Evidence in action

Community-driven interventions for better health policies

May 22, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

The O’Brien Institute for Public Health’s Centre for Health Policy and Health Policy Trials Unit will bring together researchers, community organizations, and health leaders to explore how policy trials—from large-scale initiatives to grassroots programs—can drive real-world, evidence-based health solutions.

Date: May 22, 2025

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Venue: University of Calgary Downtown Campus, 906 8 Avenue SW

This event will showcase successful collaborations between academics and community partners, highlighting how interventional research can shape impactful policies and programs. It will also challenge traditional controlled trial models, emphasizing pragmatic, community-driven approaches that better support decision-making for healthier futures.

Why attend? Beyond learning about cutting-edge research, attendees will have opportunities to:

Connect with researchers and organizations with shared interests
Explore potential collaborations on policy trials and interventional research
Engage in dialogue on redefining policy trials to include social and community-focused interventions
Share evidence-based policy priorities and discuss real-world applications
Learn how the Health Policy Trials Unit (HPTU) fosters innovation, supports evidence-informed decision-making, and helps community organizations refine interventions

Registration for this event is mandatory. Registration has closed.

8:30 - 9:00 Doors Open

9:00 - 9:15 Opening remarks Dr. Paul Ronksley, Elder Jackie Bromley, and Tessa Penich

9:15 - 9:55 Keynote presentation: Harnessing Big Data and Policy Evaluations for Learning Health Systems Dr. Claire Boone

9:55 - 10:10 Break

10:10 - 11:10 Working together: successful examples of community and academic partnerships in conducting trials

Randomized trial of the Diabetes Mobile Clinic to enhance access to care for underserved people in Calgary, presented by David Campbell & Emma Wissink (The Alex)
Pragmatic trial of copayment elimination for high value cardiovascular medications (ACCESS), presented by Braden Manns & Andrea Nagle (Alberta Health)
Pilot trial of the real-world implementation of a medication sick day e-health tool (PAUSE), presented by Matt James & Karen Sullivan (Shoppers Drug Mart)
Collaborating on FoodRx, a subsidized healthy food prescription program, presented by Reed Beall & Charlene Mo (Alberta Blue Cross)

11:10 - 11:50 Building meaningful relationships: Guided table talks & partnership matchmaking

11:50 - 12:20 Lunch

12:20 - 1:00 Keynote presentation: Mapping a Path to Research and Policy Impact in Health Equity Dr. Stephen Hwang

1:00 - 1:45 Understanding processes, overcoming roadblocks: Practical considerations for pragmatic trials

How the Health Policy Trials Unit can support policy & pragmatic trials presented by Terry Saunders-Smith & Teagan Mauthe
Research ethics considerations for pragmatic trials by Stacey Page
Using Connect Care in pragmatic trials presented by Becky Wong
Accessing data & assessing outcomes pragmatically presented by Jessalyn Holodinsky

1:45 - 2:00 Closing remarks

2:00 - 3:00 Actioning trials: From project idea to policy trial Dr. Meaghan Edwards and Miriam Bankey

Dr. Claire Boone, PhD

Claire Boone is an assistant professor of economics and equity, ethics, and policy at McGill. A health economist, she studies health care decisions using behavioral science, AI, and experimental methods. Her research explores behavioral biases in primary care, AI-driven improvements in emergency departments, and value-based payment models. She holds a PhD from UC Berkeley and completed a postdoc at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Stephen Hwang, MD

Stephen Hwang is director of St. Michael’s Hospital’s MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions and a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on interventions to end chronic homelessness and to improve the health of people experiencing homelessness. He holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in homelessness, housing and health.

David Campbell

Dr. David Campbell is an endocrinologist/diabetes specialist and associate professor of medicine and community health sciences at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on evaluating interventions to address disparities in outcomes for people living with chronic metabolic diseases, like diabetes, and who face various forms of social disadvantage. He is the co-director of the Health Policy Trials Unit.

Emma Wissink

Emma Wissink is a Registered Nurse and Clinic Manager of the Mobile and Youth Health Program at The Alex Community Health Centre. She supports outreach and clinic-based services aimed at reducing barriers and enhancing access to care.

Braden Manns

Braden Manns is the Associate Vice President (Health Research), University of Calgary and Senior Associate Dean (Health Research) in the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. He is a Professor in Health Economics and a Kidney Specialist at the University of Calgary in the Faculty of Medicine.

Andrea Nagle

Andrea is a pharmacist who worked for a number of years in the private sector – both in small community pharmacies and large chains, in rural and urban locations. She is the Executive Director, Pharmaceuticals and Health Benefits at the Government of Alberta and is passionate about public service and developing strong public policy.

Matthew James

Dr. Matthew James is a clinician scientist with training in Nephrology and a Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. Dr. James received his medical training at the University of British Columbia, and completed nephrology training and a PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Calgary.

Karen Sullivan

Karen W. Sullivan is a senior healthcare executive and licensed pharmacist with over 30 years of leadership in pharmacy, public policy, and system transformation across Canada. She has held senior roles with national organizations, leading strategic initiatives that integrate health services, advance pharmacy practice, and improve access to care.

Reed Beall

Dr. Reed Beall is an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary who examines the social determinants of access to health innovations and collaborates with community partners on healthy public policy analysis projects.

Charlene Mo

Charlene Mo is the Manager, Wellness Partnerships & Innovation at Alberta Blue Cross. Besides a passion for wellness, she loves hiking, paddling, traveling and spending time with her family and fur babies.

Terry Saunders-Smith

Terry Saunders-Smith manages the Health Policy Trails Unit and has over 16 years of experience coordinating both industry and investigator-driven research projects. She has worked on health policy trials for the last 7 years alongside Dr. Campbell. She has training in patient-oriented research, pragmatic clinical trials, and project management.

Teagan Mauthe

Teagan Mauthe is Research Coordinator for the Health Policy Trials Unit. She has diverse experience with managing clinical trials, including pragmatic health policy trials and randomized control trials. Teagan is now working alongside and receiving mentorship from research trailblazers who were her instructors not long ago at the University of Calgary.

Stacey Page

Stacey Page (PhD) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences. She is the Chair of the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board, and a member of the Research Ethics Boards at Mount Royal University and Alberta University of the Arts.

Becky Wong

Becky Wong is the Director, Health System Access within the Partnerships & Innovation department at Acute Care Alberta. She leads a specialized team of expert navigators to facilitate research access to Alberta’s health system resources including data, systems, facilities, staff and patients.

Jessalyn Holodinsky

Dr. Jessalyn Holodinsky blends the worlds of emergency medicine and data science as an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary. Her work tackles complex health system challenges, transforming raw data into optimized care pathways and better outcomes for patients in crisis.

Meaghan Edwards

Dr. Meaghan Edwards is an Associate Professor (Teaching) in Community Health Sciences, Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies at the University of Calgary. She is the Student and Trainee Engagement Lead at the Health Equity HUB at the O’Brien Institute for Public Health.

Miriam Bankey

Miriam Bankey currently works as Innovation Lead at Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids. She is a passionate and enthusiastic community builder with more than 16 years’ experience in the social services sector. Miriam has a depth of experience working in food systems and poverty issues and an unwavering commitment to social justice and dignity.

Tessa Penich

Tessa Penich serves as the Leader of Organizational Effectiveness at Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC), the stewards of Calgary's Enough for All poverty reduction strategy. In her role, Tessa ensures that VCC operates with agility, courage, and efficiency to achieve remarkable outcomes.

Paul Ronksley

Dr. Paul Ronksley is an Associate Professor and health services researcher in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. He is also the Associate Scientific Director for the Health Systems Portfolio within the O’Brien Institute for Public Health.

This event is presented by the O’Brien Institute for Public Health’s Centre for Health Policy and Health Policy Trials Unit, as well as Vibrant Communities Calgary and The Alex.