Heather Harris has more than 25 years of experience in clinical research, spanning pharmaceutical and biotech companies, non-profit organizations, and academic centres. Most recently, Heather worked with BC’s SPOR SUPPORT Unit to build and enhance BC’s clinical and health research enterprise. She also served as inaugural Director of Operations for the British Columbia Clinical Infrastructure Network (BCCRIN).
As Executive Director of Can-SOLVE CKD, Heather acts as the primary liaison for the network and oversees the core operations team. She is responsible for monitoring network performance and activities to ensure the work is within scope and budget. She also facilitates communication within and outside the network, engages stakeholders, and facilitates development of knowledge translation products and reporting on network achievements.
hharris@cansolveckd.ca
Selina Allu is a Knowledge Translation Broker with a Master’s degree in Health Geography. She has almost a decade of combined experience in knowledge translation, knowledge management, and outreach (provincial and national). Selina has led the development and delivery of comprehensive knowledge outreach plans, including the design, planning, and execution of targeted knowledge dissemination while building strong and collaborative working relationships with stakeholders and end-users to broaden research reach and impact.
As KT Broker for Can-SOLVE CKD, Selina ensures that research findings are applied in real world settings through effective knowledge translation strategies and collaborations with end-users.
soallu@ucalgary.ca
lfranson@cansolveckd.ca
Leah has held numerous leadership roles and has been facilitating groups for more than 20 years. Her training as an Anthropologist coupled with her natural ability to connect with people makes her a relationship builder extraordinaire. In her current role as Patient Partnerships & Training Lead for the Can-SOLVE CKD Network, Leah uniquely combines her academic & professional training with her lived experience with chronic kidney disease (she lost her mother to the illness in 2014). She supports patient partnerships throughout the network and leads the Training & Mentorship committee, tasked with developing and implementing renal focused POR tools and resources. Fun Fact: Leah wanted to be an astronaut when she was little and went to Space Camp when she was 12yrs old.
lgetchell@cansolveckd.ca
Michelle Hampson is a science writer with a background in journalism. She has spent more than ten years communicating the complexities of scientific research for the public, including information about disease pathology and treatment options for patients. At Can-SOLVE, she collaborates extensively with researchers, medical professionals, visual storytellers, patients, and others to produce content, ensuring that it remains clear, concise and accessible.
mhampson@cansolveckd.ca
Grace is a Chartered Professional Accountant with more than 20 years of experience in various fields of accounting and audit. Prior to joining the Can-SOLVE CKD team, she held financial and operations management roles at the University of British Columbia.
As Finance Manager for Can-SOLVE CKD, Grace provides financial management and strategic support. She is responsible for financial reporting to various stakeholders and budget management for the Network. She oversees the general ledger and accounts payable functions; interpretation of UBC, tri-council and funders’ financial policies and procedures; systems and internal controls design and implementation.
gjauod@cansolveckd.ca
ukhan@cansolveckd.ca
Cynthia MacDonald has recently joined Can-SOLVE CKD as Project Manager and has over 10 years of research experience. Her past roles have allowed her to work on various academic studies with a large patient engagement. More recently, she has been working on industry sponsored Clinical Trials (Phase 1 – 4). Her background is in Human Kinetics, and Exercise Science. Fun fact: Cynthia was a competitive figure skater for many years and wanted to go to the Olympics. When her skating career ended, she went into coaching and coached hockey players throughout university!
cmacdonald@cansolveckd.ca
Alicia is a certified Clinical Research Professional (ACRP-CP) with over 12 years of clinical research experience. Prior to joining Can-SOLVE CKD, she worked as a research coordinator, review manager at a Research Ethics Board (REB) and ethics and regulatory coordinator. Her past employment experiences have given her a wide breadth of knowledge about the research process. In her current role as a Can-SOLVE CKD Network project manager, she is responsible for the Canadian Nephrology Trials Network and Can-SOLVE CKD Network Pediatric Committee, helping these core infrastructures move their initiatives and ideas forward in the pursuit of improving the lives of those affected by chronic kidney disease.
amurdoch@cansolveckd.ca
goloresisimo@cansolveckd.ca
Graham Pollock is a health research communications professional with a background in journalism and digital storytelling. Prior to joining Can-SOLVE CKD, he was Senior Communications Specialist for the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. In this role, he led the development of content across a wide range of digital and print channels to communicate the impact of health research projects.
As Communications Manager for the Can-SOLVE CKD Network, Graham leads the implementation of a strategic communications plan to ensure the organized flow of information. He develops communications materials such as newsletters, progress reports, and website content in partnership with patients, researchers, and other network members.
gpollock@cansolveckd.ca
Vaishali Sharma has over 3 years of experience as administrative assistant. She came to Canada from India in 2018 as International student and recently graduated from her Associates in general Science majoring in Biology. She has keen interest in research and hoping to be a research scientist one day. Her areas of curiosity are Neuroscience, Genetics, Microbiology and Cell Biology. She looks forward to supporting the Discreet Choice Experiments (DCEs) project.
admin@cansolveckd.ca
Craig Settee is Anishinaabe and Néhinaw (Swampy Cree) from Fisher River Cree Nation and grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is a living kidney donor to his brother and previous patient partner with the Network. He brings this lived experience to his role as Coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement and Research Council (IPERC).
Craig has several years of experience working as a cultural support worker, Action Therapist and community organizer with First Nations and inner-city community-based organizations. He is passionate about increasing Indigenous representation and amplifying Indigenous voices to foster more collaborative working relationships. He is a strong believer in patient-oriented research and provides support to Indigenous patient partners, projects and partnerships within the Can-SOLVE CKD Network.
csettee@cansolveckd.ca
Catherine Turner is a Métis woman whose family originates from the historic Red River Settlement in Manitoba. She is the Indigenous Liaison Manager of the Kidney Foundation of Canada BC & Yukon Branch and will be working with Can-SOLVE CKD to support the Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement and Research Council. She will work with the project leads to explore how best to enable Indigenous and non-Indigenous patient engagement in each of the network’s research projects.
Catherine is the past Chairperson of the National Aboriginal Diabetes Association and has been a member of their executive board since 2004. Catherine has worked in health and primary prevention programs with Aboriginal and First Nations communities for the past two decades, including administering an Aboriginal diabetes initiative for eight years.
Catherine.Turner@fnha.ca
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