Board & Staff - Ontario Psychological Association

Did You Know?

The physical and psychological toll on family caregivers of those suffering from dementia is considerable; up to 75 per cent will develop psychological illnesses; 15 to 32 per cent experience depression (S5)

OPA Board and Staff

OPA President

Dr. Diana Velikonja is a licensed Clinical Neuropsychologist, Clinical Psychologists and Clinical Rehabilitation Psychologist in Ontario. She provide psychological and neuropsychological consultative and treatment services for a variety of pediatric, adult and geriatric populations. She is also the chair of research in the HHS Acquired Brain Injury Program having been awarded research grants and published research articles. Dr. Velikonja is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences in the medical school at McMaster University. She is also a member of the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF) Committee for Acquired Brain Injury providing consultation for funding ABI research and has been a member on a number of their expert panels regarding mild traumatic brain injury and concussion and an author on journal articles regarding guidelines. She also serves as a reviewer for a number of scientific journals. Dr. Velikonja is also on the Board of the Hamilton Brain Injury Association. Dr. Velikonja is a founding partner of Storrie, Velikonja & Associates (SVA), a full-service psychology clinic located in Burlington, Ontario, and Co-Director of the SVA Concussion Clinic and Healthy Aging Clinic.

OPA Past President

Dr. Sylvain Roy is a bilingual rehabilitation neuropsychologist holding positions at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) & Inner City Family Health Team in Toronto and Adjunct Professor at York University. He received his Ph.D. in neuropsychology from the Université de Montréal and also holds degrees from York and McGill University. At Inner Family Health Team, Dr. Roy works exclusively with homeless men. Roles include the assessment of patient's neuropsychological functioning, providing treatment recommendations, the supervision of graduate and postgraduate students. At CAMH, Dr. Roy is the lead clinician in a service that provides neuropsychological, psychological, and functional (OT) assessments and cognitive rehabilitation services to patients with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Our service also provides advance clinical training to neuropsychology interns and postdoctoral fellows wishing to develop an expertise in the assessment and treatment of persons with severe mental illness.

President Elect

Dr. Jason Ramsay is a registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. He received a Doctorate in Human Development and Applied Psychology from the University of Toronto. Awards from the University of Toronto, Canadian Neurotrauma Foundation and the Whipper Watson Scholarship at Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation supported his doctoral research. He completed practical clinical training in assessment and rehabilitation of adults at the Sisters of Charity of Eastern Ontario Hospital-St. Vincent Pavilion, and with adults and children at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health-Clarke Site, Surrey Place Centre, and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab. He was a post-doctoral fellow in neuroimaging and in public health research at St. Michael’s Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, and at the Centre for Research on Inner City Health in Toronto, supported by fellowships and awards from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Strategic Training Program and the Peterborough K.M. Hunter Medical Research Program. He also obtained training in adult clinical assessment and treatment at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and most recently motor vehicle accident and medical legal assessment at Kaplan and Levitt Psychologists in Hamilton, Ontario. He has authored empirical research studies in peer reviewed medicine, health geography, public health and psychology journals and has made numerous invited presentations at psychology and medicine conferences as well as at the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association conference.

He is currently in private practice as a founding partner and co-clinical manager of Niagara Psychological Wellness in St. Catharines, Ontario. He was appointed to and teaches as a Clinical Assistant Professor (Adjunct) at the Michael G. DeGroote Medical School at McMaster University. He is a member of the Hamilton Medical Legal Society, The Ontario Psychological Association, The Canadian Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association. He is the Ontario representative to the Canadian Professional Association of Psychologists. He is currently the Chair of the OPA-WSIB committee.

Treasurer

For the last three years, Dr. Gendron has been working as a Clinical and School Psychologist for the Toronto Catholic District School Board. In addition to serving the elementary and high school population, she also specializes in supporting students with autism. Prior to this role, Dr. Gendron worked as the Mental Health Leader for the French Catholic School Board in Toronto. In this role, she worked with various ministries to develop and implement an overall mental health strategy for the entire school board, focusing on positive mental health for all students. She has also worked extensively with other school boards, including the Toronto District School Board as well as the Conseil Scolaire Viamonde and in private practice. Prior to this clinical experience, Dr. Gendron worked as the Research Director of Pearson Canada for 7 years, developing various psychometric tools such as the WPPSI-III, the WISC-IV, the WIAT-II , the WIAT-III and the WAIS-IV in English and French for psychologists and other professionals all over Canada. Previously, she worked as an Assessment Consultant with the Ministry of Education in Manitoba, developing their yearly standards tests in both English and French.

Dr. Julie Goldenson is registered in good standing with the College of Psychologists of Ontario to practise in Clinical and Forensic Psychology with adult and adolescent populations. She currently provides assessment, treatment, consultation and supervision in her private practice. Her clinical practice has been fostered in a number of settings; e.g., University of Toronto, CAMH, the Toronto District School Board and San Diego State University. Dr. Goldenson has also been well prepared to perform assessment, treatment and research in the area of forensic psychology through a formal post-doctoral fellowship in this area in association with the Mental Health, Law and Policy Institute at Simon Fraser University, through work at various inpatient and outpatient forensic psychiatric facilities, and her work within the context of the American legal system. She has taught and supervised research at the graduate and undergraduate level and currently holds a Faculty Appointment at the University of Toronto (OISE). Coming from a scientist-practitioner model, Dr. Goldenson continues to be involved in research and has a number of first author publications.

Dr. Lara Hiseler is a registered clinical and forensic psychologist working with adults and co-founding partner of Hiseler, Kelly & Associates, a private practice in Peterborough, Ontario. She holds a special faculty appointment at Trent University in the Department of Psychology where she supervises student research. She completed a pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral training at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences working with adults found Not Criminally Responsible due to Mental Disorder and has worked for the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services providing crisis intervention and risk assessments for the Ontario Parole Board. Dr. Hiseler also serves on the Board of Directors for the John Howards Society in Peterborough and on the Canadian Psychological Association’s Section Executive Committee for Traumatic Stress. Dr. Hiseler has expertise in assessment and treatment in a wide variety of clinical issues, with particular training and expertise with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with first responders, military, correctional officers, as well conducts risk and diagnostic assessment and treatment for specialized issues involving individuals in conflict with the law.

Dr. Horvath obtained her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Ottawa. Dr. Horvath is a registered psychologist in both Ontario and Quebec with competency in clinical and forensic psychology. Dr. Catherine Horvath works in a Family Health Team and private practice providing psychological assessments and interventions to children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Horvath specializes in working with those struggling with complex developmental trauma, attachment difficulties, adoption related issues, disruptive behaviour problems, FASD, and those involved in the criminal justice and/or child welfare systems.

Dr. Rylie Moore, C.Psych. is registered Clinical Neuropsychologist and Psychologist working with adults at the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships (CFIR). He completed his master’s degree and PhD at the University of Victoria Neuropsychology program. He completed his pre-doctoral residency at CAMH in 2016. His current work focuses on a combination of neuropsychological assessment, psychodiagnostic assessment, and psychotherapy treatment of a range of mental health experiences. He has substantial experience working with the LGBT2Q+ population, as well as individuals with trauma histories and trauma-related symptoms. In addition to serving on the OPA board of directors, he is also a member of the “It Gets Better Canada” board of directors.

Dr. Christopher Mushquash, C.Psych., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Lakehead University and the Human Sciences Division of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. He is a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction and a clinical psychologist at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care. Dr. Mushquash’s clinical and research work focuses on culturally- and contextually-appropriate mental health and addiction assessment and intervention for First Nations children, adolescents, and adults. He does this through relationships and partnerships with First Nations communities and organizations. He is a Member of the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Dr. Mushquash is Ojibway, and a member of Pays Plat First Nation.

News & Events

Did You Know?

OPA Board and Staff

Dr. Diana Velikonja

OPA President

Dr. Sylvain Roy

OPA Past President

Dr. Jason Ramsay

President Elect

Dr. Marie-Josée Gendron

Treasurer

Dr. Julie Goldenson

Dr. Lara Hiseler

Dr. Catherine Horvath

Dr. Rylie Moore

Dr. Christopher Mushquash

Administrative Staff