Celebrating Dr. Steven Zizzo’s International Achievement Award

We are proud to share that Winterberry Family Medicine’s Medical Director, Dr. Steven V. Zizzo, has been honoured by his alma mater, the University of Sydney, with the 2025 Alumni Award for International Achievement.

This prestigious award, as outlined by the University of Sydney’s official announcement, “recognises alumni who have made outstanding contributions on an international scale through professional achievement, leadership, and community impact.” (University of Sydney Alumni Awards)

According to the University of Sydney, Dr. Zizzo—who completed both his Master of Public Health (2005) and Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (2008) at U of S—has demonstrated remarkable leadership in advancing patient care and system innovation in Canada.

As the founder and Medical Director of Winterberry Family Medicine, he leads one of the country’s largest team-based primary care clinics. The University notes that Winterberry now serves over 30,000 patients, supported by a multidisciplinary team of more than 50 healthcare professionals.

The University’s profile of Dr. Zizzo highlights his exceptional response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his direction, Winterberry coordinated one of Canada’s largest private immunization campaigns, administering more than 35,000 vaccinations since May 2021.

The campaign was later recognised by the City of Hamilton and Mayor Andrea Horwath as the largest private immunization effort in the city—a milestone that reflected not only medical excellence but also deep community service. Additionally, for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Zizzo won two Awards of Excellence (Ontario College of Family Physicians and Canadian College of Family Physicians).

As shared in the University’s feature, Dr. Zizzo also contributes extensively to the academic and research community. He serves as an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at McMaster University, is a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and a Principal Investigator in more than 20 clinical research trials focused on obesity and diabetes.

Additionally, Dr. Zizzo is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, and an advocate for eliminating bias and discrimination in obesity care—a cause that continues to shape Winterberry’s inclusive, patient-centred philosophy.

The University of Sydney describes Dr. Zizzo as a “leader who combines public health insight with a commitment to accessible, technology-driven primary care.” Those of us at Winterberry have the privilege of seeing that vision in action every day.

We’re proud to work alongside Dr. Zizzo as he continues to advance a model of care that’s grounded in compassion, science, and innovation—one that’s improving lives both locally and globally.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Steven Zizzo on this well-deserved recognition from the University of Sydney. His achievement reflects the impact of visionary leadership and the collective dedication of the entire Winterberry team.