About Us

Arthur Woznowski-Vu, PT, PhD(c)

Chair

Arthur Woznowski-Vu is a registered physiotherapist from Montreal, QC. He is actively involved in both clinical practice and research. As a clinician, Arthur has been working in private practice since completing his MSc(A)PT at McGill University in 2013. He completed over 20 professional development courses within his first couple of years of practice in order to rapidly advance his clinical expertise, with a special interest in applying pain science in physiotherapy. In 2016, Arthur started a PhD in Rehabilitation Science at McGill University. His thesis focuses on persistent musculoskeletal pain and biopsychosocial indices of sensitivity to physical activity. Arthur has been awarded multiple local and university-level doctoral scholarships, as well as prestigious federal and provincial doctoral training awards – Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); Fonds de Recherche du Québec en Santé (FRQS); Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail (IRSST). Despite starting a PhD, Arthur has kept some part-time clinical hours due to his belief in the bi-directional value that research and clinical practice contribute to one another.

Arthur believes that pain science has a very important, yet undervalued, role to play in the daily clinical practice of most physiotherapists; but, conversely, he also believes that physiotherapy clinicians’ work experience and insights have a very important, yet undervalued, role to play in the conduct of pain research. Using an approach based in collaboration and inclusiveness, Arthur aims to promote both evidence-based practice and practice-based research for the benefit of helping physiotherapists help people living with pain.

Outside of the world of pain science and physiotherapy, Arthur is a proud husband and father, as well as an avid martial artist.

Janet Holly, BHSc, PT, MSc

Past Chair

Janet is a Clinical Specialist in Pain Science with 27 years of experience in complex pain. As a Clinician Researcher at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, she gets to explore the use of virtual reality as a treatment for CRPS. She also has an interest in the use of big data analytics to study the ‘language of the autonomic nervous system,’ and has benefited greatly by partnering with engineers. She has participated in the International Association for the Study of Pain CRPS COMPACT group and Physiotherapy Alberta’s Chronic Pain Working Group. She is a member of the International Research Consortium for CRPS. She loves to teach both phsyiotherapy students and physiotherapists from across the country.

Most importantly, Janet enjoys spending time with friends and family, kayaking, camping, hiking, and traveling.

Vanitha Arumugam, PT, PhD

Treasurer

Vanitha is an internationally trained physiotherapist; she graduated from the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical Univresity in Chennai, India, with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (2007), followed by a Master of Physiotherapy (2009). She completed her PhD in Western University in the field of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (2016) based from Roth McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre (HULC) at St. Joseph Health Care in London, Ontario.

Vanitha`s research focuses on evidence-based practice among health professionals involved in pain management. She currently practices at St. Joseph Health Care in the chronic pain clinic, and she is also a certified pelvic health therapist. She volunteers with Wheel Dance Canada participants and is a certified Wheel Dance Classifier. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and loves to explore multiple cuisines. She believes holistic well-being is crucial to optimal health. She is excited to be a part of the PSD and hopes that it will be a learning and growing experience.

Patrick Ippersiel, PT, M.Cl.PT, PhD(c)

Secretary

Patrick Ippersiel, BSc (PT), MPT, PhD(c), is a physiotherapist with 10 years of clinical experience working in private practice. He completed his Bachelor’s at McGill University (2007) and his Clinical Master’s at Curtin University in Western Australia (2011). Over time, Patrick developed an interest in managing persistent low back pain and is currently undertaking a PhD which explores the relationship between low back pain, movement, and psychological factors. Since 2016, he has been a sessional lecturer in McGill’s Physical Therapy Program, assisting with multiple courses in the curriculum.

Rochelle Furtado

Communications Liaison

Rochelle Furtado is a physiotherapy student and PhD candidate in the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program at Western University in London, Ontario. Rochelle’s doctoral thesis is focused on post-op pain management after a joint replacement surgery.

She is currently supported by a Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral Award (CGS-D) awarded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Prior to her doctoral work, she earned a Master of Science from Western, and a Bachelor of Sciences (Honours) from the University of Ottawa.

Nathan Augeard

Newsletter Editor

Nathan Augeard is a physiotherapist in Quebec and the founder of Physio Connection, a Canadian network aiming to connect people living with pain with qualified physiotherapists. He is also a PhD student in Rehabilitation Sciences at McGill University.

Nathan’s research focuses on improving how physiotherapy students learn to manage pain across Canadian universities. Overall, he is a strong advocate for facilitating access to high-quality care, by improving how (future) physiotherapists are trained to manage pain.

Prior to undertaking his PhD, Nathan earned a MSc in Advanced Practice and a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy from Glasgow Caledonian University (Scotland). When he is not busy working, you will probably find him cycling, baking sweet treats, rock-climbing, or training in martial arts.

Brandyn Powelske

Knowledge Translation Committee Representative

Hi, my name is Brandyn. I am a practicing Physical Therapist with over six years of experience in the field of private practice in Edmonton, Alberta and currently working in Clinical Education at the University of Alberta. I graduated from the University of Alberta Physical Therapy program in 2014 and I have a strong passion for post-graduate Pain Science learning, including the Pain Sciences Mentorship program with the Canadian Physiotherapy program and completion of a Graduate Certificate in Pain Management from the University of Alberta in 2019.

In addition to clinical practice, I am a PhD rehabilitation science student in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine under the supervision of Dr. Greg Kawchuk, researching group-based pain management programs for chronic low back pain (GLA:D Back) and the clinical use of practice guidelines for low back pain. Outside of work and academics I love getting off the grid to hike in the summer and ski in the winter.