OUR TEAM

PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT
MA SOCIOLOGY
(SHE/HER)

TAKE A RISK AND DO SOMETHING GREAT

“I am someone who likes to pursue ideas, not just generate and voice them. This requires the courage to take risks, to ‘bite off more than we can chew’ and to be flexible to change. It demands energy and motivation, but the rewards are great. When we do this, we create. Research, evidence and imagination have the power to make change. The hard part is moving to action. How? Through trial and through practice, and with dedication, thoughtfulness and courage. Knowledge is the stuff of change. As someone who sees tremendous value in research, my commitment is to see the great knowledge we have on our shelves and in our communities put into practice.”

Email
[email protected]

PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT
PHD SOCIAL WORK
MSW SOCIAL WORK
(SHE/HER)

QUESTION YOUR WAY TO SOLUTIONS
“With all the talk on systems impact, methods, measurement and social change, we are often quick to dismiss our most basic assumptions that surround these concepts. I always like to begin with the basics and ask others and myself some simple questions. The answers can be surprising, often reflecting the confusion, conflation and confluence of the social landscape. I see my role first and foremost as one who can get to the bottom of those fundamental questions. Returning to these questions time and time again reminds us that complexity often lies in answering the simplest questions easily.”

Email
[email protected]

PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT
PHD HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (IN CANDIDACY)
MA INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHE/HER)

MAKING SENSE OF WHAT WE KNOW
“I’m fascinated by how good ideas get traction with people, organizations and communities. When thinking about a question or an issue, I think it’s prudent to ask: how does what we learn benefit the people or the community it’s aiming to assist? Without impact at that level, what is the point? That makes us tinkerers, researchers, evaluators and activists who want to take good ideas and great practices and apply them, test them and learn from them, for everyone’s benefit”.

Email
[email protected]

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
RSW
MSW SOCIAL WORK
BSW,BA SOCIAL WORK & INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHE/HER)

Erika Lemon is a Registered Social Worker who holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary and Bachelor’s degrees in Social Work and International Development from Dalhousie University. She has a plethora of experience within the social services field, including working with people experiencing houselessness, refugee claimants, and people with disabilities. Her practice experiences intersect with her interest in community based, participatory research and she takes a critical approach to her work. When Erika isn’t engaging in research one of her biggest passions is travelling. She loves to explore new countries and become immersed in the culture and everyday way of life.

Email
[email protected]

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
MA SOCIOLOGY
BA SOCIOLOGY
(HE/HIM)

Laurent Wall is a researcher whose strengths are qualitative research methods and bringing people of different backgrounds together to collaborate on hard questions and engage in the difficult work of coming to a consensus and finding solutions. He has experience working as a research assistant, research associate, and instructor and takes great pleasure in being able to communicate complex research ideas to diverse audiences. During his research and other professional experience, he has worked with diverse people and diverse subjects, and is not afraid to get his feet wet to tackle new topics and difficult problems.

Email
[email protected]

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
PHD IMMIGRANT SETTLEMENT & BEHAVIOURS
MPHIL SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
MBA CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
(SHE/HER)

Nadia Ansari is a Social & Behavioural Researcher, who holds a PhD in Social Sciences in Immigrant Settlement. She has extensive experience in the fields of healthcare and newcomer integration and acculturation. Her work centers around Alberta’s under-served populations, including immigrants & refugees; Indigenous communities and other Racialized minorities. Her research portfolio spans issues of access to equitable healthcare through patient and family experiences; to gender-based inequities in employment experiences for newcomers. Her qualitative research and analytics focus on intersectionality through incorporating person-centric approaches into service & product delivery and policy development. When not working, Nadia spends time with her books and plants to ground her, and family time in the mountains to rejuvenate her.

Email
[email protected]

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
MSC INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
BSc/BA/BN
(SHE/HER)

Dorota is a passionate public health and research professional with a diverse academic and healthcare background. Following her Masters in Science in International Health, she became particularly interested in evaluation and quality improvement. Dorota has experience in public health through roles as a Registered Nurse in acute care in Alberta hospitals, as well as in harm reduction as a support worker and RN. She also worked in analytics and quality improvement with AHS in patient safety and with a primary care network. Dorota has further research and evaluation experience from completing additional coursework and publishing research.

Email
[email protected]

RESEARCH ASSISTANT
BSC HONOURS, NEUROSCIENCE
(SHE/HER)

Simran is a researcher and data analyst who is passionate about equality, as well as equitable access to mental health and wellbeing resources. She is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary, majoring in Neuroscience, and minoring in Data Science. She has a variety of research experience, working in basic, clinical, and now, qualitative research. Simran enjoys working with and analyzing data, and creating data visualizations and tables.

Email
[email protected]

RESEARCH ASSISTANT
MSW Health-focused Social Work (in candidacy)
RSW, BSW, BSc(Hons) Kinesiology
(she/her)

Mica is a Registered Social Worker with a background in disability justice and crisis mental health. Her experience is centered on youth work in research, clinical and community settings, including the Alberta Children’s Hospital and Kids Help Phone. Mica is also passionate about fitness and physical activity, and has taken multiple roles in the sector including coaching and training in physical rehabilitation and adapted sport. She takes a critical and peer-led approach to her work based on the rallying call, “Nothing about us, without us,” as an ode to her own lived experience in disability and mental health.

Email
[email protected]

RESEARCH ASSISTANT
PHD STUDENT (SOCIOLOGY)
MA SOCIOLOGY
BA (HONS) SOCIOLOGY
(HE/HIM)

Bryan is a researcher who is passionate about academia and qualitative research methods. He has experience working in the academic field as a research assistant including work at the University of Calgary, and is currently involved in a project studying Chinatowns across North America to inform urban planning. Bryan brings strong critical, analytical, and writing skills to his work, and has displayed excellency in interviewing throughout his career. Driven by his interest in qualitative research and sociology of culture, Bryan is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program at the University of Calgary focusing on the discipline of Sociology to advance his knowledge in the sociology of culture in hopes to expand on his capabilities as an academic and researcher. In his private life, Bryan loves to play video games and is a sneaker enthusiast who loves collecting sneakers.

Email
[email protected]