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. She has also completed the Lean Six Sigma training and is a certified Green Belt. More recently, Justine started her doctorate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of New Brunswick.
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.
Research Coordinator
Lalita Bharadwaj holds a Bachelor of Science and Psychology Degree with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Calgary. She is currently completing her Master's degree in Kinesiology from the University of New Brunswick. Through CIRA, she hopes to expand her understanding of medical research and positively contribute to the collective knowledge of our rapidly aging population and improve their quality of life.
Research Therapist
Kelsey obtained her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, followed by her Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, in Toronto. She is in the process of completing her Master’s degree in Applied Health Services Research through the University of New Brunswick in association with the Atlantic Regional Training Centre. She is a practicing chiropractor with research interests in healthy aging, musculoskeletal health and function, rehabilitation, knowledge transfer, and clinical best practice guidelines.
Research Coordinator
Jo-Ann has a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Gerontology from St. Thomas University, as well as a Human Services certificate from the New Brunswick Community College. Additionally, she holds a certificate in therapeutic recreation. She has worked in the field of gerontology in various capacities including recreation therapy and administration. Her research interests include aging in place, health literacy, aging in rural areas and assistive technology for persons living with dementia. Through CIRA, she hopes to expand her knowledge of health literacy and aging in place by conducting rigorous research which can benefit older adults and their informal caregivers.
Research Coordinator
Hanna has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Honors) from Mount Allison University, and a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Acadia University. She is currently pursuing a Diploma in Art Psychotherapy at the Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy. Hanna has experience with a variety of research topics, including academic motivation, gender equality, and clinical supervisory relationships. She is excited to be involved in new research projects at CIRA and contribute to the growing body of research focused on improving the quality of life for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.
Research Coordinator
Ashley has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Anthropology from Dalhousie University, and a Master’s of Applied Health Services Research from Memorial University in association with the Atlantic Regional Training Centre. She has worked on a wide variety of research projects in academic, administrative, and hospital settings; but, her personal interests include gender-based analyses, mental health research, and patient advocacy. At CIRA, Ashley hopes to further her knowledge of the long-term care home environment and contribute to improved rates of mental health among seniors.
Research Coordinator
Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton. She plans to continue her education and pursue a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Megan's research interests include physical activity levels, assistive technology, and quality of life for the aging population. Through CIRA, she aspires to broaden her awareness and understanding of all aspects of aging. She hopes to give back to the aging community by contributing to communicative technologies for seniors while increasing their mental, social and physical wellbeing.
Summer Student Research Assistant
Amber is a fourth-year Bachelor of Arts student at St. Thomas University studying Interdisciplinary Studies and Gerontology. She has experience as a volunteer at York Care Centre, member and incoming president of the St. Thomas University Gerontology Society, and most recently, an undergraduate Research Assistant in Gerontology. Her research interests include LGBTQ+ aging, long-term care, mental health in later life, and dementia. At CIRA, she is excited to contribute to ongoing and new research projects, and help to enhance the lives and well-being of long-term care residents.
Our visiting researchers represent many different sectors and work with us from across Canada to support various research initiatives.
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.
Reconnecting with GENIE
Marc Kanik is the Founding Partner and President of Ambient Activity Technologies Inc., the industry partner of a multidisciplinary team that includes participation from academia, supportive care facilities, and care practitioners from across Canada. Ambient Activity Technologies Inc is committed to improving elder care through the design and use of Ambient Activity, readily accessible activation and communication technologies embedded in the care environment, available and accessible for use at any time.
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.
Reconnecting with GENIE
Odette Gould, PhD is a professor of psychology at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick and an adjunct research scientist with the Horizon Health Network. She obtained in BA in psychology at the Université de Moncton, and her Master’s and Doctorate at the University of Victoria in the Life Span Development and Aging program. Her work includes research on medication adherence in older adults, decision-making surrounding health care, intergenerational communication, and the experiences of front-line workers in nursing homes. She is also an active volunteer with the Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick, co-founded a dementia caregiver support group in her community, and is involved in community education for dementia caregivers and care partners.
Passive Aware
John Robertson is a Senior Agile Project Manager with 25 years of business and technical experience. As a leader, he asks simple questions to understand the root causes of issues and their solutions. He has domain experience in ambient sensors, machine learning, SaaS, IoT, cloud computing, blockchain, and full-stack web software development. As a co-lead on the PassiveAware research project, John is instrumental in the set up and application of the ambient sensor technology used in the project.
Through smart partnerships we innovate together to drive research that can be replicated across Canada and beyond - all for the betterment of older adults.
Thanks to our funders for their continued support.