Staff Biographies

 

Ian Newhouse, BPE, MSc, Ph.D. is a Professor in the School of Kinesiology where his principal teaching and research interests are in the area of exercise physiology. In particular, Ian has done research in mineral metabolism and the effects of supplementation (i.e. iron and magnesium) on human performance and health.  In more recent years Ian has focused his energies on interprofessional education and care.  This has been a natural extension of serving as Dean of the Faculty of Professional Schools (Social Work, Nursing, Kinesiology, Gerontology, Public Health, and Outdoor Recreation Parks and Tourism) from 2001-2008.

 

Ruth Wilford is an Education Planner with the Centre. As such, she helps to plan and facilitate educational programs for formal and informal care providers of older adults with mental health needs.  This work is done in collaboration with many local, regional and provincial partners of CERAH.  Ruth is also the project coordinator for the Thunder Bay Age Friendly Project as well as a LHINS funded project entitled "Interprofessional Identification and Management Project in Long-term Care - IIMP-LTC" being conducted in Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout.

 

 

 

 

Linda Pisco is a graduate of Lakehead University (M.A., Sociology). She has worked in a number of fields including health planning, adult education, developmental disabilities, volunteer management and employment skills training. Linda works closely with a variety of partners to plan, organize and deliver palliative care educational events.  She is also responsible for a variety of administrative duties at CERAH.  She is a volunteer with Hospice Northwest and the Salvation Army.  In addition to a keen interest in a variety of outdoor activities, she enjoys travel and reading.

 

 

 

Jessica is a graduate of Lakehead University (MA in English with a Specialization in Women's Studies).  She also completed her Bachelor of Education in 2005.  Jessica has a background in adult education and employment skills training.  In her role as Communication/Knowledge Exchange Officer with CERAH Jessica provides strategic communication support to CERAH staff and project leads, and produces high quality publications including Centre reports, curricula, brochures, website, and press releases.  

 

 

 

Holly Prince, MSW, is the Research Associate at CERAH and is responsible for the development and evaluation of research services and systems for CERAH.  Holly's research expertise is in community-based and applied health services research using participatory methods.  She is the Aboriginal Project Manager and a co-investigator on a 5-year (2010-2015) CIHR Aboriginal Health Intervention grant, which focuses on improving the end-of-life care of Aboriginal people through developing palliative care programs and creating a culturally appropriate theory of change to guide palliative care program and policy development nationally.

 

Alesha completed her social work undergraduate degree in her home province of New Brunswick at Saint Thomas University in 2006.  Prior to completing a Master's of Social Work with a specialization in gerontology at Lakehead University, she worked in long term care as a social worker.  Currently, Alesha is a Project Coordinator at CERAH working on the five year program of research funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.  The project is entitled Improving the Quality of Life for People Dying in Long-Term Care Homes.

 

 

 

Darlene is working at CERAH as a Resource Consultant on the Geriatric Interprofessional Interorganization Collaboration (GiiC) project and the Building Capacity for Interprofessional Collaborative Care in Long Term Care (DCICC-LTC), also known as the Bridges to Care project.  She has worked in health care as a nurse for many yearsin the acute care, long term care, continuing complex care, and in the community in various roles from providing primary care to managerial positions.  Geriatrics has been a special interest of hers throughout her career.

 

 

  

Jessica completed a BA in Gerontology at Lakehead University in 2008.  She returned to complete the one year HBSW and Masters in Social Work with a collaboration in the Gerontology at Lakehead. Throughout her studies Jessica has been very interested in working with the elderly.  She volunteered at several long-term care facilities in Thunder Bay and also worked at a local retirement home.  She is also active in the Canadian Association on Gerontology.  Jessica assisted on the Quality Palliative Care in Long Term Care project and completed her thesis on one aspect of this project named An Assessment of Organizational Infrastructure Gaps, Barriers, and Enablers to Developing Formal Palliative Care Programs in Long Term Care Homes: A Comparative Case Study of Two Long-Term Care Homes in Northern Ontario.  She has also assisted with research pertaining to the Age-Friendly Thunder Bay Project.

 

Deb is the Education Initiatives Assistant and she has been working at the Centre since 2001.  She is responsible for all office administration and provides assistance to all full and part-time staff.  Deb is an integral part of the daily activities at the Centre and a key contributor to all educational events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica Koski, BSc

Social Research Assistant

Phone: (807) 766-7299

Email: jkoski@lakeheadu.ca

Jessica is our Social Research Assistant.  She brings more than six years experience in Education and Research to CERAH.  In her role, she assists the research team with multiple palliative care and long term care projects.

Jessica completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Business Administration in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  She has extensive training and experience in project management, lean process, and utilizing technology to create efficiencies in clinical and health sciences research.  

Jessica relocated to Thunder Bay from her home town, Duluth, Minnesota.  Her leisure time is spent outdoors and traveling with her husband Trevor and rescue dog, Kora.

 

 

Melody Wawia, B.A., B.Ed.,M.Ed.

Aboriginal Research Assistant

Phone: (807) 343-8010 ext. 7273

Email: mwawia1@lakeheadu.ca

Melody Wawia is a three time graduate of Lakehead University, recently completing her Master of Education where her studies focused on issues in Aboriginal Education.  Melody is the Aboriginal Research Assistant on a 5 year (2010-2015) CIHR Aboriginal Health Intervention grant, which focuses on improving the end-of-life care of Aboriginal peoples.  Melody is a band member and resident of Red Rock Band, Lake Helen Reserve and looks forward to working on a project that aims to improve First Nation health services on-reserve.

 

 

 

 

Jill Marcella, HBSW, MSW (c)

Acting Project Manager

Phone: (807) 766-7228

Email: jmarcell@lakeheadu.ca

Jill completed her HBSW at Lakehead University in 2010 and continued n with her Masters of Social Work with a specialization in Gerontology.  Jill has combined experience working with older adults in Mental Health and the Long Term Care setting.  Her studies have given her the opportunity to work with qualitative research in managing heart failure in LTC and in understanding the need for grief and bereavement support for LTC staff.  Jill has worked as resident counsellor in Long Term Care and has been actively involved with Palliative Care.  Jill has provided education within her community on grief and bereavement, communication strategies with dementia and working with families in Palliative Care.

 

 

Natalia Collins,

Aboriginal Community Facilitator

Phone: (807) 766-7244

Email: ncollin1@lakeheadu.ca

Natalia Collins is employed as an Aboriginal Community Facilitator at CERAH.  She works on a research project that focuses on improving the End of Life care of aboriginal peoples.  Natalia is a Fort William First Nation band member as well as a member of the Fort William First Nation Advisory Committee for this research project.  She is a trained Personal Support Worker and worked previously at Grandview Lodge.