morning keynote * sponsored by lawtons*

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Dr. Vivien Brown MDCM, CCFP, FCFP, MSCP is an influential family physician and Assistant Professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.

She is renowned for her expertise in women’s health, brain health, immunization, health promotion and healthy aging. 

Besides her clinical practice, she’s a sought-after speaker and advisor in the healthcare community. Her involvement in health policies and boards such as Immunize Canada and the Women’s Brain Health Initiative underscores her broad influence in the medical field

Her acclaimed book “The New Woman’s Guide to Healthy Aging” reflects her dedication to empower women on crucial health topics

From leading initiatives like HPV Prevention Week in Canada to advising on menopause education, Dr. Brown’s expertise covers a vast range of topics in women’s health and healthy aging. 

https://drvivienbrown.com/

Dr Brown is presented by Lawtons Drugs 

Jennifer Gillivan is President and CEO of the IWK Foundation. The Foundation is the primary fundraising and outreach partner of the IWK Health Centre in the East Coast of Canada. Jennifer is a passionate champion for the rights and wellbeing of Children and Women and is Co-Founder and Past Chair of the Board of Directors of Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF), one of the largest funders of children’s health in Canada.

Jennifer has led her team to historic fundraising results and has also led the organization to become a member of The Women’s Health Collective. Jennifer is a seasoned executive leader, passionate and motivational speaker and contributor to her community and country. In addition to being appointed to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Advisory Board on Gender and Health, Jennifer has received both regional and national recognition for her work, she was awarded by Waterstone Capital as the “Most Admired CEO in a Social Profit Organization” in Canada. 

Jennifer was inducted into the Atlantic Business Magazine Business Hall of Fame, and she was recognized as one of the most powerful Atlantic Canadian Businesswomen. Jennifer received the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant award, Halifax Chamber Business Person of the Year and many other national and regional awards. Jennifer is a board member of the Frank H Sobey for Excellence in Business Awards Board of Trustees and is past Co-Chair of the Sobey national mental health partnership, a board member of the Women’s Health Collective, and past Chair of Governance & Nominations for the CCHF Board of Directors. Jennifer was appointed in 2016 – 2018 by the Prime Minister of Canada to serve on the Independent Advisory Board for Senate appointments representing Nova Scotia and she has served on many local and national boards over the years. 

Jennifer is dedicated to ending the unconscious bias towards women’s healthcare and research and making real and sustainable change for women and for future generations. 

Dr. Kathie McNally is the Senior Advisor - Santis Health & Medical Advisor – Veterans Affairs Canada.  As a practicing Family Physician, Kathie has worked in many different clinical settings over the last 25+ years including community primary care, long term care, emergency medicine, and acute hospital care. Her current clinical interests are in outreach medicine, menopause care, and general family practice.

Her leadership experience has spanned over 25 years.  

She is a co-founder and President of the newly-founded PEI Menopause Society.  She was the Chief Medical Officer with Health PEI and prior to this position she was the Director of Health Services with the Department of Health & Wellness with the provincial government.  She has held numerous other leadership positions through the years and is also a consultant in health care. 

Kathie graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island, Dalhousie University Medical School, and the University of Ottawa Family Medicine Residency program.  She initially practiced family medicine in northeastern Ontario prior to moving back to Prince Edward Island.  She currently practices on PEI where she lives with her family.

Cathy Hoyles  is the President & Chief Strategist, The Updrift Partnership – A Health Management Company.  She is also a fiercely intuitive healthcare professional that simply won’t take no for an answer. 

A healthcare system leader in Newfoundland and Labrador for over 20 years, Cathy knows exactly how it works, which made it all the more infuriating when her own menopause transition hit and she went looking for support, only to find next to nothing - no dedicated care, no clinicians trained to help, and treatments women needed that the system wouldn't even cover. For someone who'd spent her career inside health care, that wasn't just disappointing, it was pathetic, and Cathy wasn't going to let it stand. 

True to her Newfoundland grit, she rallied four like-minded women and co-founded Menopause Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, determined to build the menopause care this province deserved. In its first year, MFNL has built a community of over 7000 women, and gathered the first province -wide Menopause Experience of Care survey, with 6553 women answering the call to speak up.  While here as a private citizen, Cathy continues to lead as a Physiotherapist, a Director inside the public health authority in NL and as the Chief Strategist in her own health management company, always focusing on the best outcomes for people.  

She brings that same sharp mind and refusal to settle to every table she sits at, including this one, where she'll bring Newfoundland and Labrador's bold and experienced voice to the future of menopause care across Atlantic Canada. 

Shannon Hunter is President and CEO of the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation, the primary fundraising partner for New Brunswick’s largest tertiary care hospital and the New Brunswick Heart Centre.

Since becoming CEO in 2024, Shannon has led significant organizational growth, increasing philanthropic revenue by 35% while building a high-performing, people-first culture recognized by Atlantic Business Magazine as one of the Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada in both 2025 and 2026. A strong advocate for women in leadership, she leads an all-female leadership team and is committed to creating an environment where women are supported to grow, thrive, and lead with confidence.

With more than 20 years of experience and advanced executive leadership studies through the Rotman School of Management’s Excellence in Executive Leadership program, Shannon is known for leading complex, high-impact initiatives and bringing people together around a shared vision. In 2026, she was named one of Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 50 CEOs.

Under her leadership, the Foundation is strengthening its role as a strategic partner in advancing healthcare and demonstrating the power of philanthropy to drive meaningful, sustainable change.

Shannon lives in Rothesay, New Brunswick, with her husband, Peter, and their nine-year-old twin daughters. 

Co-founder of the Menopause Society of Nova Scotia,  Dr. Shawna O'Hearn (PhD) is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. Based in Halifax, she is widely recognized for her advocacy in women's health, particularly for breaking stigmas surrounding perimenopause and menopause in the workplace. 

An Occupational Therapist and Geographer with a powerhouse background in leadership, Shawna brings passion, purpose, and a bold voice to the conversation around women’s health. With years of experience championing inclusive workplaces and empowering others to thrive, she is on a mission to make sure every woman feels seen, heard, and supported. 

Whether she’s leading teams or leading tough conversations, her energy is contagious and her message is clear: women deserve to navigate every stage of life with confidence, knowledge, and community.  

Dr. MARIA PATRIQUIN   MD CCFP FCFP

Dr Patriquin is a highly regarded family physician, clinical innovator, and assistant professor at Dalhousie University. 

She is the founder and director of the Living Well Integrative Health Center, a pioneering multi-disciplinary primary care clinic designed around the Patient’s Medical Home (PMH) model. 

She is a Collaborative Care Consultant and is part of a Collaborative Working Group Shared Mental Health Care CFPC/CPA.  Dr Patriquin is on the Canadian Paediatric Society Strategic Mental Health Task Force and is also an assistant Professor at Dalhousie University in the Department of Family Medicine.

Dr Patriquin is the recipient of the prestigious CFPC Patient's Medical Home Care and Compassion Award for her outstanding contributions to accessible, patient-centred healthcare systems.

Dr. ALISON MACBETH 

Dr. MacBeth moved from the UK in May 2026 to work as a family physician in Bridgewater, NS with a special interest in women’s health, menopause and breast cancer.

For the past 12 years in the UK, she worked as a breast cancer physician and a specialist in menopause after breast cancer.  She  developed the only Menopause after Breast Cancer unit in Scotland.

She has spoken at various UK and international conferences on managing menopause after breast cancer.

Dr. MacBeth is a British Menopause Society advanced Menopause Specialist as well as a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner ( MSCP). 

She is also a medical advisor for Menopause and Cancer charity – which is a UK based charity but with members and events around the world. 

 Dr. ASTRID WELLS  (MBChB, MRCGP, CCFP, DRCOG, DFSRH, GPSI Menopause) is a Family Physician who also specializes in Women's health with particular interests in Menopause Care and Vulval Health. 

Dr Wells is a UK trained physician who has advanced training in Menopause care through the British Menopause Society, a diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and also a diploma in Sexual Health. 

Dr Wells recently moved to Nova Scotia and is passionate about improving Women's Health within the Atlantic region. 

Diana Dibblee RD, MEd, YTT  is a Registered Dietitian, educator, and yoga teacher specializing in women's health; with a focus on metabolic, bone, brain, and muscle health through the perimenopause and postmenopause transition.

Diana's approach is grounded in evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies, translated into realistic, sustainable habits for busy lives. She recently attended the IMS World Congress on Menopause to stay current on the latest research.  Through her private practice and professional development sessions for healthcare providers and community members, she helps both women and clinicians navigate midlife nutrition and hormonal health with clarity and confidence.

A runner, fitness enthusiast, cook, and global trekker, Diana brings energy and authenticity to her work empowering women to embrace midlife with strength and vitality. Her motto: strong plate, strong body — progress over perfection. 

Find her sharing recipes and tips @Dibbs.On.Aging.Strong.

Regan Chapman is Registered Clinical Therapist who operates Chapman Counselling Therapy in Halifax.

She built a robust foundation in education and social systems, earning a BA with Combined Honours in Sociology and International Development from the University of King's College and a Bachelor of Education from St. Thomas University. She later pivoted into mental health, completing a Master of Education in Counselling at Acadia University. 

In her private practice, she provides safe, client-centered therapy for children, teens, and adults both in-person and virtually across Canada. Her areas of expertise include ADHD, autism, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, and perimenopause. She is also a trained Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist.  

Erika Burger is a physiotherapist with over 30 years of clinical experience, specializing in pelvic health physiotherapy. She works with individuals of all genders across a wide range of life stages, with a particular focus on bladder, bowel, sexual health, pelvic pain, pregnancy, and menopause.

Her passion for pelvic health began in 2006 following her own experience with persistent pelvic pain during her first pregnancy. That experience shaped her commitment to helping others navigate often overlooked and under-discussed areas of health and wellbeing.

In 2021, Erika founded The Pelvic Health Clinic in her home community of Cole Harbour—a multidisciplinary, trauma-informed clinic dedicated to pelvic health. She has since trained and mentored a team of pelvic health physiotherapists, with a shared commitment to compassionate, evidence-informed care.

Erika holds a Master’s degree and is a recipient of both the Governor General’s Gold Medal and the Killam Scholar award. She continues to contribute to the profession through teaching, mentorship, and advocacy, while providing care that combines advanced manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, biofeedback, and pain science education.

She is passionate about helping people better understand their bodies, feel heard and supported, and feel confident navigating change.

https://www.thepelvichealthclinic.ca/

Dr Baharak Amir ( MD, FRCSC) is a highly regarded urogynecologist, pelvic floor reconstruction surgeon, and Chief of the Division of Gynecology at IWK Health in Halifax.  She also serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. She has held several notable leadership posts, including Program Director for the Urogynecology Fellowship.

As a urogynecologist and reconstructive pelvic floor surgeon, Dr Amir provides both medical and surgical interventions for conditions affecting the female pelvic organs 

With nearly two decades of clinical experience in the Maritimes, she splits her time between complex surgical work at public hospitals, medical education leadership, and her private wellness clinic.  In 2019, she co-founded the NoVa Women's Health & Laser Clinic, a private facility expanding treatment options for women. 

Amanda Thebe is a Fitness and Women’s Health Coach with close to 30 years in the fitness industry.  She is the author of the Amazon best-selling book, Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too!

As Canada’s first menopause workplace educator, Amanda provides on-site or virtual educational presentations in the workplace to improve productivity, retention and attendance for female employees through menopause.

Amanda is a popular guest on podcasts, radio, TV and online summits. Her health and fitness tips have been featured on programs such as Oprah and in magazines such as Shape and Prevention. She recently spoke at TEDx with a humorous, informative and deeply personal talk entitled, Should Men Talk About Menopause?

Amanda will bring her passion and humour to the Atlantic Menopause Show in November - teaching participants how to be empowered in midlife and menopause. She will outline achievable strategies to help women manage menopause symptoms and improve their overall health now and into the future.

https://amandathebe.com/

Amanda Thebe is presented by Emera