Our Council

The work of the College is directed by our Council, similar to a Board of Directors, whose job it is to represent the interests of the public. I.e. the patients who seek the services of a Chiropodist or Podiatrist (member). The Council is made up of professional members who have been elected by their peers, representatives from the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences and members of the public who have been appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and the Chiropody Act gives the College its mandate to regulate its members. It also allows healthcare consumers a strong voice in the regulation of our members by requiring an equitable balance of public appointees and elected professionals on College Council.

Members of the College Council are actively involved in determining the rules that govern the profession. When developing new policies or initiatives, the College consults widely and asks for input from a variety stakeholders. Registrants in particular are asked to provide information, opinions, and feedback. The College ensures that not only is input sought, but that results are shared and improvements are implemented.

 

Current Council Members

PRESIDENT

Peter Stavropoulos, Podiatrist

Since 1994 Peter has served the Kitchener-Waterloo region as a podiatrist in private practice. Prior to establishing his podiatry practice, Peter graduated with a B.Sc. from McMaster University in chemistry, following which he attended the chiropody program at George Brown College. Peter subsequently attended the podiatry program at the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio in 1989. Following Peter’s completion of the podiatry program, he completed his surgical residency at Genesee-Wheelock Memorial Hospital in Flint, Michigan. Peter has served as a past president of the College of Chiropodists and earlier served as past president of the Ontario Podiatric Medical Association as well as serving on the Board of the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association.

VICE-PRESIDENT

Melanie Atkinson, Chiropodist

Melanie graduated from the London Foot Hospital and School of Podiatry, U.K. in 1988. After working in England, looking for a new challenge, she came to Canada to teach at the Ontario Chiropody Program in Toronto for three years. Enjoying her teaching contract at the Michener Institute, she continued to oversee Chiropody students on placements for several years after moving to the Ottawa area. Always looking for professional self improvement, Melanie completed a Podiatric Research Degree from Brighton University, U.K., her thesis was published in The Journal Of American Podiatric Medical Association in 2000. Melanie has worked in Hospitals, Diabetes Clinics, Community Health Centres and Private Practice in the Ottawa and North Grenville areas, acquiring a wide variety of experience. As a recipient of the Paul Harris Award, from Rotary International, Melanie was recognized for her years of dedicated volunteer work, setting up programs to reduce the rate of amputations due to diabetes in Caribbean countries. In founding Body and Sole Foot Care Clinic, a milti-practitioner Chiropody Clinic, in 2011, her goal is to be accessible and available to help as many people as possible maintain mobility and quality of life. Melanie has been a Council member of the College of Chiropodists of Ontario since 2020, serving on several committees and assisting with Registration examinations. She was elected to the Executive Committee October 2022, and was elected as Vice-President in September 2023.

ELECTED MEMBERS

Edward Chung, Podiatrist

Ed is a professional member of Council who enjoys private practice in the Toronto area since 1993.  Ed believes it is an honor and a privilege to serve at our regulatory College.

Matthew Andrade, Chiropodist

Matthew Andrade is a chiropodist who was born and raised in Toronto. He is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in the field and is passionate about protecting the public’s health and safety. He is excited to bring his professional expertise to the College’s Council and contribute to the organization’s mission of promoting excellence in healthcare.

Chad Bezaire, Chiropodist

Chad began his healthcare journey ten years ago during his university studies as a co-op student, where he was among the top three selected from his class. Chad’s knowledge and enjoyment for providing healthcare services grew daily, and his experience led him to the field of Chiropody. Chad has continued to receive training in different surgical practices to provide to his patients and prides himself on providing a full-scope Chiropody clinic.  Chad currently owns/operates his own private practice and is looking forward to providing his knowledge as a clinician and entrepreneur to Council and continuing to strengthen our profession and provide safe care to patients in the province of Ontario.

Donna Shewfelt, Chiropodist

Donna Shewfelt D.Ch. has been a Member of the College of Chiropodists of Ontario since July 12, 1999. Donna has evolved and grown her private practice over the last 24 years, and, with a lot of hard work, has made it into a very successful full scale Chiropody Practice. She enjoys being a Member of the College Exam Committee for over 4 years and helps with the Registration Examinations. She is on many other College Committees as well. Donna became a Council Member to give back to her Profession, Students, Colleagues and the Public which she finds very rewarding.

Andrew Klayman, Podiatrist

Andrew attended Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago and graduated magna cum laude after completing his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto. After attending a podiatric residency at Stanford University/Livermore VA to further Andrew’s surgical and clinical training as a Podiatrist. This experience of working in the hospital enlightened him on the importance of the podiatry profession, working together in a multidisciplinary team toward a goal of best outcome for the patient foot health and thus gaining respect from fellow colleagues on the importance of the podiatry profession. Andrew has established a podiatry practice in Toronto focusing on podiatric surgery and biomechanics for almost 30 years and counting. He has participated as a mentor /supervisor for many years for the College of Chiropodists of Ontario as well as a non-council member on the examination committee.

Jannel Somerville, Chiropodist

Jannel Somerville is a Chiropodist from Stayner, Ontario. Jannel is the owner and operator of her clinic in Stayner. She has always taken great care in providing the best possible care to the members of her community. She is excited to bring this dedication to the college and expanding her efforts to ensuring that the individuals of Ontario receive the best in podiatric care.

Murtuza Najmudin, Chiropodist

Murtuza Najmudin has been a chiropodist in St Catharines, Ontario since 1999. Murtuza has a great passion for helping people with their physical and mental health. Over the years, he has gained a wealth of experience in the chiropody profession in private practice, FHT and hospital settings, and continues to work with the College Discipline and Quality Assurance Committees. He has previously sat on the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario and worked to bring that profession under the mandate of the Regulated Health Professions Act.  He has also been active with the Indigenous Health Circle since its inception as Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative and believes that professional involvement must extend into the community. As such he is very active in the community sitting on many local Boards and volunteering his time.

SELECTED MEMBER

Deborah Loundes, Chiropodist

Deborah Loundes is a Professor, Chiropody Faculty, at The Michener Institute of Education at UHN.  As a faculty member for the past 15 years, she has been involved in the training and education of many Chiropody students in both the classroom and in the clinical setting.  Deborah is a graduate of the Michener Institute Chiropody Program and has worked in both private and public chiropody clinics.  Prior to graduating from the Michener Institute, Deborah completed her BSc., Biology at York University and has since completed a Clinical Masters in Wound Care at the University of Western Ontario and the IIWCC course through the University of Toronto.   Deborah has been a registrant of the COCOO since 1999 and is the current selected academic council member.

PUBLIC APPOINTEES

Jim Daley

Jim Daley retired after a 40 year career in Commercial Banking, primarily at Bank of Montreal. Jim earned the CMA designation in 1990 and was awarded the FCPA designation. He has served on numerous non-profit boards including as Chair of CMA Ontario until the passage of legislation unifying the accounting profession in 2017. Jim also holds the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) and Audit Committee Certified (A.C.C.) designations from the Directors College. He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and resides in Kitchener.

Allan Katz

Allan Katz lives in Kingston and is the principal of an independent health system planning and consultancy practice and teaches part-time at the health care administration program at St. Lawrence College. In addition to his COCOO appointment, he also serves on the Frontenac Lennox & Addington Ontario Health Team; chairs of the Stroke Network of Southeastern Ontario, and sits on the board of Ontario 211 Services. Allan has held senior leadership roles at Riverside Health Care; the South East Community Care Access Centre; the Health Care Network of Southeastern Ontario; the Deep River and District Hospital; the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre; and the Muskoka/Parry Sound District Health Councils.

Andrew Simmons

Reshad Nazeer

Reshad Nazeer is a graduate of the University of Waterloo with an Honours Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology (2013), is a dedicated professional with a background in Kinesiology and Sports Management. Since 2015, he has chaired the Northeast Oakville Fair Committee, demonstrating his commitment to community development and the well-being of the public. Reshad believes that it is a privilege to be appointed to a regulatory College.

Ramesh Bhandari

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