Board of directors of the Canadian Dupuytren Society

Paule Gauthier, CPA, CA, LL.M. CEO of Canadian Dupuytren Society

Paule is a founding member of the Canadian Dupuytren Society and CEO of the CDS. Paule has over 25 years of experience in Corporate and personal Taxation with a specialization in investments, in the context of Tax and Estate Planning mainly for business owners. She holds a corporate governance training certification from the Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations.

Bruce Pachkowski, CA, CBV, ICD.D Treasurer

Bruce is a founding board member of the Canadian Dupuytren Society (“CDS”) and currently serves as Treasurer. With more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry and private equity sector Bruce is currently a Principal with Trident Capital Partners and Chairman of the Board of Total Energy Services Inc.

Aileen Battye

Aileen joined the Canadian Dupuytren Society board in 2023. She is an estate and trusts lawyer with a deep knowledge of tax. Based in Vancouver, BC, she assists high net worth clients with their philanthropic and legacy plans. Aileen has always been passionate about giving back to community, volunteering her time and talents with a number of large foundations and small not-for-profits, including being a long standing executive member on the board of STEP Canada (the Society of Trust and Practioners).

Nathalie Brisebois, OT

Nathalie is a founding member of the Canadian Society of Dupuytren. Graduating in 1990 from the McGill University program, Nathalie worked for 10 years at Maisonneuve Rosemont Hospital where she set up the occupational therapy department for the plastic surgery department. She is one of the founding partners of the Centre Professionnel d'Ergothérapie et Ergoforme. Having developed a specialty in hand therapy, she has participated in several research projects, some of which have been published in the British Journal of Hand Surgery. She has been a frequent speaker at the annual convention of Manus Québec and the Ordre des Ergothérapeutes du Québec. She has served on the executive committee of the Canadian Society of Hand Surgery and the Ordre des Ergothérapeutes du Québec. She has always been involved in the teaching of future occupational therapists by being a clinical lecturer for the University of Montreal. Since 2010, she has been training occupational therapists specifically on the treatment of surgical wounds in rehabilitation. She has been a director of the Canadian Dupuytren Society and member of its Medical Advisory Committee since its foundation.

Thiên-Trang Vo, OT

Thiên-Trang Vo is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist practicing in Montreal, Quebec. She is interested in ensuring that information is accessible to the public to create a more inclusive and empowering healthcare system for its users. She is committed to contributing by getting involved at various levels within her professional community, notably through her participation in the activities of the Canadian Dupuytren Society and the Hand Interest Group (Montreal, Quebec), among others. As a member of the board of directors, she contributes to the development of the Society’s activities and the promotion of its mission, with the goal of supporting the advancement of practice and the visibility of her profession.

Caroline Bergeron

A professional photographer and visual artist, Caroline Bergeron has been self-employed for over 30 years and works with a diverse clientele from the cultural and corporate sectors. Having experienced Dupuytren’s disease in her own hands, she hopes to help raise the profile of the Canadian Dupuytren Society by drawing on her expertise in photography and social media content creation.

Lois Thurstan

Lois is a retiree who pursues continuous learning, fresh challenges, and an active lifestyle. With an educational background spanning Payroll, Human Resources, Accounting, and Disability Management, she spent much of her career working for a professional physicians' association. In retirement, Lois continues to give back and has served on the board of an organization that supports older adults.