Dr. Joanna Rieber, MD, FRCPC, is a staff anesthesiologist with Hamilton Health Sciences and a part-time Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesia at McMaster University. A graduate of McMaster University's medical and anesthesia training programs, she is a Royal College-certified anesthesiologist with 20 years of experience in both hospital-based and out-of-hospital surgical care. Dr. Rieber has held a variety of academic, teaching, and leadership positions throughout her career, including serving as Anesthesia Lead at both the GHA Surgical Center and Appleby Plastic Surgery Center. She brings extensive expertise in ambulatory anesthesia, patient safety, and perioperative care.

Dr. Mona Azzam is a physician, educator, and clinician with extensive experience in medical education and acute care. She began her career as a pediatrician before pursuing advanced training in Pediatric Emergency Medicine abroad, where she also earned a PhD. She later completed her Family Medicine residency at Western University, further broadening her scope of clinical practice.

Passionate about developing the next generation of healthcare professionals, Dr. Azzam completed a Master of Health Professions Education at McMaster University. She is widely recognized for her commitment to excellence in teaching, curriculum development, and faculty education.

Dr. Azzam currently maintains an active clinical practice at Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga and holds teaching appointments with McMaster Children's Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and the University Health Network. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards recognizing her contributions to medical education. Most recently, she was honoured with the Course Director of the Year award at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in 2025 for her outstanding leadership and excellence in delivering Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) courses.

With a unique combination of clinical expertise, educational leadership, and a lifelong commitment to teaching, Dr. Azzam continues to make a meaningful impact on learners and patients alike.

Dr. Chris Hinkewich is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at McMaster University. He works at both the Midtown Site and Queen’s Site of the Waterloo Regional Health Network in Kitchener, Ontario. He received a BSc in Chemistry at McGill University and completed his MD as well as his anesthesiology residency and critical care fellowship at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. His academic interests include teaching where he has been honoured with numerous teaching awards including the 2023 MacCare Excellence in Teaching Award for all of the McMaster Community and Rural Education Program. He is involved in global health and has spent time teaching in Ghana and Rwanda with plans to return in the future.

Dr. Soheil Khojasteh

BHSc, DDS, MSc, Diplomate ADBA  |  Dentist Anaesthesiologist

 Dr. Soheil Khojasteh obtained his Bachelor of Health Sciences at McMaster University in 2010, and then completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Toronto in 2014. Upon completion of  dental school in 2014, he enrolled in the dental anaesthesiology specialty program at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry, and he completed his anaesthesiology training in 2017.Dr. Khojasteh is a specialist in dental anaesthesia and a diplomate of the American Dental Board of Anaesthesia. He is a past President of the Ontario Dental Society of Anaesthesiology and the current President of the Canadian Academy of Dental Anaesthesiologists, and a current examiner for the American Dental Board of Anaesthesia. He is a clinical instructor at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry, in the Department of Anaesthesia, and has presented to colleagues in anaesthesia and dentistry at numerous conferences. He currently practices the Procedural Team Anaesthesia model, providing comprehensive dental treatment under general anaesthesia and deep sedation.

Outside the office, Dr. Khojasteh most enjoys spending time with his wife, Dr. Monica Pulec, and their two sons, Kian and Noah. He enjoys cooking for his family, reading with his children, and cycling the roads of Ontario.