology. He captured silver and bronze medals at the 1998 IPC Athletics World Championships in Birmingham, England. His career reflects a deep understanding of the role scientific advancement plays in expanding human potential and opportunity.

In recent years, he has become a leading sports broadcaster with three nominations for the Canadian Screen Award for Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer – winning the award in 2024. He has been a commentator on every Paralympic Games since 2002 in Salt Lake City and is always petitioning for more and better coverage of Paralympic sport in Canada and worldwide. He has been trusted as a leading voice by CBC TV and OBS (Olympic Broadcasting Services), the host broadcaster of the International Olympic and Paralympic Committee, to broadcast events such as the Milano Cortina, Paris, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games to both a domestic and worldwide audience. Rob has also been involved as a coach and mentor in hockey, lacrosse and athletics. He has been inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame; Clarington Sports Hall of Fame; and Variety Village Wall of Fame. Rob has also received the Peter Vipond Award as Ontario’s best athlete with a disability and the King Clancy Award for his contributions to the lives of Canadians with a disability.

Robert Steadward, C.C., O.C., A.O.E., Ph.D., L.L.D., is a global pioneer in advancing sport, health and inclusion for all. He is an Honorary Life Member of the International Paralympic Committee, where he was Founding President (1989–2001). He played a defining role in shaping the Paralympic movement and expanding opportunities for athletes with disabilities worldwide. He is an Honorary Life Member of the Canadian Paralympic Committee and also served as a Member on the International Olympic Committee. A visionary educator and sport scientist, he founded the Steadward Centre at the University of Alberta — an internationally recognized facility dedicated to research, fitness and sport programs for children and adults living with disabilities. His work has helped transform attitudes, remove barriers and improve quality of life through the power of sport and physical activity. Throughout his career, Dr. Steadward has championed inclusion on the global stage, influencing major sporting initiatives and advocating for equitable access and participation. His contributions have earned him numerous honours, including Companion of the Order of Canada; the Alberta Order of Excellence; Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; the King Charles III Coronation Medal; and the 150^th Canadian Anniversary of Confederation Senate medal. His impact is defined by a lifelong commitment to empowering people with disabilities and advancing inclusion through sport.

Mahadeo A. Sukhai, Ph.D., is a blind leading disability-focused and accessibility researcher in Canada. He is Chief Scientific and Chief Operating Officer of IDEA-STEM, an organization dedicated to improving the accessibility of science and healthcare. Dr. Sukhai emphasizes the intersection between the quality of life of people with disabilities and accessibility of organizations, systems and policies in his work. He is the Chair of the Employment Technical Committee for Accessibility Standards Canada; Adjunct Professor, School of Medicine, Queen’s University; and Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Business and Information Technology, Ontario Tech University.

Jaipreet Virdi, Ph.D., (she/her) is a deaf/disabled scholar-activist whose work focuses on the ways medicine and technology impact the lived experiences of disabled people. She is Associate Professor in the Department of History and Director of the Critical Humanities Commons at the University of Victoria. Author of the award-winning book, Hearing Happiness: Deafness Cures in History, Dr. Virdi has written academic and popular works exploring the histories of deafness, spotlighting disabled innovators, and questioning the merits of diagnostic technologies. Her writing has appeared in Slate, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Psyche, The Wellcome Collection and the New Internationalist.

Audrey Zucker-Levin, Ph.D., MSPT, MBA, GCS Emerita, earned her physical therapy degree from New York University in 1988 and began her clinical practice at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. She was intrigued by the rehabilitation of people with limb loss and the human interface with both prosthetic and evaluative technology. After earning her PhD in pathokinesiology, Dr. Zucker-Levin joined the faculty in the College of Health Professions at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center from 1999–2017 and in 2017 moved to Saskatoon Canada, where she is currently a Professor of physical therapy at the University of Saskatchewan, School of Rehabilitation Science. Her career has focused on caring for and understanding the needs of people impacted by limb loss. Dr. Zucker-Levin’s research is mostly quantitative and patient oriented, addressing epidemiology of limb loss, inequities in access to care, community based supports, limb loss prevention and maximizing function after limb loss.