Dr. Hygiea Casiano brings a blend of clinical, educational and research experience to her role as president of the CPA. She is both a forensic and a child and youth psychiatrist at the University of Manitoba where she is an assistant professor of psychiatry, the medical director of adult forensic services and on staff with the Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre.

As the child of immigrant parents from the Philippines who settled in Winnipeg, she offers not only a prairie perspective, but also a unique window on the experience of immigrants and visible minorities.

In her clinical work, Dr. Casiano provides services to both adults and youth, supporting a variety of programs including The Knowles Centre, Youth Centralized Intake, Southern Health, StreetReach and Youth Forensic Services.

Her research interests include topics around youth mental health, enhancing resiliency and marginalized populations such as those at the crossroads of criminal justice and child welfare. She has published several peer-reviewed articles including on media use and adolescent health.

She is also a collaborator on the Robson Hall Criminal Law Research Hub, the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba and SPECTRUM (the Social Policy Evaluation Collaborative Team Research at Universities in Manitoba). SPECTRUM is a collaborative partnership of community organization representatives, researchers and students from across Manitoba who come together to use data, and lived and living expertise, to inform how we can become a fairer and more just society.

Teaching is an abiding passion for Dr. Casiano. At her alma mater, the University of Manitoba, her contributions and positive impact on learners has been recognized by colleagues and students alike, most recently with the 2021 Keep It Up Nomination award from the University of Manitoba and awards from the Manitoba Medical Students Association for her innovation and mentorship in both 2021 and 2022.

An exemplary student herself, Dr. Casiano is a past recipient of the Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Fellowship and the Rappaport Fellowship from the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Dr. Casiano is active in organized medicine. In addition to her leadership role with the CPA, she is also a member of the Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders.

During her presidency, Dr. Casiano hopes to address the contemporary issues and challenges facing psychiatry, such as health human resources retention and improved supports for youth and families. While there is much work to do, Dr. Casiano is excited to influence changes that will help psychiatrists and their patients.