Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Welsh
Keynote Address: The Evolution of STEMI Care in Northern Alberta: A 20-Year Review
Dr. Robert Welsh is a Professor and academic interventional cardiologist at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. He is Edmonton Zone Clinical Department Head, Cardiac Sciences; Co-chair of Vital Heart Response (STEMI regional reperfusion program) and the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation program (TAVI).
Dr. Welsh's clinical research interests are focused on the management of the full spectrum of Acute Coronary Syndromes and Interventional Cardiology. Further research interests include: Diabetes Mellitus and cardiac physiology. He has published over 175 peer reviewed articles, multiple book chapters and greater than 150 scientific abstracts. In collaboration with colleagues he has received a Canadian Institute of Health Research-Canadian Medical Association Journal Top Canadian Achievements in Health Research Award. He is a faculty member at the Canadian VIGOUR Centre focused on collaborative regional, national and international research. He is currently on the executive or steering committee of 5 international trials and co-chairs a research adjudication committee.
Dr. Welsh is co-director of the Annual Cardiovascular Congress in the Rockies. He initiated the Heartbeat Run Series to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and risk factor management and raise funds for local Hospital Foundations and Charities.
Dr. Sandeep Goel Aggarwal
Dr. Sandeep Goel Aggarwal is a cardiologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Calgary. He received his MD and completed his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Toronto, followed by fellowship training in Cardiology at the University of Calgary and specialized training in Echocardiography at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Aggarwal has practiced cardiology in Calgary for more than two decades, with clinical expertise in coronary artery disease, cardiovascular prevention, heart failure, and cardiac rehabilitation. He is the Medical Director of the TotalCardiology Rehabilitation program, which provides cardiac rehabilitation to more than 2,000 patients annually, and has been a leader in improving access to and delivery of cardiac rehabilitation in Calgary, including spearheading early access to rehabilitation as part of the Calgary STEMI initiative.
Dr. Aggarwal's research and academic interests focus primarily on cardiovascular prevention and cardiac rehabilitation, and he is the Medical Director of the TotalCardiology Research Network. In recognition of his contributions to cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation, Dr. Aggarwal received the 2025 Terry Kavanagh Award from the Canadian Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Etienne Amendezo
Dr. Etienne Amendezo is a consultant cardiologist with expertise in interventional and structural cardiology and a strong academic interest in clinical cardiovascular research.
He completed his medical degree and internal medicine residency at the University of Rwanda, followed by adult cardiology training at Aga Khan University in Nairobi. He subsequently pursued advanced subspecialty training in interventional and structural cardiology at the University of Alberta under Dr. Ben Tyrrell. He is currently undertaking an MSc in Clinical Trials at the University of Oxford, UK.
Before relocating to Edmonton to serve as a consultant cardiologist and research lead at the CK Hui Heart Centre, Dr. Amendezo was a faculty member in the Department of Medicine and practiced as a clinical and interventional cardiologist at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, where he contributed to the development and consolidation of the structural heart disease program, including the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) service. He also established the first dedicated resistant hypertension clinic and renal denervation program in East Africa.
His academic and clinical interests focus on advancing cardiovascular care through medical education, rigorous clinical research, and delivery of high-quality, evidence-based cardiac care.
Dr. Debraj Das
Dr. Debraj Das is an interventional and clinical cardiologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and CK Hui Heart Centre. He was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, and he attended the University of Alberta, where he received an honorary Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree (2011) and his Doctor of Medicine (2013). He remained at the University of Alberta for his core Internal Medicine and Adult Cardiology residency training (2013-2019). Dr. Das also took on full-time graduate studies during his residency and successfully defended his Master of Science in Translational Medicine (2019). He completed his Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certifications in Internal Medicine (2017) and Adult Cardiology (2019) and was accepted into the American College of Cardiology in 2020.
Dr. Das left Edmonton in 2019 to pursue his true passion, interventional cardiology, at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, British Colombia. During this two-year clinical fellowship, Dr. Das completed thousands of complex cases and specialized in all aspects of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). His main clinical interests included managing stable coronary disease, acute coronary syndromes, left main and bifurcation PCI, coronary physiology, and intravascular imaging.
Outside the demands of his clinical work, Dr. Das has continued to place priority on advancing medical research as well as volunteer work. This ongoing dedication has resulted in more than 40 academic and community service awards at local, provincial, and national levels. He has published numerous academic papers and has presented at several international conferences. Dr. Das was the recipient of Edify Magazine's Top 40 under 40 award in 2019. As a true Edmontonian, he has his vision set on bolstering the profile of our city through continued clinical research and providing his patients the absolute best care available.
Dr. John Dimitry
Dr. John Dimitry earned his medical degree from the University of Calgary in 2006 and completed specialty training in Cardiology at the University of Alberta in 2013. During residency, he also earned his Master of Public Health (MPH) in Clinical Epidemiology. He pursued sub-specialty training in Echocardiography, including stress echocardiography, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto under the mentorship of Dr. Zion Sasson.
After returning to Edmonton, Dr. Dimitry joined the Misericordia Hospital Cardiology group, where he served as Director of the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and as Facility Chief for Cardiac Sciences. In 2025, he became a member of Edmonton Cardiology Consultants. His current practice focuses on general clinical cardiology and echocardiography.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Dimitry enjoys hiking and skiing with his wife and their three sons.
Dr. Micha Dorsch
Dr. Dorsch completed his undergraduate medical training at the Universities of Cologne and Heidelberg (Germany). He worked at the Sports Medicine Institute, at the University of Heidelberg before moving to England.
He finished his training in Internal Medicine in Sunderland and Brighton. He then moved to the University of Leeds, where he was awarded a PhD in molecular genetics. Subsequently Dr Dorsch trained in General Cardiology at the Leeds General Infirmary. Following this he became the first interventional fellow at the Yorkshire Heart Centre in Leeds before completing his Interventional Cardiology training at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.
Since 2006 he has worked as a cardiologist at Edmonton Cardiology Consultants and at the CK Hui Heart Centre. His interests include general and interventional cardiology.
More recently he developed the first renal denervation programme (novel technology for the invasive management of resistant hypertension) in Western Canada.
Dr. Luke Gagnon
Dr. Luke Gagnon completed medical school at the University of Calgary and his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Alberta, where he is now in his final year of Cardiology training. Next year, he will pursue a fellowship in Advanced Echocardiography at the University of Alberta.
He recently earned an MSc in Translational Medicine, focusing his thesis on heart failure and diabetes. He has published multiple papers on heart failure and maintains clinical interests in heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and sports cardiology.
Dr. Stephanie Gysel
Dr. Stephanie Gysel is a clinical pharmacist, researcher, and pharmacy owner based in Calgary, Alberta. She is the founder and owner of Apothecare Pharmacy, where she has developed innovative pharmacist-led clinical programs focused on cardiovascular risk reduction, hypertension, diabetes, and preventive care. She also practices as a clinical pharmacist with Total Cardiology and is a postdoctoral fellow in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta.
Dr. Gysel is actively involved in cardiovascular research and guideline development. She was a member of the 2025 Hypertension Canada Primary Care Guideline Committee, serves as Co-Chair of Hypertension Canada’s Research and Evaluation Committee, and is the National Coordinator for May Measurement Month Canada. She also chaired the Western Canada Lipid Landscape Meeting in spring 2026, bringing together clinicians and experts in lipid management and cardiovascular prevention.
Her academic work has resulted in numerous peer-reviewed publications, and she has presented her research nationally and internationally. Her clinical and research interests include lipid management, Lp(a), hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular risk reduction, and the development of innovative models of pharmacist-led care.
Dr. Bill Keeble
Dr. Bill Keeble is an Associate Clinical Professor working principally at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton and is a member of the cardiac pacemaker implanting groups at the Royal Alexander and Grey Nuns Hospitals. He holds a cross appointment with the University of Alberta.
Subspecialty interests:
Academic Cardiology: Awarded a British Heart Foundation Research Fellowship, Glasgow 1998-2000, Doctorate of Medicine awarded 2005 Nottingham University.
Cardiac Pacemaker Implantation: training Edmonton 2012-14 and Glasgow 2001-05.
Heart Rhythm Society exam: Certified Cardiac Device Specialist 2016+ 2023
Interventional Cardiology: Consultant Interventional Cardiologist University of Norfolk and Norwich UK 2008, Fellow University of Alberta 2005-08, Glasgow 2001-05
Echocardiography: British Society of Echocardiography, trans-thoracic 2004 and trans-oesophageal 2005 accredited.
Cardiac MRI: Level 2 SCMR accredited 2005, Royal Brompton Hospital, London UK.
Dr. Tyler Lamb
Dr. Lamb was born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He attended the University of Saskatchewan where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology & Immunology in 2006, and his Doctor of Medicine degree in 2010. He remained at the University of Saskatchewan to complete his Internal Medicine and Cardiology residency training programs then relocated to Edmonton in 2016 for further clinical fellowship training in Echocardiography. Following his clinical fellowship, Dr. Lamb obtained his ‘Diplomate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada’ designation in Echocardiography. He then went on to complete an echocardiography research fellowship under Dr. Harald Becher and concurrently completed a Master of Science degree in Translational Medicine. His area of study was ‘Fusion 3D Echocardiography’.
Dr. Lamb joined Edmonton Cardiology Consultants in 2018 and also works at their affiliated clinic in South Edmonton, ‘Pulse Air’. Dr. Lamb holds a hospital appointment with the Royal Alexandra Hospital Cardiology Division where he is the director of their echocardiography lab. He has special interests in 3D, stress and contrast echocardiography, and also cardiovascular intensive care and medical education. He holds a clinical associate professor of medicine faculty appointment with the University of Alberta.
Dr. Evan Lockwood
Dr. Evan Lockwood is a cardiologist specializing in clinical cardiac electrophysiology. His clinical interests include pharmacological and catheter-based management of atrial fibrillation, the prevention of sudden cardiac death, as well as cardiac resynchronization therapy for heart failure.
Dr. Lockwood grew up in rural Saskatchewan and obtained his Medical Doctorate (with Distinction) from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon in 1999. During this MD, he was awarded a Rotary Foundation Scholarship and undertook a year of study at the University of Durham in Durham, England (1995-1996). His training in Internal Medicine (1999-2002) and Adult Cardiology (2002-2005) were undertaken at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He then completed two further years of training with an Electrophysiology Fellowship in Victoria, BC (2005-2007) and an Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Research Fellowship at the Pacific Rim Electrophysiology Research Institute in Los Angeles, California (2007). He has held clinical appointments at the CK Hui Heart Centre in the Royal Alexandra Hospital and at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute in University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta since 2007.
At the CK Hui Heart Centre in the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Dr. Lockwood is the Director of the Cardiac Rhythm Device Clinic, Director of ECG & Ambulatory Electrocardiography, and Director of the Arrhythmia Clinic. Working with a team of specialized nurses, he has developed referral programs for atrial fibrillation assessment & cardioversion, educational programs for patients and staff, and is aiming to lead a new EP lab program.
Dr. Lockwood is a Clinical Professor whose principal academic interest is in medical education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has been involved in the clinical skills program and the problem-based learning program in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta as a resident and faculty member. He has previously received the A.M. Edwards Award in Medical Education and the Outstanding Clinical Preceptor Award. He has previously been the Program Director for the Adult Cardiology residency training program at the University of Alberta and is the longest serving active member of the Residency Program Committee. He is the principle teacher for the adult cardiology EP rotation at the Royal Alexandra Hospital as well as one of the instructors in the medical student ECG learning program.
He is a Fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society, a Fellow of the Canadian Heart Rhythm Society and a Fellow of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. He has been an active member of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society since 2002, with prior roles as the Chair of the Trainee Committee, as well as a member of the Working Group on Standards of Training and Competency, the Membership Committee, and the Journal Committee. He has been involved in the annual Canadian Cardiovascular Society Adult Cardiology Trainee Review Program for nearly 15 years and is currently a primary panelist on the CCS CIED Therapy Guidelines.
Dr. Raj Padwal
- Professor of Medicine, University of Alberta
- General Internal Medicine Specialist, Clinical Pharmacologist, Clinical Epidemiologist
- Practicing at Kaye Edmonton Clinic and Diamond Health Care Centre. Specialty focus on hypertension, lipids and cardiometabolic disease.
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Alberta Innovates, Canadian National Research Council IRAP funded researcher in the fields of technology assisted care and blood pressure measurement. Over 7 million in peer-reviewed funding received and 300 peer-reviewed papers published.
- Past Chair of the Canadian Hypertension Education Program guidelines and member of national and international blood pressure guideline committees.
- Past CEO of Millimetres Mercury (mmHg) Inc., focusing on creating sustainable, scalable software platform solutions that enable best practice (acquired in 2024 by Myant Health).
Dr. Graeme Prosperi-Porta
Dr. Graeme Prosperi-Porta is an interventional cardiologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and CK Hui Heart Centre. He grew up in St. Albert, Alberta, and attended the University of Alberta, where he completed a degree in Materials Biomedical Engineering. He then completed a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University.
Dr. Prosperi-Porta completed his Doctor of Medicine degree and Internal Medicine residency training at the University of Calgary. He then moved to Ottawa to complete his core Adult Cardiology training at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, receiving certifications in Internal Medicine and Adult Cardiology.
He continued his cardiac training in Ottawa, further subspecializing in interventional cardiology. His training included complex percutaneous coronary intervention and intravascular imaging, and he became a Diplomate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Interventional Cardiology.
Dr. Prosperi-Porta then completed a dedicated fellowship in structural heart disease, where he trained to perform minimally invasive transcatheter interventions for valvular and structural heart disease. His training included transcatheter aortic valve replacement, mitral and tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, left atrial appendage occlusion, transcatheter mitral valve replacement, mitral valve commissurotomy, paravalvular leak closure, and transcatheter atrial septal defect repair.
His clinical interests include transcatheter intervention in cardiogenic shock, temporary mechanical circulatory support, and intravascular imaging for complex PCI. He has a passion for research and is involved in multiple ongoing clinical trials. His overarching mission is to provide comprehensive and excellent cardiac care to the Albertans he serves.
When he is not practising cardiology, he enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with his two boys through skiing and biking.
Dr. Robinder Sidhu
Dr. Robinder Sidhu was born in Calgary, Alberta and raised in Edmonton where he completed 3 years of undergraduate work at the University of Alberta. He attended medical school at the University of Calgary, graduating in 2012. He returned to Edmonton to complete a residency in internal medicine. He then remained at the University of Alberta Mazankowski Heart Institute where he completed a residency in adult cardiology, graduating in 2018. In his final year, he served as the chief cardiology resident. He holds a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCPC) certification in both internal medicine and cardiology. In addition, he obtained his American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification. His interests include general cardiology, and cardiac and general intensive care medicine. He is fluent in English and Punjabi.
Dr. Sanam Verma
Dr. Sanam Verma is a born and raised Edmontonian. He attended the University of Alberta where he received a Bachelor of Science with Distinction (2010) and his Doctor of Medicine with Special Training in Research (2014). After graduating medical school, he underwent residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Alberta. He then underwent further Royal College specialization training in Cardiology which was completed at the University of Alberta. Dr. Verma then advanced with additional Royal College specialization training in Critical Care Medicine. He also completed further training in transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography at the CK Hui Heart Centre.
Dr. Verma works as a dual specialist as both a Cardiologist and Intensivist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. He has a particular interest in Cardiac Critical Care and treatment of the most critically ill patients. His research area includes Cardiogenic Shock and has published multiple articles in literature. He also has a clinical interest in comprehensive echocardiography, point of care ultrasound and echocardiography in the Intensive Care Units, and early detection and intervention of cardiogenic shock patients. He is a member of clinical faculty at the University of Alberta and has a passion for medical education and teaching both Cardiology and Critical Care trainees.
Dr. Kai Wu
Kai Yi Wu, MD is a Cardiologist at the CK Hui Heart Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. After earning his BHSc from McMaster University and MD from the University of Ottawa, he completed his Internal Medicine and Adult Cardiology postgraduate training at the University of Alberta, where he was the Lead Cardiology Resident. He completed an advanced fellowship in Cardio-Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Thalheimer Center for Cardio-Oncology. His clinical and research interests include cardiovascular complications of cancer immunotherapies, radiation heart disease, cardiac amyloidosis, and risk-guided cardio-protection. He is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases in Canada and the United States.
