Research Interests

We live in a Canadian society that is quickly evolving in social and cultural diversity. With this growth, it is important for us to gain a complete understanding of how children’s social and cultural environments can influence their health and wellness. Gaining this insight is essential to addressing the challenges related to inequality and exclusion experienced by some, for example, in their encounter with systems such as healthcare. At the same time, it is important to identify the constellation of strengths and resilience strategies that others draw on, to live well with their health and mental health.

My research program focuses on better understanding the cultural factors that shape children’s health and well-being and those of their families. The goal is to generate knowledge that informs the creation and delivery of innovative, culturally responsive, and personalized interventions for underrepresented and underserved communities. My research has a strong interdisciplinary focus that spans clinical, developmental, and social/cultural psychology, and is grounded in principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization. A critical component of my approach is ensuring that people’s lived and living experiences are accurately captured in the research. To achieve this, I prioritize community-based participatory research and actively engage with youth and families as partners in the research process.