Medical Team
Darius Dinshaw
B.Sc. Kin, C.Ped(C), CAT(C), CSCS
Co-Founder & Medical Director
Toronto and Mississauga
With over 20 years of experience in the field of Athletic Therapy and people management, Darius Dinshaw’s passion to create Align was inspired by his unique perspectives on body alignment. Through working with varsity athletes as an Athletic Therapist, he found it necessary to incorporate his proactive, Athletic Therapist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist background and mindset to his Canadian Certified Pedorthist designation, to bolster treatment outcomes through the combined, trail-blazed approach. Managing an orthotics clinic for years gave him the insight and desire to break the mould and create something different and completely new.
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Darius ensures Align Clients are empowered to use fundamental training tools of athletes, but with an understandable, lifestyle approach. He built Align to cater to clients who are proactive about their own health and have the knowledge needed to condition themselves into healthier feet and ultimately total body movement. He ensures Align’s approach is driven by crafting an extremely thorough whole-body assessment process, and that clients’ wellness and luxury and style is an important part of their custom fitted footwear experience. His medical skill is sought after from his medical trainees in his rigorous Align Clinician Program, as well as through talks at medical conferences and the many partnership clinics with whom Align holds in its collaborative network of allied health professionals. His combined business and financial acumen keep Align focused under his leadership. It has also awarded him the position of the Board of Directors with the Pedorthic Association of Canada, which allowed him to drive this work with an inspired team to improve foot health modalities on a national and global scale.
His concepts of traditional orthotic design are here compounded, by crafting creative medical orthopedic and proprioceptive design elements with premium, exclusive materials. Himself a man of impeccable style, this includes finding creative ways to custom fit footwear that people actually want to wear, in ever-evolving advances in fashion. These are the factors that make proprietary Align Orthotics™ truly such an effective device. Darius always has a research and development project in the works and continuously challenges the status quo, to discover new innovations in healthcare. This also inspired his work on co-patenting Pitch Perfects™ - custom, medical orthotics for high heels.
His most coveted leisure activity is his need for speed as an autosport enthusiast. A daring snowboarder, soccer player, extreme mountain biker, camper, strategic functional movement training enthusiast, he also is a homebody who loves spending time with his rambunctious sons.
CLAUDIA CHAN
B.A. (Kin), D. Ch
CHIROPODIST, ALIGN CLINICIAN
Mississauga
Since her clinical placement at Align in 2021, Claudia Chan returns to us to resume all Align Footcare Spa services and has quickly become our lead Chiropodist and managing the Footcare Spa operations.
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She fully embodies both the preventative and pain treatment approaches to podiatric footcare and has developed strong relationships with Align clients and team alike. Driven by curiosity about the complexity of human movement, Claudia completed an Honours Specialization in Kinesiology with a Major in Rehabilitation Sciences from UWO. This advanced skillset in biomechanics and sports medicine aspects gives her an acute eye in your Body Align Assessments. Graduating at the top of her class with an 'Advanced Diploma With Distinction in Chiropody' at The Michener Institute, Claudia was also awarded the 'Board of Governors’ Gold Medal Award of Academic Excellence'. Throughout her clinical placements, Claudia has honed her expertise in providing dermatological, pharmacological, surgical and wound care. Claudia is an empathetic, highly intelligent medical professional. She also is a culinary whiz, an artist, loves camping, hiking and can do laps around the rest of us on Align custom fit roller skates!
CATHERINE DUONG
D.CH, H.B.SC
Chiropodist, Align Clinician
Mississauga
Catherine has invaluable expertise in dermatological, surgical, musculoskeletal, and geriatric care in her clinical work with the Wound Care Centre at Women’s College Hospital, LAMP Community Health Centre, the Michener Chiropody Clinic as well as intensive biomechanical training in the Align Clinician Program.
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Refining both her theoretical aptitude and practical skillset, she also received a scholarship by the College of Chiropodists of Ontario during her rotations. She holds an Assistant Professorship and works as a Clinical Instructor under the University Health Network at the Michener Institute. Strong ethics aligned with company core values and the desire to treat patients beyond their expectations, at Align Catherine is redefining and evolving footcare modalities, successfully ensuring that the preventative footcare model is a necessary health check for everyone. Through provision of exemplary care at Align and being a passionate educator, Catherine has distinguished the Align flagship as an official teaching facility for the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. As a Clinical Coordinator for this program and through her clinical work at Align, she provides training and education to the College's graduating students, helping to create the next gen of inspired Chiropody professionals.
Nikki Bielas
Chiropodist, Align Clinician
Toronto
With a passion for foot care and a dedication to improving mobility, Nikki has been a trusted chiropodist since 2018. Specializing in diagnosing and treating various foot and lower limb conditions, Nikki combines professional expertise with a compassionate approach to ensure patients' comfort and well-being.
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Nikki holds a background in kinesiology and fitness and health promotion, which provides a strong foundation in understanding movement and overall well-being. Whether managing chronic conditions, offering preventive care, or providing post-surgery rehabilitation, Nikki tailors treatments to meet individual needs. Outside of work, Nikki loves to travel and explore new places, always seeking adventures with her husband and two sons. Spending time with family and discovering different cultures keeps her energized and inspired. With a strong commitment to continuing education, Nikki stays up-to-date with the latest advancements in podiatric care, ensuring the highest quality of care.
Elyse Klerer
Chiropodist, Align Clinician
Toronto
Elyse is a dedicated and compassionate Chiropodist who brings a holistic and patient-centered approach to foot health. She completed an Honours Specialization in Kinesiology at Western University before earning her Advanced Diploma in Chiropody with Distinction from the Michener Institute in 2021.
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Elyse’s clinical care is grounded in empathy and a genuine desire to help patients feel their best. She supports everything from acute conditions to long-term preventative care, always tailoring her approach to each patient’s needs. With a background in kinesiology, Elyse brings a strong understanding of biomechanics to every treatment plan, helping patients move better and support long-term wellness. She works with a wide range of foot health concerns - from skin and nail conditions to musculoskeletal issues and custom orthotic therapy. What drives her most is helping people move with confidence, whether that means recovering from injury, managing chronic concerns, or simply staying active without pain.
Outside of the clinic, Elyse lives what she practices. She’s passionate about staying active and embracing a lifestyle rooted in health and wellness. As a runner, she knows firsthand how meaningful it is to keep doing what you love – and brings that same care and encouragement into her work with every patient.
KATRINA LE
D.CH, H.B.SC
CHIROPODIST
Mississauga
Katrina Le is a graduate of the Michener Institute of Applied Health Sciences at UHN – Chiropody (D.Ch) and holds an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Life Sciences (B.Sc, Hons) from McMaster University.
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A passionate community advocate, she served as Director of the McMaster Vietnamese Student Association, fostering connections between new and experienced learners.
Katrina’s commitment to bespoke excellence and her innovative mindset drive her to deliver exceptional, personalized healthcare. She brings both dedication and creativity to her practice, ensuring the highest level of care for her clients.
