The Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) is proud to announce
this year’s recipients of its Member Awards and Public Education
Awards, following a detailed review of nominations received by the
Membership and Awards Committee using a thorough scoring system.
2024 CDA Member Awards
These awards recognize Certified Dermatologists for excellence
in leadership, clinical care, education, and research in the
medical care of skin, hair, and nails.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Kirk
Barber
This award honours Certified Dermatologists who have made a
lasting impact in dermatology through their professional
accomplishments. This year's CDA Lifetime Achievement Award honours
an outstanding member, Dr. Kirk Barber. He has
provided outstanding dermatologic care to patients for over 40
years. His wealth of experience and encyclopedic medical knowledge
reveal unparalleled clinical acumen. As the current vice president
of the Camp Liberté Society, which he brought to Alberta, children
affected by skin conditions are now able to experience a magical
summer camp.
A clinical professor in the departments of Medicine and
Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, Dr. Barber
is also an engaging, effective educator, using traditional to
cutting-edge modalities to teach more effectively and be a role
model for the next generation of dermatologists. Dr. Barber has
also served as a principal investigator on more than 150 clinical
trials and possesses a wealth of expertise in psoriasis and atopic
dermatitis. As Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine
and Surgery, Dr. Barber has elevated the profile of our national
scientific journal and doubled the journal’s impact factor. He is a
dedicated clinician, educator, innovator, and scholar, not only
providing exceptional service to his patients and his community,
but also bringing honor to our profession.
Award of Merit: Jennifer
Beecker
The CDA Award of Merit recognizes outstanding contributions to
the CDA and dermatology. This year’s recipient,
Dr. Jennifer Beecker, is
recognized for her groundbreaking research, tireless contributions
to the CDA, and her role as chair of the Royal College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Dermatology Examination Board. In
her role as Research Director, Division of Dermatology, at The
Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Beecker has contributed to 74 peer-reviewed
publications and has received numerous grants for research projects
at TOH.
She has been a consistent leader and mentor for the residency
program at the University of Ottawa, supporting their scholarships,
research, and publications for the last 12 years. Dr. Beecker also
actively engages in several volunteer and leadership committees.
She has been the longest serving board member of the CDA and has
won the President’s Cup twice.
Practitioner of the Year Award: Dr.
Steven Glassman
The CDA Practitioner of the Year Award honours Canadian
dermatologists who provide excellence in patient care to their
community and whose major focus is clinical practice.
This year’s recipient, Dr. Steven Glassman, provides
unparalleled service to the community. He runs the phototherapy
units at two different hospitals, as well as volunteering to do
more call weeks than any of his peers. On a regular basis, he
mentors numerous medical students and dermatology residents. He
freely volunteers his time, including as the president of the local
dermatology charity, the National Capital Skin Diseases
Foundation.
Dr. Glassman is an excellent teacher, mentor, and clinician. His
willingness to share knowledge, engage in interdisciplinary
collaboration, and maintain positive working relationships with
other physicians and staff has made him an invaluable asset.
Early Career Volunteer Award: Dr.
Jérôme Coulombe and Dr. Jori Hardin
The CDA Early Career Volunteer Award recognizes residents,
fellows, and new dermatologists who are committed to giving back to
society through volunteer activities that have a medical or
dermatological aspect. This year, the award recognizes two
outstanding CDA members, Dr. Jérôme Coulombe and
Dr. Jori Hardin.
Dr. Jérôme Coulombe’s passion for pediatric
dermatology is what fuels his teaching sessions at the Université
de Montreal (UdeM) and led to his recent CDA RFS teaching award. He
has delivered over 50 CME teaching sessions since 2015 on a
regional, provincial, national, and international level and has
volunteered to be a media spokesperson for the CDA, Eczema Society
of Canada, and Quebec Dermatology Association regarding children’s
skin health, atopic dermatitis, acne, and pediatric
dermatology.
Dr. Coulombe has been involved in multiple resident training
committees at UdeM, leading in undergraduate medical education and
resident training for pediatrics, as well as spearheading the
dermatology education curriculum improvement (UGCME) of the MD
program at UdeM. He also helps prepare residents for their Royal
College exams by running bi-annual OSCEs; organizes the monthly
journal clubs, supervises trainees and residents clinically and
lectures as the pediatric dermatology elective director, leads
quality improvement and quality assessment, and has been on the
organizing committee for a very successful, annual CHU Ste-Justine
Pediatric Dermatology Day since 2015.
A large focus of Dr. Jori Hardin’s efforts is
on equity, diversity, and inclusion. She implemented long-term
outreach dermatology-focused clinics in underserved populations,
including a Blackfoot community east of Calgary, and at a community
health center for people facing poverty, trauma, financial and
housing instability, and food insecurity.
Dr. Hardin’s efforts in EDI also extend to formal changes in the
residency program so residents could learn about culturally
competent care. She is the chair of the undergraduate medical
dermatology curriculum at the University of Calgary; and is the
lead for Competency by Design for the University of Calgary
residency program. Through her clinical endeavours, Dr. Hardin
demonstrates a deep commitment to enhancing and improving patient
care. She makes every patient feel seen and heard.
Resident’s Writing Award: Dr. François Lagacé and Dr.
Bryan Ma
The CDA Resident Writing Award recognizes dermatology residents
who contribute and share their expertise and experiences within the
dermatology community and have contributed significant knowledge in
the dermatology field through publications.
This year’s award recipients are Dr. François
Lagacé and Dr. Bryan Ma.
Dr. François Lagacé, a CDA member and incoming PGY5 dermatology
resident at McGill University, receives this award for the work
that he and his co-authors presented in the article “The Role of
Sex and Gender in Dermatology - From Pathogenesis to Clinical
Implications,” which was published in the CDA’s Journal of
Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery.
Dr. Bryan Ma, a CDA member and incoming PGY3 dermatology
resident at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary,
receives this award for the work that he and his co-authors
presented in the article “Epidemiology and Healthcare Expenditure
for Skin Disease in Emergency Departments in Alberta, Canada,”
which was published in the CDA’s Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and
Surgery.
Research Award in Dermatology:
Dr. Touraj Khosravi
The CDA Research Award in Dermatology recognizes excellence in
research intended to expand, direct, define or assist in the
understanding and/or treatment of dermatologic disease and must be
of a quality suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed
journal.
This year’s award recipient is Dr. Touraj Khosravi, a Master of
Science candidate in experiment medicine, who is pursuing his
Dermatology/Rheumatology Clinical and Research Fellowship at
University of Pennsylvania and is a CDA member. He is
recognized for his outstanding work as the lead author of the
research article, “Direct immunofluorescence IgG autoantibody
subclass analysis as a tool to differentiate bullous systemic lupus
erythematosus from epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.” Dr. Khosravi’s
critical research advances the field, striving toward
differentiation between BSLE and EBA to prioritize prognosis and
management.
2024 CDA Public Education Awards
The CDA Public Education Awards honour those in the industry,
media, and not-for-profit sectors who have furthered the
understanding of dermatologic issues and encouraged healthy
behaviours in the medical care of skin, hair, and nails. Projects
and activities recognized were completed between January 1, 2023
and December 31, 2023.
CDA Public Education Award: Not-for-Profit
Category
Award recipient: David Cornfield
Melanoma Fund (The Umbrella Sky Project)
The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund launched the Umbrella Sky
Project, a shade art installation promoting the importance of sun
safety, at Stackt Market in Toronto, Ont., in May 2023. The goal
was to empower Canadians to reduce their risk of skin cancer
through sun safety. Hundreds of umbrellas hung suspended over a
large courtyard at Stackt Market, creating stunning shade. Bold
signage shared sun safety tips and encouraged everyone to be
#SunSafeAlways. The Umbrella Sky project protected and informed
Stackt Market’s visitors and enthusiastically engaged Canadians
online and in the media from May to October 2023.
About the Canadian Dermatology
Association
Established in 1925, the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA)
is a member organization that advocates for dermatologists across
Canada, underscoring their essential role in the healthcare system.
As a community of Certified Dermatologists, we are dedicated to
advancing the science of dermatology encompassing over 3,000 skin,
hair, and nail conditions. Our commitment extends beyond
professional support; we also protect and educate the public
through comprehensive educational initiatives and our product
recognition program.
To learn more about CDA initiatives, visit dermatology.ca and
join the conversation on our social media channels.
For media inquiries, contact: Maryn
Hendry, Communications Coordinator Email:
media@dermatology.ca