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About

ABOUT the PCDA

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Membership

WELCOME! The Primary Care Dietitians' Association (PCDA) officially launched in April of 2020 to support and advocate for registered dietitians working in primary care across Canada. We started as the Family Health Team Registered Dietitian Network in 2006 and have grown over the years to now include dietitians working in various primary care and outpatient settings, private practice and aboriginal health access centres. As a group of dietitians, we are here to support one another in our practice and share our knowledge base to enhance best practice within primary care.

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Benefits of PCDA membership:

  • Access to patient resources, EMR tools and standardized tool kits.

  • Advocate for primary care dietitians, both provincially and federally.

  • Support and advance our profession and leadership within the primary care environment.

  • Continuing education through webinars and KTEs provided free to all members.

  • Peer support through PCDA's listserv.

  • Access to Nutrition Care Manual.

  • Recognition of dietitians working in primary care.

  • Discounted rate for annual PCDA conference.

  • Interest Groups; e.g. Virtual Practice, Critical Care, Northern Regional Group, Dietetics Student Support, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, etc.

  • Development of regional strategies to improve patient care and access to primary care dietitians.

VISION:

Primary care dietitians are the leaders in equitable and inclusive medical nutrition therapy for our communities and clients..

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MISSION STATEMENT:

Encouraging primary care dietitians to become highly skilled in providing equitable and inclusive medical nutrition therapy, disease prevention and health promotion through collaboration, education and mentorship. We advocate for access, capacity and integration of dietitians within comprehensive primary care. 

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VALUES:

  • Evidence Based Practice

  • Interprofessional HealthCare

  • Collaboration & Sharing

  • Continuous Learning & Improvement

  • Transparency

  • Diversity, Equity &Inclusion

  • Mentorship and Preceptorship

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30+

Years of Experience

263

Professional Members

32

Student Members

10

Provinces Represented

Board
Staff

BOARD of DIRECTORS

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PRESIDENT - ​Ekta Amarnani, MSc, RD

Ekta Amarnani is a Registered Dietitian with over 12 years of experience in primary care, community health, and home care settings. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, and has practiced dietetics in Australia, Taiwan, and Canada. She has led initiatives to improve equitable access to nutrition including pioneering the Scarborough Food Security Initiative, creating a Food Asset Map of Toronto, and serving as the Executive Director for the non-profit Mom’s Kitchen. She brings a strong record of advocacy, collaboration, and innovation, and is committed to strengthening the Primary Care Dietitians Association as a leading voice in shaping health policy, professional practice, and recognition of primary care dietitians as essential to healthcare delivery. 

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VICE PRESIDENT - Julia Stanislavskaia, MSc, RD

​My name is Julia Stanislavskaia and I have worked as a Registered Dietitian for 17 years. I have completed my bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) and my clinical internship at North York General Hospital. I have graduated with a Masters Degree in Food and Nutrition from Brescia at Western University, where my research focus was on feeding disorders of early childhood.
I have worked as a registered dietitian in the Toronto community in different settings including ambulatory pediatrics, CHC, FHT and long term care. Most of my time has been spent in primary care and I worked at Stonegate Community Health Centre for seven years and Taddle Creek Family Health Team for 12 years. In the last five years, in light of my family expansion, I have switched to more flexible roles and work as a part-time lecturer in the School of Nutrition at TMU, work with a cardiac interdisciplinary team at PACE cardiology, a rehab team specializing in ABIs at Nutrition Rehabilitation and in private practice. I have multiple areas of expertise and am passionate about collaborative, patient-centered care, professional learning and development, and student training and support. I am honoured to be serving on the 2025–2026 Board of Directors as Vice President.

TREASURER - Marisa Leblanc, MSc, RD

Marisa LeBlanc has been a registered dietitian for over 26 years. A graduate of McGill University for both her bachelor and master’s degrees in nutritional science. She has worked in stroke and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation and geriatric day hospital. She has also worked as a professional practice leader for Dietitians. Since 2006, she has worked full time at the Bruyère Health Academic Family Health Team in Ottawa. She has volunteered as a media rep for Dietitians of Canada and was part of the organizing team for the FHT Dietitians’ conference in Ottawa. Marisa brings her enthusiasm and passion for the profession to the Board, as well as, a keen interest in continuing education and advocacy for RDs.

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SECRETARY - Asma Musa, MPH, RD

Asma Musa is a Registered Dietitian and first-year PhD student in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. With a background in public health and community nutrition, Asma brings a strong equity and systems lens to her work. She currently serves as a Junior Board Member of the Primary Care Dietitians’ Association, contributing to resource development, strategic outreach, and conference planning.

Asma is passionate about supporting early-career dietitians and strengthening dietetic practice through inclusive, evidence-informed initiatives. In the upcoming year, she looks forward to deepening her leadership with PCDA by pursuing the role of Secretary on the Board of Directors, with a continued focus on member engagement and organizational impact.

DIRECTOR - Susan Anderson, MScA, RD 

My name is Susan Anderson. I completed my dietetic internship with Hamilton Health Sciences and I completed by Master's of Applied Science in Nutrition at McGill University. I have been a Registered Dietitian working in primary care for over 20 years I have been with the Guelph Family Health Team for the last 12 years. During my time in Guelph, I served on their Quality Improvement Committee for 9 years. I have been a member of their Equity Diversity and Inclusion committee for the past 2 years. I have recently become a Lead in my organization to support employee wellness. Throughout my career I have always valued continuous learning. I have found the PCDA to be an invaluable resource to support learning and to build a supportive inclusive community. I am honoured to serve on the Board of Directors for the PCDA. 

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DIRECTOR - Veena Piremathasan, RD, CDE

Veena Piremathasan is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Certified Insulin Pump Trainer with experience in both clinical and community nutrition. She is registered in Ontario and Quebec and has over 10 years of experience as a diabetes educator in clinical settings and the industry. She is skilled in counseling patients from a variety of cultural backgrounds and regularly leads workshops on culturally sensitive counseling, competency, and security.

Veena is passionate about helping clients improve their diabetes management and overall well-being. Additionally, she offers nutrition and diabetes presentations in English, French, and Tamil across Canada.

DIRECTOR - Sharmini Balakrishnan, MPH, RD

Sharmini Balakrishnan (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian with over 5 years of experience in public health. She completed her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Nutrition and Dietetics from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and her undergraduate degree in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Guelph. Sharmini's primary area of work is in community nutrition and she currently specializes in food systems, food insecurity, and weight inclusive care. Sharmini strives to apply a health equity lens in all areas of her work.

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DIRECTOR - Tameika Shaw (past president), RD, MHSc.

Tameika Shaw is a results-oriented healthcare leader with over 16 years of experience in community health and social services, including 13 years of practice as a primary care dietitian.  As the Director of Population Health and Evaluation at Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre,  Tameika currently leads population health initiatives that integrate case management, newcomer and settlement services, allied health services, and community engagement to strengthen access and outcomes for diverse populations.

She was recognized with a 2025 Public Health Leader Award from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health for her impactful contributions to community health, health equity and culturally responsive care within Black communities. Over her career, Tameika has contributed to research and initiatives addressing Black youth homelessness, food security, and cultural humility in dietetics, including work that informed the creation of a transitional home for Black youth in Toronto.

Tameika is the Past President of the Board of Directors for the Primary Care Dietitians Association.

DIRECTOR - Rawan Aljbour, RD

Rawan is an Internationally educated professional dietitian, who has been providing nutrition services for over 15 years. She graduated from the University of Jordan in 2007 and worked in the Middle East for almost 7 years. In 2015, Rawan moved to Canada with a dream to become an RD. She attended the Internationally Educated Professional in Nutrition (IEPN) Program in 2017 at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) to achieve her Canadian registration allowing her to practice in Canada, and has been working as a Primary Care dietitian ever since. As a member of the PCDA's Board of Directors, Rawan hopes to improve cultural dietetic practices by providing education and enlightening dietitians about Middle eastern cultural foods and traditions. Rawan enjoys hiking in nature, photography, traveling, and trying new foods. She also enjoys cooking and sharing her Middle eastern recipes on her Instagram Account.

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PCDA ADVISORS

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Advisor - Heather
Advisor - Marg
Advisors
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