KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Dr. Tito Daodu, MD, FRCSC, is a Pediatric Surgeon at Alberta Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. In 2020, she became the first Black female pediatric surgeon in Canada. Dr. Daodu is an award-winning researcher and educator whose work focuses on health equity, anti-racism, and improving access to surgical care for underserved populations. She has secured over $1 million in research funding and published extensively on how race, geography, and systemic barriers affect surgical outcomes, particularly for Indigenous, rural, and racialized patients.

Dr. Rebecca Hartley is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary. Born in Richmond, British Columbia, she earned her medical degree at the University of British Columbia and completed her Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at the University of Calgary.

During residency, Dr. Hartley was accepted into the Clinician Investigator Program and completed a Master’s degree in Epidemiology, reflecting her strong commitment to evidence-based care. She went on to pursue fellowship training in Pediatric Plastic Surgery at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. She currently practices at the Alberta Children's Hospital as well as the Rockyview General Hospital.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Hartley is a proud mother and partner. She enjoys spending time with her family, staying active through sports, and reading.

​​Dr. Candice Poon is a Neurosurgeon and Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Oncology at the University of Calgary. She obtained her B.Sc. in Neuroscience and MD at the University of Alberta, followed by Neurosurgical residency at the University of Calgary. Dr. Poon completed a Ph.D. in Neuro-oncology and Neuroimmunology, and, following residency, she completed a fellowship in neurosurgical oncology at the University of Texas. She specializes in Surgical Neuro-Oncology, treating various CNS cancers, including gliomas and brain metastases. She also runs an active research laboratory focused on Neuro-Oncology and Neuroimmunology, investigating the interactions between the immune system, cerebrospinal fluid and CNS cancers. The lab combines the use of cutting-edge and big data techniques to develop innovative, novel therapeutic strategies and improve drug development for the treatment of CNS cancers. They are also pioneering the study of the glymphatic system within CNS tumors by utilizing advanced microscopy techniques and applying AI to the analysis of clinical imaging, surgical and molecular data.