Ryan Menard (He, Him) MSW, RSW
Topic of Discussion — A Social Worker’s View on Helping Individuals Return to Work Following Extended Medical Leave.
Ryan is a registered social worker who has worked in the public sector since 2013, helping individuals recover from substance-related issues and providing support to those affected by the substance use of others. He has worked primarily in community-based settings including high schools and the Winnipeg Drug Treatment Court. In 2022, he completed his MSW thesis, Chasing
Recovery: An Autoethnographic/Ethnographic Study of Running in Recovery from Addiction. With his 2023 move into private practice, he expanded his focus to help individuals navigate a variety of mental health and situational issues. He also continues to work part-time as a rehabilitation counsellor at a Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine clinic.
Ryan’s presentation will provide a view on psychosocial wellness as it pertains to returning to work following extended leaves. Informed by his professional expertise and the research he conducted during his graduate studies, his presentation will explore the influence of movement / exercise, mental health, social supports, spirituality / sources of meaning, and psychoactive substance use, including medications.
Dr. Neil Craton B.Sc., M.H.K., M.D., M.C.F.P. (SEM), Dip. Sport and Exercise Med
Topic of Discussion — A Biopsychosocial Approach to Health Care with Emphasis on Return to Work for Patients with Back Pain and Concussion.
Dr. Craton is a sport medicine consultant at Legacy Sport Medicine in Winnipeg. He has served as the Director of the University of Manitoba Musculoskeletal Fellowship since its inception in 1996 and is now the Assistant Director of the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Medicine Enhanced skills program in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the Legacy Site. Dr. Craton has served as a Team Physician for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers since 1996, and the National Women’s Volleyball Team from 1992-2017.
He has provided medico-legal consultation for numerous agencies over the last twenty-five years and served on the Board of Directors of Manitoba Blue Cross for 17 years, most recently as Chair of the Governance and Nominating. He has lectured extensively, both in Canada and abroad, and is very involved in physician education. Neil is on faculty with Medical Education Resources, providing sport and orthopedic education for primary care practitioners throughout North America.
He serves as a volunteer physician at the Saul Sair Health Center at Siloam Mission and Forward House. He has served as the University of Winnipeg Varsity Athletics Team Physician from 1992-2017 and was presented with the Dave Anderson Award for service excellence to the University’s athletic program. He was presented with the 2017 Educator of the Year Award from the University of Manitoba’s Continuing Professional Development faculty. He was awarded the Jack Armstrong Humanitarian Award by Doctors Manitoba in 2020. He was awarded the Winnipeg Blue Bomber Chairman Award in 2022 for service to the football club.
Leah Hes (She/Her), O.T. Reg. (MB)
Topic of Discussion — An Occupational Therapist perspective on considering the whole while doing our part as a Case Manager.
Leah is an Occupational Therapist who has worked at HEB Manitoba since 2008 in the role of Rehabilitation Specialist and more recently as a Manager of Rehabilitation Services. She has been privileged to work and learn alongside those who serve and work within the Manitoba Health Care system. It is through this work she has learned from the deep resilience and tenacity of those who find themselves off work on long-term disability and all those whose role it is to help them back to work. Through her education and experience, she has developed her practice to work in a disability case management role with a strength-based, collaborative, function-focused approach rooted in mindfulness and a passion for issues related to mental health in the workplace.
Dayna Steinfelds (She/Her) BA (Hons), JD
Topic of Discussion – Workplace Accommodation: Return to Work.
Dayna is a partner and Lead Lawyer at RavenLaw’s Winnipeg office. She practices exclusively on behalf of unions, union members, and employees in all areas touching the workplace, including human rights. Dayna represents unions, union members, and employees in provincial and federal labour and human rights proceedings, including duty to accommodate grievances and matters involving return to work from medical leaves.
She regularly advises clients on how to implement and apply foundational human rights principles in practice, to remove barriers to participation and facilitate the integration of employees with physical and/or mental disabilities into the
workplace. Dayna is a sessional instructor at the University of Manitoba’s Robson Hall Faculty of Law. In 2022, she was awarded the Advocates Society David Stockwood Memorial prize. In 2019, she was awarded the Manitoba Pro Bono Award for her work representing a coalition of poverty and mental health organizations on significant constitutional privacy issues before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Shauna Muldrew RHNC
Topic of Discussion – Practical Tips to Improve Your Nutrition, Fitness, and
Self-Care Habits “You Cannot Pour From an Empty Cup”.
Shauna is a Fitness Coach and Registered Health and Nutrition Counselor (RHNC) and has her diploma in Holistic Nutrition & Health Coaching. She has been in the health and fitness industry for over a decade and comes highly trained and experienced. Prior to launching her company Infinity Nutrition & Health Coaching in 2017, Shauna battled with her weight, addiction, mental health, and mindset around healthy living. But she experienced a total transformation when she turned her life around, which sparked a passion for helping others improve their life in a balanced, sustainable way.
In 2022, she went through her second transformation after having her daughter, which only grew a stronger desire to help people improve their health even through the most challenging obstacles. As a single mom, a business owner, and someone who lived the struggle (and still does sometimes), she gets it! Shauna is relatable, compassionate, and inspired to empower as many people as possible to take control of their health and change their life for the better!
Shauna is the owner of Infinity Nutrition & Health Coaching which is Winnipeg’s leading female-owned health coaching company, with a mission to empower each client to improve their health in a balanced, sustainable way. Their primary services include nutrition counseling, wellness coaching, fitness training, and group exercise - a one-stop-shop for all your health and wellness needs! As an Infinity client, you can look forward to a personalized plan and regular sessions with your certified Health Coach that offers the support, education, and accountability to set you up for long-term success.