2025-2026 Board of Directors
Officers of the CAR Board of Directors
President – Dr. Alison Harris
Past-President – Dr. Ania Kielar
Vice-President – Dr. John-Paul King
Secretary-Treasurer – Dr. Luigi Lepanto
Board Meetings Chair - Dr. Jana Taylor
CAR Board of Directors
Dr. Joy Borgaonkar - Nova Scotia Representative
Dr. Tanya Chawla - Ontario Representative
Dr. Virginie Demers - Quebec Representative
Dr. Carolyn Flegg - Saskatchewan and Manitoba Representative
Dr. Rachel Fleming - Ontario Representative
Dr. Johnson Lightfoote - ACR Representative
Dr. Alexandre Menard - CAIR Representative
Dr. Bruno Morin - Quebec Representative
Dr. Rui Ning Gong - Residents and Fellows Representatives
Dr. Richard Walker - Alberta Representative
Dr. Alison Harris, President
Dr. Harris is an abdominal radiologist at the Vancouver General and University of British Columbia (UBC) Hospitals and a Clinical Professor of Radiology at UBC. Dr. Harris is the current President of the CAR (since 2025) and a member of the Canadian Society of Abdominal Radiologists (CSAR).
Dr. Harris is a past president of the BC Radiological Society (from 2017-19) and has been a BCRS executive member since 2008. Dr. Harris is the current Regional Department Head and Medical Imaging Director for Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care. In this capacity, Dr. Harris participates in multiple hospital, regional and provincial medical imaging committees. Dr. Harris was the previous division head of abdominal imaging at VGH for 15 years and UBC Abdominal Fellowship program director for 10 years. Dr. Harris completed an MSc in Health Economics, Policy and Management at the London School of Economics, UK in 2023.
Dr. Harris has a particular interest in quality and has chaired several Doctors of BC committees on the appropriate utilization of ultrasound, CT and MR and is involved in work focusing on “essential imaging” and supporting referring practitioners. More recently, Dr. Harris was pleased to contribute to the CAR’s Radiology Resilience Report. Locally, Dr. Harris recently served as President of the Vancouver Medical Dental and Allied Staff Association for two years.
Dr. Harris graduated from Leicester University School of Medicine and undertook Radiology residency at St. Mary’s Hospital, London, UK. Dr. Harris completed a fellowship in Abdominal Imaging and Intervention at UBC (1999-2000) and has worked both in Vancouver and Toronto in academic practice since then. Dr. Harris has published over 85 peer review papers and is actively involved in education and mentoring residents and fellows. Dr. Harris has presented at multiple local, national and international meetings and is a member of the American College of Radiology’s LI-RADS US Surveillance Committee.
Dr. Harris’s interests beyond abdominal imaging include leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion, engagement, physician wellness and sustainability. Outside of work, Dr. Harris enjoys travel, running, road cycling and spending time with her husband and three children.
Dr. Ania Kielar, Past-President
Dr. Kielar is a radiologist at the JDMI (Joint Division of Medical Imaging) in Toronto. She completed medical school and residency at the University of Ottawa. She completed her fellowship in abdominal cross-sectional imaging at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, USA. She subsequently returned on staff at the Ottawa Hospital. She was the division director of the abdominal division at The Ottawa Hospital from 2010 until 2017. During this time, she also worked part-time as a community radiologist, as she enjoys all facets of radiology. In 2018, she joined the University of Toronto and the imaging department. She is currently the deputy chief for quality and practice improvement at the Joint Department of Medical Imaging as well as the Vice Chair at large for the department of Radiology at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Kielar has published more than 115peer-reviewed manuscripts, 15 book chapters and delivered invited educational lectures at numerous international radiology meetings. She is actively involved in the ACR LI-RADS group as well as participating in various national and international committees. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve the CAR in this new capacity.
Outside of radiology, Dr, Kielar enjoys playing ice hockey, cycling, SCUBA diving and adventure travels. Rob and Ania welcomed their son Edwin to the family in 2018 and he is already an avid adventure seeker.
Dr. John-Paul King, Vice-President
Dr. King earned his medical degree at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland. After concluding his residency training at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Dr. King completed an MSK fellowship in North Carolina at Duke University.
During residency training Dr. King was heavily involved in physician advocacy and served for two years as President of Maritime Resident Doctors, Board Member of Resident Doctors of Canada, and a Board Member of Doctors Nova Scotia.
After completion of his fellowship, Dr. King returned to Nova Scotia where he currently practices as a community radiologist at Colchester East Hants Health Center. Dr. King has expanded the Centre’s MSK MRI imaging and the spine intervention services and currently serves as the Diagnostic Imaging chief for the Northern Zone at the Nova Scotia Health Authority. Dr. King collaborates with the department of Orthopedics on research projects including the CIHR funded Arthroscopic Treatment of Recurrent Anterior Shoulder Instability (ATRASI) trial.
Dr. King lives in Valley, Nova Scotia with his wife Laura and their two children Jack, and Lily.
Dr. Luigi Lepanto, Secretary-Treasurer
Dr. Lepanto’s principal activity today is that of advisor to the Ministry of Health in Quebec although he still devotes some time to clinical activities. Dr. Lepanto has held various administrative posts within his department and hospital. Dr. Lepanto was director of Medical and University Affairs at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) from 2017 to 2021. From 2007 to 2017 Dr. Lepanto was medical director of the health technology assessment unit of the CHUM.
Dr. Lepanto is still active academically and is a clinical professor in the department of Radiology, Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal where he is involved in teaching residents.
Dr. Lepanto holds the same title in the École de Santé publique de l’Université de Montréal, where he helps direct the master’s program in health technology assessment. Dr. Lepanto’s interests include the impact of technological change on the delivery of healthcare services, a systems approach to healthcare that includes interprofessional collaboration, and the use of real-world data. Dr. Lepanto’s experience as a clinician, administrator, and academic give him a unique perspective on the challenges faced in planning a stable and sustainable healthcare system.
Dr. Jana Taylor, Board Meetings Chair
Dr. Taylor is a thoracic and abdominal radiologist and associate professor at McGill University Health Centre. Dr. Taylor completed her medical school and residency at McGill and fellowship in thoracic imaging at the Massachusetts General Hospital and her abdominal fellowship at McGill.
Dr. Taylor has a strong interest in medical education and administration, previously serving as Thoracic Fellowship Director and Residency Program Director at McGill. Dr. Taylor has been an examiner for the Royal College for many years and recently took on the role of Co-Coordinator of the Thoracic Component of the Applied Exam. Dr. Taylor is an external reviewer for the Royal College Accreditation Program and most recently has been involved in a project to mentor program directors in other countries seeking to adopt the Canadian model of residency education.
As a founding member of the executive of the Canadian Society of Thoracic Radiologists (CSTR), Dr. Taylor has contributed to multiple projects of this dynamic society and has been extensively involved in lung cancer screening projects for over a decade on a local, provincial, national and international level.
Dr. Taylor was a former Board Director of the CAR from 2010-2016 and has contributed to several working groups of the CAR in recent years. Dr. Taylor is very pleased to have rejoined the Board in 2023 as the new Chair of the Board Meetings.
Dr. Joy Borgaonkar, Nova Scotia Representative
Dr. Borgaonkar (she/her) is a radiologist at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax and an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University.
Dr. Borgaonkar completed her medical school training and radiology residency at Memorial University in her home province of Newfoundland. She competed fellowships at the QE II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax in Breast Imaging and at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in Chest Imaging. She has worked at the QE II HSC, a large teaching and referral centre, for over 20 years.
In 2023, Dr. Borgaonkar completed the certificate program in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Dalhousie University and founded the Central Zone Diagnostic Imaging EDI committee. She is an active member of the Dalhousie EDI leads committee and the Central Zone Clinical Affairs committee. She has headed several quality initiatives aimed at improving patient care.
Dr. Tanya Chawla, Ontario Representative
Dr. Chawla graduated in medicine from the Imperial college (University of London UK) and undertook her diagnostic radiology training at Southampton University Hospital NHS trust in the UK. Dr. Chawla is a staff radiologist at the Joint Department of Medical Imaging (JDMI) University of Toronto.
Dr. Chawla was a fellow in abdominal imaging at the JDMI in Toronto. Dr. Chawla returned briefly to the UK to take a position as a consultant radiologist in abdominal and oncological imaging at the Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust prior to returning to JDMI.
Dr. Chawla’s clinical and research interests are in all aspects of abdominal imaging but her focus has been on GI and gynecological imaging. Dr. Chawla’s research projects and presentations have been presented at multiple major national and international society meetings and recognized with awards by societies such as ESGAR and RSNA.
Dr. Chawla is currently University Divisional Head for abdomen at the University of Toronto and is vice chair for CPD.
Dr. Chawla’s passion for education is reflected by her leadership role at the Advanced Imaging Education Center (AIEC) and her recent role at the ASM scientific planning committee for the CAR.
Dr. Chawla is the President for the Canadian Society for Abdominal radiology (CSAR) and represents radiology on the Gynecological cancer advisory committee at Ontario Health (formerly Cancer care Ontario).
Outside radiology, Dr. Chawla’s passions lie in travelling, photography, cinema and dancing.
Dr. Virginie Demers, Quebec Representative
Dr. Demers works as a radiologist in the greater Outaouais region of Quebec, where one team of radiologists serves six hospitals.
After completing her residency at McGill and a fellowship in Interventional Radiology in Toronto, Dr. Demers decided to gear her practice towards community radiology in order to feed her passion for community medicine, where it is often required to “do more with less.” She has a particular interest in medical imaging innovation and providing radiology services to remote areas.
Dr. Demers also teaches students from McGill University on the Outaouais Campus. Dr. Demers holds a medical licence in Alberta and Ontario, where she works as a locum doctor to keep aware of radiology practices across the country.
Outside radiology, Dr. Demers likes to walk along the Rivière des Outaouais and look for treasures with her daughter and her spouse. She also likes gardening, running, and painting.
Dr. Carolyn Flegg, Saskatchewan and Manitoba Representative
Dr. Flegg is a breast radiologist in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Dr. Flegg completed her Diagnostic Radiology residency at Queens in Kingston, ON and a fellowship in Breast and Body Oncology Imaging through McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. In addition to her daily clinical practice, Dr. Flegg is also the radiologist lead for the Saskatoon High-Risk Screening Breast MRI program and the Medical Director of the Saskatoon City Hospital Irene and Les Dubé Breast Health Centre. Since August 2022, Dr. Flegg has been the Provincial Director of Breast Imaging for the Saskatchewan Health Authority, working to expand access to advanced breast imaging throughout the province.
Dr. Flegg was a CAR Board of Director from 2015 to 2023, serving as the Board Meetings Chair for six years. Dr. Flegg became a Fellow of the CAR in April 2023 and is the radiologist lead for the CAR Mammography Accreditation Program and has presented at multiple conferences on various breast imaging topics.
In her spare time, Dr. Flegg enjoys travelling with her husband, spending time with her extended family, and knitting.
Dr. Rachel Fleming, Ontario Representative
Dr. Fleming is a breast radiologist working at the Joint Department of Medical Imaging (JDMI), and community clinics in Ontario and Saskatchewan. After studying medicine abroad, Dr. Fleming completed her radiology residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago and her breast fellowship at the University of Toronto. Afterwards, Dr. Fleming worked at an independent health facility for a short time before returning to JDMI, where she served as Division Head of Breast imaging from 2017-2021, then subsequently served as the quality lead for the breast division.
Pursuing her interest in teaching and education, Dr. Fleming completed her Master of Science in Community Health, focusing on the Health Practitioner Teacher Education Program. Dr. Fleming was the Program Director for the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program at the University of Toronto from 2021-2024.
Outside of radiology, Dr. Fleming enjoys spending time with her two young children, being outdoors, reading and creative writing. Dr. Fleming is currently working on a middle grade historical fiction novel.
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Dr. Johnson Lightfoote, ACR Representative
Dr. Lightfoote is a native of Tuskegee, Alabama, and served in the National Health Service Corp at Tuskegee Institute. After medical school at Harvard, and training in radiology at Stanford and the University of California San Francisco and Irvine in radiology, Dr. Lightfoote’s academic and community imaging practices have included the University of Southern California; Dr. Lightfoote is now medical director of radiology at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.
Dr. Lightfoote’s clinical specialties include neuroradiology breast imaging, and cardiovascular imaging.
Dr. Lightfoote has authored papers on the macroeconomics of radiology and diversity in the radiological professions.
Dr. Lightfoote has served in leadership for the National Medical Association, California Radiological Society, and American College of Radiology since 2008.
As a Chancellor of the American College of Radiology, Dr. Lightfoote has led the Commission for Women and Diversity since 2012. Dr. Lightfoote is honored to serve as Vice President of the American College of Radiology, and on the Board of the Canadian Association of Radiologist for 2025 – 2026.
Dr. Lightfoote and Natasha Joplin-Lightfoote, a college professor, live in Southern California.
Dr. Alexandre Menard, CAIR Representative
Dr. Menard is an interventional radiologist at Kingston Health Sciences Center, Queen’s University.
After concluding a radiology residency at the University of Toronto, Dr. Menard completed a vascular and interventional radiology fellowship at St Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto.
Previous academic roles include Undergraduate Teaching Director and Departmental Wellness Lead.
His research interests are concentrated on the use of cone-beam CT for prostate biopsies and geniculate knee embolization. Dr. Menard’s clinical practice is concentrated in vascular interventions, interventional oncology, vascular imaging, stroke endovascular thrombectomy, and thrombectomies wherever they are needed.
Dr. Menard’s interests beyond radiology include anything that is outside, especially if it involves snow, and sharing this with his wife and two sons.
Dr. Bruno Morin, Quebec Representative
Dr. Morin completed his medical studies at Laval University in Quebec City and his specialty at the University of Montreal. He worked as a community radiologist at the CISSS of Laval for 26 years where he was Head of Department for 16 years. He now dedicates his time to radiology in community clinics and to his associative duties.
Since the beginning of his practice, Dr. Morin has been involved at various levels in provincial associations. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Association des Radiologistes du Quebec (ARQ). He is currently a medical advisor on grouped purchasing and the management of shortages for the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ).
During these years of involvement, Dr. Morin developed a particular interest in continuing professional development, innovation and management in radiology. After holding several positions within the Société de radiologie du Québec (SRQ), including President, he is now Chair of the SRQ's Continuing Professional Development Committee. He also sits on the Scientific Committee of the Interdisciplinary Days and on the Governance Committee of the FMSQ. To further his CPD knowledge, Dr. Morin recently completed two refresher courses at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine in Toronto. In 2018, the ARQ awarded Dr. Morin the Personality of the Year Award for the creation of the SRQ Simulation Centre.
A father of three grown children, Dr. Morin is able to devote more time to his passions of travel, the arts, gastronomy and photography.
Dr. Rui Ning Gong, Residents and Fellows Representative
Dr. Gong is a Diagnostic Radiology resident at Université de Montréal, where she has been actively involved in research, education, and leadership within the radiology community. Dr. Gong earned her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Université de Montréal.
Dr. Gong currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) and co-lead of the Education Subcommittee. In these roles, Dr. Gong has contributed to initiatives such as the Fellowship Talk Series and the CAR ASM Virtual Trainee Day, fostering professional development and collaboration among radiology trainees nationwide.
Beyond her national leadership, Dr. Gong has been actively involved in local advocacy as a delegate for the Association des médecins résident.e.s de Montréal (AMRM), contributing to discussions on resident well-being, training conditions, and professional development.
In addition to her leadership roles, Dr. Gong has contributed to various medical projects, including the development of the Phyla Health mobile app and the creation of educational content on Wikimedica. Dr. Gong has a wide range of research interests, including medical education, scientific contributions in radiology, and healthcare outcomes.
Dr. Richard Walker, Alberta Representative
Dr. Walker is a musculoskeletal radiologist providing clinical services in the Calgary Zone, Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the Calgary community. He is an Associate Professor of Radiology and Full Member, McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Cumming School of Medicine (CSM), University of Calgary. His primary research interests include multimodal imaging of sports injuries and joint trauma and imaging appropriateness.
Born and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Dr. Walker completed his undergraduate medical education in Saskatoon at the University of Saskatchewan (1992) and a residency in Family Medicine at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon (1992 to 1994). Following two years of providing primary care in northern Saskatchewan, Dr. Walker completed a residency in diagnostic radiology at Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, USA (1996 to 2000) and subspecialty training in musculoskeletal imaging at the combined Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Harvard Medical School) and New England Baptist Hospital (Tufts University School of Medicine) fellowship in Boston (2000 to 2001). Dr. Walker moved to Calgary in July 2001 where he established himself as a leader in musculoskeletal imaging. He joined the Cumming School of Medicine in 2006 as a Clinical Assistant Professor.
Dr. Walker has served in several leadership roles throughout his career, including Zone Clinical Department Head, Diagnostic Imaging, Calgary Zone, Alberta Health Services and Chair, Department of Radiology, CSM, University of Calgary from July 2016 to June 2021. He has been an active member in provincial, national, and international organizations and societies, including the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network, the Canadian Association of Radiologists, and the Society of Skeletal Radiology. He served on the Examination Board in Diagnostic Radiology, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada from 2010-2016, and again from 2021 to 2023, and is an Associate Editor for the Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal (CARJ). He is a consultant radiologist for multiple professional sports teams in Calgary, was a volunteer physician for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and the consultant radiologist for the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships held in Alberta in 2012.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Walker enjoys distance running and cycling, and he is an avid golfer. He enjoys travelling with his wife, Renée, and their 3 adult children.