Pain Science Executive

Rodrigo Deamo Assis

Chair

Rodrigo Deamo Assis is a physical therapist with a Ph.D. in Neurology who works at the Regional Pain Clinic of the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (CISSSAT) in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec. He has more than 20 years of clinical experience. He earned his degree in Physical Therapy from Santo Amaro University (Brazil, 1997–2001), and completed his Ph.D. in Neurology at the Federal University of São Paulo (2004–2009) in collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (USA). He subsequently pursued two postdoctoral fellowships: one in Neurology at Harvard Medical School (2010) and another in Rehabilitation at Université Laval (2012–2014). He holds a certificate in Medical Expertise and Insurance Medicine from Université de Montréal (2020–2022) and he has completed one certificate in chronic pain management at McGill University (2017–2020), with a second currently underway at Université de Montréal (since 2024).

Since 2014, Rodrigo has led the interdisciplinary team at the CISSSAT Pain Clinic, where he serves as a clinician, researcher, and team leader. He also mentors physical therapy students during their clinical placements. He holds adjunct professor appointments at both Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingueand Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. At the provincial level, he is responsible for the “Pain Neurosciences” course offered by the Quebec Physical Therapy Association, he collaborates with the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ), and he contributes to initiatives led by the Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services, including the development of a virtual chronic pain care platform, pain education and the revision of clinical algorithms for chronic pain management. He is also an active member of the Quebec Pain Research Network and Quebec Pain Society. Nationally, he collaborates with the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR).

Rodrigo research interests include non-invasive brain stimulation and quantitative sensory testing. His professional mission is to strengthen the role of physical therapists in chronic pain care—as autonomous clinicians capable of assessment, physiotherapeutic diagnosis, treatment, and effective collaboration within interprofessional teams.

Dominique Gilbert

Past Chair

Ms Dominique Gilbert has been working as a physiotherapist for more than 30 years. In private practice since 1996, her innovative approach emphasizes proper education of patients, as well as focusing on active treatment for pain management and returning to function. In fact, she believes that encouraging her patients to adopt active lifestyles during treatment encourages a more realistic self-evaluation of the patient’s own physical capabilities.

Due to her interest in the biopsychosocial model and its implications for the clinical treatment of patients suffering from chronic pain, she collaborates with psychologists to produce integrated reports, which combine both the physical and psychological evaluations of a patient, to determine his or her capacities. The nature of her work often brings her to work on contentious cases, which forces her to maintain up-to-date knowledge in her field. She obtained a post-graduate diploma in Insurance Medicine and Forensics from the University of Montreal in 2009. Following her graduation, she became a member of the Quebec Society of Forensic Experts (SEEMLQ) in 2013, as well as became a member of the Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators in 2014.

In 2011, she was recognized as a specialist in Pain Science by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, and is now on the committee for evaluating candidates for the title of specialist.

Noticing that there was a lack of knowledge and coherence in the techniques which were taught for diagnosing musculoskeletal pain, she worked on a survey of the literature in this field, to highlight the best methods for evaluating lower back pain. Her dissertation allowed her to obtain a Masters in Biomedical Science from the University of Montreal in 2015.

She has been invited to teach courses on pain in the Physiotherapy curriculum of McGill University and University of Montréal.

Since 2019, she works with an older population (60 to 85-year-old) in the Pain Management Program offered through the West Island CLSC. The intervention offers a multidisciplinary evaluation to globally understand the symptomatology. The physiotherapy treatment (5 sessions over 3 months) provides coaching in pain management, but mostly in return to function using sports training techniques.

Roshni Ravi

Treasurer

Roshni Ravi is a resident physiotherapist who currently works in private practice as an ortho and pelvic physiotherapist. She graduated from the University of Toronto in 2021 with a Masters of Physical Therapy and from McMaster University in 2019 with a Bachelors of Kinesiology. She is the current Treasurer for the PSD and was the previous student chair of the student subcommittee. In her spare time she enjoys teaching piano, working out and staying up to date on current literature. She is also interested in pursuing a PhD in pelvic health research in the future.

Alex Chisholm, PT, BScPT, PgCPain, FACHS

Secretary

Alex Chisholm is a physiotherapist with over 30 years of clinical experience. Alex has her post graduate certificate in Multidisciplinary Pain Management from the University of Alberta. She was part of the working group that helped to create the free, on-line Chronic Pain Toolkit with Physiotherapy Alberta.  She is a fellow of the Alberta Clinical Hypnosis Society, (previously the Canadian Federation of Clinical Hypnosis) and a ‘Comfort talk” trainer with Dr Elvira Lang.  She is a member of the Alberta Pain Strategy perioperative committee and the planning committee for the World Pain Summit. Alex currently works on the Burns/Plastics team at the Foothills Medical center where she pursues her passion for both inpatient and outpatient burn survivor rehab, and has taught locally, provincially, nationally, and internationally on pain and pain management techniques. Her goal is to merge the science and art of pain management.

Tiffany Tiu

Paincast Host and Executive Lead of PSD Student Committee

Tiffany Tiu holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology (High Honours) and a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Toronto. She practices physiotherapy in Canada and is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She is especially passionate about improving practice standards through knowledge mobilization and knowledge creation. She is the host and executive producer of Paincast, a Canadian Physiotherapy Association podcast aimed at facilitating knowledge mobilization, discussion, and critical thinking on topics related to pain science and physiotherapy. She also uses this platform to advocate for the physiotherapy profession and professional associations. She is conducting research on rehabilitation exercises at the Biomechanics of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Lab at the University of Toronto. She was awarded the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Student Leadership Award and the Ontario Physiotherapy Association Student/New Grad Leadership Award in 2023. As a clinician, her approach to physiotherapy care heavily emphasizes patient education, empowerment, self-efficacy, and meaningful physical activity, underpinned by a strong therapeutic alliance. You connect with her on LinkedIn (Tiffany Tiu) and on Instagram (@fitt.physio.tiff).

William Bateman

Newsletter Editor

William Bateman has been a practicing physiotherapist for 10 years. He started his career in private practice and in 2015 opened a small clinic dedicated to treating rock climbing injuries. Given the sport’s propensity for persistent tendon injuries he quickly developed an interest in pain to better treat his clients. In 2019 an opportunity was presented to assist in designing and implementing a pilot program offering persistent pain services to the underserved and marginalized populations of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The program was BC’s first low-barrier non-pharmacological pain management program. After its first year, the team secured funding and decided to partner with a mental health rehab team to more adequately address the complex interplay between persistent pain and mental health. William’s experience on this team led him to pursue continuing education courses in mental health, trauma-informed care, and substance use and addictions.

William’s involvement with CPA first started as a mentee in the Pain Science Division’s Mentorship Program. He benefited a great deal from the program and eventually returned the favour as a mentor himself. He currently sits on the executive committee as the Newsletter Editor and looks forward to sharing with the PSD’s membership engaging and interesting content in the pain world.

Elizabeth Hammond

Knowledge Translation

Elizabeth Hammond is a PhD physical therapist, educator, researcher, and learner who lives and works on Treaty 1 territory in Winnipeg Manitoba. Elizabeth is a hand and upper extremity physical therapist with a research interest in understanding the mechanisms, management, and treatment of peripheral neuropathy and neuropathic pain. Elizabeth is currently a faculty member in the department of Physical Therapy in the College of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Manitoba, research associate at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children (RCC) and affiliated with the Excellence in Neurodevelopment and Rehabilitation Research In Child Health (ENRRICH) at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM). Elizabeth is the moderator and coordinator for the PSD Community of Practice. 

Rebecca Wilson

Communications Liaison

Rebecca Wilson is a physiotherapist at the Nova Scotia Arthritis and Rehabilitation Centre. She graduated with a Masters of Science in Physiotherapy in 2023, and a Bachelor of Arts (Combined Honours) in the History of Science and German Studies from the University of King’s College in 2014. She specializes in persistent pain and is a part of the Pain Self-Management Program team. Along with her psychologist and occupational therapist team members, she co-teaches this program, providing education around pain neuroscience concepts, flare-up management, and using exercise to manage pain and increase activity tolerance. In her pre-physio life, Rebecca ran her own therapeutic yoga business, which inspired her to pursue further study of physiotherapy in order to help her patients heal with movement. She continues to be passionate about yoga and mindfulness.

Connect With PSD!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter