ACHRI Directors
Dr. François Bernier, MD
Director
Dr. François Bernier, MD is the Director at ACHRI and One Child Every Child's Project Lead, Precision Health and Wellness Theme Co-lead and Comprehensive Data Co-lead. He is a Professor in the departments of Medical Genetics and Pediatrics. His research is focused on the identification of genes for rare genetic disorders and the translation of genomic technologies to the clinic. The unifying theme is to explore the origins of human rare diseases and birth defects to improve health outcomes. His role at ACHRI is focused on advancing precision health across research programs and ending the diagnostic odyssey for children and families.
Dr. Benedikt Hallgrímsson, PhD
Deputy Director
Dr. Benedikt Hallgrímsson, PhD is the Deputy Director of ACHRI and co-leads One Child Every Child's Precision Health and Wellness Theme, and Comprehensive Data Accelerator. He is a Professor and Head of the Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy. His research explores how genetic and environmental influences impact developmental systems to produce anatomical variation. He was awarded the Rohlf Medal for Excellence in Morphometrics in 2015 and elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science as well as the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2020.
Joanne Weninger, BSc, MBA
Executive Director
Joanne Weninger, BSc, MBA is the Executive Director of ACHRI and One Child Every Child (OCEC). Joanne spent 8 years as the Chief Operating Officer at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, collaborating with ACHRI to transform impacts through strategic research investments by the donor community. In her role as ACHRI Executive Director, she supports the strategic priorities of ACHRI, the implementation of OCEC and nurture all internal and external partnerships. Her work focuses on the success of all maternal and child health and wellness research across ACHRI, OCEC and beyond.
Dr. Michael Esser, MD
Scientific Director, Clinical Research
Dr. Michael Esser, MD is ACHRI's Scientific Director of Clinical Research. He is a Clinical Professor in Paediatrics, a member of ACHRI and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Director of the Paediatric Neuro Critical Care and Translational Research Program at Alberta Children’s Hospital. Dr. Esser’s research strives to better understand paediatric brain injury and the factors affecting selective cellular vulnerability to injury in children. Dr. Esser’s focus in his ACHRI role is to enhance collaboration between clinicians and all child health and wellness researchers.
Dr. Deborah Marshall, PhD
Scientific Director, Research and Partnership Evaluation and Impact
Dr. Deborah Marshall, PhD is ACHRI's Scientific Director of Research and Partnership Evaluation and Impact, and One Child Every Child's Value, Impact and Knowledge Mobilization Lead. She is a Professor and Arthur J.E. Child Chair in the departments of Community Health Sciences and Medicine. Her research focuses on assessing the value of health care applying health economics, patient-oriented research and precision health to improve outcomes for patients and their families. She also serves as the lead for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Health System Impact Fellowship National Cohort Training program. She is helping ACHRI design and implement a broad and inclusive evaluation framework for research to improve child health and wellness and accelerate our impact for patients and families and our communities.
Dr. Morris Scantlebury, MD
Scientific Director, Discovery Science
Dr. Morris Scantlebury, MD is ACHRI's Scientific Director of Discovery Science. He is a Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences at UCalgary, as well as Pediatric Neurologist and Epileptologist at Alberta Children’s Hospital. His research uncovers the mechanisms of febrile seizures and infantile spasms to identify novel treatments for these conditions. Working closely with the ACHRI executive team, Dr. Scantlebury will oversee renovations and the creation of new space to enable Discovery Science to advance One Child Every Child research programs, and ACHRI’s Child Health and Wellness strategy.
Education Director, Clinical Research
Dr. Jay Riva-Cambrin, MD is ACHRI's Education Director of Clinical Research and co-leads the One Child Every Child Transdisciplinary Training Accelerator. He is a Professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and an Associate Professor of Department of Community Health Sciences. As a Principal Investigator within the HCRN or Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network, he designs and conducts clinical epidemiology studies with the goal of improving the lives of children living with hydrocephalus.
Director, Education and Training
Dr. Elizabeth Oddone Paolucci, PhD is ACHRI's Director of Education and Training, and co-leads the One Child Every Child Transdisciplinary Training Accelerator. She is a Professor in the departments of Community Health Sciences and Surgery. As an applied health professions education scholar with expertise in Educational Psychology, she adopts a mixed-methods and interdisciplinary approach, integrating both a social and medical sciences lens into her research program. Dr. Oddone Paolucci’s research encompasses the measurement, assessment, and evaluation of learners, educators, and programs, as well as competency development, curriculum design, and professional mentorship.
Biomedical Lab Director
Dr. Wendy Dean, PhD is ACHRI's Biomedical Lab Director and a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy. Her research into mammalian developmental biology, developmental epigenetics, and reproduction provides fundamental discoveries to better understand and ultimately prevent pregnancy complications including pre-term birth. Dr. Dean's role at ACHRI is to oversee ACHRI infrastructure and core facilities as Director of Biomedical Laboratories supporting Child Health and Wellness researchers.