Meet the 2024 Cohort
Introducing…
The GROWW 2024 Cohort!
Selected through our competitive application process from Spring 2024, these trainees are advancing Women’s and Girls’ research; they look to bring changes as to how it is conducted and delivered in Canada. We are extraordinarily honoured to become a part of their journey and look forward to the success they will achieve throughout their chosen careers.
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Claire is a PhD Candidate in the Epidemiology Division at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto where she is supervised by Hailey Banack. Claire’s research is focused broadly on women’s health and chronic disease and her dissertation will examine reproductive health across the life course, focusing on menarche, obesity, and diabetes. Claire’s work aims to understand how reproductive health factors contribute to chronic disease burden and healthy aging among postmenopausal women. Prior to beginning her PhD, she completed her Bachelor of Music at McGill University where she studied music history and flute performance and her Master of Public Health at the University of Rochester where she completed her master’s thesis on infant feeding practices among first time mothers. Claire then worked in clinical research as a research assistant on a clinical trial for patients with Metabolic Syndrome before spending several years as a clinical research coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital managing clinical epidemiology projects among patients with autoimmune diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Dr. Alexa Ferdinands completed her PhD (Health Promotion and Socio-behavioural Sciences) and postdoctoral fellowship in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. She uses qualitative and community-engaged research approaches to work with youth in better understanding how they experience and navigate their food environments. She is particularly interested in addressing social justice issues tied to food and health, such as weight stigma and food insecurity. Alexa is currently an Assistant Professor in Health and Nutrition in the Faculty of Science and Technology at Athabasca University.
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Heather Hollman is a PhD Candidate in the Behavioural Medicine Lab in the School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education at the University of Victoria. She is involved in various research projects pertaining to the development and assessment of theoretically-informed physical activity interventions. Her PhD dissertation focuses on physical activity promotion tailored to postpartum individuals with lumbopelvic pain. In her dissertation research, Heather utilizes mixed methods and participatory design, actively involving knowledge users throughout the research process.
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Haley is a PhD student in the Health Research Methodology (HRM) graduate program at McMaster University. She previously completed a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) at Brock University. As part of her thesis Haley is working on a mixed methods experimental study examining the effectiveness of a Public Health Nurse (PHN)-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based workshop for treating postpartum depression. She has also conducted qualitative research exploring the experiences of those who receive and deliver treatments for perinatal mental health problems.
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Megan Poulter is currently in the first year of her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia in May 2022, with Honours in Psychology and a minor in Family Studies, and her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Regina in July 2024. Her dissertation is a continuation of her Master’s thesis, which was a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of an online self-help program for infertility-related distress, aiming to relieve distress, improve mental health, and increase quality of life for individuals at all stages of the infertility journey.
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Lauren Tailor
Lauren is a third-year Epidemiology PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH). Additionally, Lauren is a pharmacist and Doctor of Pharmacy graduate from the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy. She also received a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology (with a Collaborative Specialization in Global Health) from DLSPH in 2022.
Lauren is co-supervised by Dr. Sonia Grandi and Dr. Hilary Brown on thesis work focused on perinatal and pediatric pharmacoepidemiology, particularly prenatal exposure to antidepressants and cardiometabolic outcomes among offspring. As a pharmacist and epidemiologist, Lauren is very passionate about pharmacoepidemiology, particularly related to women’s and global health. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys travelling, pilates, reading, and watching Harry Potter.
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Dr. Meghan Critchley is a Postdoctoral Associate with the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre (SIPRC) working under the supervision of Dr. Carolyn Emery. Meghan graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre and Dance (2015) and a Masters of Science in Kinesiology and Health Promotion (2018). Meghan’s doctoral thesis was completed in 2022 examining prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of dance-related injury in pre-professional ballet dancers. Her primary research interests include the reduction of the burden of musculoskeletal injuries in dance populations through primary and secondary prevention strategies.
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Marieliv Flores Villalobos is a Health Promotion and Socio-behavioural Sciences Ph.D. student at the University of Alberta. She holds a Master’s Degree in Women’s Studies from the University of Ottawa. Her current research focuses on sexual health, reproductive justice, gender, and technology. Her work engages with critical analysis of the relationship between biopower and intersectionality. Marieliv is proudly from Trujillo city, Peru; and has a dog named Nala, who barks for social justice.
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Patricha Jeppe Ottsen is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Arts in Social Dimensions of Health at the University of Victoria. With over ten years of experience in international development, Patricha has co-led the organizational development of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Danish Kherwara Mission, transforming it into a thriving civil society organization. The NGO supports grassroots initiatives led by and for cisgender women, empowering them and their communities to secure their rights to education, healthcare, and social services in India, Bangladesh, and Rwanda. Additionally, as the lead consultant of the initiative in India, she has secured funding through the Danish government to support perinatal care in southern Rajasthan. Her current research focuses on sexual and reproductive health, specifically addressing stigma and developing reproductive health interventions in India. Patricha’s work critically explores the intersections of health, gender, and social justice, contributing to more inclusive and culturally sensitive sexual health programming. She has presented her work at national and international conferences, including the Canadian Conference on Global Health (CAGH). In addition to her academic pursuits, she remains deeply committed to advancing global health equity through initiatives that promote reproductive health and gender equality.
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Dr. Aimable Nkurunziza is an assistant professor at the School of Nursing at Nipissing University. Dr. Nkurunziza's research focuses on improving health outcomes for mothers, children, and adolescents. He is dedicated to addressing health disparities and promoting equity by developing effective interventions and analyzing social determinants of health. He also studies barriers to healthcare access and utilization, especially among marginalized groups, and evaluates the impact of health system reforms on patient outcomes.
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Dr. Amelia Srajer is an Obstetrics and Gynecology resident physician, currently pursuing her MSc in the Community Health Sciences Epidemiology program under the supervision of Dr. Amy Metcalfe at the University of Calgary. Dr. Srajer completed 3 years of a BSc in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto, after which she obtained her medical degree from the University of Calgary.
Over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable and occur due to unexpected complications during the perinatal period. These complications, defined as severe maternal morbidity (SMM), and their associated costs have been increasing with higher rates observed in patients of lower socioeconomic status and racial minority groups. Dr. Srajer’s research will evaluate the most recent rates and cost of SMM and how the intersection of socioeconomic status and race may be impacting these trends. These results will highlight specific deficits in care and points of intervention to improve obstetrical outcomes and healthcare spending.
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Jennifer Williams (she/her) is a CIHR-funded postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto studying clinical cardiovascular physiology in the lab of Dr. Amy Kirkham. She is also an incoming Assistant Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University (starting July 2025). Her current research focuses on improving heart and artery health outcomes through lifestyle interventions (diet, exercise) in pre- and post-menopausal women who are at high risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. She also studies how hormonal therapies in breast cancer survivors impact cardio- and cerebrovascular health. Outside of the lab, she enjoys teaching and mentoring students, with a focus on women in STEM programming and supporting sex and gender-based analysis education.
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Dr. Justine Dol is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)-funded postdoctoral fellow at IWK Health (Nova Scotia Canada) working with Dr. Christine Chambers. Her research program is focused on empowering parents through digital health solutions to equip them with the information, support, and confidence they need. Dr. Dol’s research span preconception and pregnancy, pro-choice, pregnancy loss, postpartum, and pain in early childhood. Dr. Dol has published over 75 peer reviewed journal articles and has worked on several Canadian and global health initiatives. She developed the Essential Coaching postpartum text message program that supports birthing and non-birthing parents during the first weeks postpartum in Canada and Tanzania. She is leading other research projects to expand the use of digital health to empower parents and patients in the reproductive period.
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Mariana Herrera Diaz is a Microbiologist from Colombia. She holds a master's in Basic Sciences and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology. Dr. Herrera is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba, after receiving, in October 2023, the CIHR Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award. Dr. Herrera Diaz's research interests include Sexually Transmitted and Blood-borne infections (STBBI), respiratory infections, and microbiome in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Her primary research area is focused on investigating whether drug use contributes to changes to the microbiome of the gut, genital, and upper respiratory tract in people living with HIV or experiencing homelessness. She also examines the association between changes in the microbiome, the risk of new STBBI, and antiretroviral treatment outcomes. Mariana collaborates with a transdisciplinary team that includes indigenous peer leaders, individuals with living experiences, and experts in microbiology, epidemiology, immunology, and infectious diseases. She has explored various algorithms to improve the capacity to interpret studies of complex biological processes by combining clinical, transcriptomic, and socio-demographical information and applying statistical and epidemiological methods.
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Zeba Khan is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia (UBC), a Killam doctoral scholar, and founder of Free Periods Canada.
Zeba’s research expertise and experiences span across multiple sectors; She is a board member for the provincially funded network of clinics, Options for Sexual Health and has served in the Period Poverty Task Force, appointed by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
In the last six years, Zeba has received over 22 scholarships and awards recognizing her work in academia as well as in the community as a menstrual equity advocate.
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I am a second-generation Canadian living and learning on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
As a woman, I have had to advocate for myself in healthcare settings and have witnessed how women’s+ health concerns are often minimized or dismissed. At a structural level, women’s+ health research is underfunded, and policymakers continue to debate women’s+ autonomy over their bodies. This fueled my passion to pursue women’s+ health research.
I have had the privilege of working on some incredible projects. During my undergrad, I completed an Honour’s Thesis Project with Dr. Angel Foster, exploring how COVID-19 impacted abortion access in Canada. Following my undergrad, I decided to continue working in women’s+ health research and have worked on multiple projects in the lab, including the Ask Us Study and the It’s My Choice Patient Decision Aid. Now, I am pursuing a master’s degree in the Women+ and Children’s Health Sciences Program at UBC, where my thesis aims to better understand youth access to contraception in British Columbia and pharmacists’ experiences prescribing contraception. Following my master’s degree, I plan to pursue medical school.
Outside of academia, I have a variety of interests and passions. I enjoy staying active, cooking and baking, and working as an Ice team member for the Vancouver Canucks.
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Kathryn Stone is a PhD student at the University of Victoria. Her undergraduate and Master's degrees in health promotion have helped guide her and fuel her passion for health equity, with a focus on the environment. Her Master's research focused on the mental health impacts of climate change in young women. Over a year into her PhD, Kathryn utilizes critical decolonial feminisms and planetary health to theorize how to strengthen gender analyses in impact assessments, particularly in the Northern Alberta oil sands region, which create environmental injustices in several Indigenous Nations in the area. Kathryn has a keen interest in community-based methodologies and methods that combine art and activism. In her spare time, Kathryn loves dancing Argentine tango.
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Dr. Aleksandra Zuk is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. She earned a Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree from Queen’s University, a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Ecole des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), and her PhD in Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Dr. Zuk was the recipient of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Fellowship – Priority Announcement: First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis Health, Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. Dr. Zuk program of research focuses on women and children’s health, specifically, understanding the link between adverse pregnancy outcomes and future cardiovascular disease risk. Dr. Zuk is also interested in improving health care access in rural and remote regions, understanding the etiology of cardiometabolic conditions among women, and responding to Indigenous community-led priorities.