Clinical Team

Dr. Sanjeev Sharma, MD, MBA, CCFP CEO and President

Dr. Sharma is the President and CEO of Wellpoint Health Services. Dr. Sharma oversees executive and corporate health services at Wellpoint. He is an Emergency Physician and has over 10 years of experience in healthcare including medical devices, biotechnology, IT services and public policy with global firms such as Baxter Healthcare, EMCI and Microsoft – to name a few. Dr. Sharma spent 5 years working with key Canadian healthcare stakeholders to develop policies on improvement of healthcare delivery and the strategic utilization of information technology.

Dr. Sharma is a graduate of Doctor of Medicine from McMaster University, and a Master of Business Administration from Wilfred Laurier University.

Dr. Sharma has provided his expertise to numerous organizations in his tenure. He has sat on the Editorial Advisory Board on Advance for Health Information Executives Journal Information Technology Association of Canada National Health Steering Committee, and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise Canada. He is a member of the Canadian Medical Association, Ontario Medical Association, and the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. He has been interviewed by various magazines and television news programs on the importance of empowered wellness. He is a sought after speaker and has lectured on leadership, personal wellness and was most recently presenting at the National Women's Show on top health risks to Canadian women and the importance of preventative medicine.

Dr. Monica Pearl, MD CCFP Medical Director

Dr. Pearl joins us with tremendous medical and leadership experience. Over the past 16 years of clinical practice, Dr. Pearl has provided leadership to numerous groups. She is a certificant of the College of Family Physicians and has worked with the Ontario College of Physician and Surgeons performing practice audits. Dr. Pearl is currently Active Staff at Women's College Hospital and Courtesy Staff at Sunnybrook Hospital. She has lecturer status with the University of Toronto, teaching Family Practice medical residents, clinical clerks and medical students. She has served as the Chairperson of the Women's College Hospital Perinatal Bereavement Team and has been Chief Medical Resident at Women's College Hospital.

Dr. Pearl is responsible overseeing clinical operations and processes within the Wellpoint Family Practice, Health Centre and Health Services

Dr. Naresh Kumar, MD, FRCPC Cardiologist

Dr. Naresh Kumar graduated from the University of Calcutta, India in 1975. He trained further in the United Kingdom, completing his MRCP (UK) in 1978. In 1980 he moved to Canada and completed his training at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario in his specialty of internal medicine and cardiology.

After completing 5 years of training at McMaster University internal medicine, cardiology, and intensive care, he moved to Whitby in 1985. At Whitby General Hospital he became Chief of Medicine until 1998.

He has participated in numerous international meetings lecturing at American College of Cardiology sessions and presented papers on stress medicine at World Congress Cardiology and Cardiac Rehab in South America. He is an expert on stress and the impact on cardiac health, and has been interviewed by international media including USA today.

His present interest is in the management of risk factors of Coronary Artery Disease, Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation. His strengths include the management of lipids and hypertension.

Dr. Magdi Elkashab MSc, MD, FRCPC Gastroenterology

Dr. Elkashab is a gastroenterologist with a subspecialization in endoscopy and liver disease. He completed his internal medicine training at the University of Toronto, before going on to spend a further two years subspecializing in liver disease. He brings a multi-disciplinary approach to both his clinical practice and clinical research. He has been in practice for close to 15 years, during which time he has been involved with numerous national and international clinical studies.

Dr. Chris Culligan MSc,MD,CCFP Senior Clinical Associate

Dr. Culligan has an extensive background in clinical and emergency medicine. He is a graduate of Dalhousie Medical School. He also completed his family medicine training in Dalhousie before taking on a staff position at Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals in 1999. He is a lecturer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, and has staff privileges in the Emergency Department at University Health Networks. He has spent over 8 years instructing medical students, and residents at the University Health Networks

Dr. Gash MD, CCFP, Dip. Sport Medicine, Medical Director

Dr. T. Gash studied medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland after obtaining his Bachelor of Science Degree. Upon completion of medical training, a two year residency in family medicine was completed at McGill University in Montreal.

After residency training, Dr. Gash spent the ensuing three years as a medical officer for the Department of National Defense, including six months of oversea deployment in Bosnia.

Dr. Gash initially practiced as a family physician and for the last four years practicing occupational and physical medicine. He received his Diploma in Sports Medicine two and a half years ago.

Dr. Gash remains physically active in the community splitting his time between work and sporting endeavors including skiing, hockey, mountain biking and surfing.

Dr. Rajeev Sharma MD, CCFP, Senior Clinical Associate

Dr. Rajeev Sharma trained as a Family Physician, completing his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Calgary, then completing his medical training in Adelaide, Australia, at the Flinders University School of Medicine. He then returned to his home in Calgary and completed his Family Medicine Residency.

He has an interest in Sports Medicine, Occupational Injury, Travel Medicine, Diabetes and Hypertension, Weight Management, in addition to Geriatric health and inpatient care. He also enjoys minor trauma procedures, and also works as a Hospitalist at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary.

He has also previously worked in urban Family Medicine clinics as well as local urban Urgent Care Centres.

Dr. Raju Hajela MD, MPH, CCFP, ASAM, CSAM, Senior Clinical Associate

Dr. Raju Hajela received his MD from Dalhousie University in 1982 and Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1988. His undergraduate studies were in Physics, an interest he has maintained, especially as the concepts relate to consciousness and health. He has practised Transcendental Meditation since 1986 and completed training in Maharishi Ayurveda in 1994. He is a Certificant of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP), the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) and the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM); and a Fellow of CFPC and ASAM. He has held faculty appointments in Family Medicine and Psychiatry at Queen's University (1992-2001). He is a Consultant - Addiction Medicine and Chronic Pain in Calgary Health Region. He has held leadership positions in medical organizations nationally and internationally, in relation to Addiction Medicine and Physician Health. He is the current Region IX (International) Director of ASAM and a Vice-President of ISAM. He is a certified Medical Review Officer (MRO), and a civil aviation medical examiner. Dr. Hajela has been with Wellpoint Health Services Corp. since August 2006 and has been instrumental in developing new programs.

Dr. Maire-Eve Langlois MD, CCFP, Senior Clinical Associate

Dr. Marie-Eve Langlois graduated from the University of Montreal in 2003 in Family Medicine. She soon felt the appeal of the mountains and moved to Whistler where she started her practice as a locum physician. Working in a clinic at the bottom of Whistler/Blackcomb mountains, she developed a special interest in treating injuries and in doing minor surgical interventions. She moved to Calgary in 2006 and currently works at Wellpoint Health Services Corp. as a full time physician dealing with occupational injuries. It gave her the opportunity to further concentrate in the treatment of injuries of all kinds as well as in minor surgery.

Dr. Amarpreet Shergill MD, CCFP, Senior Clinical Associate

Dr. Amarpreet Shergill graduated from University of Calgary in Family Medicine in 2005 and worked in Rural hospitals/ Family practice offices in Calgary. He now works at Wellpoint Health as an Occupational Health Physician as well as at the Peter Lougheed hospital as a hospitalist. Dr. Shergill has a special interest in occupational health and medicine.

Dr. Benjamin Barankin, MD FRCPC Dermatologist

Dr. Benjamin Barankin is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical, surgical and cosmetic care of the skin.

His undergraduate degree was in Psychology at Queen’s University, followed by medical school at the University of Western Ontario. He then completed a five-year dermatology residency at the University of Alberta which resulted in him being awarded a fellowship in Dermatology by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. His memberships include the Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Dermatology Association, American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatology Surgery and the International Society for Dermatology.

Dr. Barankin is also a widely published author with more than 400 articles related to dermatology and he has gained international distinction as the author of 5 books on dermatology. He also serves on the editorial boards of numerous medical journals which seek his expertise.

Dr. Barankin regularly educates dermatologists, family physicians, medical trainees, and the public on matters related to the skin, hair and nails. Dr. Barankin is regularly invited to speak at national and international conferences where his research has garnered numerous awards. In addition, his expertise is frequently sought by the Canadian Press including ELLE, FLARE, Canoe, Canadian Living, Glow, Good Times, CBC radio and many others.

His training and expertise are in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology. Along with treating acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, excessive sweating, rashes, skin cancers and infections, and numerous other conditions of the skin, hair and nails, Dr. Barankin is a recognized expert in cosmetic dermatology including the use of BOTOX, fillers (e.g. Restylane, Perlane, Evolence, Juvederm, Radiesse), chemical peels, microdermabrasion, sclerotherapy and lasers. Dr. Barankin combines his interest in the humanities with his proficiency in matters of the skin to optimize the skin care needs of his patients.

Shauna Lindzon, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist

Shauna Lindzon is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist with over 15 years of counseling experience. She worked for 12 years as a Clinical Dietitian at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre treating a variety of patients with a wide range of medical conditions. Her specialties included kidney disease and Neurosurgery. She is a respected author and has published book reviews and research reviews in scientific journals. She initiated workshops on weight management at the Osgoode Medical Centre which then led to restaurant consulting contracts with corporate chefs of three major downtown Toronto restaurants. She appeared on Canadian Living Television in October 2000, speaking on ‘fad’ diets and children who are picky eaters.

For the past few years Shauna has focused her nutritional consulting practice on reducing the risk of chronic disease and striving to achieve optimal health for her clients. In 2007 she took on the role of national spokesperson for Yoplait Canada when they introduced a new yogurt product called Yoptimal Immuni+. She traveled across Canada acting as a media spokesperson and appeared on television and radio programs, and in magazines.

She is a member of the College of Dietitians of Ontario, the Consulting Dietitians of Ontario, and the Dietitians of Canada.

Kristine Laing, RD Registered Dietician

Kristine Laing is a Registered Dietitian and has been working in the Food Industry for over ten years. As a graduate of the University of British Columbia, Kristine has developed her portfolio by working in several facets of the industry. She began her career as an event and catering manager. Her travels have taken her through restaurants, homes, hospitals and corporate boardrooms in Canada and Europe.

Kristine specializes in private nutrition counseling and menu consultation for a variety of clients including progressive corporations, private medical clinics, hospitals and catering companies. She also teaches nutrition and lifestyle courses to George Brown College students and is busy completing her chef's training papers. Kristine is a registered member of the Ontario College of Dietitians and the Dietitians of Canada.

Dr. Michael Berenstein B.Sc.(Hons), DC Chiropractor, Laser Therapist, Custom Orthotic Provider

As clinic director and founder of Bend Chiropractic & Laser Therapy, located inside the Wellpoint Health Centre, Dr. Berenstein's approach to healthcare emphasizes the body's ability to self-heal. By incorporating aspects of physical medicine, exercise, and nutrition, Dr. Berenstein provides a healing experience that guides each patient towards their health goals.

Dr. Berenstein graduated from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, in 2004 and holds an Honours Degree in Biological Sciences and Kinesiology from York University, Toronto. Dr. Berenstein holds a personal training certificate from Can-Fit Pro, is certified in Custom Orthotic Therapy, and is a Certified Laser Practitioner.

Dr. Berenstein completed his clinical internship at the H.K.Lee Walk-In Clinic, Toronto. Following graduation, he worked as an associate chiropractor where he received hands-on training in combining chiropractic health care with Low Level Laser Therapy. In addition, Dr. Berenstein has a wealth of experience rehabilitating people of all ages via his work with motor-vehicle-accident patients and injured workplace individuals.

Dr. Berenstein is currently a licensed member of the Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA), and Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA).

Jody Eagen Coach, Trainer, Facilitator and Speaker

Jody grew up in Windsor, Ontario and graduated from the University of Waterloo with an honours Math and Computer Science degree. He has held many leadership positions in his 20 years within the information technology industry, with a track record of significant corporate achievements.

As a Coach, Jody has designed Progress Coaching based on his proven techniques of Continuous Learning and Progress. He assists his clients to take daily strides in overcoming self-limiting beliefs and behaviors and therefore achieving goals never previously thought possible. Most clients see amazing results within themselves within the first few sessions and build steadily on that success.

As a Seminar Leader, Jody designs and delivers workshops designed to increase individual effectiveness in such areas as communication, relationship building, team dynamics, meetings, post project reviews and project management. These workshops assist individuals, managers, executives, salespeople, entrepreneurs and consultants in their personal and professional lives.

As a Consultant and Facilitator of corporate projects, training, meetings and retreats, Jody motivates companies to build and define powerful visions, missions, value-based cultures, strategies and operational plans, as well as the strong, empowered teams required to meet all these challenges.

As an Author and Professional Speaker, Jody spreads the word about Personal Success, Team Dynamics, Effective Communication, Continuous Learning and Leadership.