Meet Our Faculty

I’ve always been passionate about instilling a new way of thinking in my classroom. Offering each student a unique learning experience tailored to their individual needs is a critical factor in establishing a successful education program. Our course material isn’t technique-driven or memorized from a textbook. It’s designed to be hands-on, interactive, and really give students a legitimate understanding of human anatomy and physiology.”

The faculty of the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy is spearheaded by Robert Johnston, an enthusiastic and highly motivated clinical teacher and international lecturer, who has proudly devoted his life to the promotion and education of classical osteopathy in North America and Europe.

Robert was trained as a manual therapist in Canada and carried out his clinical internship in the United States. As a graduate of the John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy in Maidstone, England, Robert had the great privilege of training directly under the late John Wenham– one of the most respected original practitioners of osteopathic treatment– for two years during his post-graduate studies. Since then, it has been his mission to offer a progressive curriculum built on the proven theories and methodologies of osteopathy’s founding fathers and continues to develop mechanical models for the student to approach osteopathic treatments.

With over ten years of experience as a clinical instructor and more than twenty-five years of practice in manual therapy, his well-recognized leadership qualities stem from an early teaching background as a former coach for Belgium’s national hockey league. He possesses a rare talent for inspiring his students to reach the highest-academic levels of academic performance and is committed to offering a supportive and dynamic learning environment that fosters a deeper sense of community in the classroom

Robert lectures in both Europe and Japan on a regular basis. He is also a professional member of the Ontario Osteopathic Association. He is the founder of the current Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, Ontario Osteopathic Association, and the Canadian Institute of Classical Osteopathy.

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Wayne is enthusiastic about nutrition, health, and fitness and has been playing competitive sports since he was young. He began training in martial arts at the age of 16 and hasn’t looked back! He has won nine Grand Champion titles, as well as one national title, in tournaments spanning Canada and USA.

Wayne practiced for a short time as a Registered Massage Therapist and decided to further his education to become an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy. He graduated from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy program in 2017, and upon graduation was asked to teach at the Academy and now assists Mr. Rob Johnston in the OMM lab at the Hamilton campus.

Wayne is certified by Can Fit Pro as a Personal Trainer Specialist, STOTT Pilates Level 1, STOTT Matt Pilates, STOTT Pilates Reformer, ISP Level 1 Trainer and Can Fit Pro (Nutrition and Wellness), Level 1 & 2 TWIST Conditioning Sports Specific Certification, and TRX (Training Resistance eXercises).

Wayne has retained the business and friendship of loyal clients for years, through his genuine personal care for each client, and by staying on the cutting edge of training. He has provided impeccable services for his clients for 18 years.

Wayne established As Above So Below Osteopathy Inc. in 2018 located in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Wayne works alongside other CAO graduates and current students fulfilling their requirements for clinical practice. He is proud to serve the Niagara Region with Classical Stillian Osteopathic care.

Before beginning his studies at the CAO, Marc worked in the field of applied behavioral analysis, first as an instructor-therapist implementing intensive behavioral intervention for children with autism, and later as a group facilitator delivering social skills, communication and parent education curricula.

Marc’s interest in crafting learning environments lead him to complete a Master’s of Science in Education. Marc helps students optimize their learning in the Inductions course, supervises the student clinic, and practices in Hamilton.

Having been in the healthcare profession for over 18 years, Ian is in his element when it comes to patient care. Prior to his career as a Osteopathic manual practitioner, he graduated from Sutherland Chan with a degree in Massage Therapy. Ian’s diverse experience resulting in patient well-being has driven his passion to broaden his knowledge of anatomy and understanding how the body functions and operates. For this reason alone is what launched his to further his studies at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy. Ian concluded his studies and was thrilled to join the faculty soon after he graduated.

Kristen Jarvis M.OMSc was a Registered Massage Therapist for 18 years prior to graduating the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in 2017 and has owned and operated her own Health and Wellness clinic in Welland Ontario since 2004.

Kristen’s passion for understanding the human body and search for a better system of helping patients to find the best health outcomes led her to a career change in 2013 when she enrolled at the CAO. As an Osteopathic Manual Therapist Kristen has enjoyed helping and working with many patient populations including professional athletes, people of all ages, children, and infants.

Professor Gustaf graduated from Skandinaviska Osteopathögskolan in Gothenburg 2012 where he received his BSc ( Hons ) in Osteopathy

He has a background of more than 10 years as a professional soccer player at the highest level in Scandinavia. It was through that career that he came in contact with Osteopathy.

He has brought the same self discipline and dedication that served him in his sports career into his osteopathic study and practice.

Gustaf teaches for the CAO in Sweden. He is a guest lecturer for our Canadian campuses. When Gustaf is not teaching at the CAO he treats patients and runs the Crona Clinics in Sweden where he also lives.

“Teaching and presentation are two important aspects of the learning. If you don’t know how to present/ disseminate knowledge, you can’t teach and if you don’t know how to teach, you can’t disseminate knowledge. If something is challenging or difficult to understand, trying to change its meaning and seeing it through a different lens often helps with learning. Learning is always bi-directional; you cannot be a good teacher if you don’t learn from your students. Finally, success is always contingent to respect and eagerness to learn”.

Dr. Rehman is a Ph.D. candidate and currently pursuing a certificate in “teaching skills and learning” from the McMaster University. He completed a fellowship in neurology and MSc in neuroscience from the McMaster University in 2014. Dr. Rehman is experienced in didactic and problem-based learning and integrates small group discussions during teaching. Dr. Rehman has a strong background in anatomy, physiology, and pathology and has excellent skills in the area of neuromuscular examination. He taught neuromuscular examination and history taking to medical students during neurology fellowship. Dr. Rehman is also experienced in writing exam questions, MCQs and OSCE scenarios. His research interests include but not limited to musculoskeletal pain, knowledge translation and patient-doctor communication. He is an approachable person and supports his students for professional growth and development.

Always looking for the answers to why things happen in the body is what led Cole Ruston down the path of studying Osteopathy, never quite satisfied with the band-aid approach that was offered by the health communities.
Sticking true to the belief that the human body is capable of its own healing given the opportunity, he dove into self-driven studies of the body systems and nutrition.

Cole was working towards starting a career path as an educator, working in early childhood development for several years, before deciding to enroll at the CAO.

“I was inspired by listening to Dr. Belbecks talks on empowering the students in their own learning. I strive to constantly improve myself as an educator and mentor. I believe that a professor can have a great affect on how driven the students are to dive into a subject, and I will always aid them in said endeavor”
His practice Equilibrium Osteopathy in the heart of Calgary, AB since 2020, helping all ages with an emphasis on educating patients on the value of general movement and other health practices.

Heather began her love for health and wellness in her early teens. Going on to the University of Guelph’s Human Kinetics program provided an excellent perspective for what areas of health she wanted to focus on. After university she knew she wanted to work directly with people in helping them to achieve health and wellness. This led her to become a massage therapist which she practiced happily for 5 years. Eventually she became frustrated with clients coming back every month with the same ailments and concerns. Looking for new pathways to help people, she was introduced to Osteopathy through one of her clients. The client experienced years of chronic yo-yo treatments for her chronic back pain eventually she went to a Manual Osteopathic Practitioner and it never returned again. This was the spark that lit the Osteopathic fire. After attending a visit day at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, hearing the philosophy, passion in students and seeing Mr Johnston in action that was it. She had finally found her career. She continued to practice massage while in school and raising her 3 children until she graduated in 2019. Heather works as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner at her private clinical practice in Cochrane, Alberta.

Lee Jarvis was introduced to the practice of Osteopathic Manual Therapy in his teenage years and has been in love with the theory and practice ever since. Commencing in 2006, Lee attended the McMaster/Mowhawk Nursing program with the intention of gaining skills and understandings of the acute medical patient that would eventually come to benefit his Osteopathic education. Lee obtained his Registered Practical Nursing certificate in 2008 and was shortly after accepted as a student of the CAO. Lee worked as a Registered Practical Nurse specializing in stroke rehabilitation during his first, second, and thirds years of education at the CAO. Lee Jarvis graduated the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in 2013.

Lee currently teaches anatomy at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy where he continues to keep his knowledge sharp, up to date, and challenged by current medical discoveries. Lee’s in-class anatomy drawings utilize a visual approach to complement the hands-on approach the CAO takes with educating its students. When Lee is not teaching or drawing he also runs a successful practice in Hamilton.

Kayte’s journey to osteopathy has been long and winding – she started her adult life in dairy farming, and then gained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1999. Her veterinary career allowed her to gain experience with a wide variety of animals – everything from horses, cattle and companion animals to lions and tigers (literally). While allopathic medicine and surgery was interesting, Kayte always felt there was something missing. This led her to become a certified veterinary acupuncturist, and to incorporate traditional Chinese veterinary medicine approached into her regular practice. And yet, there was still something not quite right….

Kayte was first exposed to osteopathy after an injury, and became fascinated with the practical application of structure and function. And since people are animals too, Kayte felt an education in classical osteopathy at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy was a logical step in finding the “thing” that was missing from her toolbox. After graduation in 2018, she went on to establish a busy clinical practice in Barrie Ontario, and registered the first and only osteopathic Veterinary Practice in Ontario. Now Kayte calls Nova Scotia home and is once again forging new territory in establishing a practice serving humans, and a veterinary osteopathic practice serving the animals of the province.

Kayte is proud to be part of the faculty of the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, serving as professor of Anatomy and Palpation. She utilizes modern technology (in the form of a 3d anatomical modelling app), her decades of applied anatomy experience and her enthusiasm for aiding in student development to make anatomy a more enjoyable and accessible subject for all students. In addition to her human focussed teaching duties, Kayte developed and delivers the Graduate Diploma in Animal Osteopathy, which teaches osteopathic manual practitioners how to apply principles based osteopathy to multiple species. This one year post graduate program is available through the Canadian Academy of Animal Osteopathy (an education partner of the CAO).

“My goal is to teach students how to work smarter, not harder.”

Brandon is on faculty as a Professor and teaches Osteopathic Principles and Practice/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. Before pursuing a career in osteopathy, Brandon earned his honours education in massage therapy at the Shiatsu School of Canada. He then went on to become a respected graduate of the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy and successfully completed the professor training program, in addition to a post-graduate training program in Classical Osteopathy with John Wernham at the John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy in Maidstone, England.

As a passionate advocate for classical osteopathic techniques and manual therapy, Brandon possesses a steadfast commitment to the academic well-being of his students. He’s eager to not only address the tremendous benefits of a drug-less osteopathic treatment approach for curing patient illness and suffering but to also offer ongoing support to his students in order to facilitate professional growth and development.

Brandon is a professional member in good standing with the Ontario Osteopathic Association and Institute of Classical Osteopathy in Dorking, England. He’s also involved with the Ontario Osteopathic Association as a board member at large. Outside of his teaching duties at The Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, Brandon maintains his own full-time clinical practice. His teaching interests include but are not limited to Functional Anatomy, Osteopathic Pathology, Osteopathic Lesionology, Osteopathic Theory, Principles of Treatment, Treatment of Disease, and Osteopathic Technique and Treatment.

Professional Awards and Recognitions:

• Past President of the Ontario Osteopathic Association

Nevena holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science and Sociology from McMaster University (2010) and has a background in retail management, consulting, and marketing. In 2014, she shifted her focus to Classical Osteopathy after being introduced to the field by a CAO student. She further expanded her expertise by completing the Canadian Academy of Animal Osteopathy graduate diploma under Dr. Kayte Armstrong in 2022. Nevena now operates a private practice in Burlington, ON, and a mobile animal osteopathy service across Southwest Ontario.

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Alex had an indirect path to his career in Osteopathy, his first experience as a patient stuck with him for years, until his desire to help people more directly inspired a career change. He has a degree in Economics from McMaster University and conducted additional post-graduate studies in Strategic Marketing at George Brown College. This analytical background, rooted in his drive to understand the “why and how” behind everything, combined with his passion for health created a perfect opportunity to dive head first into Osteopathy.

Alex graduated from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in 2019 and is currently a practicing Osteopathic Manual Practitioner in Hamilton and a Clinical Instructor at the CAO.

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Sarah has always enjoyed working with her hands and problem-solving, and so manual therapy was a natural career progression. Her interest in Osteopathy began as she was introduced to the concept while researching medical schools. Osteopathy kept popping up in her searches and its philosophy of empowering the body to self-heal and self-regulate was intriguing. After some time spent working in developmental services and traveling, Sarah began her studies at the CAO in 2015.

Sarah holds a Baccalaureate Honours degree in Science, specializing in Biomedical Toxicology. Her education also includes in-person Disability Studies at the University of Iceland, as well as online Biology and Physiology courses from the University of Athabasca.

Sarah graduated in 2019 and was delighted to become part of the CAO faculty as a Clinical Supervisor. She enjoys interfacing with students and patients alike and thinks it’s the best part of her day, aside from the treatment of course.

When she isn’t in her clinic or at the CAO, you can find Sarah reading, writing, playing music, or hanging upside down with her local circus troupe.

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Having realized at a young age that she wanted a career combining human anatomy with the ability to help people, Katie Knapp completed her Honours Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology at McMaster University, following which she spent a year providing exercise therapy for individuals with profound mental and physical disabilities. From there, she spent eight years working as a Certified Kinesiologist in a physiotherapy clinic during which time she also completed her Honours Bachelor degree in the discipline of Philosophy.

Katie’s love of working with her patients lead her to search for a better understanding and autonomy with which to be able to assist them in their healing process. Upon learning about osteopathy she quickly fell in love with its philosophy and thought process in approach to the human body.

Since graduating in 2019, Katie has established her osteopathic practice in Woodstock, Ontario

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Ranjan Bobby is one of Toronto’s preeminent personal trainers, known for his winning personality and results-oriented fitness philosophy. Originally from Trinidad, Ranjan has distinguished himself here during his academic and professional career as someone who makes a difference to people’s lives— whether coaching a team to victory in highly competitive women’s volleyball, performing critical fitness assessments of AAA hockey players or transforming a middle-aged businessman from out-of-shape to fit and healthy.

In his role as an exercise specialist/personal fitness trainer Ranjan has worked with some of the city’s well-known political and business personalities, as well as young, up-and-coming athletes and he has helped them achieve extraordinary results in fitness and overall health management. His special focus on injury prevention, flexibility assessment and improvement, posture enhancement, strength and endurance and weight loss has won him enthusiastic fans among his extensive client base.
Ranjan is a graduate of George Brown College’s highly acclaimed Fitness and Lifestyles Management Program and is a certified Personal Trainer. His belief in lifelong learning and continual personal improvement means that Ranjan is constantly upgrading his knowledge base and skills, and his open philosophy and natural inquisitiveness means that he devotes considerable personal time widening and deepening the scope of his health and fitness expertise.

“My greatest pleasure is working with people and helping them to achieve their goals of physical and mental quality of lifestyle. My passion throughout my life has been melding the art and science of coaching—whether it is an individual or a sports team. Personalized interaction in the form of one-on-one training gets results you can’t get any other way,” says Ranjan.

Dan loved lifting weights and Anatomy, so naturally he earned his diploma in the Physical Fitness Management program at Cambrian College.
Realizing that he wanted to continue with his education, Dan started to research which profession would be the best fit for him in order to help patients in the best way possible.

After discovering the CAO and attending the open house, Dan knew that this is where he wanted to be and that classical Osteopathy was exactly what he was looking for.

Dan moved to Hamilton shortly after being accepted at the CAO, and it was the best decision he’s ever made.
Being a teacher at the CAO is a dream come true because he gets the chance to share his knowledge and help build the future of Osteopathy.

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Bianca has always been interested in health and wellness from a young age. This led her to pursue these interests by earning her Honours Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology at McMaster University. During this time, Bianca travelled to Peru, meeting with Amazonian shamans who introduced her to natural healing and plant medicine. This experience propelled her interest in alternative health care.

From there, her interest in holistic wellness, physiology, and treating the root cause led her to discover Osteopathy; first as a patient, and then as a professional. Bianca graduated from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in 2021, and operates her practice in Hamilton, Ontario.

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Graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo in 2015, Patrick then committed to four years at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy. Patrick found his passion for learning the anatomy and physiology of the human body during his undergraduate studies and while swimming competitively and playing water polo. He was able to further enhance his understanding throughout the four years he was a volunteer teaching assistant in the human cadaver labs on the University campus.

Choosing to pursue Osteopathy was a decision Patrick made based on his appreciation for the art and science of the field of manual therapy. Having close family who work in the field helped him decide this was the right avenue for him and he has never looked back.

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Prior to her schooling at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, Rachel completed her Bachelor of Science at the University of Guelph majoring in Human Kinetics. Rachel’s diverse experience with working with individuals who are medically fragile ignited her passion for helping others as well as deepening her understanding of anatomy and physiology. Rachel is committed to helping her patients achieve a better quality of life through a hands-on principle based approach to treatment. Her goal is to help the students at the CAO develop both professionally and academically throughout their studies at the school. Since graduating in 2020, Rachel has established an osteopathic practice in Oakville, Ontario.

Before beginning his studies at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, Mitchell received his Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Kinesiology and Diploma in Fitness and Health Promotion at the University of Guelph-Humber. Through years of study his original interest in sports science evolved into a passion for human anatomy specifically in relation to manual therapy and structural rehabilitation.

Mitchell is currently operating at an Osteopathic Health Centre in Aurora, Ontario where he conducts his full time practice. He remains active in the osteopathic community through continuous student mentorship and work with the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.

Tommy attended McMaster University from 2012-2016 where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in the Life Sciences program. He graduated from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in the fall of 2020 where he got his M.MOSc degree. Having played competitive sports throughout his life, Tommy knew that he wanted to pursue a career that was involved in understanding and bettering the human body.

Now, as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner at 180 Wellness in Ancaster, ON, he is thrilled to be serving his community and helping people with their physical health.

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Stephanie’s passion for osteopathy stems from a lifelong interest and involvement in both athletics and rehabilitative sciences. Osteopathy allowed Stephanie to bridge her passions of athletics, biomechanics, anatomy, physiology and helping people into a very successful and rewarding career. Studying Osteopathy in its purest form has provided her with classical principles and an extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology which allows her to provide both preventative and rehabilitative care to her patients. The dynamic nature of osteopathic sciences allows Stephanie to work with a wide range of patients including professional and college-level athletes, geriatrics, pediatrics and everything in between.

Stephanie began this journey at the University of Toronto, where she completed a Bachelor’s of Kinesiology in 2016, and continued her studies at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy (CAO). Graduating in 2020, she now enjoys work as an osteopathic manual practitioner in her hometown of Brantford, Ontario, as well as teaching as a member of the CAO faculty. Educating and inspiring the future practitioners of the profession is extremely important to Stephanie as she understands that the strength of the profession lies with every student and graduate of the CAO. When not in her clinic or at the school, you’ll find Stephanie on the sidelines coaching competitive basketball, in the gym, with her head in a book or traveling.

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Melissa’s athletic career had her in and out of clinics since the time she was young, sparking her curiosity about the human body & healing, and leading her to study Kinesiology to learn more.

She spent many hours volunteering in multidisciplinary clinics, but noticed gaps in the way patients were treated. Cookie-cutter approaches, and patients not getting better.

It wasn’t until she stumbled across Osteopathy, seeing both the rationale and the effectiveness, that everything clicked. And without hesitation decided this was the path for her.

Since graduating in 2018, Melissa has managed 2 successful practices in Ontario, and now runs a private practice in Calgary, Alberta.

Before starting his education in Osteopathy, Chad worked in the health and fitness industry coaching exercise and nutrition. Injuries led him to osteopathy and after seeing the healing benefits of osteopathic care, he went on to complete his Master’s of Practice in Osteopathic Manual Sciences at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy. In addition to clinical work, he has a passion for teaching and supervises students in their osteopathic education at the CAO.

Curtis’ studies before the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy found him with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Mary’s University in Halifax. After a change of fate found him in Calgary, Curtis began a career in Health and Wellness as a Personal Trainer and Thai Massage practitioner before being introduced to a wide variety of modalities to support healthcare. Curtis’ passion for supporting health came from his experience working with individuals within the private and public healthcare systems, and deepened his understanding of anatomy and physiology. After years of working in Personalized Fitness for over a decade, Curtis became more displeased with the transactional nature of personalized training and the focus shifted away from improving health.

His goal is to help the students at the CAO develop academically throughout their studies at the school en route to becoming well equipped professionals. Curtis has committed himself to supporting health through a hands-on principle based approach to improve his patients in improving their quality of life.

After attending a visit day at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, hearing the philosophy, passion in students, and seeing Mr Johnston in action, Curtis was decided. He had finally found the career to continue to grow through. He continued his training practice while in school and raising his dogs until he graduated in 2022. Curtis works as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner at his private clinical practice in Cochrane, Alberta.

Amanda Lum M.OMSc was an athletic therapist before graduating from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in 2022. Amanda’s fascination for understanding the human body and search for a better way to find the cause of patients ailments and meet them where they were at in finding health led her to change careers and enrol at the CAO. 

After concluding her studies, she now enjoys work as and osteopathic manual practitioner in Hamilton and St. Catherines, Ontario. Also since graduating Amanda has completed the teacher training program at the CAO and is excited to take part in the privilege of teaching osteopathy to students. When Amanda isn’t teaching or working in clinical practice, you can find her out in nature hiking or rock climbing.

Graham has always been fascinated by people, the human body, and its ability to self-heal.  Before beginning his studies at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, Graham graduated from McMaster University with a degree in Kinesiology.  He began his clinical career as a kinesiologist in the hospital systems working with patients in complex pain states.  Here, he learned the limitations of allopathic care which led him to pursue the practice of osteopathy.  Graham completed his Masters in Practice of Osteopathic Manipulative Sciences in 2022.  He is passionate about sharing the gift of osteopathy with his patients, teaching students at the CAO, and the continual exploration of the human body-mind-soul connection. 

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A former national rhythmic gymnast and professional dancer, Emily has always been passionate about exploring the capacities of the human body and finding ease in movement. Prior to graduating from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in 2022, Emily spent over a decade teaching Pilates, helping people move with greater awareness and freedom. Her interest in anatomy and desire to better serve her clients led her to osteopathy, recognizing that all structures of the body must work together in harmony for the body to be able to express health.

Currently, Emily works as an OMP in Burlington, ON and is delighted to be a part of the faculty at the CAO.  When not in the clinic, she enjoys hiking, reading and spending time with her dogs. 

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Zachary graduated from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in March of 2023. Falling in love with Osteopathy and the culture at the CAO through the 4 year program, upon graduation Zack decided to start in the internship program where he completed his 1000 hours in July of 2024. He is now Junior staff, helping with educational content, new interns coming into the school, and developing his ability to teach.

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Having lived in Hamilton her entire life, Leslie has two children, a son and daughter that are both adults. She also has one granddaughter who is 15 years old (how time flies!). Leslie spends five months of the year during her time off at her trailer enjoying swimming, boating, biking and hiking. She is an animal lover and has a dog and a cat.

Leslie makes sure the clinic runs smoothly every day. She is proud to work for the CAO’s Student Clinic that has collectively given the public over 80,000 free treatments.

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