Our Team

 President & Chief Executive Officer  

Tony holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration and has completed Executive Programs at Cornell and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In addition to the Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging, Tony is also the President & CEO of York Care Centre and York Developments Inc. He has worked in the health and care industry since 1988, including serving as a healthcare CEO in Ontario,and as a senior executive within the Alberta and Saskatchewan health systems. Tony is a member of Canadian College of Healthcare Leaders and the American College of Healthcare Executives.  He also serves as a Board Director and an Advisor to the Regent of ACHE Canada. 

Executive Director

Justine has an Honors Degree in Psychology from Mount Allison University ('10), a Diploma in Health Wellness and Recreation from Eastern College ('12), and a Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of New Brunswick ('19). Previously, she has worked as a researcher in many fields including behavioral psychology, adulthood and aging, chronic pain, and human sexuality. More recently, Justine completed her Lean Six Sigma training and is a certified Green Belt. She is currently completing the Excellence in Healthcare Leadership Program through Saskatchewan's Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. 

 Research Coordinator 

Kelsey has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Gerontology and Psychology from St. Thomas University. She is currently finishing her Master’s degree in Applied Health Services Research at the University of New Brunswick in association with the Atlantic Regional Training Centre. Her research interests are all things aging, including community-based volunteer health services, food security, older drivers, home care, and housing issues.  

Research Coordinator 

Debbie has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Art’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Michigan State University. She’s worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in hospitals, schools, long-term care, and private practice. More recently, Debbie worked with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term care and community-based organizations in Ontario, where she developed, implemented, and evaluated various health care initiatives. Debbie enjoys working with older adults and has always been interested in research activities. 

MedReviewRx 

Carole is a Clinical Pharmacy Manager at the Doctor Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (DECRH) in Fredericton, NB. Carole received her undergraduate pharmacy degree from Dalhousie University. She completed the hospital pharmacy residency program at the Ottawa Hospital, General Site and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Colorado. Carole is particularly passionate about optimizing medication use in older adults. 

Virtual Reality for Fall Prevention

 Sherry is a Licensed Counselling Therapist, a sitting member of the board for The College of Counselling Therapy of New Brunswick, and is the co-founder and CEO of Innerva Virtual Inc. She has been conducting independent research in partnership with the University of New Brunswick into virtual reality since 2013. Sherry's primary focus is researching virtual reality based technology to provide solutions in support of healthy aging. Her research has been funded and supported by the Centre of Aging and Brain Health Innovations, New Brunswick Health Research Foundation, York Care Centre, University of New Brunswick, and the Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging.  

 2RaceWithMe - Promoting Physical Activity Using Augmented Reality Experiences 

Mark Chignell has a Ph.D. in Psychology 1981(University of Canterbury, New Zealand) and a Masters in Industrial and Systems Engineering (Ohio State University). He is a Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, where he has been since 1990. He carries out research in human factors and user interface design, with a particular interest in healthcare, and aging. In 2016 he founded Centivizer Inc. technologies that promote physical and cognitive activation for older people. 

Virtual Reality Rehabilitative Exercise for Seniors

Lisa Sheehy is a physiotherapist who graduated from McMaster University. She has worked in hospital and private clinic settings, including in geriatric and neurological rehabilitation. In 2004, she completed her MSc and Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science at Queen’s University. She has worked at Bruyère Research Institute since 2014, first as a postdoctoral fellow and now as a research associate. Her primary research area is the use of technology for rehabilitation.

Improving Immunization Rates Among Seniors Using CANImmunize 

  Dr. Kumanan Wilson is a specialist in General Internal Medicine at The Ottawa Hospital, founder and CEO of CANImmunize, and an innovation advisor for Bruyère. Dr. Wilson and his CANImmunize team are focused on digital immunization solutions to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including adult immunization tracking. His research focuses on digital health, immunization, pandemic preparedness and public health policy and innovation. He has received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the World Health Organization (WHO), The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Canada’s Immunity Task Force.

2RaceWithMe - Promoting Physical Activity Using Augmented Reality Experiences

Dr. Jalila Jbilou holds a public health medical specialty as well as a Ph.D. in community health. She is professor of medicine at the Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau Brunswick and the School of Psychology at Université de Moncton. She carries out patient-oriented research in models of care, with a specific interest in eHealth and virtual reality.