Meet the Community Members of our Cluster
Community Members
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Yonas Abebe is an emerging researcher dedicated to addressing women's health issues both in Africa and around the world. With a strong commitment to community service, he actively participates in research initiatives and educational programs, aiming to inspire and empower future generations through his work.
Dr. Najah Adreak MD, MSc
Study Coordinator
Dr. Najah Adreak is an aspiring heart surgeon and clinical researcher with a Master of Science in Surgery degree from UBC. She earned her medical degree from Tripoli University and trained in the Cardiac Surgery residency program in Libya before moving to Canada for further education and training. Najah is the Trainee Representative for the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance and is an active member of the education and training working group.
I'm Sahar Ahmadi. I'm from Iran. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in midwifery from Zanjan University of Medical Sciences.
Aya Al Katat
Clinical Research Coordinator
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC)
Oluwaseun Amoo holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Their academic and professional journey has focused on leveraging innovative technologies and project management strategies to address critical challenges in disease surveillance and response.
Jenalene Antony opened a design studio in Saskatchewan with a focus on rural issues. As a designer she has worked on teams with Environment Canada, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Calgary telling stories about sustainability and social change. She previously worked on a largely Ukrainian settlement that was one of the poorest and fastest aging communities in Canada. It had issues such as a lack of basic health care services and violence towards women.
Dr. Andrea Araujo, RCC holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). Dr.
Dr. Claudia Barth is a biologist by training who majored in neurobiology.
Dr. Tamara Bodnar
Research Associate
Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences
University of British Columbia
Dr. Tamara Bodnar is a Research Associate in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences at The University of British Columbia (UBC), supervised by Dr. Joanne Weinberg. Her research examines the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure and other early-life environmental manipulations on immune function across development. Her research involves animal models of prenatal alcohol exposure, as well as human studies examining the impact of in utero alcohol exposure.
I am a Registered Nurse & Board Certified Health & Wellness Nurse Coach. I primarily work with women to heal through nervous system dysregulation & stress hormone imbalances. I want to help revolutionize healthcare by assisting to emphasize the importance behind hormonal health.
She is currently a lab technician in the Cembrowski lab at UBC, where she performs circuit-mapping and molecular techniques on rodent and human brain tissue to characterize new cell subtypes and explore cell-type heterogeneity in regions associated with memory. Before graduating with a BSc in biochemistry at UBC in 2020, she completed her thesis in the Ciernia lab, which focused on developing functional assays to measure microglial activation in vitro and optimizing media conditions for primary microglia cultures to best model the brain microenvironment.
Santa Chow is the Public/Patient Representative at the Legacy for Airway Health (LAH). LAH is rooted in the philosophy that remediating the huge burden of asthma and COPD requires strategic research to understand and apply evidence-based tactics for prevention and delivery of optimal care for those who suffer from these airway diseases.
A proud graduate in Philosophy, I pursued my passion further, achieving a master's degree in Philosophy and later, a Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education. Today, I stand as a full professor at the prestigious Federal Institute of Paraná in Brazil.
Mariana Correa dos Reis
Registered Holistic Nutritionist
Mariana Reis Holistic Nutrition and Low Entropy Foundation
I'm a Registered Holistic Nutritionist deeply passionate about Women's Health. My studies focus on the vital role of nutrition in fertility, prenatal/postnatal health, and childhood development. I aim to empower women to enhance their well-being through food, working in collaboration with healthcare experts. I run a private practice, collaborate with doulas and other professionals, and offer workshops and webinars to educate women and parents on the significance of nutrition in female health.@holisticmariana
Janet Currie was a founder and principal of Focus Consultants, (Victoria BC), where she completed over a hundred major research and evaluation projects for the federal, provincial and territorial governments. This research addressed women’s health and addictions, regulation of pharmaceutical products, and government programs for domestic violence, child support, separation and divorce, victims of crime and access to justice.
Passionate about women's better health and its impact on communities, Farah is an entrepreneur with a mission. Bringing 20+ years of experience in top-level positions in the technology and digital media sectors in Europe and the Middle East, Farah is now the founder of IAMENO, a femtech company and platform dedicated to the modern menopausal women. Her goal is to empower women with knowledge and tools while positively contributing to the change of mindset around women's health matters.
Piper graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BSc in Biology in 2021. She is now a Clinical Research Coordinator at The British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, as well as the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Advisor for Shoelace Learning.
Lauren finished her doctorate in Psychology in 2014. She began working as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Women’s Mental Health Research Program in 2005 and completed her Master’s Thesis in 2009 on “Endogenous Oxytocin across the Menstrual Cycle and with Oral Contraceptive Use: Effects on Verbal Memory and Mood (Advisor: Dr. Pauline Maki)” Lauren continued her training at UIC with the WMHRP and did her dissertation on “Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Menopausal Symptoms (Advisor: Dr.
Ashton Ellis
Study Coordinator
Ashton obtained her BSc from Simon Fraser University. She is a research coordinator with the BC Children's Hospital BioBank where the primary focus is on the collection and storage of maternal samples for use in future research. Examples of these biospecimens include both preterm and full-term cord blood, placenta, and maternal blood, all of which are available to researchers both locally and worldwide.
Carrie Elrick MSW, MBA
CEO, Founder
Carrie is a passionate believer in creating work environments that have impact and prosperity. She aids in developing equity at the social at the policy level to ensure people can bring their best to what they do each day. Her engaging approach works to involve individuals, policymakers, and leaders in creating inclusive policies that enable diversity and equity. She addresses systemic barriers to women's health and well-being to accelerate their participation in the workforce.
Nicole completed her MEd in Counseling Psychology from Simon Fraser University in May of 2022. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor in Vancouver.
Natalie Freeman
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
I am a Neuroscientist who recently completed her PhD in Biomedicine at the University of Barcelona. I currently work at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Barcelona, in Dr. Salvador Aznar Benitah's lab. Here, I work as a research assistant supporting projects related to circadian rhythms research, tissue communication and its alteration in aging.
Brady's entire athletic therapy career has focused on youth athletes in hockey, dance, soccer, figure skating and basketball. Her experience, professionalism, and knowledge as the Head Athletic Therapist of Edge School is wide ranging. Between working on the bench with hockey and basketball, spending hours to understand the world of dance, and years as a senior high sports medicine teacher have accumulated into an all-encompassing amount of experience that she leans on to provide the best experience for her patients.
I am a Senior Research Scientist at Cerebra. Previously, I was a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Human Cerebrovascular Physiology in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, under Dr. Marc Poulin.
Hannah is a research coordinator for the Dao Research Lab at the University of New Hampshire. She studied community health and environmental science at Tufts University and hopes to begin medical school in the future.
Amy Hobbs is a Registered Nurse and an epidemiologist with ten years of monitoring and evaluation experience in maternal and newborn health (MNH) within local, national, and international contexts. She has expertise in clinical and non-clinical research methods, including the development and coordination of research studies and the collection, compilation, maintenance, and analysis of complex data sets.
Parker Holman
Research Associate
Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences
University of British Columbia
My research focuses on investigating social behaviour and its underlying neurobiology during the key developmental period of adolescence. Specifically, I’m interested in understanding the role of oxytocin and vasopressin - two proteins produced in the hypothalamus - in mediating social behaviour development, especially in the context of prenatal alcohol exposure.
Muna has a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of British Columbia. She is now a Research Assistant at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health.
Shermeen Imtiaz holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia and is interested in knowledge translation for sexual health, exploring the mechanisms of the menstrual cycle, and the psychological influences on female sexual health. She currently works for the Women's Health Research Institute and has previously explored dyspareunia in some women with endometriosis at the UBC Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Lab. Shermeen has also been a part of the UBC Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Lab.
Rae Jardine (she/they) is a Health and Human Rights professional and researcher. She currently serves as the Founder and Executive Director of SRHR Hubs (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Hubs).Rae holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Human Rights from St. Thomas University and a Master of Arts in Global Development Studies from Queen’s University. She has continued her learning as a Sex Educator, Full Spectrum Doula, and a CC-PMH (Canadian Certified Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Program).
Dr. Firat Kara has been studying biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in human and animal models for more than 13 years. He obtained his Doctorate at Leiden University in the Netherlands, in the field of Chemistry where he studied magnetic resonance imaging markers of Alzheimer’s disease in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease at ultra-high magnetic field strengths (9.4 T and 17.6 T). Since his appointment at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Kara has shown great interest in clinical and translational research. He has enrolled Mayo Clinic Translational and Certificate Program. Dr.
Janny Xue Chen Ke, MD, FRCPC, is an anesthesiologist and researcher with an interest in improving outcomes after surgery through patient engagement and analysis of population datasets. She has been involved in research in the development and implementation of a mobile application for women after Cesarean delivery, focused on education and self-monitoring.
Omulbanin (Banin) Khodabakhsh
Midwife
Banin completed her bachelor's degree in midwifery and has since helped 100 women during their deliveries. She acquired her Master's in Reproductive, Perinatal and Sexual health from Lund University, Sweden, and has a keen interest in e-health. Banin's major concerns are maternal mortality and morbidity specifically in poor developed countries, in addition to sexual health education.
Kira Knight (she/her/hers) is a recent graduate from the University of British Columbia in Global Resource Systems focusing on sexual health. Her interests focus on access to sexual health and family planning resources, the intersection of sexual health and the law, as well as systems of support for survivors of sexualized violence.
Stephanie Koebele PhD
Medical Writer
Stephanie (she/her) has a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience in Psychology. Her research interests include the cognitive and neurobiological effects of reproductive hormones in the context of menopause, memory, and aging. This includes the natural fluctuations in reproductive hormones across the lifespan as well as exogenous hormone exposures (e.g., hormone-containing contraceptives and hormone therapies). Her doctoral research focused on the impacts of variations in surgical menopause, including hysterectomy, on spatial learning and memory in a preclinical rat model.
Hamed is a successful researcher and therapist in the field of gynecology, and organizes various workshops on gynecological diseases. He is theowner of Iran Women's Clinic.
Carly La Berge (she/her) is a Senior Policy Analyst at the First Nations Health Authority. She has a Master of Public Health (MPH) in social policy from the University of Victoria (UVic) and a Bachelor of Science from UBC Okanagan.
Erika Lachance, Support Services Assistant II, Campus Planning and Development Erika Lachance works as a Support Services Assistant II at UBCO and is a passionate ambassador for Women’s Health. She looks to promote awareness in her community by participating, engaging and receiving continued training on women’s health research topics.
Sabrina Luke is an Epidemiologist in the Research and Surveillance group at Perinatal Services British Columbia. She holds a doctoral degree in public health from the University of South Florida with a focus in perinatal epidemiology and has co-authored publications in the areas of tobacco and cannabis use in pregnancy. She has taught courses on health behaviour theory and women’s health and worked with community organizations to improve access to and delivery of services among vulnerable populations. She has collaborated on research projects with U.S.
Meenakshi Malhotra
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
Stephanie has an MSc in Epidemiology from the University of Guelph and currently works as a Research Coordinator for Dr. Marie Tarrant in the School of Nursing at UBC-Okanagan. She supports research activities focused on maternal and child health, specifically in the areas of childbirth experiences, breastfeeding, and maternal and child vaccinations.
Karen Mason
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research (SOAR)
Karen Mason is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research (SOAR), the only non-profit organization in Canada with a singular focus on brain injury (BI) from intimate partner violence (IPV). SOAR explores the incidence and effects of IPV-BI, and works to develop, disseminate and evaluate education and training for those who work with survivors, along with support and interventions for survivors themselves.
Dr Kirsty McIntyre is a Science Education Specialist at the University of British Columbia. Dr McIntyre gained her PhD in placental physiology at The University of Manchester in 2018 and was subsequently appointed as a lecturer in the School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing at the University of Glasgow. In this role, Dr McIntyre designed and implemented novel teaching and learning approaches as program lead for the Women and Children Health Intercalated Bachelor of Science and Deputy Director of Year 1 of Undergraduate Medicine.
Nicole Moreira
Research Associate
I am a Registered Social Worker working at VHA Home HealthCare as a Research Associate. My area of research primarily focuses on engaging clients and point-of-care providers in research as partners (rather than participants), as well as investigating the mental health barriers faced by point-of-care providers.
Heather Noga has a Master's Degree in International and Comparative Criminal Justice from the University of Leeds. She works as a Research Manager at the Women's Health Research Institute.
Dr. Rachel Ollivier holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UBC Okanagan (2016), a PhD in Nursing from Dalhousie University (2022), and a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Diploma from Queen’s University (2023). She currently works as a full-time Nurse Practitioner and clinician scientist at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, providing care to underserved populations in the areas of cardiac health and complex gynecology.
Jodi Pawluski is a behavioral neuroscientist and a therapist. For over a decade her research has focused on the neuroscience of motherhood and the effects of maternal mental illness and antidepressant medications on the mother and offspring. One key theme that has come from her research experience is that effective treatment to maintain maternal mental health is necessary. She regularly speaks nationally and internationally about her research findings as well as the fascinating effects of motherhood on the maternal brain.
Sydney works as a Research Assistant at the Work Wellness Institute. She has a BA in psychology from Simon Fraser University. Her focus was in the critical analysis of research methods and theoretical models in biopsychology. In her degree, she studied the the fields of psychopharmacology, behavioral endocrinology, and health psychology and their respective relationships with gender and sexuality. She is also a Research Assistant with UBC's BRAIN lab, and previously worked as an editor at Her Campus Magazine.
As an autistic person with over 30 years of lived experience, I am a thought leader and I am passionate about promoting acceptance, inclusion, and accessibility in society - particularly, in the workplace - of autistic and neurodivergent people. The workplace/employment is my main area of research interest because of the discrimination that I faced against my disability in previous roles that I have held. I also share interest in stress in autism, gender differences in autism, as well as communication differences.
Misty Pratt is a communications officer in the field of health research and medicine. She is hard at work on her first book about gender bias in mental health care, which explores the bio-psycho-social factors that impact women's mental health.
Harlan Pruden (Nēhiyo/First Nations Cree), works with and for the Two-Spirit community locally, nationally and internationally. Currently, Harlan is an Indigenous Knowledge Translation Lead at Chee Mamuk, an Indigenous health program at BC Centre for Disease Control and is also a co-founder of the Two-Spirit Dry Lab, Turtle Island’s first research group that exclusively focuses on Two-Spirit people, communities and/or experiences.
Alisha Puri
Certified Health Education Specialist, Public Health Professional
Meharry Medical College; Univeristy of Alberta
Alisha Puri is a public health professional certified by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). She has worked to continue her education by completing an MSc, MHS and MPH. Over the last few years, she has gained extensive experience performing research in genetics and kidney disease. Her current research focuses on women's and infant health, public policy, and mitigating disparities and inequities in underrepresented communities.
Leadership group to establish a culture of co-production at all levels of commissioning and influence provision of mental health care and support across North West London. Advise the North West London Mental Health and Wellbeing Transformation Board of Commissioners. Challenge, inform and drive the redesign of services, improving delivery of the Crisis Concordat standards for care and support.
Rebecca Rechlin is a research assistant in the Galea Lab. She recently completed her B.Sc. in Behavioural Neuroscience at UBC. She is currently working on a project with Dr. Galea to examine the inclusion of sex based analysis in neuroscience literature.
Amber Ruigrok is a researcher at the Autism Research Centre, Dept of Psychiatry. Amber's PhD research investigated how testosterone and variation in the androgen receptor may be involved in the development of sex differences in human brain white matter in the typically developing population. Based on these findings and previous work on sex differences in autism brain structure, her current research mostly focusses on sex differences in brain structure in typically developing individuals and individuals with autism.
Klaidi is a well-rounded young researcher with four years of laboratory experience in nanomedicine, biochemistry, and biophysics. His main interests gravitate toward the intersection of molecular biology, human genetics, psychology, and the depths of astrobiology. Klaidi continuously strives to transcend his intellect by conducting interdisciplinary research, exchanging ideas with bright minds, and surrounding himself with creative characters. He is an avid advocate of mental health, equality, resilience, and authenticity.
Sergio A. Silverio is an academic Psychologist with a research interest in women’s mental health over the lifecourse. He first read for a Masters in Psychological Sciences at the University of Liverpool, where he specialised in Clinical and Health Psychology. His work at the University of Liverpool focused on key life transitions such as pregnancy, motherhood, and widowhood. Here, he developed an interest in Lifecourse Analysis and qualitative methods and was trained in Grounded Theory – a methodology he later employed to analyse his thesis data.
She works as a physiotherapist clinician at Women's Hospital in the area of obstetrics. They support women's health at a critical time in their lives from both a biomedical and psychosocial perspective. As a provincial resource we aim to expand our capacity to treat vulnerable mothers perinatally in remote areas, as well those locally. We welcome collaboration through research, referral and resource sharing.
I am an epidemiologist with a master’s in Clinical Epidemiology from the School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia. With a thorough knowledge of epidemiological principles and research methodology, I identify knowledge gaps and support scientific evidence building. My work revolves around the improvement of maternal and child health.
Ally is a research assistant working in the McQuaid, trying to better our understanding of hormonal contraceptives, mental health processes and stress.Twitter: @AllyVilleneuve
Anaïsa is a biracial (Dutch and Pakistani) filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC. She grew up all over the world, namely in Mozambique, the United States, then France, before moving to Vancouver to pursue an undergraduate degree at Emily Carr University. She graduated in 2013 with a BFA in Film, Video and
Dr. Danielle Watson is a naturopathic doctor & creator of The Mother Doctor. In her private practice, she treats mothers from preconception to pregnancy & through to the postpartum. Dr. Watson has made it her goal to change the dynamic in healthcare so that new mothers feel supported as they navigate their motherhood journey. Dr. Watson is a speaker, educator & activist for motherhood, looking to spread the message that ‘being a mom is not a diagnosis’. Dr. Watson sees patients in Bradford, and online (Ontario residents only.)
My research interests lie in the broad area of musculoskeletal health and rehabilitation and focus on 1) the adaptability of the system to mechanical and biological stresses, and 2) optimizing the system for movement outcomes and injury prevention. Research Areas: Biomedical, Clinical, Medical Education Keywords: musculoskeletal adaptation, sex hormones, injury