Dr. Christine Newman is a graduate of the University of Toronto medical school. She completed her paediatric residency in Ottawa and then did specialty training in neonatology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. After completing this, she joined the Division of Neonatology as a staff physician. She took academic leave to work at the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. She is now a palliative care physician in the Palliative and Bereavement Care Service at Sick Kids.

Stephen Jenkinson is a spiritual activist for the care of the dying. He has a Master’s Degree from Harvard University (Theological Studies) and the University of Toronto (Social Work). He is a palliative caregiver, and a sought after speaker and teacher in the palliative care field. His work has been featured in several television documentaries on spirituality and wilderness creativity. He is the subject of “GriefWalker”, a National Film Board of Canada documentary, which has recently premiered at the Montreal World Film Festival and the Atlantic Film Festival. He is the author of “Money and The Soul’s Desires” (Stoddart Publishing), and a contributing author in the recently published “Palliative Care - Core Skills and Clinical Competencies” (Elsevier Saunders Medical Publishers). He is a sculptor and traditional canoe builder whose house won the Governor General’s Award for Architecture.

Patty Dann is the author of several books, including“The Goldfish Went On Vacation: A Memoir of Loss (and Learning to Tell the Truth About it). It tells the story of how her life changed after her husband was diagnosed with brain cancer, and what she did to help her then three-year-old son deal with his father’s illness and death. The book has been optioned to be made into a film, and Patty is working on the screenplay now. One of her earlier novels, “Mermaids”, was made into a movie starring Cher, Winona Ryder, and Christina Ricci. Her articles have appeared in many prestigious newspapers and periodicals, including The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Chicago Tribune O Magazine, Redbook, and More Magazine. She has an MFA in Writing from Columbia University and a B.A. from the University of Oregon. Patty has taught at Sarah Lawrence College and the West Side YMCA. She was cited by New York Magazine as one of the “Great Teachers of NYC”.

Lisa is a psychotherapist, educator, and consultant. For the last 8 years, she has been in private practice, where she treats children and families, helping them cope with trauma, and other mental health issues. Lisa is also an advocate for services in the community. Recently, she brought to fruition the successful implementation of Canada's first child advocacy centre. Under Lisa's leadership, The Gatehouse Child Abuse Advocacy Centre was named by the Office of the Attorney General as a best practice site, and now that model is being adopted in centres across the country. Lisa holds a Masters of Social Work in the Women's Collaborative Program and an Honours BA in Women's Studies from York University. She also has a diploma from George Brown College as a Child Care Worker, and has completed Espritedu Training in Psychotherapy. Lisa also teaches, primarily in the child and youth care school at Ryerson University in Toronto.