Bringing CNS Members Together to Make Children’s Lives Better

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About the Speakers

Photo of Steven P. Miller, MD MAS FRCPC

Steven P. Miller, MD, MAS, FRCPC

Dr. Steven P. Miller is Head and Professor of the UBC Department of Pediatrics and the Chief of Pediatric Medicine at BC’s Children Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, holds the Hudson Family Hospital Chair in Pediatric Medicine and James & Annabel McCreary Chair in Pediatrics, and was previously a Canada Research Chair in Neonatal Neuroscience. His research program focuses on better understanding how intensive care impacts brain development and injury in the newborn with a focus on those born with congenital heart disease or preterm. His team’s work is promoting strategies to prevent brain injury and to promote recovery with the ultimate goal of improving the long-term brain health. In 2023, his contributions were recognized by the James H. Graham Award of Merit from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.


Photo of Betsy Pilon

Betsy Pilon

Betsy Pilon is the Executive Director of Hope for HIE, the premiere global nonprofit patient advocacy group dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and families impacted by neonatal and pediatric-acquired Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy through awareness, education and support. Hope for HIE connects over 9,000 families, worldwide, through a comprehensive support network. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Newborn Brain Society, in addition to other neonatal and neurology-related task forces and workgroups.


Photo of Thiviya Selvanathan, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Thiviya Selvanathan, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Dr. Thiviya Selvanathan is a neonatal neurologist and clinician scientist at BC Children’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia. Dr. Selvanathan’s research focuses on using advanced neuroimaging methods to understand how brain injury and clinical care impact early brain development in infants at high risk for developmental disabilities, with a focus on improving child health outcomes.


Photo of Adam Kirton, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Adam Kirton, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Dr. Kirton is Professor of Pediatrics, Clinical Neurosciences, Radiology, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary and an attending Pediatric Neurologist at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. He holds the Dr. Robert Haslam Chair in Pediatric Neurology. Dr. Kirton’s research focuses on applying neurotechnologies to generate new opportunities for life participation for children with severe disabilities. He directs the Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program (perinatalstroke.com, @PedStrokeYYC) and ACH Brain Computer Interface Laboratory (BCI4kids.com, @BCI4kids).


Photo of Dr. Field

Thalia Field, MD, FRCPC, MHSc

Dr. Thalia Field is a stroke neurologist and clinician-researcher at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, where she is an Associate Professor and holds a Sauder Family/Heart and Stroke Professorship of Stroke Research, focusing on clinical trials and stroke in younger adults. She is the principal investigator of the SEARCH study, a longitudinal study examining brain health in adults with congenital heart disease.