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Board

Board of Directors

The Board is a governing Board under the Bylaws of the Alberta College of Family Physicians. The ACFP Board ensures that:
  • the association is properly managed;
  • its property and assets are suitably cared for; and that
  • high-quality services are provided to all its members

The ACFP President is also the Board Chair and is the official spokesperson on issues that arise during and between Board meetings. The Board consists of nine Directors. Director terms of office are three years, beginning at the Annual Meeting of Members (AMM) held in March.

Non-Voting Board Liaisons

In January 2016, the structure and mandate of the ACFP Board was changed from a representative governance Board to a smaller skills-based governing Board. At that time, the Board adopted a new recommendation to invite Medical Student Liaisons and Family Medicine Resident Liaisons from the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary to attend all of the meetings of the Board as contributors without voting privileges.

2024-2025 Board of Directors

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Noel DaCunha
President
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Melanie Hnatiuk
President-Elect
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Douglas Tuck
Treasurer
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Munib Ali
Director-at-Large
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Simon Colgan
Director-at-Large
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Lee Green
Director-at-Large
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Donna Mumert
Director-at-Large
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David Pinzon
Director-at-Large
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Dinesh Witharana
Director-at-Large
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Smitha Yaltho
Director-at-Large
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Terri Potter
Executive Director
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Emily Cox
Medical Student Liaison – University of Calgary
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Carly Clarke
Medical Student Liaison – University of Alberta
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Matthew Machan
Resident Board Liaison – University of Calgary

Dr. Noel DaCunha

I’m Dr. Noel DaCunha and I live and work in Westlock, a small town an hour north of Edmonton. I have practised rural family medicine in Alberta for thirty-two years, having previously trained in London, England.  Teaching students and residents is one of my greatest joys and I embrace all that rural Alberta has to offer.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I joined the Board because I felt I had accumulated sufficient knowledge and experience to add to the perspective of the board and hopefully make a positive contribution.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
Since joining the Board, I have grown to appreciate the challenges facing family medicine in Alberta and Canada and the need for strong leadership, advocacy, as well as well directed professional development programs and research. I am proud of the leadership role that our Board has taken with respect to the opioid crisis and our active engagement with the developing and rapidly changing primary care landscape in Alberta.

 

Dr. Melanie Hnatiuk

My name is Melanie Hnatiuk and I’m a proud family physician. I was born and raised in Alberta, having lived in both Edmonton and Calgary. I spent some time in London, Ontario for medical school at Western, then returned to complete my residency at the University of Calgary. I currently work as an academic family physician at the University of Calgary where I have been privileged to play a role in the training of medical students and residents and to care for many of my patients for over 15 years. I have held various administrative and leadership positions both at the Department of Family Medicine and with other organizations in Alberta. I’m married and the mom of three children (and one dog). I love spending time outdoors with my family.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I am passionate about contributing to the work of the ACFP because I believe that family medicine is the foundation for a high-quality, compassionate, and efficient health care system. Individuals, communities, and the system as a whole benefit when Family Medicine has strong representation.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
I value the work the ACFP has done to advocate on behalf of Albertans by representing family physicians. The ACFP’s collaboration with stakeholders will ensure our discipline remains adaptive to the needs of the communities we work within.

Dr. Doug Tuck

My name is Dr. Douglas (Doug) Tuck, Maj (Ret) CD1. I am a GP primary working as a contractor supporting the Canadian Armed Force, with experience in locums in Alberta.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
Currently I am the Treasurer on the ACFP. I volunteer because I believe in giving back to the communities to which I belong. This allows me to keep abreast of changes to our profession, network with my peers, and hopefully advance the specialty of family medicine.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
I value the work the ACFP does both in providing quality/timely CPD to support family physicians and also the advocacy work that the ACFP has been doing to help ensure the voices and values of family medicine are being heard at many planning tables at the provincial level.

Dr. Munib Ali

I’m Dr. Munib Ali, a resident physician training in Calgary where I was also born and raised. I am driven by a passion for research, innovation, and harnessing technology to push the frontiers of primary care, with a particular focus on improving healthcare for our growing senior population.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
In this rapidly shifting landscape of Family Medicine in Alberta, there is a need for physician involvement in policy, leadership, and advocacy. During my time as the resident liaison between the Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP) and the University of Calgary Department of Family Medicine, I was continually inspired by the passion, vision, and incredible talent of those around me. The dedication and skill are instrumental in creating measurable changes. I found the group here to be both welcoming and collaborative; an ideal place to grow and learn from.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
The ACFP has a reputation and propensity for being a strong and unified voice for Family Physicians in Alberta. The leadership initiatives that it undertakes as an organization are intentional, diplomatic, and accomplished with deep consideration of its constituents. I value that it’s both a platform and service, especially for those earlier in their careers who desire change – like myself.

Dr. Simon Colgan

I am a full-time palliative physician in community and tertiary care and the lead physician for CAMPP (Community Allied Mobile Palliative Partnership) in Calgary, an equity-focused palliative program to under served populations.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I really want to try and promote and advocate for equity related topics including – poverty, food security, harm reduction, climate change.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
I think it has a huge reach within primary care politics and I believe tackling upstream determinants of health are crucial for some of our health care problems.

Dr. Lee Green

I am a family physician and health services researcher with an academic and clinical background. I previously served as the Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Alberta. Additionally, I served as a faculty member at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
Family medicine in Alberta is in a time of rapid and major change. We face significant challenges in how our practices are organized, how our work is compensated, and how we relate to the health care system as a whole. The ACFP will have an important role in how this time of transition plays out. I hope to contribute my many years of experience in health services, research, and health care organization leadership to helping the ACFP navigate these interesting times.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
The ACFP has a key role in the transformation of health care in Alberta. It is a true professional organization, not a lobby or interest group, and is well positioned to provide important guidance and support to family physicians and their teams as well as to health system leaders as primary care undergoes major transformation.

Dr. Donna Mumert

I’m Dr. Donna Mumert and I’ve been a family physician for over 20 years, currently practising in Beaverlodge, a small town in northern Alberta very close to where I grew up. I attended the University of Alberta for my undergraduate and medical degrees, as well as residency.

After only two years practising in Alberta I moved to the US, finally returning back home 15 years later. Since returning to Alberta, my focus has been on out-patient practice. Actively involved in my PCN, I often act as a mentor to other family physicians and am eager to bring the voice of rural and remote physicians to the ACFP Board.

In addition to my medical experience, I have spent several years as a board member of a local charter school, a non-profit organization.

I’m married with three children, and when I’m not working I can be found in my garden during the summer months. If it’s too cold to play in the dirt, I’ll be inside playing piano or knitting Norwegian sweaters for my family.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I got involved with the ACFP by volunteering on the CPD Advisory Committee, which gave me a chance to get to know the other board members and the ACFP staff, and I’m excited to have the chance to work with these awesome people who are so committed to supporting family physicians, and improving the health of all Albertans.

Dr. David Pinzon

I am a family and emergency medicine doctor in Edmonton. I am a clinical lecturer for the University of Alberta Family Medicine program. Currently I serve on both the ACFP Board and the Member Engagement and Recognition Committee.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded professionals on the Board, contributing to strategic decision-making and ensuring that the organization continues to thrive and make a positive impact. 

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
I value the ACFP’s great effort and commitment in optimizing healthcare and the role of family physicians in Alberta.

Dr. Dinesh Witharana

I’m Dr. Dinesh Witharana and I’m a family physician based in Spruce Grove who primarily focuses on community primary care of palliative patients. I often bring residents with me to my hospice rounds and home visits. I also enjoy participating on the Provincial Palliative Tumor Group as an Executive Member, the AMA Section of Palliative Care Fee Committee, and the Core Committee for Cancer Strategic Clinical Network. I am the family physician representative on the Edmonton Zone PCN Sub-Committee for improving transitions of care, and previously served as a member of the ACFP First Five Years in Practice Committee.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I am a strong supporter of the ACFP Vision of advancing health for patients, their families, and communities where every Albertan has a patient-centred medical home, and believe that providing more support and resources for primary care will be essential to achieving this vision.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
What I value the most about the ACFP is it’s very member focused. When you meet the staff, their sole interest is how to better support family physicians in Alberta, and they quickly feel like family.

Dr. Smitha Yaltho

My name is Smitha Yaltho, and I feel privileged to work as a family physician. Why? I believe that being a family physician has been the best job any physician can hope to have. I have personally grown in my own abilities and skill sets with diverse opportunities in ambulatory practice, acute care and work in Facility Living.  Working in primary care has been exciting and has also afforded me tremendous opportunities for growth while still remaining stimulating in its complexity.  I believe that Family physicians are trusted partners in patient care – every step of the way. 

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I currently have an interest in Physician Leadership and trauma informed care. I have served as a director with the Board of Directors with the Edmonton North PCN, Edmonton’s largest PCN. Thereafter, I have worked as the Director of Medical Services with CapitalCare (also based in Edmonton) for almost 6 years. It is my express wish that my contribution on the ACFP board of directors will highlight the excellence of family medicine that exists right here and now within the Alberta health care system. 

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
Ability to highlight and further support the excellence of primary care right here in Alberta.

Terri Potter

Executive Director

I am Terri Potter, the Executive Director for the Alberta College of Family Physicians. My training and experience over the course of my career has provided me with a broad set of skills that support my role as ED. I thoroughly enjoy supporting teams to be effective and efficient in their work. I have a background in project management, training and facilitation, resource development and association management. My recent area of interest to read and learn about is “systems”.

On a personal note, I am a mother of 4 adult children and married to an avid farmer and heavy equipment mechanic. We live in Onoway (a small community northwest of Edmonton) where we enjoy our free time with life-long friends and new community members alike. I enjoy all things outdoors, travelling and music. 

My Board Experience
The ACFP Board of Directors are my “bosses” and I respect and appreciate their leadership and experience and depend on them everyday in the work that we do as a staff team and in the interactions with our members and partners. ACFP members are well represented and the strategic leadership of the specialty of family medicine is their primary concern.  It is through dynamic discussion, thoughtful assessment, and consistent action the Directors of the Board and staff of ACFP have been able to achieve so much in the past, and into the future.

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. The best is yet to come. 

—Anonymous

Emily Cox

My name is Emily Cox and I am a first-year medical student at the University of Calgary, where I also completed my BSc. (Hons) in Neuroscience. I was born in the UK and moved to Canada when I was nine, growing up in both Halifax and Okotoks, Alberta. Outside of school, I have a variety of hobbies but you can most often find me reading, running, knitting, hanging out with friends, or practising pottery!

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
As someone who plans to practise family medicine in Alberta, I am passionate about the pursuit of a more equitable, accessible, and just health care system for Albertans. Through this position, I hope to work alongside health care professionals in enacting policy and practice changes, as well as provide a voice for my classmates’ perspectives and concerns, as the Albertan primary care landscape continues to evolve.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
Family medicine and primary care are essential building blocks to our health care system that have undergone and will continue to change in the near future. I value that the ACFP advocates for physicians and patients in the face of our changing political sphere. I also really value the support that ACFP provides for family physicians and medical students alike — their work in creating networks, conferences, and learning opportunities is so valuable.

Emily Cox

My name is Carly and I am a Medical Student at the University of Alberta and am proud to represent the Class of 2027. I have lived in the Calgary area for 21 years with my husband and soon to be teenaged son. My professional background includes NICU and Psychiatric Nursing, and have been a Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care and Emergency Psychiatry since 2018. In my time off, I love travelling, gathering around a camp fire with friends, and karaoke.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
As a new medical student with ongoing allied experience in Primary Care, I continue to feel the impact of the ever changing landscape of Family Medicine. I am grateful for the opportunity to share the hard work and experience of our expert Family Medicine colleagues in the ACFP with the student body.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable?
The ACFP works diligently to advocate for Family Medicine as a foundation of health for individuals, communities, and the entire health care system. They are committed to supporting Family Physicians in their innumerable and often unseen roles, celebrating their diversity and adaptability. The ACFP puts a spotlight on the importance of building strong professional and client centered relationships that extend well beyond individual interactions.

Dr. Matthew Machan

My name is Matt Machan, and I am a PGY1 in the University of Calgary Family Medicine Program, currently working out of Diamond Valley. I am originally from Cold Lake, completed my medical school at the UofA, and am now working and living in the Calgary area.

Why are you volunteering to serve on the Board?
I believe that Family Medicine is the cornerstone of Alberta’s healthcare system, and the chance to enhance the growth, quality, and accessibility of healthcare for our communities deeply resonates with me. I serve on this community for the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to advancing excellence in healthcare delivery for Albertans, and I am eager to engage with experts in the field to collaboratively learn and innovate.

What about the ACFP’s work do you find most valuable? 
One of the most valuable aspects of working with the ACFP is the opportunity to advocate for the evolving healthcare needs of Albertans while also promoting family medicine as an attractive and rewarding career for medical graduates and current physicians. In doing so, I aim to contribute to improved health outcomes for all Albertans, regardless on geographical location. Additionally, I strive to ensure family medicine remains a supported, sustainable, and respected specialty in the medical community.

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