About Me
Bio
Being born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, I had the privilege of being connected to a diversity of people and cultures throughout my life. This lived experience demonstrated the strength of immigrant and racialized communities, while also exposing the multitude of social and economic inequities that drive health outcomes among marginalized groups.
I received a BSc Honours degree from the University of Toronto and completed both my MSc in Health Studies and PhD in Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo. In 2019, I was awarded the CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship (2019-2020) with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health where I led the development of a province-wide evaluation to improve efficiency within the healthcare system. In 2021, I was the recipient of a CIHR Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship (2021-2022) at the University of Saskatchewan, where I led research on climate change impacts on food security and mental health in northern Canada. In 2022, I established the CHANGE Research Lab to conduct implementation science research with the aim of advancing health equity for underserved populations.
In my current roles as an Assistant Professor, population health researcher, and evaluator, I work with communities, health systems partners, and interdisciplinary researchers to amplify citizens’ voices, address complex health issues, and promote health equity locally and globally.
A list of my publications can be found on Google Scholar.
Population Health Researcher
I am a population health researcher leading cutting-edge, interdisciplinary digital health research. Using mixed methods and a citizen science approach, my research prioritizes historically disenfranchised and vulnerable populations, including racialized communities, children and youth. My research takes a health equity lens to climate change impacts, active living, nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and health policy. I work closely with community partners to co-conceptualize program and policy solutions to complex health problems.
Director, CHANGE Research Lab
I am the Director of the CHANGE Research Lab, and currently appointed Assistant Professor with the School of Occupational and Pubic Health at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Program Evaluator
I have worked with a range of organizations in the academic, clinical, governmental, and non-profit sectors to evaluate health programs and policies. My collaborations include universities across Canada, the Hospital for Sick Children, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ministry of Health, as well as global partnerships. I am also contributing to advancing evaluation of knowledge translation strategies and products through my work on the Knowledge Uptake and Utilization Tool (KUUT).
India Report Card Leader
As a member of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance and Co-Founder of the Active Healthy Kids India, I lead the India team in the Global Report Card initiative. The India Report Card for Physical Activity among Children and Youth provides a comprehensive summary of the state of active living among Indian children and youth since 2016. I contribute to research, advocacy, and knowledge dissemination across low- and middle-income countries facing common barriers to physical activity participation.