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David’s academic mentor: Darren Warburton, PhD

David’s community mentor: Elder Gail Sparrow

Elizabeth Cuellar (she/her) is a PhD Student in Mental Health at McGill University. Her research interests focus on exploring Indigenous youth mental health leadership and intergenerational Indigenous healing practices. She is also interested in finding ways in which both psychotherapeutic methods and traditional healing practices support overall wellbeing as part of a strength-based approach to mental health. As the daughter of an Iñupiat mother and a Mexican father, Elizabeth’s personal mental health journey informs her work. Elizabeth also has a Master's in Development Practice and has previously worked as a qualitative program evaluator in Francophone and Hispanophone countries where she focused on household and community resilience.

Elizabeth’s academic mentor: Srividya Iyer, PhD

Elizabeth’s community mentor: Morgan Phillips

Emma Giberson is a PhD student in clinical psychology at the University of New Brunswick. She is working under the supervision of Dr. Janine Olthuis. Emma’s research is focused on increasing access to evidence-based mental health interventions. This includes investigating mental health interventions that address barriers to receiving care, such as internet-based interventions, and interventions that increase individuals’ willingness and acceptance of mental health services. As part of this research, Emma is passionate about improving access to mental health care for individuals living in rural communities.

Emma’s academic mentor: Janine Olthuis, PhD

Emma’s community mentor: Diana Brown

Fatemeh Khorramrouz, MSc is a doctoral candidate in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and a research trainee at The Hospital for Sick Children. She is mentored by Dr. Catherine Birken, Co-Director of TARGet Kids!, Canada’s largest primary care research network for children. Fatemeh’s research focuses on the role of parents in shaping healthy eating behaviours during early childhood. She is currently leading Parents Together, an internal pilot randomized controlled trial testing the feasibility of a parent-based behavioural intervention delivered by public health nurses. Her long-term goal is to co-design equitable, family-focused interventions that empower diverse families to support healthy lifestyles in young children.

Fatemeh’s academic mentor: Catherine Birken, PhD

Fatemeh’s community mentor: Carol Lee

François Kajiramugabi Maneraguha is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Montreal, under the supervision of Professor José Côté, Honorary Holder (2005–2025) of the Chair in Innovative Nursing Practices and co-director of the Quebec Network on Nursing Intervention Research (RRISIQ). He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing (Maternal and Child Health), and a Master of Public Health with a specialization in Research and Innovation in Care. Since November 2024, he has served as the Director General of the Research Chair in Sustainable Health and Nursing Sciences in Africa (CRISIA Asbl). His research focuses on digital health innovation and artificial intelligence to improve maternal and youth health through the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral digital interventions.

François’s academic mentor: José Côté, PhD

François’s community mentor: Valentin Musikami Mutabunga

Jamie is a second-year PhD student in medical sciences at the University of Calgary. Under the supervision of Dr. Linda Carlson, Jamie specializes in psychosocial oncology. Specifically, her CBITN doctoral research seeks to understand how spending time in natural environments can impact cancer care and will lead to the development of a nature-based oncology program. Jamie's research interests also include the complex interaction between the mind and the body in cancer care. Her current research project, the Mindful-Gut Study, looks at how a mindfulness program tailored to individuals with cancer can reduce chronic psychosocial and gastrointestinal symptoms and change the gut microbiota.

Jamie’s academic mentor: Linda Carlson, PhD

Jamie’s community mentor: Mohamed Jaffer

Jessica Burdick is a PhD student in Health and Exercise Science at Concordia University, supervised by Dr. Simon Bacon at the Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre (MBMC). She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Honors Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology at Concordia University. Her research in the EMBRACE study explores how dietary patterns and gut microbiota influence outcomes after metabolic-bariatric surgery. She has presented internationally, contributed to multi-lab collaborations, and is active in teaching and student leadership. Her goal is to advance personalised interventions that improve obesity management and related comorbidities. 

Jessica’s academic mentor: Simon Bacon, PhD

Jessica’s community mentor: Cheryl Petrinchuk

Laura is an MA student in the Clinical-Developmental Psychology program at York University. Laura previously completed her BSc (Hons) and MSc at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and has been engaged with mental health and substance use research for almost a decade. Laura is completing her MA research under the supervision of Dr. Jennine Rawana on co-designing a digital emotion regulation intervention to support the mental health and well-being of emerging adults. This work is grounded in behaviour change frameworks, theories, and techniques to support emerging adults in successfully enacting and sustaining adaptive emotion regulation behaviours.

Laura’s academic mentor: Jennine Rawana, PhD

Laura’s community mentor: Alexia Jaouich

Lisa-Marie Maukel is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI), supervised by Dr. Heather Tulloch in the Cardiovascular Health Psychology Lab within the Prevention and Rehabilitation Department. She investigates psychosocial risk factors influencing heart disease outcomes, with a particular focus on sex- and gender-related differences. Lisa-Marie develops and evaluates psychological interventions to improve both mental and cardiac health. A key aspect of her research addresses the unique risk profiles and care needs of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), a condition that predominantly affects women and is associated with elevated psychological distress, which can impede recovery.

Lisa-Marie’s academic mentor: Heather Tulloch, PhD

Lisa-Marie’s community mentor: Anne Elliott 

Lotenna is a medical doctor and health researcher specialising in digital mental health and artificial intelligence (AI). He has clinical and research experience across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Canada. He earned a Master’s in Global Health with Distinction from University College London, where he developed expertise in global mental health, intervention design and evaluation, and implementation science. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) and a doctoral researcher with the Mental Health Systems and Services Lab in the Faculty of Medicine. His mixed methods research focuses on enhancing digital mental health interventions and leveraging AI to improve their efficacy, user experience, and scalability. Beyond academia, he is a One Young World Ambassador recognised for his leadership in healthcare access and equitable AI.  

Lotenna’s academic mentor: Daniel Vigo, PhD

Lotenna’s community mentor: Melissa Kimwere (Mumbi)

Marianne Berthiaume is a first-year doctoral student in psychology at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM). She holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Concordia University, where she studied the interpersonal influences of health behaviour change and the risk for chronic diseases. Marianne is affiliated with the Montreal Behavioral Medicine Center (MBMC) and the Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal, where she works under the supervision of Dr. Kim Lavoie and Dr. Simon Bacon. Her current research examines the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic policies on Canadian adults with physician-diagnosed mental health conditions across various life domains. Her research aims to identify vulnerable groups and inform interventions designed to better support individuals and communities during health emergencies.

Marianne’s academic mentor: Kim Lavoie, PhD

Marianne’s community mentor: Anne Bhéreur, MD

Matthieu Dagenais is a postdoctoral fellow at Brock University under the supervision of Dr. Sean Locke. He is a member of the REFRAME lab (REFraming Rehabilitation Adherence, Motivation, and Exercise Lab). Matthieu is also still a part of the Exercise and Body Image Lab. Matthieu is a health behavior change scientist who focuses on developing interventions to promote health, well-being for those living with chronic illness. Matthieu has assessed positive body image outcomes across diverse participants. Matthieu is currently coordinating and managing a funded behavioural trial among youth living with idiopathic scoliosis.

Matthieu’s academic mentor: Sean Locke, PhD

Matthieu’s community mentor: Jayne Morrish

Nellie Siemers is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at McGill University, supervised by Dr. Bärbel Knäuper, Director of the Health Psychology Lab, and Dr. Marco Sinai, Director of Clinical Training at the McGill University Health Centre. Her research focuses on the development and evaluation of digital health tools to improve psychological assessment and intervention. She is currently conducting a proof-of-concept study on enhancing the accuracy of readiness-for-change assessment using cursor-tracking technology and leading a cultural adaptation project to translate and refine a mobile Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) app for Francophone users.

Nellie’s academic mentor: Bärbel Knäuper, PhD

Nellie’s community mentor: Marco Sinai

Fernando is a second-year MSc student in Clinical Science and Psychopathology at The University of Western Ontario and a member of the Research on Addiction and Disparities (RoAD) Lab under the supervision of Dr. Jesus Chavarria. He also collaborates with the SSHRC-funded Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador project. His research examines the links between trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders among survivors of the Salvadoran civil war and their families. His thesis aims to generate evidence to guide trauma-informed, community-based behavioural interventions, combining community engagement with culturally grounded strategies to support healing and reduce alcohol misuse. As an emerging clinician-researcher, Fernando is committed to translating research into accessible interventions that empower war-affected communities.

Fernando’s academic mentor: Jesus Chavarria, PhD

Fernando’s community mentor: Ana Lobo

Nicole Billias is a PhD student at Western University, where she is currently leading a feasibility randomized controlled trial of a new, remotely delivered physical therapy rehabilitation intervention for people living with Long COVID. The intervention was developed with patient input, clinician expertise, and current rehabilitation evidence for Long COVID and fatigue-related conditions. It emphasizes safe movement, skill development, self-monitoring of symptoms and activity levels, and pacing within a supportive environment. Nicole’s research aims to expand safe and accessible rehabilitation options for people living with Long COVID, with the goal of reducing fatigue and improving quality of life.

Nicole’s academic mentor: Pavlos Bobos, PhD

Nicole’s community mentor: Wendy Adams

Nikita was trained as a dentist in India before pivoting her career towards population health research through a Master of Public Health degree. She is currently a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the Medical Sciences-Dentistry program at the University of Alberta, Canada, under the supervision of Dr. Maryam Sharifzadeh-Amin. Nikita’s research interests centre on health promotion across diverse populations, with a particular focus on school-based approaches. Her doctoral research employs qualitative methods to explore how oral health can be effectively integrated into existing school health programs. In addition to her doctoral studies, Nikita recently completed a research internship with Alberta Education (Ministry of Education), where she contributed to evaluating a program that provides specialized learning supports to children in First Nations schools across Alberta.

Nikita’s academic mentor: Maryam Sharifzadeh-Amin, PhD

Nikita’s community mentor: Rafael Figueiredo

Rachelle Drummond, MPP MSc is a second year masters student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Calgary. She is mentored by Dr. Tavis Campbell and Dr. Fiona Schulte. She earned her Masters of Public Policy in 2022 at the University of Calgary, School of Public Policy, with a focus on health policy, as well as her Masters of Science in Community Health Sciences in 2024 at the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine. Rachelle's research is situated in the field of psychosocial oncology, with a primary focus on improving adherence to long-term follow-up care among survivors of childhood cancer. She also works on several projects that merge her passions in health policy and psychosocial oncology. 

Rachelle’s academic mentor: Tavis Campbell, PhD

Rachelle’s community mentor: Anna Goplen

Saba is a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina, working under the supervision of Dr. Heather Hadjistavropoulos at the Online Therapy Unit. Saba’s research interests are focused on factors influencing client perceptions, uptake, and engagement with online interventions for mental health concerns. At the Online Therapy Unit, Saba’s work is focused on enhancing the delivery of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy to Saskatchewan residents. Saba’s doctoral dissertation is a mixed-methods study exploring the effect of client stories on new and expecting birthing parents’ engagement with an internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy program for perinatal depression and anxiety.  

Saba’s academic mentor: Heather Hadjistavropoulos, PhD

Saba’s community mentor: Kelly Adlam

Sitara Sharma is a PhD Candidate and Canada Graduate Scholar in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa. Under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Brunet, her doctoral research centers on developing physical activity–based self-management supports to enhance brain health among individuals living with and beyond cancer. To create pedagogically informed resources, she is working in partnership with her professional mentor, Elizabeth Campbell Brown (Senior Specialist in Educational Development and Digital Learning, University of Ottawa). Overall, Sitara is committed to health promotion and education, particularly in advancing strategies to increase physical activity levels/behaviours and support long-term wellbeing across populations.

Sitara’s academic mentor: Jennifer Brunet, PhD

Sitara’s community mentor: Elizabeth Campbell Brown