Our Team

Dr. Curtis Myden is a Royal College Certified sports and knee surgeon specializing in arthroscopic and open surgeries for knee, shoulder, elbow and sport-associated conditions.

Dr Myden completed his medical degree and residency in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Calgary. Dr Myden completed fellowship training in Pediatric Orthopedic surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia and Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at the University of British Columbia.  Dr Myden started his Orthopedic practice in 2013 in Kelowna, BC, specializing in sports medicine Orthopedics with a focus on knee injuries. Dr Myden has worked the past 5 years in the Yukon Territory and BC. He was the first resident Orthopedic Surgeon in the Yukon territory and primary surgeon to create the resident orthopedic service in the Yukon Territory.

Dr Myden has a sports background in swimming, having swam on the Canadian National Swim team from 1990-2002. He represented Canada at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games. He won 3 Bronze medals in those games, competing in the Individual Medley races. His sports background makes him passionate about treating athletes and individuals with injuries and getting them back to their sport and activities.

Dr Myden is excited to share his expertise and care with the Acumen team and our patients.

Dr. Matt Snider is a Royal College certified orthopaedic surgeon practicing in sports injuries of the knee (especially meniscus and ACL injuries) along with hip and knee arthritis and replacements. Dr. Snider completed medical school at the University of Western Ontario (2000-2004) and then completed the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency program at UWO (2004-2009).  He then completed a sports medicine fellowship in Auckland, New Zealand (2009) with a focus on knee injuries.  He has performed thousands of sports knee surgeries and thousands of hip and knee replacements in his 13 years in orthopaedic surgical practice. Dr. Snider is an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON) and the chief of the Orthopaedic Surgery division in Kitchener-Waterloo, ON.  Dr. Snider is looking forward to expanding his surgical practice by joining the Acumen team to provide top quality care to the patients of Alberta in addition to his southwestern Ontario patients.

Dr. Anthony J. Costa is an FRCSC certified orthopaedic surgeon with sub-specialty interest in knee and shoulder related conditions, as well as experience managing most other general orthopedic problems. Dr. Costa has extensive operative experience with single- and multi-ligament knee reconstruction, patella realignment surgery, osteotomies of the femur and tibia, meniscal repair and transplant, cartilage restorative procedures, primary knee/hip arthroplasty, as well as rotator cuff-related surgery and procedures for shoulder instability.

Dr. Costa graduated from the University of Western Ontario Schulich School of Medicine in 2006, and completed his orthopaedic residency training at the University of British Columbia from 2006-2011. From 2011-2012 he undertook further subspecialty fellowship training in orthopaedic knee-related surgery and lower extremity trauma at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia. From 2012-2021, he worked at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia in Prince George BC, practicing general orthopaedics, with a focus on both simple and complex knee related conditions, as well as general orthopaedics and orthopaedic trauma. During his years in Prince George, Dr. Costa also worked closely with his practice partner and wife, Dr. Denise Mackey (an orthopaedic surgeon with fellowship training in shoulder reconstruction), to hone his skills in shoulder reconstruction. From 2022-2023, Dr. Costa worked as a locum orthopaedic surgeon at South Health Campus in Calgary, with a focus on shoulder reconstruction and general orthopaedic trauma.

Dr. Costa is fully licensed to practice in both Alberta and British Columbia, and holds a faculty appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia.

Having graduated from the Harvard Medical School Surgical Leadership Program in 2022, Dr. Costa is also passionate about quality improvement and transformational change in orthopaedic care delivery.

Outside of orthopaedics, Dr. Costa enjoys spending time with his family and taking advantage of the many outdoor opportunities available in BC and Alberta, including hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, surfing, skiing/snowboarding, and of course plenty of hockey!

Dr. Jesse Slade Shantz is a Royal College Certified sports and shoulder surgeon specializing in arthroscopic and open surgeries for shoulder, knee, elbow and sports-associated conditions.

Dr. Slade Shantz has focused his career on both being at the cutting edge of surgical techniques and delivering the experience patients expect in terms of communication, punctuality and customer service within the healthcare system. Because of his unique approach Dr. Slade Shantz has been invited to educate other surgeons on current surgical techniques and speak about entrepreneurship and health system transformation.

Francesca has an extensive background in clinical management and quality improvement facilitation. Francesca earned her Bachelors of Technology in Technology Management with a Minor in Health Promotion. From there she gained experience in the field as a Clinic Manager of an ARP Community Health Centre.  Working with family physicians in a minority language community has opened up doors to better promote and deliver healthcare outside of a normal clinic setting.  With the eagerness to help other clinics across the province, Francesca undertook a position as a Quality Improvement Facilitator for the Primary Care Network to finally embark in the Acumen Journey.  Designing the Acumen Clinic from scratch has been nothing short of challenging, gratifying and fun for Francesca.  She feels pride in working with the Acumen Clinic Team, building partnerships and transforming health care one patient at a time!

Dr. Don Dick is a practicing orthopaedic surgeon in the Edmonton Zone. His focus is on hip and knee replacements through the Edmonton Musculoskeletal Centre and the Orthopaedic Surgery Centre – Royal Alexandra Hospital.

He divides his time between clinical medicine and healthcare administration. He has had numerous leadership positions in bone and joint health – locally, provincially and nationally. He is presently working part-time for Alberta Health Services in Appropriateness and Health Outcome Analysis.

LeeAnne is a Certified Athletic Trainer and Certified Athletic Therapist. She is a member of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association and the Canadian Athletic Therapist’s Association. She has a vast interest in Patient Education and making orthopedic care a smooth transition for patients. LeeAnne obtained her Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training and Health Science at Castleton University in Vermont. She practiced as a Certified Athletic Trainer in the states for 6 years with various sports teams and orthopedic clinics (NECBL, Dartmouth Hitchcock, Vermont Orthopedic Clinic to name a few). She then went on to pursue her Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology at Mercyhurst University. While in Erie, PA she worked as a Division I Women’s Ice Hockey ATC where going to the Frozen Four was one of her favourite memories.

LeeAnne has specialized in treating the shoulder, knee and elbow over the past 6 years. She enjoys the post operation rehabilitation stages and assisting in transition to return to play. Post operation surgeries she specializes include: Tommy John (UCL reconstruction), ACL reconstruction, Shoulder instability, and Rotator Cuff.

LeeAnne relocated to Canada with her husband where she worked as an Orthopedic Research Coordinator at the PanAm Clinic in Winnipeg, MB. They kept moving west and they found themselves in Edmonton and joined the Acumen Team. They now have 2 children and 2 dogs!

Originally from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Devon came to Edmonton as a young teenager pursuing hockey and athletic excellence. During this time, he first experienced working with strength and conditioning coaches and found his passion for helping people with their health and fitness. Growing up, Devon had the opportunity to play a variety of competitive sports at provincial, national, and international levels, such as hockey, baseball, volleyball and most recently, ball hockey at numerous Canadian and World Ball Hockey Championships. Devon joins the Acumen team with over 8 years of professional experience in the health and fitness industry. During this time, he has developed a special interest in working with First Responders, the general population, older adults, and amateur athletes. With these experiences, he understands the value of strength and conditioning not only for sports but for injury prevention and living a healthy and active lifestyle as well.

Whitney comes from a very athletic family and she knew from a young age that she wanted to be involved in sport whether it was as an athlete or as a medical staff. She was heavily involved in soccer until an injury when she was in her early teens, disrupted her path. After recovering from it, she was heavily fascinated by how people would get season ending injuries and sometimes come back even better than they were before. This was one of the reasons why she decided to study Kinesiology and major in athletic therapy.

Brian arrives at Acumen having worked in the Performance Medicine department at Cirque du Soleil for the past 15+ years. He joined Cirque du Soleil’s Performance Medicine department in 2006 and has bridged two cities and six shows during such time. He completed his Bachelor of Physical Education from the University of Alberta, and his Diploma in Sports Injury Management from Sheridan College. He holds a Diploma in Sports Physical Therapies from the International Olympic Committee and a Certificate in Workload Management in Football from the Barcelona Football Club. He is a dual credentialed Canadian Athletic Therapist and Certified Athletic Trainer. Brian has served as an Emergency Action Plan consultant, and assisted at training camp medical day, for the Vegas Golden Knights since their inception. He spent two seasons as a student Athletic Therapist with the Edmonton Elks, before joining the Toronto Blue Jays in 2004 on a full season internship. Brian returns home to Edmonton after a long hiatus, and is joined by his wife and fellow Athletic Therapist, Miranda, and their two incredible children.

Originally from Prince Edward Island, Shannon joins the Acumen team with experience as a high performance athlete and 7 years of professional development in Strength & Conditioning.

Shannon left home at just 14 to pursue her career in hockey, attending Warner High School Hockey Program, right here in Alberta. After high school, she was awarded a full scholarship to Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science. In 2014, Shannon helped her team won their first-ever NCAA National Championship. She proceeded to finish out her Junior and Senior year as team captain with back-to-back appearances at the NCAA top 8 and final 4 tournaments. Shannon also represented her country as part of the National Women’s Hockey team where she won gold at the U18 World Championships in the Czech Republic. Additionally, participated in various national team training camps and collegiate-level international competitions. After graduation, Shannon played 1 season with the CWHL Brampton Thunder in 2016-17 before returning home to PEI. In 2018, she competed in the RBC Training Ground, finishing as the top female athlete in Atlantic Canada. Rowing Canada recruited her to row competitively, and did so for 3 seasons, attending training camps with Rowing Canada’s Next Gen development program.

Throughout her athletic career, she easily developed a passion for Strength and Conditioning, recognizing the importance of training to enhance sport performance, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Shannon has since worked with a variety of elite athletes and organizations including Hockey Canada and Rugby Canada, representing the Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic. In 2022, she relocated to Calgary and has become the newest addition to our team!

Brian started his health career at the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Health Physiology.  He then moved to San Jose, California to get a Doctorate of Chiropractic at Palmer College of Chiropractic West.  Brian treats various populations including elite athletes, weekend warriors, and anyone looking to improve their overall health.  He is also an active member and Chiropractic Coordinator for the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team, traveling and treating rodeo and bull riding athletes.

Brian has a passion for collaborative care – drawing on the strengths of those around him to create ideal patient outcomes.  He believes quality care should attempt to achieve patient goals in as few appointments as possible.  He takes time to listen and understand patient concerns and compliments that with thorough evaluations.

Brian is certified in Active Release Techniques, Graston Technique, FAKTR, and Titleist Performance Institute Golf Evaluations and performs diversified manual manipulations and exercise prescription.

Mike has spent his 11 year career as a strength and conditioning coach working with one of the most recognizable organizations in North America, the New York Yankees. Here, Mike spent 7 years working within the Yankees Player Development System coordinating everything from rehabilitation of acute and chronic injuries, strength and power development, speed and agility development with players in both the Major and Minor Leagues. He also assisted in implementation of numerous strength and conditioning camps and had the opportunity to work 8 Major League Spring Trainings while with the Yankees.

Meet Nicole! Nicole grew up living a very active lifestyle, whether that was hiking and enjoying the outdoors or playing sports. She was involved in competitive sports from a young age and saw how much of an impact proper exercise, training and rehabilitation for injuries could have on her game and quality of life. This is where her passion for the study of the human body started. Nicole is highly intrigued on how the body moves, how it operates and functions, and how in turn, to properly train these muscles and movements.

Nicole grew up in Sherwood Park and carried on to University of Alberta where she obtained her Bachelor of Kinesiology. She has spent the past years working in health and wellness and is also the Athletic Trainer for minor hockey. In the hockey setting she focuses more on reducing the risk of injury, communication with Physiotherapists and Athletic Therapists and carrying on proper integration of exercise and rehabilitation for athletes. Nicole has found a special interest in concussion management in sports and playing an integral role in athletes return to play progression. She also loves working on mobility for athletes. This means assisting those in need with their ability to move actively through range of motion.  Nicole accomplishes this by identifying imbalances, correcting and educating limitations and supplying proper exercises for improvement to affect one’s activities of daily living and performance. 

Obtaining her certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS) designation allowed Nicole to focus on athletic population.  You can find Nicole part of one’s rehabilitation process, as well as the strength and return to performance side.

Brandon graduated from Mount Royal College in 2004 with an Athletic Therapy Certificate and the University of Calgary in 2005 with a Bachelor of Kinesiology – Major Athletic Therapy – Minor Sociology.  In the past, Brandon has held the positions of Assistant Athletic Therapist at the University of Alberta and at the University of Calgary, as well as the Head Athletic Therapist with the Abbotsford Heat in the AHL. He also was an integral part in building the Calgary Multi-disciplinary Clinic, Prairie Therapy. Currently, Brandon is the executive director of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team which he has helped build over the course of his 18 year career.

Brandon stands by the treatment philosophy that assessment for the root of the problem is number one. His treatment approach is to assess the body as a whole and figure out where the problem is coming from, address the symptoms and then stretch or strengthen the areas that need to be addressed to prevent the problem from recurring. Exercise is one of his most valued modalities in treating most musculoskeletal problems.

As a younger athlete, Brandon was a hockey player, baseball player and golfer. He has coached hockey, baseball and golf, and as a therapist has worked hockey, football and baseball games at the professional level. He understands all aspects of the team game, as well as individual sport. Brandon has also worked closely with Alberta Ballet.

Brandon’s expertise is keeping his patients as active as possible throughout the entire rehab process. All patients are seen one-on-one and every patient is sent home with a program that can be done either at home, or in the gym to address the areas that are causing all issues. Having seen injuries from traumatic events through the entire rehab process, his goal is to keep his patients active in some capacity while trying to rehab the issues. This likely means trying to keep them in practice unless their ability to compete is not safe. Brandon’s specific focuses or techniques he uses are muscle energy techniques, soft tissue release, trigger points and strain-counter strain. His main areas of interest are in treatment of knee and shoulder issues, but he’s very comfortable treating all sorts of musculoskeletal injuries.

Meet Christine!

Christine is a Certified Athletic Therapist originally from southern Alberta and now is based in the Okanagan. She attended the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University where she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and advanced certificate in Athletic Therapy. Some past roles that Christine has served in include working with youth athletes at the Okanagan Hockey Academy, clinical research coordinator for the Sports Injury Prevention Research Centre working on several youth and concussion projects, as well as a non-physician expert in the Acute Sport Concussion Clinic at the University of Calgary Sports Medicine Centre. Currently Christine is the Integrated Support Team therapy lead and team therapist for the National Women’s Hockey team. Christine was part of the 2018 Olympic silver medal team, 2021 World Championship team, 2022 Olympic Championship team, and most recently the 2022 World Championship team. Christine is also a member of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sports Medicine team and a treating therapist with BC wildfire on the Occupational Athlete Project. Christine is most excited about being a part of Acumen’s incredible collaborative team in serving the needs of all patients so they can return to the activities that they love.

Miranda is a Certified Athletic Therapist and Athletic Trainer originally from Peterborough, Ontario. She has a degree in Human Kinetics from the University of Guelph and a Diploma in Sports Injury Management from Sheridan College. Miranda is also a credentialed Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). An internship at the National Ballet of Canada piqued an interest in pursuing a career in High Performance and Performing Arts. Miranda worked in Montreal at Cirque du Soleil’s International Headquarters on the creation of 4 new shows before moving to Las Vegas to work at Ka at MGM Grand as a Head Therapist. She spent 14 years in Las Vegas and wouldn’t have predicted she would get married by an ordained Circus clown or have 2 wonderful children in the City of Lights. She finished her days in Las Vegas working at “O” at the Bellagio. Cirque du Soleil provided the experience and taught Miranda the flexibility to work with anything from Contortionists, Dancers and Synchronized Swimmers to former Professional Wrestlers.  Miranda enjoys working in High Performance but also takes great satisfaction from helping people achieve their everyday goals that they weren’t able to achieve following an injury.

Nina is a Certified Athletic Therapist and Kinesiologist from North Vancouver, BC. After graduating from the University of British Columbia with her Bachelors in Kinesiology, Nina continued on to complete her Athletic and Exercise Therapy Degree at Camosun College in Victoria, BC. Throughout and following her education, Nina completed internships with Field Hockey Canada, the University of Victoria Men’s Rugby program, the Edmonton Elks, as well as in varsity and general population clinics.

Nina is a high performance Ringette athlete, competing on Team Canada and the Edmonton WAM! in the National Ringette League, which is where she was first inspired to become an Athletic Therapist. Nina uses a combination of manual treatment, exercise therapy and patient education to assist patients in achieving their goals. She applies her personal experience as an athlete and time working on the field to a clinical setting by incorporating knowledge of acute and chronic injury assessments with a variety treatment techniques to create a rehabilitation plan that is unique to the needs of each patient.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Jean Carlos (JC) took his first steps in the world of martial arts at the age of 6. Competing internationally for Canada in karate, JC honed his skills and represented his adopted homeland with pride on the global stage. Alongside his martial arts endeavours, JC also dedicated five years of his life to the diamond, playing baseball. In recent years, JC has found a passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, it was his past injuries that inspired a pivotal change in lifestyle. 

Determined to make a difference, he set his sights on a career where he could help fellow athletes minimize the risk of injuries. Achieving a Bachelor of Kinesiology, with a focus on Sports Performance, JC embarked on a path to understand the intricacies of the human body, movement, and performance optimization. His dedication to the field led him to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Armed with this expertise, he now channels his energy and knowledge towards working with athletic populations, helping them reach their peak potential while reducing the risk of injuries.

He has also worked heavily with our In and Off-Season programs (Baseball, Hockey, Baseball). JC is also excited to help the osteoarthritis population reach their goals and has an interest in shoulders and the overhead athlete. 

Jenna comes to Acumen with a background in nursing. She spent 3 years at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital specializing in Geriatric/Stroke rehab, as well as Pediatrics and Psych. She has always had a passion for taking care of others and being a part of their recovery journey. She started at Acumen as a Patient Care Coordinator and eventually moved into our Chief of Operation role building a new healthcare system in Orthopedics alongside her peers. Whether it be patients- or the Acumen Team- Jenna loves to take care of people, and most importantly ensure that everyone is happy! She believes in the Acumen model, and is happy to help in any way she can to see it grow!

Becca is an important part of your journey at Acumen Health.  Becca understands the importance of seamless care and communication when it comes to individual healthcare goals. Her experience within previous healthcare environments, such as the Covid-19 assistance team at AHS, brings with it the experience in educating patients on processes clearly and with compassion. Becca strives to help provide every client with a positive experience. She is determined and enthusiastic about helping patients and clients throughout their journey to get back to doing what they love.

Jerrett’s career in massage therapy started in 2006 while being an active martial artist, as well as training in weightlifting, running and competitive grappling. He sustained a neck injury while training a junior student and realized how beneficial massage therapy was for his recovery. Having a second set of eyes to assess any weakness or imbalance that he was not able to assess himself made a world of a difference.

From that day Jerrett have been dedicated to promoting massage therapy services of high quality and integrity. His style of massage is based in Swedish massage foundations but has progressed to his own style of deep but non-invasive massage therapy techniques designed for immediate benefit and no need for a rest day. The goal of his style of massage therapy is to allow the body to move in a way that isn’t compensating though other structures allowing you to have proper mechanics while living your everyday life.

Anthony Butkovic is a Mental Performance coach working with professional and amateur athletes, business professionals, and organizations. His clients include: CFL, NHL, WHL, and Pro Rodeo athletes. He is certified in many areas including: Strategic Intervention, Neurolinguistic Programming, and Life Coaching.

As a former Professional Football Coach with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL), Anthony has developed a unique style to get results quickly for his clients.

In addition to Mental Performance, Anthony is a sought-after industry specialist for Disability Management and return to work. Over the course of his career, he has assisted thousands of people across Canada overcome their injuries / illnesses to return to a normal way of life. This is accomplished from an understanding of how mindset can have a major impact on recovery.

A fan of the comeback story, Anthony works with clients to help them understand how they create limitations, fears, and negative beliefs that keep them from achieving their comeback. More importantly, how his clients can use this information to create a vehicle in achieving the outcome they seek.

Anthony specializes in:

• Return to sport and work from injury or setbacks
• Athlete performance issues/anxieties
• Workers Compensation claims management and appeals