Canadian Medical Association

Listening to patients is a focus of every physician’s clinical practice. It’s also a focus for the CMA. One of the ways we do that is through the Patient Voice, a group of patients who lend their perspectives and experience to our advocacy work. 

The 15-member group offers ideas on how to make Canadians healthier and contribute to a vibrant medical profession, highlighting emerging issues that matter to the public and giving insight into the best ways for the CMA and physicians to engage with patients. They are joined by two representatives from the CMA Board of Directors.

"Hearing and heeding the varied voices of patients is essential to redesigning and co-creating a viable health system in Canada. Together, we can achieve our shared goals and have the most powerful impact.”

— Clare Kozroski, CMA board representative

Want to learn more?

If you’d like to learn more about the Patient Voice or are a patient interested in getting involved, connect with us at [email protected]

For more details on how we engage with patients and the public, read our Patient Engagement Framework, our Patient Partnered Care definition, and Guide on Trauma Informed Engagement & Resources.


Emily Alexander (she/they)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Insight and understanding into the unique needs of young people navigating health care systems. Personal and professional experience in ways to mitigate barriers to access and promote healing from a recovery-oriented and trauma-informed lens.

Learn more about Emily Alexander (she/they)

Sudi Barre (she/her)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Passion for team collaboration. Commitment to work toward greater patient-partnered care. Dedication to ongoing learning and development.

Learn more about Sudi Barre (she/her)

Ambe Chenemu (he/him)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Passion for health care reform that includes using race-based aggregated data to inform health care processes and outcomes and redesign health education curricula. Commitment to work toward greater patient-partnered care delivery.

Learn more about Ambe Chenemu (he/him)

Michelle Hamilton-Page (she/they)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: A deep investment in community building across varied patient communities in collaboration with health care providers. Experience as a digital strategy lead in the public health, hospital and nongovernmental organization sectors.

Learn more about Michelle Hamilton-Page (she/they)

Gary Allan Hanna (he/him)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Deep commitment to rural and remote health services. A sense of Celtic humour!

Learn more about Gary Allan Hanna (he/him)

Jean Johnston-McKitterick (she/her)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: A compassionate voice that helps improve the quality and quantity of care for older adults. A focus on our aging population and its impending impacts on medical society.

Learn more about Jean Johnston-McKitterick (she/her)

Amy Ma (she/her)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Experience with digital health and ability to collaborate with different actors in the health care sector to find a better equilibrium in the power imbalance between patients, caregivers and clinicians. Desire to harness patient and family voices to be a force for positive change in health care.

Learn more about Amy Ma (she/her)

Angus Pratt (he/him)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Excitement for the power of teamwork. Equity, diversity and inclusivity. Allyship and advocacy. Respect for patients as partners and for science.

Learn more about Angus Pratt (he/him)

Caroline Lavallée (she/her)

Caroline passed away in October 2023; the CMA wishes to extend condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.

Learn more about Caroline Lavallée (she/her)

Christel Robichaud (she/her)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: A drive to improve the way health care services are provided to different social groups across Canada.

Learn more about Christel Robichaud (she/her)

Atlas Ruth-Purdie (she/they)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Dedication to the safety and well-being of patients in Canada’s health care system. Belief that all people deserve dignity, respect, housing and health care that is accessible, trauma informed and affordable.

Learn more about Atlas Ruth-Purdie (she/they)

Jake Starratt-Farr (he/they)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: The drive and passion to support conversations with health care providers to encourage a wider understanding and honouring of the unique needs of the 2SLGBTQI community so there can be engagement in breaking down barriers and fully participating in intersectional patient-driven care.

Learn more about Jake Starratt-Farr (he/they)

Jaime Trainor (she/her)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Passion about equal rights and patients’ need to be heard. Desire to ensure that health care providers meaningfully understand patients’ values to improve their health on all levels: physical health, emotional health and overall well-being.

Learn more about Jaime Trainor (she/her)

Sunny Tutt (he/him)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: Lived experience with heart failure and transplant while dealing with the health care system. An interest in collaborating with and contributing to the Patient Voice team to improve patient care and workplace quality for health care professionals. 

Learn more about Sunny Tutt (he/him)

Tammy (Teresa) White Quills-Knife (she/her)

What I hope to bring to the Patient Voice: A passion for looking at ways to promote favourable outcomes for Indigenous people. Experience serving on local, provincial and national boards and committees in the areas of police governance, health, education, women’s shelters, healing and treatment centres, and heart and brain health.

Learn more about Tammy (Teresa) White Quills-Knife (she/her)

Dr. Clare Kozroski, Saskatchewan

Dr. Kozroski is a rural family physician practising in southwest Saskatchewan. She has worked in several provinces and was an active member of the Canadian Forces Health Services reserves for over 20 years. She has served as a Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) regional delegate since 2006, on the board of directors for eight years and as SMA president in 2013.

Learn more about Dr. Clare Kozroski, Saskatchewan

Dr. Nigel G. Walton, British Columbia

Dr. Walton practised in northern Saskatchewan and rural British Columbia before settling as a general practitioner in West Vancouver. For 18 years he was a director of the British Columbia Medical Association (now known as Doctors of BC), where he served on various committees; his roles included being a delegate to 13 General Councils of the CMA.

Learn more about Dr. Nigel G. Walton, British Columbia

We would like to thank past Patient Voice members for their foundational contributions to the CMA and the health system as a whole:

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