Darius DinshawB.Sc. (Hons.) in Kinesiology, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Pedorthist (C.Ped(C)), Certified Athletic Therapist (CAT(C))
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.
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 CHANB.A. (Hons.) in Kinesiology, Registered Chiropodist (D.Ch)
Driven by a lifelong fascination with human movement, Claudia completed an Honours Specialization in Kinesiology and a Major in Rehabilitation Sciences at University of Western Ontario, providing a strong foundation in biomechanics and sports medicine. She completed her Advanced Diploma in Chiropody with Distinction at The Michener Institute, where she received the Board of Governors’ Gold Medal Award for Academic Excellence.
Claudia uses an empathetic approach to footcare and she is a firm believer in both preventative and corrective approaches to podiatric care.
Outside of the clinic, Claudia channels her creativity into crocheting, figure skating and culinary adventures.
As Align Custom Fit is a teaching facility, Claudia also serves as the clinical placement supervisor for the Michener Institute of Education at UHN, University of Toronto, where she supports Chiropody students in developing their clinical and professional skills.
CATHERINE DUONGB.Sc., (Hons.) in Life Sciences, Registered Chiropodist (D.Ch)
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.
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 BielasB.Sc., (Hons.) in Kinesiology, Registered Chiropodist (D.Ch)
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.
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 KlererB.A. (Hons.) in Kinesiology, BSc., Registered Chiropodist (D.Ch)
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.
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 LEB.Sc., (Hons.) Registered Chiropodist (D.Ch)
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.
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.
FRANCES TRAN
Frances Tran has worked in the beauty industry for over 11 years. Her passion for luxury skincare gave her an appreciation for luxury retail, which naturally evolved into her passion for health and wellness that brought her to her role at Align. She truly loves helping people to look and feel their best. And people truly love working with her.
Frances has a personal outlook of ‘empathy in everything I do!’ She loves connecting with people and learning about their stories and journey in life, to form deeper understandings of others. Her calm, positive and highly productive way of doing everything infuses success into all she touches. As Team Lead, she is she is the glue that holds the Client Experience Team together. She is continually learning all company roles in order to ensure each department works optimally with the CEC team. We're excited to continuously grow together in the outcomes of her vast skillset in client experience, effective, efficient operations and team training and leading.
Health is imperative to her in body, faith, and mind. She is regularly active in exercise, volunteer work, listening to music and reflective journaling.
Kaye WilliamsB.Sc, Psychology
Holding a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, minoring in Kinesiology, Kaye is also currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Counselling.
Her passion is helping people who need it most. She’s undertaken specialized training in caring for autism, dementia, personal care, standard first aid and CPR, as well as in medication awareness. She developed these skills providing counselling, emotional support and therapeutic techniques while working with adults with intellectual disabilities for a government supported agency in Nova Scotia. As a Respite Care Worker, she utilized ABA teaching strategies and found immense satisfaction providing emotional and motivational support for those she cared for.
She finds that in healthcare, true relationships form out of empathy. Positive and family focused, the Align core values she connects with most are integrity, wellness and pleasurable experiences. She has certainly added immense value to the Align family here and with our wonderful clients. She truly appreciates keeping operations well-orchestrated, so that the team can effectively provide quality healthcare, wellness and life enjoyment.
Sheila PhanB.A.(Hons)
Holding a bachelor’s degree in Arts, Sheila is also currently pursuing certification in teaching languages. With a professional background in marketing, retail and business administration, Sheila Phan has an understated style of delivering client experience excellence with a high level of empathy, discretion and class. Keeping the clinic efficient and organized helps her ensure client experiences are impeccable. With a passion for helping others, Sheila volunteers her time with a local women’s shelter. She speaks fluent Vietnamese, enjoys a competitive game of table tennis and is a pilates enthusiast.
VANESSA PANGILINANB.A.(Hons)
With nearly two decades of administrative experience across diverse industries in the Middle East, Vanessa brings a calm, organized presence and a deep commitment to client care. Her background in office management and operations shaped her ability to navigate fast-paced environments with professionalism and ease.
After relocating to Canada, Vanessa pursued further education in Business Management at Humber College North. Her adaptability, dedication and approachable nature make her a valued member of the Align team, where she plays a key role in ensuring smooth client experiences from start to finish. Vanessa thrives on connection, bringing warmth, efficiency, and a globally informed perspective to every client interaction.
JULIA WELSH
B.A.(Hons)
With a background in fashion design and a specialization in luxury textiles, as a yogini and movement purist, and having held the Client Experience position at Align, Julia brings refined, creative eye and deep appreciation for aesthetics to the Align brand.
Her work bridges wellness, beauty, and movement, drawing on her unique understanding of both luxury design and the human experience.
Julia helps elevate high-end brands and spaces through thoughtful design, storytelling and digital marketing. Julia leads the brand’s creative direction - translating our mission and core values into everything from digital campaigns to in-store visual experiences. As a mother and creative professional, she’s deeply motivated by the opportunity to create a meaningful impact for clients through the Align brand.Please reach out to Julia if you are interested in learning more about the Align Ambassador Program.
TERESSA DINSHAWB.A. (Hons)
Teressa Dinshaw helms this woman-led company, orchestrating its strategic vision, fostering innovative capabilities, cultivating a strong culture, and ensuring robust governance.
She leverages over 25 years of corporate and entrepreneurial success in health and recreation companies, a Bachelor's in Political Science with a focus on international policy and human rights, a Master's in Marketing from Schulich School of Business, experience as a college business professor, and having led the Public Affairs Association of Canada, with intimate knowledge of public policy and industry associations. Teressa brings a unique blend of acumen essential for leading Align’s podiatric concept clinics. She continues building Align as a robust, scalable enterprise that fosters a collaborative environment for foot specialists and establishes a new standard in offering patient-centric foot health experiences. Her leadership empowers Align clients with knowledge and a medically sound approach for healthier movement, a more enriched life, and inspiration to look and feel better and healthier than ever before, ensuring medical health, beauty, and fashion are not mutually exclusive. Keeping up with her active children and her husband, Darius, through hiking, snowboarding, and constant play, she truly embodies Align’s mission to help people move better aligned through foot health.
All of us at Align look forward to connecting with you as an esteemed Align Client. Would you like to get involved with our mission?
Check out current opportunities on our Career Page or simply get in touch!
Ready to check 'healthy feet' off your self-care list? Book your appointment today by using the link below. It's never too early or too late to start. We look forward to helping you find beauty and balance through better foot health. Improve the way you move.
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