Undergraduate Student Trainee/Hub Member - Collaborative Nursing Degree Program, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University

Summer Research Hub Trainee

Nivashi Arulventh is an undergraduate nursing student with a deep commitment to culturally appropriate mental health care, particularly within South Asian immigrant communities. She combines her interests in perinatal mental health, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and health equity to address pressing issues in these areas. Guided by mentors like Dr. Rosanra Yoon, Dr. Sepali Guruge, and Dr. Farooq Naeem, Nivashi's research focuses on the effectiveness of culturally adaptive CBT and the challenges of social isolation among older immigrant adults.. As she prepares to apply to medical school, Nivashi aims to leverage her research and experiences to become a psychiatrist dedicated to overcoming the stigma surrounding mental health in South Asian populations.

Masters of Occupational and Public Health Student, Faculty of Community Services, Toronto Metropolitan University

Research Coordinator: Broadview Integrated Model Team & Supporting Psychological Safety of LTC Workforce Team.

Undergraduate Student Trainee, Collaborative Nursing Degree Program, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University

Bridging Divides Undergraduate Research Intern- TRS 1.8 Project 

Anoushka is deeply passionate about nursing, particularly with a focus on children's and women's health, and their intersections with immigrant health and equity based healthcare. As a research assistant intern at Bridging Divides, she benefits from the mentorship of Dr. Rosanara Yoon and Dr. Josephine Wong. Alongside her role at Bridging Divides, Anoushka is also working on a personal rapid review project under Dr. Yoon’s guidance. Her research experiences have refined her skills in scoping reviews, manuscript writing, team management, and organization. As she completes her undergraduate studies, Anoushka is preparing to pursue a master’s in nursing, with a thesis focused on her key areas of interest

Nathania is a Master of Public Policy candidate at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and a Registered Social Service Worker. She serves as a Senior Policy Analyst Research Assistant at the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing Better Together Research Hub, where she examines policy gaps affecting women experiencing substance use and criminal justice system involvement. Nathania is also the Kate McInturff Fellow in Gender Justice at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Her research interests surround health and social policy. She is committed to advancing equity-driven, evidence-based policies that address systemic barriers and improve outcomes for individuals and underserved communities

Meghan is a Registered Nurse with over 10 years of experience across a range of mental health settings, including advanced practice roles. She is currently a PhD student at the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, and holds a Master of Science in Nursing from Toronto Metropolitan University. In addition to her clinical and research work, Meghan has taught undergraduate nursing courses at the University of Toronto.

Meghan's research focuses on the integration of mental health care within acute medical settings, with a particular interest in improving the psychological care of patients recovering from traumatic physical injury. Drawing on her experience as a Trauma Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist at St. Michael's Hospital, her work aims to better understand how mental health support can be embedded into acute trauma care to enhance recovery and improve patient outcomes.

Harry Ren (he/him) is a Research Assistant with the Better Together Research Hub. He is an undergraduate nursing student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) with a background in research and education. Harry is passionate about mental health and is committed to advancing research that promotes equitable, evidence-based care and improves the well-being of individuals and communities. He hopes to integrate clinical practice, research, and education throughout his future career as a Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner.

Layla is a undergradute reserach assistant that recently graduated from University of Toronto’s nursing school. She has a strong interest in health equity, public health, and research. She is a recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant and is working with Dr. Yoon this summer on a cancer screening hesitancy research project. Through this work, Layla is exploring the barriers that influence individuals’ willingness to engage in cancer screening and the importance of developing more equitable approaches to cancer prevention and early detection. She is passionate about addressing health disparities and improving healthcare experiences and outcomes for underserved and marginalized populations. Her nursing education and research experiences have strengthened her commitment to advancing patient-centred, evidence-informed, and equitable healthcare.

Wanda completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Occupational Therapy. As a Research Assistant with the Better Together Hub, she supports research examining cancer screening hesitancy and the development and evaluation of cancer screening hesitancy measures. Her research interests include implementation science, healthcare equity, patient-centred care, and improving access to evidence-based healthcare. She is particularly interested in understanding how research evidence can be effectively translated into practice to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes. Outside of research, she enjoys playing tennis, painting, and travelling.

PhD Candidate, Urban Health PhD, Faculty of Community Services, Toronto Metropolitan University

Research Assistant: Trauma-informed Organizational & Leadership Capacities Rapid Evidence Synthesis Project & Supporting Psychological Safety of LTC Workforce Team

Michael has a diverse academic background in psychology, early childhood studies, and addictions and mental health, which has allowed him to combine his passions of research and frontline community work. Michael has worked at several non-profit organizations, primarily supporting 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness and people living with HIV. His area of research is focused on health equity, particularly with the 2SLGBTQ+ racialized community.

Research Intern - Broadview Integrated Model Team, Undergraduate Student - BSc Psychology, Durham University

Caitlin is actively pursuing her passion for research through the MITACS summer research internship, building on her current work experience as a welfare officer and research assistant at Durham University's Cognitive Neuroscience Lab. There, she has honed her interests in mental health and clinical psychology. Under the mentorship of Dr. Rosanra Yoon, Caitlin has broadened her research scope in health service evaluation, gaining specific expertise in trauma and gender-informed approaches to substance use during the preliminary stages of her career. She will apply her experience in conducting focus groups and her training in scoping reviews during the final year of her undergraduate psychology degree, culminating in a dissertation on the effect of self-compassion on procrastination in the student population.

Senior Research Associate for Canadian Cancer Society Health Equity Proposal Initiative.

Beauty is an interdisciplinary scholar drawing on sociolinguistics and global health. Her current researcSenior Research Associate for Canadian Cancer Society Health Equity Proposal Initiativeh endeavour illuminates how language commonly associated with TB prevention and treatment may be a vehicle for its implicit stigmatization. Her primary scholarly interest aims to reveal how language is utilized to manufacture social and normative experiences, feelings, and public health responses.

Beauty has a PhD in Sociolinguistics from University of Cape Town, South Africa, and an MA in Health Policy & Equity from York University, Canada. Her broader research interests include women’s health, TB stigma and vulnerability, cervical and breast cancer and other disease-related stigmaresponses. Beauty has a PhD in Sociolinguistics from University of Cape Town, South Africa, and an MA in Health Policy & Equity from York University, Canada. Her broader research interests include women’s health, TB stigma and vulnerability, cervical and breast cancer and other disease-related stigma.