2025 Teaching Awards
5 June 2025
The annual Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine Teaching Award celebration was held on June 5.
Thank you to keynote speaker Bernadette Martin for sharing her learning journey, and to the FRM Teaching Awards committee for organizing this event and congratulations to all of the award recipients.
Clinical Educator of the Year
The first awards of the afternoon were the Clinical Educator of the Year Awards, which recognize those who guide students in real-world clinical settings.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Sara Finlayson, clinical lead for speech language pathology, Rural Pediatric Allied Health, Canmore, AB
Occupational Therapy
Kara Rivest, clinical instructor, occupational therapy, Shepherd's Care Millwoods, Edmonton, AB
Physical Therapy
Mark Labrentz, clinical instructor, Royal Alexandra Hospital Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Edmonton, AB
Innovative Teaching Awards
The Innovative Teaching Awards category recognizes fresh approaches to teaching and demonstrates how creative strategies can transform complex concepts into engaging lessons and lasting learning.
Physical Therapy
Heather Bredy, associate teaching professor, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Gayla Grinde, associate teaching professor, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Laura Brompton, assistant lecturer/clinical educator, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
Rehabilitation Science
Greg Kawchuk, professor, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (posthumous)
Sessional Teaching Award
This award acknowledges the vital role that sessional instructors play in rehabilitation medicine education.
Shannon Kerr, sessional instructor, communication sciences and disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
Teaching Assistant Awards
The Teaching Assistant awards acknowledge the importance of mentorship at all levels of rehabilitation education and training.
Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Award
Mitchell Holmes, PhD candidate, communication sciences and disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
Clinical Teaching Assistant Award
Rebecca Alley, teaching assistant, occupational therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
Graduate Research Supervision Award
This award is given to a person shaping the next generation of rehabilitation innovators and scholars.
Mary Roduta Roberts, associate professor, rehabilitation science
Rehabilitation Medicine Students Association Excellence in Teaching Awards
These awards recognize the positive impact of instructors on learners.
Renzo Garcia, assistant lecturer, communication sciences and disorders
Jennifer Krysa, term lecturer, occupational therapy
Victor Ezeugwu, assistant professor, physical therapy
Congratulations once again to all recipients. The names of this year’s and previous years’ winners can be viewed at the FRM Excellence Teaching installation located on the second floor of Corbett Hall, near the physical therapy program entrance.