Intersections of Mental Health Perspectives in Addictions Research Training

Mentor Alumni

• Joy Johnson, PhD, RN
  An original co-Principal Investigator of IMPART, Joy Johnson was appointed as the new Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Gender and Health as of January 1, 2008.
• Annette Browne, PhD, RN
  Dr. Annette Browne is Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, UBC, a CIHR New Investigator, a MSFHR Career Scholar and a Co-Investigator at NEXUS.
• Martha Donnelly, MD, CCFP, FRCPC, PhD, RN
  Dr. Donnelly is an Assistant Professor with the UBC Department of Family Practice and Department of Psychiatry in geriatrics.
• Benedikt Fischer, PhD
  Dr. Benedikt Fischer is currently Interim Director of the Centre for Applied Resaerch in Mental Health and Addiction at Simon Fraser University.
• Josie Geller, PhD
  Dr. Geller is the Director of Research at the St. Paul’s Hospital Eating Disorders Program in Vancouver, BC.
• Clay Holroyd, PhD
  Dr. Holroyd is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria. He is a CIHR New Investigator, a MSFHR Career Investigator, and a Founding Fellow of the UBC Institute of Mental Health.
• Judy Illes, PhD
  Dr. Illes is Professor of Neurology and Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Illes directs the National Core for Neuroethics at UBC and a research team devoted to ethical, legal, social and policy challenges specifically at the intersection of neuroscience and biomedical ethics.
• Marvin Krank, PhD
  Dr. Krank is the Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Psychology at UBC Okanagan. His research focuses on cognitive and learning processes in substance use with a current emphasis on adolescents.
• Michael Krausz, PhD
  Dr. Krausz's main interests include the comorbidity of severe mental illness and addiction especially psychosis and the use of psychotropic substances and the effective treatment of such conditions.
• Anthony Phillips, PhD
  Dr. Phillips was recently appointed the head of the CIHR Insitute for Neuroscience and Mental Health.
• Pamela Ratner, PhD, RN
  Dr. Ratner is Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, UBC and a co-principal Investigator at the Nursing and Health Behaviour Research (NAHBR) Unit.
• Patricia (Paddy) Rodney, RN, MSN, PhD
  Dr. Rodney is an Associate Professor with the University of British Columbia (UBC) School of Nursing.
• Amy Salmon, PhD
  Dr. Salmon is a sociologist of health education, Dr. Salmon's research centres on the health information, maternity care, and primary health care needs of women with substance use problems.
• Kate Shannon, PhD
  Dr. Shannon is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. She is a social and infectious disease epidemiologist with both quantitative and qualitative expertise who leads research on gender, sexual health and HIV/STIs among women both locally and internationally.
• Patrick Smith, PhD
  Dr. Smith is Vice President of Research, Networks and Academic Development for BC Mental Health and Addiction Services.
• Timothy Stockwell, PhD
  Dr. Stockwell is the Director of the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia.
• Ed Taylor, PhD
  Dr. Taylor is the Director of the Department of Social Work at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.
• Brenda Toner, PhD
  Dr. Toner is a Professor at the University of Toronto and has published and presented on a variety of health related problems that are disproportionately diagnosed in women including eating disorders, anxiety, depression, chronic pelvic pain, chronic fatigue and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Colleen Varcoe, BSN, MSN, PhD
  Dr. Varcoe is a Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests focus on violence, mental health, Aboriginal health, culture, gender, health services, inequity and ethics.
• Richard A. Young, EdD
  Dr. Young is Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education at the UBC. A Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association, Professor Young's interests are in the areas of parent-adolescent interaction, health psychology, and career development.
• Rosemary Herbert, PhD
  Dr. Herbert is an Associate Professor and Dean of Nursing at the University of Prince Edward Island. She conducts community-based research using ecological frameworks.

Trainee Alumni

Graduates of the program bring the knowledge of women, gender and addictions, gained during their time with IMPART, to a wide array of areas in research and practice.

• Travis Baker, MSc
  My research interests involve the use of electrophysiological measures to investigate the neural and cognitive mechanisms that underlie reinforcement learning principles.
• Deborah Barkowsky, BA
  I am interested in executive function and substance use in adolescents.
• Brittany Bingham, MPH
  
• Kristina Brache, MSc
  My research interests are in the area of alcohol and cocaine simultaneous polysubstance use. I am interested in exploring the psychosocial functions that can be played by particular multiple substance use combinations.
• Krista Brown, BA
  My primary research interests involve examining psychological factors that are implicated in the development, maintenance, and treatment of eating disorders.
• Victoria Bungay, PhD
  Ms. Bungay is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing.
• Kelly Butts, BSc
  My research uses in vivo microdialysis to examine how stress system abnormalities can lead to alterations in neurotransmitter systems relevant to depression.
• Valerie Caldeira, MSc
  My research interests focus on harmful relationship behaviours, including relationship conflict, partner violence, and substance abuse. I am particularly interested in these behaviours during the transition to parenthood in order to understand the impact these behaviours have on children.
• Lauren Casey, MA
  I am interested in understanding intersections of violence, trauma and mental health among a comparative sample of male, female, and transgendered off-street sex workers working in both urban and rural Canadian settings.
• Fiona Choi, MSc
  Ms. Choi is a Ph.D. candidate in the Neuroscience Program at the University of British Columbia.
• Nancy Clark, RN, MSN
  I am interested in how gender, culture, ethnicity, intersect with religious and spiritual beliefs and how these intersections inform relational aspects of mental health practice.
• Michelle Coghlan, MA
  Ms. Coghlan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Victoria.
• Karen Davison
  The core of my research is the nutrition-related and socio-economic determinants of mental health. I am particularly interested in the effects of food insecurity on psychological functioning, mental illness and addiction.
• Lynda Dechief, MSc
  Ms. Dechief is a Research Consultant for the Women Abuse Response Program at BC Women's Hospital.
• Carine Dias, PhD
  Dr. Dias studies the neuropharmacological processes underlying the reinstatement of psychostimulant-seeking behavior using an animal model of "craving".
• Erin Dunn, PhD
  Dr Dunn's substantive research interests lie in exploring the psychological factors that are implicated in the development and maintenance of addictive, compulsive, and high-risk behaviors.
• Hanie Edalati, PhD.
  I am interested in understanding the role of implicit cognitive processes in the initiation, development and maintenance of drug abuse and dependence.
• Faith Eiboff, MSc
  My research interests centre on issues of homelessness and housing from a health perspective, with a particular focus on the intersection of gender, mental health and addictions, and homelessness.
• Durwin Foster, MA
  Foster's current research focus is investigating the process of second stage recovery for men suffering from co-morbid addictions and trauma, via a pilot intervention study.
• Michelle Foulkes, RN, BA, BScN, MSc
  My research interest is in the developing relationship between mother and fetus (prenatal attachment) in women who use substances during the perinatal period.
• Erin Gibson, BA
  I am interested in illicit drug policy issues, the prevention of transmission of HIV and Hep C among people who drugs by injection, determinants of health, reducing recidivism, social network dynamics and differences in gender, inmate health and knowledge transmission.
• Catherine (Katie) Goldie, MSc, RN
  I am examining the Canadian prevalence of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors in men and women with severe mental illness using a social ecological perspective.
• Matt Graham, MA
  Mr. Graham is a Provisional Psychologist at the Canmore Pain Clinic in Canmore, Alberta and Ph.D. candidate in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia.
• Marcus Greatheart, MA
  My current research focuses on female-to-male transgender men, specifically the relationship between social isolation and increased risk for addiction and mental health disorders.
• Rebecca Haines, PhD
  Dr. Haines is a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow and Psychosocial Oncology Research Training (PORT) Program Trainee at the Centre for Nursing & Health Behaviour Research (NAHBR), UBC.
• Ingrid Handlovsy, MSc, RN
  My research interests focus primarily on the impact of the environment (interpersonal interactions, political system, legal system, physical environment) on illicit drug use practices and issues of inequity faced by women.
• Samah Hassan, MD
  I am so much interested in pain research regarding acute postoperative pain, chronic non-cancer pain. In addition sex, gender differences in pain & analgesia.
• Kim Hellemans, PhD
  Dr. Hellemans is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, ON.
• Rosanna Holehouse, BScN
  Ms. Holehouse's research interests include gender and nicotine dependence among individuals living with mental illness and community mental health nurses' perceptions regarding implementing smoking cessation interventions into their practice.
• Kate Jongbloed
  Kate Jongbloed is pursuing a Master of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of British Columbia's School of Population and Public Health.
• Danielle Katz, MA
  I am currently completing my Masters thesis on therapeutic mircoprocesses and their relationship to the therapeutic alliance. In the future, I would like to focus on the therapeutic processes of women who have experienced trauma and currently struggle with substance abuse.
• Lenora Marcellus, PhD
  Dr. Marcellus is a Leader at the Perinatal and Women's Health Program Development of the Vancouver Island Health Authority.
• Lucy McCullough, MA
  Ms. McCullough is currently completing her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia. Her research explores treatment counsellors' experiences with and understanding of their clients' needs and the therapeutic process as they relate to the treatment objectives and recommendations of the mandate from courts, the ministry of child and family services or other referral sources.
• Trica McDiarmid, BA
  Trica is completing her Master's Thesis at the University of British Columbia on the child welfare system and the treatment needs of First Nation women who have addictions.
• Hilary McGregor
  My research interests are related to women’s health and marginalization. My thesis project is focused on women’s lived experiences of substance use and mental health in Prince George.
• Warren Michelow, BSc, MA
  Warren's current research interests are to gain a deeper understanding of the complex environmental and social factors that influence high intensity polysubstance use. He is particularly interested in how these factors might differentially impact or be experienced differently by women and men.
• Sherry Mumford, PhD
  Dr. Mumford is the Addictions Services Manager at Fraser Health Authority.
• Nadine Nakamura, PhD
  My research interests include substance abuse, HIV risk, ethnic minority health and mental health, and intersections of identity
• Elizabeth Nosen, MA
  My research focuses on understanding the psychological processes involved in substance dependence and cessation. Recently, I have been interested in exploring commonalities between anxiety disorders and addictions.
• Chizimuzo (Zim) Okoli, PhD
  Dr. Okoli is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing.
• Margo Pearce, MSc, MPP
  I have focused the majority of my research to-date on HIV vulnerability among vulnerable populations, in particular young Aboriginal people who use illicit drugs in British Columbia.
• Rachel Phillips, PhD
  My research interests include applying a social determinants of health model to the study of vulnerable populations’ access to health and related intervention services.
• Nancy Poole, MA
  Ms. Poole is Director of Research at the British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health.
• Erin Ptolemy, BSW, BA
  Erin is completing her Masters of Social Work at UBC Okanagan. Her thesis is on young women’s perceptions, knowledge, and interest in information about tobacco smoke as a risk factor for premenopausal breast cancer.
• Jenny Rogers, MD
  Dr. Rogers is Psychiatry Resident Doctor Postgraduate Year 5 at the University of British Columbia.
• Lisa Robinson Kitt, PhD
  Dr. Kitt is Faculty in the Criminology Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic Unviersity.
• Hajera Rostam, PhD
  My research focuses on cross-cultural psychology and immigrant and refugee experiences. In particular, I am interested in the help-seeking experiences of Canada's ethnic minority immigrants with addiction, with special consideration to gender and ethnicity as contributing factors to substance abuse behavior.
• Johanna Sam, MSc
  My interests involve new information and communication technology initiatives designed to enhance equity for socially marginalized populations, such as Indigenous people, youth, and women.
• Laurel Sakaluk-Moody, MSc
  Laurel is a PhD student at the University of Alberta. She is interested in the social, cultural and family context of adolescent and young adult decision-making about substance use.
• Sana Shahram, MPH
  I am interested in exploring how social contexts and determinants of health contribute to the health disparities among marginalized and vulnerable populations.
• Kate Shannon, PhD
  Dr. Shannon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Division of AIDS) at the University of British Columbia, and a Research Scientist at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
• Deborah Sinclair, MSW, RSW
  My research interests focus broadly on issues related to violence against women in intimate relationships and its intersection with substance use and the harmful impact of trauma and complex post traumatic stress (CPTS) on women’s physical, mental and spiritual health.
• Joanna Sliwowska, PhD
  My scientific interests focus on the neurobiology of reproduction and stress.
• Alina Sotskova, MA
  My current research project is related to community supports for addiction recovery, treatment outcome research, and community-based research that can support and enhance mental health services.
• Kelli Sullivan, MA
  My research interests include: adolescent health; adolescent girls' smoking; parent-adolescent relations; sex and gender based analysis; and mixed methods research.
• Meaghan Thumath, RN, BSN, MPH
  Ms. Thumath is the Clinical Practice Initiatives Lead HIV/AIDS at the Vancouver Coastal Health and an Adjunct Faculty member at the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia.
• Maija Tiesmaki, BA
  My primary research interest is in the intersection of mental health, and substance use within vulnerable/marginalized populations, including street-involved and incarcerated persons.
• Iris Torchalla, PhD
  Dr. Torchalla's research focuses on the treatment of tobacco dependence
• Kristina Uban, PhD
  Under the supervision of Dr. Joanne Weinberg and Dr. Liisa Galea, my dissertation aims at elucidating the interaction of neurobiological mechanisms implicated in stress and reward/ motivational pathways, and how this interaction may affect an individual’s vulnerability/resilience to substance use problems.
• Kim Williams, RD
  Ms. Williams is a registered dietician with the Eating Disorders Program at St. Paul's Hospital and with the Thrive Eating Disorders Services Program.
• Alan Wood, MA
  Mr. Wood is the Program Nurse Manager, Nursing Directorate at the BC Ministry of Health Services.

Former Program Directors

• Nicole Vittoz, Ph.D.
  Nicole is a researcher and educator with long-standing interest in the area of drug addiction and mental illness. She is currently teaching in the psychology department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
• Beth Snow, Ph.D.
  Beth earned her Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the UBC, where she investigated the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing fetal skeleton.
• Leslie Segal
• Barbara Berry