The AMA Indigenous Health Committee (IHC) was established to develop, implement and promote the recommendations contained in the AMA Policy Statement on Indigenous Health.
Dr. Cara Bablitz, Chair
Instrumental in creating the AMA Policy Statement on Indigenous Health, Dr. Bablitz was appointed chair of the Indigenous Health Committee in 2017. Dr. Bablitz is Métis from Treaty 8 territory. Dr. Bablitz's practice is based out of the Indigenous Wellness Clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where she developed the Palliative Care Outreach and Advocacy Team (PCOAT) to provide primary palliative care to patients who are vulnerable to poverty and the historical legacy of colonization and residential schools.
Pearl Auger, Public Member
Pearl Auger a member of the Whitefish Lake First Nation #459 of Atikameg, Alberta which is 70 minutes north of Slave Lake. She has been involved in the health field for many years in the capacity of community health as a CHR as well as a Nursing Attendant. Pearl has been a passionate advocate for health and education throughout her life.
Dr. Olivia Guerra
Dr. Guerra is a resident physician training in psychiatry at the University of Alberta. She is a PARA Medical Program Liaison for the University of Alberta and is serving as the PARA Representative on the AMA Indigenous Health Committee for her second year.
Dr. Nolan Hop Wo
Dr. Nolan Hop Wo is Métis and is a full-time inpatient psychiatrist at The Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury, in Ponoka, Alberta. He has recently joined the AMA Indigenous Health Committee on a one-year term.
Dr. Alika Lafontaine
An Anesthesiologist of Cree, Anishinaabe, Metis and Pacific Islander descent, Dr. Lafontaine is originally from Treaty 4 Territory in Southern Saskatchewan, and has practiced in Treaty 8 Territory (Grande Prairie) for the past 10 years. He has been with the AMA Indigenous Health Committee since its beginnings as a working group in 2016. He joined as a committee member in 2019 in order to support the ongoing efforts of the AMA to engage and support Indigenous communities.
Dr. Matthew Ray
Dr. Ray is a family physician at Elbow River Healing Lodge in Calgary and Siksika Health Services Medical Clinic on the Siksika Nation. He has served on the AMA Indigenous Health Committee since 2017.
Dr. Christopher Sarin
A public health and preventive medicine specialist and family physician (Elbow River Healing Lodge), Dr. Sarin has worked in Indigenous health in Alberta for over 15 years. He is the Deputy Medical Officer of Health for First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada, Alberta Region. With the committee since 2017, Dr. Sarin is involved in the Indigenous ARP that seeks to improve Indigenous communities’ access to primary care.
Dr. Esther Tailfeathers
Dr. Esther Tailfeathers was born and raised on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta. Appointed to the Indigenous Health Committee in 2017, Dr. Tailfeathers is currently the Senior Medical Director, Provincial Indigenous Wellness Core, Alberta Health Services. She has worked with many First Nations, including the Blackfeet Reservation (Montana), the Blood Reserve (Alberta) for almost 20 years, and in Fort Chipewyan.
Tyler White – Naa Taoyi Piita Wo Taan (Holy Shield), Public Member
Corporate Executive Officer, Siksika Health Services for 22-plus years; member of the Siksika Nation. President of the First Nations Health Consortium of Alberta (Jordan’s Principle); sits on the Council of College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (April/21); Alberta Human Trafficking Task Force Member; Alberta Recreation & Parks Association Board Member; Co-Chair Alberta First Nations COVID-19 Vaccine Task Team; and member of the Alberta Mental Health and Child Review Panel. Tyler has served as a Public Member on the committee since 2017.
AMA Staff
Jodi-Ann Sadler is the Coordinator, Professional Affairs, and a staff support for the IHC.
Vanda Killeen, Senior Communications Consultant, AMA Public Affairs, has served as the communications representative on the IHC since its inception.
Other committee members
Marty Landrie, Alberta Health Services
Nadine McRee, Indigenous Health Hub, Alberta Health Services
Sara Parker, Alberta Health
Reporting relationship
The IHC reports to the AMA Board of Directors indirectly through the committee’s senior management member, Gayle Burnett, Chief Strategy Officer/Interim AED Professional Affairs.