About Me
I am a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow and epidemiologist specializing in reproductive and women's health. My program of research investigates the relationships between reproductive factors and women’s health and chronic disease risk across the life course. Topics I have studied to date include medically complex pregnancy, breastfeeding and infant feeding practices, pelvic floor disorders, and menopausal health.
I strive to build a research program that keeps women top of mind. What information do women need to best care for themselves and their families? How can we design studies that adequately capture the breadth of biological, social, and environmental factors that influence health in women? These are just some of the questions that I use to guide my research.
I am currently affiliated with the Department of Health & Society at the University of Toronto Scarborough, the Life Stage Research Program at ICES Ontario, and the Calgary Women's Pelvic Health Research Group.
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Epidemiology
2022—Present, University of Toronto Scarborough & ICES Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Focus: Reproductive and women's health, life course epidemiology, administrative health data
Supervisor: Dr. Hilary Brown
Funding: Government of Canada Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022-2024), Canadian Institutes of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship (Declined)
PhD Candidate, Epidemiology
2017—2022, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Dissertation Title: Breastfeeding intentions, difficulties, and outcomes in mothers with chronic physical health conditions: the Motherhood and Chronic Illness (MaCI) prospective cohort study
Supervisors: Dr. Katie Chaput, Dr. Suzanne Tough
Advisory Committee: Dr. Amy Metcalfe, Dr. Alberto Nettel-Aguirre
Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Award (2019-2022), University of Calgary Achievers in Medical Science Doctoral Scholarship (2018-2022), Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Graduate Studentship (2018), University of Calgary Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (2017)
MSc, Health Promotion
2015—2017, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Thesis Title: Breastfeeding resources for mothers of preterm infants in Canadian neonatal intensive care units: An environmental scan
Supervisor: Dr. Shauna Burke
Advisory Committee: Dr. Michelle Mottola, Dr. Marilyn Evans
Funding: Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2016-2017), Canadian Institutes of Health Research Master's Award (2015-2016)
BHSc, Health Studies
2012—2015, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Independent Study Title: Parents’ experiences and perceptions when classifying their children with cerebral palsy: Recommendations for service providers
Supervisor: Dr. Doreen Bartlett
Advisory Committee: Dr. Laura Brunton, Dr. Robert Palisano
Funding: AER Award in Health Studies (2014), Western University In-Course Scholarship (2014), LIUNA Local 837 Scholarship (2014), Western University Scholarship of Excellence (2011)
Last updated: September 2021