Staff & Board Members

Elias Markou, ND

Chair
Elias Markou graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine as an ND. Elias holds an Honors Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto with majors in Physiology and Public Policy. He has also completed a diploma in Registered Holistic Nutrition (RHN) and a Diploma in Acupuncture (Dipl. Acu.) from the Canadian College of Holistic Health.

Elias is a member of the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors(OAND); the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND), and is registered with the Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy - Naturopathy in Ontario.

Elias was a former professional firefighter turned naturopathic doctor. Elias is one very busy individual; he is in private practice in Mississauga, Ontario; is the chief medical officer of the Halton Hills Fire Protection & Prevention Services; is a motivational speaker who conducts corporate seminars for many companies and is regularly featured on television, in print and radio. Elias combines his enthusiasm for life and his knowledge of health and wellness to motivate people back to optimal health.

Tara Gignac, ND

Vice Chair
Tara practices in Collingwood, Ontario. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at McMaster University prior to attending the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in Toronto, where she completed the intensive four-year Naturopathic Medicine program.

Tara returned to Collingwood in 2001 to start her practice. Her specialty is creating a unique blend of medical science and holistic treatments to resolve a broad range of chronic and acute complaints. Tara's current professional activities include serving as a Board Member for the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors, being a Professional Advisory Committee Member and being part of the

North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN, serving as a Member of Transition Advisory Group Committee Chair, and working on CCNM Program Advisory.Tara is also the co-author of the sabbatical guide Escape 101, and the upcoming alternative and complementary business text Healthy Profits.

Her writing has also been featured in Naturopathic Doctor News and Review, Integrative Healthcare Practitioner magazine, Viva magazine, the OAND Pulse, and many other publications. She is the founding contributor of IntegrativePractitioner.com Integrative Practitioner and co-founder of AlternativeHealthPractice.com.

Meghan Walker, ND

Secretary
Meghan Walker is the Co-Founder and a Clinic Director of the Integrative Health Institute. Meghan is a passionate supporter of youth empowerment and integrative and environmental health promotion. This is exemplified through her ongoing work with international youth and health initiatives. Meghan graduated with distinction from the University of Waterloo, where she received an Honours Bachelors of Science degree in biology with a specialization in reproductive physiology. She went on to complete a post-graduate designation as a Naturopathic Doctor at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) where she served on the school’s Board of Governors and initiated many health education events.

Meghan is a member of the Association of Perinatal Naturopathic Doctors and is currently serving as a Board Member for both the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors and the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors. Meghan is a passionate speaker and writer and has participated in speaking engagements to both community-based and national audiences and has promoted health and naturopathic medicine through television, radio and editorial pieces in local and national newspapers.

As a clinician, Meghan has a special interest in environmental medicine and its role in clinical approaches to cancer prevention and in treating digestive health disorders, including Crohn’s and Colitis, celiac disease and IBS. She has extensive experience working with women related to fertility, menopause and menstrual complaints and believes in the power of collaborative and integrative medicine for all of her patients.

Alfred Hauk, ND

Treasurer
Born in Grifswald (Grisvalt), Germany, and raised in Alberta, Canada, Alfred was exposed to the power of naturopathic medicine in his childhood. After a career change in the '80's he completed his pre-med program at the University of Alberta. In 1990, Alfred graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in Toronto, and later that year passed the Ontario provincial licensing exams.

Until his busy practice made it impractical, Alfred taught Nutrition and Nutritional Biochemistry at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. For many years he continued to work at the College teaching and supervising 4th year Clinicians.

Alfred Hauk has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Naturopathic Association, the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors and the Board of Governors of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.

He is a member of the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors (OAND), the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND), and is a professional member of the Institute of Naturopathic Education and Research (INER, the institute that operates CCNM and the Schad Naturopathic Clinic, the on-site teaching clinic at the college.)

His many years of family practice have been an educational and fulfilling journey that has allowed him to help others with the tools of Naturopathic Medicine. Alfred resides in Brantford with his wife Paulette and their 4 children; Ryan, Sean, Trevor and Tyler.

Angeli Chitale, ND

Director
Angeli Chitale is a graduate of Queen's University and the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Her 12-year career has included academic positions with the Canadian College of Natural Nutrition teaching cell biology and being amongst the first ND's in Ontario to be certified in Restorative Medicine for treatment of endocrine conditions.

In 2010 Angeli volunteered with Naturopathic Doctors International in Nicaragua where she dedicated herself to attending patients in remote village hospitals and

community health clinics in rural towns. Angeli provided Naturopathic Medical treatment in order to fulfill unmet healthcare needs through several community health initiatives such as the DIOSA project (womens wellness and education project), International Women's Day campaigns, HIV awareness campaigns offering rapid testing and community PAP clincs.

Angeli has mentored prospective Naturopathic Doctors in clinic and hospital settings and taught courses in Botanical Medicine and Global Health to Naturopathic students from all over North America. In her clinical practice, Angeli applies her research background to treat the root cause of disease. Her speciality is Restorative Medicine for treatment of Thyroid and Endocrine conditions.

Angeli uses an eclectic treatment approach, offering patient-centered plans, combining western diagnostics and the full spectrum of naturopathic treatments to treat the root cause of disease. She aims to educate patients to meet health goals and inspire personal growth for a lifetime of health.

She currently serves as Board Director for the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors, and is committed to building the profession and making Naturopathic Medicine a viable healthcare choice for all Ontarians.

Christine Davis ND

B.Sc., ND Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Christine Davis is a dedicated and compassionate naturopathic doctor currently practicing at the Magna Health Centre (MHC) in Aurora. The MHC is comprised of a team of medical doctors and complementary care practitioners who strive to provide individualized and optimized care to their patients by combining advanced diagnostics with revolutionary complementary therapies. In addition to her Bachelor of Science and four-year program in Naturopathic Medicine, Christine has attained special training in environmental medicine, parenteral therapy (IV vitamin infusions), cosmetic acupuncture, mesotherapy and classical homeopathy. As a naturopathic doctor, she uses a variety of modalities including acupuncture, botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine, nutritional supplementation, counselling and cutting-edge western medical research. Her practice has a special focus in weight loss, stress management, heart disease, diabetes and gastrointestinal difficulties. Christine is passionate about health and she encourages and empowers each individual with new skills to achieve their health goals, optimize their wellbeing and address the root causes of disease. Christine genuinely believes in the power of knowledge and promotes health education by holding health seminars, writing articles and leading corporate wellness initiatives at Magna International. She is a strong advocate for the naturopathic profession and furthering preventative medicine and patient-centred care in Ontario and sits on the OAND (The Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors) Board.

Urszula May, ND

Director
Urszula completed her BA and MHSc. at the University of Toronto before practicing as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Toronto. She then attended the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) and received additional training in homeopathy at the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine.

Throughout her years at CCNM Urszula served in student government, working towards advancing the naturopathic profession through educational development.

Urszula is a member of the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors (OAND), the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND), the Association of Perinatal Naturopathic Doctors, and is registered with the Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy - Naturopathy in Ontario.

Urszula currently practices at the Integrated Healthcare Centre where she primarily sees patients looking for guidance and education with respect to their health.

Raza Shah, ND

Director
Raza Shah is a Naturopathic Doctor and clinical director at the St. Jacobs Naturopathic Clinic. Upon graduating from the University of Waterloo in Pre-Optometry in 1998 he attended the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2001. He then returned to Woolwich Township in Rural Ontario where he spent his youth growing up to set up a multidisciplinary practice. In addition to managing both an active and successful practice Raza is a frequent lecturer for many universities and colleges where he lectures on a wide variety of healthcare topics to students, the general public and fellow health care professionals.

He has also been a keynote speaker for several charity initiatives ranging locally, for the Listowel Memorial Hospital, and provincially to the Ontario Ministry of Health Long-term Care including the Provincial Parliament.

Raza truly believes that creating true health comes from a combination of both positive intent and empowerment. By speaking for local community causes and patient interaction Raza focuses on advancing the health of both his patients and the community at large.

Sanjay Sachdev, Hon. BSc., MBA

Public Member
Sanjay attended the University of Western Ontario and studied Biology; however, shortly before graduating he re-vectored his academic career and completed an Honours Bachelor of Science specializing in Software Engineering at the University of Toronto. Since then, Sanjay has held varying roles at IBM and later Bell Canada, ranging from very technical roles in Operations and IT to senior leadership roles in IT Strategy, Operations, Operations Strategy as well as Complex Sales. In 2004, Sanjay completed an Executive MBA from Western’s Richard Ivey School of Business. Sanjay’s interests in naturopathic medicine are close to home; his wife, Dr. Amita Sachdev, is a Naturopathic Doctor.

Along side a passion for naturopathic medicine, Sanjay brings a breadth of business acumen and corporate governance knowledge to the Board, as well as a strong enthusiasm for the profession’s success.

Rehan Lakhani

Rehan Lakhani is currently a second year student at CCNM who has a particular interest in botanical, nutritional, and physical medicines. Rehan did his undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Western University, and worked as a personal trainer prior to attending CCNM. He is very interested in public health and is an active member of the Canadian Public Health Association. Currently, Rehan is the OAND Representative on the Naturopathic Students' Association at CCNM, and the Legislative Chair for the CCNM Chapter of the Naturopathic Medical Student Association. He is very excited about the regulatory changes currently occurring in Ontario, and is very eager to work with NDO!