Dr. Mirella Veras is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Manitoba. She is a registered physiotherapist with the College of Physiotherapists of Manitoba and brings over two decades of experience in physiotherapy, education, and research. Her professional background includes extensive work in primary health care and academic teaching at a medical school in Brazil. Dr. Veras identifies as Parda—a Brazilian term used by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) to describe individuals of mixed Indigenous,  African, and European ancestry, reflecting the country’s rich ethnic diversity. This multicultural heritage informs her commitment to equity, representation, and inclusivity in healthcare and academia.

She has also served as an Advanced Epidemiologist at Health Canada and as an Epidemiologist consultant for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), contributing her expertise to health system strengthening, epidemiological and rehabilitation research, and digital health initiatives. Dr. Veras’s research focuses on advancing digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance remote monitoring, improve care delivery, and optimize health outcomes. Her work emphasizes equity in digital health by developing AI solutions that address functional challenges across diverse populations, ensuring inclusive and equitable access to these technologies. She is particularly dedicated to promoting AI in healthcare as a supportive tool for clinical decision-making-enhancing, rather than replacing, the expertise of health professionals.