CAHN's Executive Team
CAHN is run by an amazing team of dedicated volunteers with the support of Administrative Consultants. Volunteering for CAHN is a fun and rewarding way to make new connections and hone leadership skills in the field of hepatology nursing.
Considering Board Of Director & Executive Candidacy?
Consider joining CAHN’s executive team either as a board member, a committee chair, or a committee member. Volunteering with CAHN is a rewarding and fun experience. We are looking for people who have about 2 hours per week to dedicate to moving CAHN’s initiatives forward. This is how CAHN is able to bring you the educational content you love. All experience levels are welcome. Having a diverse from across the nation with varying perspectives helps us ensure educational gaps are bridged.
Lindsay Myles
President
2024-2026
Lindsay Myles has been a primary care nurse practitioner since 2014, and after working full time in primary care developed a subspeciality in hepatology. She helped to establish the Simcoe Liver Centre in Barrie along with a community group of gastroenterologists. They manage patients with all types of liver diseases from across the Simcoe Muskoka region. Additionally, she works with HepCure to clinically support mobile outreach teams across Ontario to treat patients with hepatitis C. Beyond managing the interesting viral hepatitis conundrums, she is interested in optimizing outpatient management of patients with end stage liver disease, and strengthening the link between primary care and hepatology in the care of patients with NAFLD.
Lisa Douglas
Past President
2024-2025
Lisa Douglas is a nurse practitioner at Alberta Health Services, working as part of the Calgary Liver Unit located at the Foothills Medical Centre/University of Calgary Medical Clinics.
She obtained her Masters of Nursing and Nurse Practitioner (Adult Stream) from the University of Calgary in 2009, and has worked with the Liver Unit since 2013. Her main clinical focus is the management of patients with advanced liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.
She participates regularly in activities that foster the ongoing education of and mentorship for hepatology nurses, including presenting at meetings and conferences, as well as sitting on formal planning committees for events/conferences. She had been an active CAHN member for several years prior to joining the Board of Directors in 2021.
Outside of work, Lisa has a longstanding history of volunteering with local organizations including the Calgary Stampede. In late 2022, she was awarded the Canadian Fair Champion award from the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions.
Liza Abraham
Treasurer, Board Member, CLM Co-Chair
2023-2025
Liza Abraham has been practicing as a liver RN for the last 17 years. She currently works for the PathCanada Hepatitis C program which is a fully virtual model of care integrated with the TrueNorth Medical Centre OAT program. She values the importance of patient centered care, and she enjoys working with her team to ensure her patients are receiving the best care possible. In her free time, Liza loves exploring the world through travel with her daughter and friends.
Leo Yamamoto
Board Member
2023-2025
Leo Yamamoto is a registered nurse who obtained his Bachelor of Nursing from York University in Toronto. His experience in hepatology began in 2018 where he worked alongside a team of infectious disease specialists in treating viral hepatitis and HIV among vulnerable and marginalized population in the inner city of Vancouver. Leo now works as a hepatology research nurse/coordinator where his area of research involves NAFLD, NASH, HBV, PBC, PSC, and EoE. He has been a CAHN member since 2018 and recently joined the executive team in 2021.
On a personal note, Leo has been involved in street dance since 2008 and is a member of the Vancity Lockers in Vancouver. He also practices Muay Thai and enjoys spending time with his wife and fluffy dog, Lenny – a white sable rough collie.
Elizabeth Martin
Board Member
2024-2026
Elizabeth Martin has been a Nurse since 2007 and has worked in a variety of settings in Canada throughout Nova Scotia, Alberta, British Columbia, and Northwest Territories. She obtained her Master of Nursing- Nurse practitioner Stream through Dalhousie University and started her GI career in Yellowknife in 2013.
Since 2016 she has been in Southern Ontario working in Community GI/Hepatology clinics (primarily Hepatology). She supports Hepatologists and Gastroenterologist treating all liver diseases with a focus on cirrhosis, decompensated liver disease, NASH/NAFLD and viral hepatitis. She has recently become the Director of Outreach for a non-for-profit organization with a focus on identifying and treating priority populations at risk for hepatitis C infection.
Sajida Shaikh Damji
Board Member
2024-2026
I have been working as a Registered Nurse for 17 years. I have been a CAHN member for the past 2 years, so I feel I still have lots of room for growth within this realm of nursing. I feel I would be an asset to the board as I am keen to build my knowledge on hepatology nursing in Canada and hope to do this by supporting & participating in networking opportunities, liaison with members of the board to help organize CAHN events and attend educational opportunities and facilitate knowledge sharing and networking opportunities while advocating for equitable policies/practices that address social & structural determinants of health.
My past work experience is varied across Canada. I have worked at Street health on East Hastings Street and Emergency department medicine in Vancouver BC, to Hemodialysis and Emergency medicine in Hamilton, ON to Kingston, ON, where I currently live and work. The past 15 years has led to opportunities as a Case manager & Care coordinator for Ontario Health, including primary care at Kingston’s only Emergency Department. I currently work at Street health which has included experience in outreach/Hepatitis C and opportunities for growth in Spirometry testing. I am excited to lead the charge on Spirometry testing now offered at the Street Health Centre.
Sonja Hartz
Board Member
2024-2026
I have been a nurse since 1991 and have worked in most areas of nursing. I have been in Hepatology/HIV for Positive Wellness North Island since 2014. In 2021 we expanded our clinical focus from viral hepatitis and HIV to encompass all liver diseases.
I have had the opportunity to mentor a few other nurses in hepatology, coordinate our outreach with existing teams and add in remote patient monitoring for our more fragile decompensated patients. I am also fortunate to be able to outreach and offer services in our community on the MOUHSS (mobile outreach unit for health and social services) which is a converted RV.
I live with my husband and two dogs in Campbell River on beautiful Vancouver Island and have 3 adult children. I enjoy volunteering in my community at the local dinner program and overseas teaching English.
Pam Ford
Board Member, Partnership Chair
2024-2026
Lori Lee Walston
Finance Chair
2023-2025
Lori Lee has over 34 years of nursing experience from neonatal nursery to geriatric rehabilitation, medicine to surgery. The last 20 years were in the field of Hepatology where she worked both clinical and research with Hepatitis C patients. She started working with interferon alfa and participated in all the clinical trials that eventually brought the current treatments to market. She retired from nursing at the end of 2019 and now resides in Saskatchewan enjoying good country life. Lori Lee has been a member of CAHN since its inception. She has held the position of Treasurer since 2014.
Wendy Schaufert
Standards and Competencies Chair
2023-2025
I have worked in Calgary for the majority of my nursing career in many different specialties. Since 2014 I have been involved with Hepatology as a nurse clinician for the Nurse Led High Risk NAFLD Clinic.
I just completed a 2-year term on the CAHN BOD and was a member of the Standards and Competencies committee. For the next 2 years I will continue as the chair of this same committee. I have been a CAHN member since 2015 and have had some great experiences.
On a personal note, I have been married for 30 years and have 2 kids. Both my son and my daughter have graduated with their degree in Business. My husband and I live on an acreage outside Calgary where are 3 dogs run wild.
Lindsey Lenters
Education Chair
2023-2025
Lindsey is the Hep C Nurse at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, part of the Toronto Community Hep C Program. She is relatively new to the world of hepatology nursing, having worked previously as an emergency department nurse and as a public health program coordinator. She is looking forward to expanding her network & deepening her knowledge of hepatology nursing!
Michelle Pittman
CAHNference Co-Chair
2024-2026
Michelle became an RN in 2016 and primarily worked in community health, addiction medicine, mental health, and sexual health. In 2020, she became the clinic manager at River Stone Recovery Centre, the first iOAT program in Atlantic Canada. Michelle earned her Master of Nursing from Athabasca University in 2023, becoming a Nurse Practitioner with Horizon Health Network while continuing to manage River Stone. She also started a nurse-led Hepatitis C treatment program, sits on the steering committee of Action Hepatitis Canada, and is a mentor for the Atlantic Mentorship Network in New Brunswick. Michelle’s goal is to start a mobile unit so the River Stone team can access hard-to-reach populations, provide primary care, substance use treatment, and reduce STBBI rates in the community.
Elizabeth (Liz) Lee
CAHNference Co-Chair
2024-2026
Tamara Barnett
CLM Co-Chair
2024-2026
Tamara Barnett is a registered nurse with certified practice working in Victoria, British Columbia as a primary care nurse and the hepatitis C program coordinator of the nurse-led hepatitis C treatment program at Cool Aid Community Health Centre. The Cool Aid clinic provides low threshold primary care to vulnerable populations including people with polysubstance dependence and complex mental health challenges. The Cool Aid nurses have developed many nurse-led programs including their nurse-led PrEP program, nurse-led Doxy-PEP program and the internationally award winning, nurse-led Hepatitis C program that utilizes numerous innovative models of care including ‘seek and treat’, PEER led and pharmacy led initiatives. Tamara is also currently working with the local jail developing a model of care for hepatitis C elimination with a link to primary care upon release from prison.
Stacey Frasson
Membership & Communications Chair
2024-2026
Hello, my name is Stacey Frasson, and I am a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) with over 20 years of nursing experience. I began my nursing journey in long-term care, where I developed a strong foundation in providing compassionate care to older adults.
For the next 15 years, I worked in the bariatrics field, specializing in helping patients navigate their weight loss journeys. During my time in the clinic, I had the opportunity to manage the bariatric clinic, overseeing the day-to-day operations and ensuring exceptional patient care.
My passion for hepatology developed during the following four years with Liver Care Canada, where I served as a hepatology nurse and also contributed to the business development of the organization. This experience allowed me to witness the impact of liver care on patients’ lives and solidified my dedication to this field.
I took a two-year hiatus from hepatology, and worked as a patient support nurse case manager in dermatology. This role provided me with valuable experience in managing patient care plans and coordinating biologic treatments to support patients’ dermatological needs.
Currently, I am thrilled to be working with Sentrex as their Hepatology and Gastroenterology Patient Care Manager. In this position, I am responsible for ensuring high-quality and personalized care for patients with liver and gastrointestinal conditions.
Outside of my nursing career, I find joy in working with my hands on small woodworking projects and furniture refinishing. It allows me to tap into my creativity and unwind. Additionally, I love spending time on the trails with my dog Stella, enjoying the outdoors and staying active.
Danae Sale
Administrative Consultant
Danae has been supporting CAHN’s executive team since 2016.
Participating on CAHN’s executive team is a fun and fulfilling way to help deliver education to hepatology nurses across Canada while becoming a leader in the field. Contact Danae at admin@cahn.ca to learn about open opportunities.
Emma Jensen
Administrative Consultant
Emma has been supporting CAHNs executive team since 2022. With a diploma in Marketing Management; Emma specializes in member communications and marketing. In her free time, Emma enjoys many outdoor activities like backpacking, hiking, and kayaking.