Our Team

The Vesia team is a dedicated group of professionals who are passionate about caring for patients with bladder and pelvic floor conditions. Vesia brings together internationally recognised thought-leaders in the field who are involved in research and regularly speak and write about their findings to medical audiences around the world. Our specialists share a mindset when it comes to diagnosing and treating bladder and pelvic floor conditions and they, with the support of knowledgeable and dedicated nurses, therapists, and support staff, are here to provide you with superior care.

Medical

  1. Dr. Richard Baverstock, MD FRCSC

    Dr. Richard Baverstock has been practicing urology in Calgary since 2004, having completed urology residency training at the University of British Columbia in 2003 and a fellowship in male reconstructive surgery, andrology, incontinence and urodynamics in 2004 with Dr. Sender Herschorn at the University of Toronto. Since his return to Calgary, Dr. Baverstock has led the care of males with urethral stricture disease requiring reconstruction. He has also introduced new techniques in the management of male incontinence. He served as the Director of Quality Assurance for the Division of Urology and has been an elected representative to the Alberta Medical Association. He has also spearheaded the introduction of Electronic Medical Records and remote access to medical imaging for the Division of Urology. Dr. Baverstock is actively involved in clinical research and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles. He is also a leader in medical education, particularly in mentoring medical students and residents, and in educating the family medicine community locally. Outside of practice, his focus is on his family and his love of golf and cross-country skiing.

  2. Dr. Colin Birch, MB BS FRCS

    Dr. Birch was born in England and graduated from medical school in Newcastle Upon Tyne. He then completed a surgical residency in London, England and obstetrics and gynecology residency in St. John’s, Newfoundland. After working in Ontario and then Calgary, he travelled back to London, England to complete an urogynecology fellowship with Stuart Stanton at St. Georges Hospital.

    Dr. Birch is currently Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Foothills Hospital in Calgary. He also serves as an examiner for the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Canada, and is on the Practice Committee of the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Canada. His professional interests include new techniques in prolapse surgery, childbirth injury involving the pelvic floor, and endoscopic surgery.

  3. Dr. Kevin Carlson, MD FRCSC DABU

    Dr. Carlson is a native of British Columbia, and graduated from medical school at the University of British Columbia in 1994. He completed his urology residency training at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1999. The next year, he completed a fellowship in pelvic reconstructive surgery, voiding dysfunction, neurourology, and urodynamics at New York University Medical Center in New York City. He has been practicing in Calgary since 2001. Dr. Carlson is actively involved in clinical research and teaching, and has published numerous peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters. He attends and presents at multiple national and international meetings annually.

    Dr. Carlson is currently Chief of Urology in the Department of Surgery at the University of Calgary. He is a Director of the Canadian Continence Foundation, member of the medical advisory board of the Prostate Cancer Centre, and a member of the Continuing Professional Development Committee of the Canadian Urological Association. He has spearheaded the development of numerous national education programs for physicians.

    Dr. Carlson has co-founded a number of internet-based medical communications products, which aim to enhance patient and physician education and improve communication and efficiency in clinical practice. He has been an invited speaker across Canada sharing his experience with these efforts. Outside of clinical practice Dr. Carlson dedicates himself to family and fitness. He has competed in seven marathons and has qualified for the Boston Marathon. He has also twice completed Ironman Canada. He loves to golf and is a water sports enthusiast.

  4. Dr. Marcus Baverstock, Internal Medicine

  5. Dr. Giovanni Coppola, Family Medicine

  6. Dr. Darren Desantis, MD, FRCSC

  7. Dr. Jeanine Jensen, MD, CCFP

  8. Dr. Kristen Handkamer, MD, CCFP

Physiotherapy

  1. Rumi Krzywicki

  2. Safa Rahman

Nursing

  1. Jill Breidel De Garcia

  2. Carmen Macdonell

  3. Kara Parsons

Research

  1. Carly Barton

  2. Trafford Crump

Administrative

  1. Aimee Hynes

  2. Courtney Dean

  3. Gillian Cameron

  4. Leisha Miller

  5. Amber Barnes