Our Team

Kristan Miller, RDH, is a Registered Dental Hygienist whose work is grounded in preventive care, education, and long-standing experience working with communities that have historically been underserved by healthcare systems. She brings an inquisitive, culturally attuned lens to oral health knowledge, examining how tradition, trends, and clinical practice intersect in the lives of children and families. Kristan approaches this work through an evidence-informed approach, incorporating diverse perspectives that are often underrepresented in mainstream health information.

Soliana Lijiam (she/her) is currently a medical student at the University of Toronto. She previously collaborated with Our Kids Health to create a conference teaching diverse youth how to address health misinformation in their communities. She is passionate about supporting adolescent health, and addressing health inequities faced by marginalized communities.

Benslyne Avril (M.ED, RP) is a Bilingual Registered Psychotherapist and the Founder of Therapy with Empathy Inc. She is passionate about helping individuals improve their psychological well-being by maintaining positive relationships with themselves and others. Having acquired experience in both the private and public sector over the last 7 years, Benslyne has been able to provide counsel, guidance and develop resources on mental health related topics, while taking into consideration different cultural and demographic backgrounds. In her practice, Benslyne mostly integrates techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), client-centered therapy, and emotion-focused therapy (EFT). Her areas of focus include relationship issues, family dynamics, anxiety, work-life balance, and life transitions. She strives to work in collaboration with her clients, helping them discover their psychological strengths and how to use them to maintain well-being.

Anu Popoola is currently in her second year of medical school at the University of Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree with a specialization in Child Health from McMaster University. Anu is very passionate about engaging in community-based initiatives centred around health promotion and education for children and families from marginalized populations.

Rocheny Alexandre, Founder and Executive Director of VRAI Health & Wellness, is dedicated to supporting mental health and well-being. With years of experience in counseling and social work, he helps individuals and families facing various challenges. As a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist, Rocheny offers compassionate support and empowers clients to navigate life’s difficulties. He is also a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, actively involved in community initiatives and education. Through his leadership, Rocheny strives to create a positive impact and promote resilience in those he serves.

Janicka Auguste is a Communicative Disorders Assistant and Research Coordinator for Knowledge Mobilization at Grandview Kids, a children’s treatment centre in the Durham Region of Ontario. She specializes in speech, language, and social communication development. As a coach, she supports caregivers’ learning and practice of communication strategies for their children. Janicka is Canadian-born with St. Lucian and Jamaican descent. Her passion in this field stems from her lived experience of seeing her family members benefit from speech, language, and social communication therapy. She is happy to celebrate culture and diversity with the Black Kids’ Health community. Janicka looks forward to connecting Black families to accessible, evidenced-based and meaningful communication knowledge.

Dr. Anya McLaren Barnett is a pediatric respirologist at McMaster University, with special expertise in sleep medicine. She is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at McMaster. She has founded the social media account The Sleep Gap, which shares evidence-based sleep tips for families.

Dr. Sharon Smile is a developmental pediatrician at Holland Bloorview Kids’ Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, and is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and an EDI Champion in the Division of Developmental Pediatrics. Sharon has a broad range of experiences relating to neurodevelopmental disabilities, EDI, parent/caregiver engagement, and feeding difficulties.

Dr. Semipe Oni is a first-year resident in General Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She recently moved from Toronto to Vancouver and has an interest in advancing health equity for children and families in racialized communities.

Leila is a registered dietitian passionate about harnessing the power of food to empower individuals towards happier, healthier lives. Leila earned her master’s degree in Nutrition Communication from Toronto Metropolitan University, where she also completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition. Currently, she works in research at a medical nutrition company while also running her own private dietetic practice. Leila’s research background includes a focus on appetite and satiety in children, as well as protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Above all, Leila is dedicated to promoting health equity through nutrition, striving to bridge gaps and improve health.

Althea Frank Esho is the Clinical Director at Beyond The Spectrum. She holds a Master’s of Applied Disability Studies with a concentration in Applied Behavioural Analysis from Brock University, and is a Board Certified Behavioural Analyst. Althea has been in the field for over 15 years and brings with her a breadth of experience and knowledge. She has always enjoyed working with children of all ages and abilities and working with their families on their journey to achieving their goals. Althea is an advocate for social justice, diversity and inclusion in her clinical practice, within the community and at home with her two young girls.

Dr. David Esho is an academic family physician at the University Health Network. Prior joining the Toronto Western Family Health Team, he worked as a rural family physician in Northern and Southwestern Ontario. He currently holds a faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. He works as an attending physician on the Toronto Western Hospital Family Inpatient service. He also serves as the physician lead for the Toronto Western Hospital Family Health Team specialized diabetes program. He currently serves as co-lead for the Toronto chapter of the BPAO’s Black Health and Wellness Initiaitve. He has presented his work at the Family Medicine Forum as well Ontario College of Family Physicians’ Annual Scientific Assembly.

Dr. Natasha Johnson (MD, FAAP, FRCPC) is the Associate Chair, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and an Associate Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University and McMaster Children’s Hospital in Ontario. A passionate advocate for children, youth, and families affected by racism and other types of oppression, she works with pediatric leadership and community partners to guide a strategic vision to promote anti-oppression and anti-racism. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Pat Mandy Inclusion Award for outstanding contributions towards the inclusion and support of gender-diverse youth. In 2016, she established a clinical service providing gender affirming care to trans and gender diverse youth and their families – the first of its kind at McMaster Children’s Hospital. In March 2022, this clinic received a generous $500,000 grant from TD to expand its services. As a founding member of the Anti-Racism Coalition in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster, she continues to lead transformative change in healthcare, with a focus on marginalized youth, those who have been historically oppressed, and equity-deserving populations. Natasha’s parents immigrated to Canada from Jamaica. She was born and raised in Montreal where she did her medical training and where her parents still live. She is a single mother to two teen boys