The Chinook Project
Participants
VETERINARIANS AND TECHNICIANS
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Our veterinarians and technicians generously donate their time to the project. Some veterinarians on Chinook Project trips are teaching members of the AVC; other veterinarians come from our local PEI community, from northern centres, and from other places in North America and around the world. Since 2011, we have been particularly fortunate to have Chinook Project alumni back as teaching veterinarians. It is amazing to have students from the project return. Veterinarians are listed someone chronologically, based on their start with the project.
Dr. Anne Marie Carey: is a faculty member at AVC teaching Community Practice (now serving as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs) and has participated in Chinook Project 2008 (Kimmirut) and 2009 (Cambridge Bay/Kugluktuk).
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Dr. Peter Moak: is a faculty member at AVC (surgery), and has participated in our inaugural Chinook Project 2006 (Kimmirut).
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Dr. Marti Hopson is one of our Project Coordinators. She organizes supplies, coordinates venues, and prepares students for every Chinook Project trip. She travelled with the project for many years (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016).
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Dr. Peter Foley: is a faculty member at the AVC (internal medicine), and has participated in Chinook Project 2007 (Cambridge Bay), 2009 (Cambridge Bay/Kugluktuk) , 2012 (Nain), 2014, 2016 (Nain, Sheshatshiu), 2019 (Nain, Natuashish) and 2024 (Nain, Postville)
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Dr. Lisa Miller and Dr. Jane Magrath were coordinators of the Project for many years and travelled to Cambridge Bay (2007), and Dr. Magrath also travelled to Kimmirut (2006, 2008) and Hopedale (2012)
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Dr. Nicole Breda (Cummings): is a graduate of AVC and a Chinook Project Alumna (2009); she is a veterinarian in Massachusetts, and participated in Chinook Project 2011 (Natuashish/Makkovik) and 2013 (Makkovik, Postville)
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Dr. Chris McLaughlin: is a graduate of AVC and a Chinook Project Alumna (2010); he is a veterinarian, having completed a residency in small animal emergency and critical care medicine in North Carolina, and participated in Chinook Project in 2015 (Natuashish, Sheshatshiu).
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Dr. John Ruffino: is a 2010 AVC graduate who works as a small animal veterinarian in Newfoundland. He participated in 2014 (Nain, Sheshatshiu), 2015 (Natuashish, Sheshatshiu), 2022 (Port Hope Simpson).
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Dr. Maxina Von Herbing: is a veterinarian in Newfoundland. She participated in Chinook Project 2012 (Hopedale), and 2014 (Sheshatshiu, Rigolet).
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Dr. Becky Jackson: is a graduate of AVC and a veterinarian in Goose Bay, Labrador; she has participated in Chinook Project 2010 (Natuashish), 2011 (Natuashish/Makkovik) , 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019 (all Nain), and 2024 (Nain and Postville). She helps to coordinate transportation and supplies for all of our Labrador trips.
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Dr. Nicole Gallant: is a veterinarian in Kensington, PEI; she has participated in Chinook Project 2010 (Natuashish) and 2012 (Hopedale). Dr. Gallant also served as the president of the CVMA (Canadian Veterinary Medical Association), 2015-2016.
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Dr. Heather Gunn McQuillan: is a veterinarian on PEI, and was the Director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at AVC as well as a faculty member for many years. She, and her baby daughter Emma ( 7 months) first participated on Chinook in 2014 (Sheshatshiu, Rigolet). Heather returned in 2016 (Nain), 2017 (Igloolik), 2018 (Nain), 2019 (Nain and Natuashish) and 2024 (Nain and Postville)
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Dr. Carrie Lavers: is a graduate of AVC and is a veterinarian in Kensington, PEI. Dr. Lavers participated in the Chinook Project in 2014 (Sheshatshiu).
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Dr. Cora Gilroy was a coordinator of the Chinook Project from 2018-2024 and travelled with the team in 2018 to Nain and Sheshatshiu. She is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology at the Atlantic Veterinary College.
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Dr. Michael West is a 1994 graduate of the Atlantic Veterinary College and worked as a small animal faculty member (Community Practice) for several years. He travelled with the team in 2019, and now works in Halifax.
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Dr. Stephanie Landry (AVC2010) has been a Chinook coordinator since 2020. Stephanie is a faculty member at AVC and travelled to Sheshathshiu in 2023.
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Dr. Alan Plater graduated from Ontario Veterinary College and owned a
small animal practice in southwestern Ontario until retiring. Dr. Plater travelled to Port Hopej Simpson in 2022.
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Dr. Jess Rose is an AVC 2021 graduate, who lives in South River, Newfoundland and works at Baccalieu Trail Animal Hospital, with Dr. John Ruffino. She was selected to be a student in 2020, but that trip was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Chinook Project was delighted to have Dr. Rose join the project in Sheshatshui in 2023.
Dr. Katie MacDonald (nee Lee): is a graduate of AVC (2011) and was a Chinook student in 2010! She is now a veterinarian in PEI and returned to the Chinook Project in 2016 (Iqlauit).
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Dr. Alison Pollard: is a graduate of AVC (2007) and was one of the first Chinook students in 2006. She now is an owner of a small animal practice in Nova Scotia and was awarded the Nova Scotia VMA’s Young Veterinarian Award in 2016. She returned to work with the Chinook Project in 2016 (Iqaluit) and 2017 (Igloolik).
Dr. Mark Froimovitch: is a small animal veterinarian in Quebec. He has travelled to Nain on his own to run veterinary support projects, and joined the Chinook Project in 2012 (Nain).
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Melissa Hamel (nee McGrath): is a veterinary technician at AVC; she participated in Chinook Project 2010 (Natuashish) and 2011 (Natuashish/Makkovik) and 2022 (Port Hope Simpson), and has been instrumental in planning the trip.
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Dr. Kyle Clark: of New Zealand, completed a residency program (surgery) at AVC and participated in Chinook Project 2013 (Makkovik/Postville).
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Dr. Elise Watson: from Australia, is a small animal veterinarian and participated in Chinook 2013 (Makkovik/Postville)
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Andrea Jack (nee Chisholm): is a veterinary technician at AVC; she participated in Chinook Project 2009 (Cambridge Bay/Kugluktuk), 2013 (Makkovik, Postville), and 2015 (Natuashish and Sheshatshiu).
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Dr. Caitlin Matters is an AVC graduate of 2015. She was a Chinook student and returned as an instructor in 2018. She currently owns a small animal practice in Charlottetown with Dr. Mila Profit (AVC, 2017, Chinook Student 2016). Dr. Profit continued to volunteer with the Chinook Project as a coordinator
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Dr. Catherine Herlihy was a Chinook Student in 2014 and graduated in 2015 from the Atlantic Veterinary College. She works in a busy practice in New York State and returned as an instructor in 2018.
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