About Ravneet Sekhon
Ravneet has been with PARA for nine years, supporting the association’s internal relations and member engagement. In her role, she focuses on agreement compliance and serves as a key point of contact for resident physicians and programs. Ravneet is also the staff lead for the Award Committee. Her work contributes to PARA’s efforts to ensure seamless internal coordination, responsive member support and meaningful representation on external committees.
Other Staff Bios
Dr. Tamara Yee brings over five years of experience on PARA’s Executive Board, having served as Vice President of Operations and Finance, President and Past President. Her leadership has been grounded in strategic oversight, collaborative engagement and a deep commitment to representing the breadth of resident physician values across Alberta—particularly in Calgary and Southern Alberta.
In her current role as Calgary and Southern Alberta Ambassador, Dr. Yee continues to advocate for inclusive, evidence-informed approaches to PARA’s most pressing priorities. These include the next round of negotiations, call review, organizational responses to the changing CPSA leadership and AHS restructuring, and PARA’s role in reconciliation efforts. She is a strong proponent of leveraging international best practices to improve training conditions, with a focus on resident wellness, fair compensation and quality learning environments.
Throughout her time with PARA, Dr. Yee has consistently sought input from members on matters such as negotiations and external partnerships with RDoC, CPSA and Alberta’s medical schools. Her leadership is marked by thoughtful reflection, continuity and a strong understanding of both operational detail and long-term strategy.
She remains active in initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and continues to work closely with both the University of Alberta and University of Calgary to enhance residents’ day-to-day experiences. Dr. Yee views professional development as an ongoing responsibility and is committed to listening to, learning from and acting on the needs of her fellow resident physicians.
Advocating for Alberta’s resident physicians has been a highlight of Dr. Yee’s training and she is proud to continue this work in support of her colleagues across Calgary and Southern Alberta.
Dr. Siavash ’Sia’ Zare-Zadeh was introduced to PARA through the 2023 Negotiations Committee, an experience that gave him insight into the organization’s core priorities and ongoing advocacy efforts. As PARA President, his primary focus is on the Call Review — an opportunity to help drive long-term structural changes to call scheduling and compensation. He is also committed to exploring how PARA can provide even greater value to its Members and ensuring that the organization’s advocacy efforts are clearly communicated and widely understood.
Dr. Zare-Zadeh brings a strong foundation in leadership and public engagement to the role, having previously interned for federal government Ministers, conducted media interviews, and served on multiple leadership committees at the University of Calgary. He values a collaborative and professional approach and is committed to drawing on the experience of PARA’s Executive and staff to support informed, balanced decision-making.
Dr. Zare-Zadeh views this position as a significant responsibility and takes seriously the trust placed in him to represent more than 1,400 resident physicians across Alberta. He approaches the role with humility, accountability and a willingness to learn.
Dr. Robert Cianfarani is a Family Medicine resident at the University of Calgary with a professional background in analytics and a strong interest in full-scope family practice, sports medicine and acute care. Originally from Ontario, he completed medical school at Western University before relocating to Alberta with his partner and their six-week-old son to begin residency. They’ve since settled into life in Calgary—alongside a very vocal cat—and now have a busy toddler on their hands.
Before entering medicine, Dr. Cianfarani built a career in analytics, working with organizations such as Tennis Canada and BMO Financial Group. His corporate experience gave him a solid foundation in communication, team collaboration and cross-functional advocacy—skills that continue to inform his work in medicine. While at BMO, he served on a departmental committee that developed internal curricula to improve knowledge sharing and operational flow across teams.
Dr. Cianfarani has held national leadership roles in medical education, including serving as National Officer of Education for the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. In that role, he gained insight into Canada’s medical education system through his work with groups like the AFMC, CAME and CMA. He remains passionate about policy, education and resident wellness, and is an active member of the Resident Wellness Committee at the University of Calgary.
He brings a thoughtful, team-oriented approach to his leadership roles and is committed to representing the resident voice in conversations with key partners such as the Alberta Medical Association.
Dr. Chantal (CJ) Allan has deep roots in the Edmonton medical community. Having completed her Master’s degree, medical school and four years of residency at the U of A, she brings a well-rounded understanding of the challenges residents face and the structure of Alberta’s education and health systems. As Edmonton and Northern Alberta Ambassador, Dr. Allan advocates for resident voices at key stakeholder tables, including the Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) office, Medical Students’ Association (MSA), and Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association (EZMSA).
Dr. Allan is the Co-Founder of the University of Alberta chapter of the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies (AOSA)—Canada’s first. Through her work with the MSA and the Sexual and Gender Advocacy Committee, she has championed LGBTQ+ mentorship and events, advancing equity and representation in surgical training. Her advocacy is rooted in lived experience and a strong understanding of medical leadership structures.
She has also served as a PARA Assembly member, Lead Resident and former member of both the Residency Program Committee and Residency Well-being Committee. These roles have equipped her to represent a wide range of resident perspectives and successfully push for change. Among her accomplishments are advocating for post-call days and securing earlier distribution of call schedules—initiatives that have directly improved the day-to-day experience of residents.
Dr. Allan’s background in leadership includes her time on the MSA, where she co-led the organization of IceBowl, a large inter-school hockey event. This experience sharpened her skills in budget management, event planning and team coordination, and laid the foundation for future collaboration with student and resident bodies.
Her approach as Ambassador centres on resident well-being, inclusion and collaborative problem-solving. She is committed to ensuring Edmonton-area residents are heard and supported at every level of decision-making.
