BGSA Executive for 2026-2027
Annamaria Kandias- President
Annamaria Kandias
annamaria.kandias@uwaterloo.ca
Hi Everybody! I’m Annamaria, a PhD student in the Holyoak lab. My research focuses on the structural biology of a family of zinc metalloproteases. As the BGSA President for the 2026-27 academic year, I look forward to advocating for the Biology Graduate Students within the Department and the Faculty. We’ve got a lot of fun things planned for the year ahead, we’re looking forward to seeing you at our events & hearing from all of you!
Felix Tham - Vice President
Samantha Kobes- Secretary
Samantha Kobes
Hi, I’m Samantha! I am a Master’s student in Dr. McConkey’s lab studying Arctic wastewater microbes with bioinformatics. I enjoy knitting and hunting for good food.
Olivia Roscow - Editor in Chief
Olivia Roscow
Hi everyone! I am a Ph.D. student in the Holyoak lab, where I aim to structurally and functionally characterize a novel group of previously misclassified antibody proteases and assess their potential for immunotherapeutic development.
Emily McKenzie- TA Rep
Emily McKenzie
Hello! My name is Emily (Em) McKenzie and I'm a PhD student in the Katzenback Lab. My research focuses on the effects of microplastics on the amphibian immune system and on their ability to combat viral disease. Outside of the lab I spend time crocheting, listening to audiobooks, and watching my cat knock all of my possessions off of tables.
As your TA rep, I am the initial point of contact when you have issues during your TA assignment. I aim to advocate for the fair treatment of graduate students when it comes to TA duties. Please don’t hesitate to email me for any issues/questions!
Yasmeen Alshehabi - GSA Rep
Yasmeen Alshehabi
Hello! My name is Yasmeen, and I am a PhD Candidate in the Martin (NeurdyPhagy) lab, where I study novel drug therapeutics and delivery systems in the context of ALS and Huntington disease. Outside the lab, I enjoy crafting, gardening, playing volleyball, and camping.
For 2026–2027, I am excited to advocate for biology graduate students by serving as a liaison with the department and faculty, fostering open dialogue and collaboration, and supporting initiatives that strengthen our community and enrich the graduate student experience. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or suggestions—I would love to hear from you! I look forward to seeing you at upcoming BGSA events.
Sanjana Kalra - Seminar Coordinator
Angelo Wong - Seminar Coordinator
Peter Albanese - Athletics Coordinator
Hannah Vujovic - Garden
Lauren DeLoyde - Sustainability
Mariam Abdulsayed - Social Convenor
Chenelle Caron-Godon - Social Convenor
Chenelle Caron-Godon
Hi! My name is Chenelle Caron-Godon, I am a PhD student in the Glerum Lab and will be one of the Social Convenors this year for the BGSA. My research combines techniques in cell biology and biochemistry to explore the structure-function relationship of mitochondrial proteins involved in the electron transport chain. When I am not troubleshooting an experiment in the lab, you can find me coaching workout classes at F45 or playing online euchre.
Su-Hyun Kwon - Social Convenor
Su-Hyun Kwon
Hi everyone! I’m Su, a MSc student in the Charles Lab. My research focuses on functional metagenomics discovering novel antimicrobial resistance genes in Agrobacterium pathogen using Wastewater DNA libraries. In my free time, I enjoy golfing and watching Netflix.
As one of the Social Convenors in BGSA, I look forward to support and advertise exciting graduate events on campus to expand the graduate students’ engagements and help connect new people!
Nicola Szadna - Social Convenor
Isabella Todd - Social Convenor
Sherry Azeez - EDI Rep
For more information, please contact us: uwbiologygsa@gmail.com.