Stephanie completed a Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Public Health and Health Systems after six years of supervision from Professor Susan Elliott. During her master’s degree (2011-2013) she explored individual meanings of health and illness in the realm of food allergies. For her doctorate (2013-2017) she evaluated non-governmental organizations who work in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) sector using gender-responsive and utilization-focused approaches.
While a graduate student Stephanie also co-founded Stand Up to Stigma—a student-led mental health initiative at the University of Waterloo. She credits her years as a GoHelP member for equipping her with the skills to be a lifelong learner and for allowing her to experience once in a lifetime opportunities abroad!
Upon completion of her doctorate, Stephanie was hired as a Research Associate with The Centre for Family Medicine’s Family Health Team in Kitchener. Following that position, she was hired as a Program Evaluation Specialist at the Windsor Essex County Health Unit.
Stephanie is now a Senior Research and Evaluation Associate with Homewood Research Institute (HRI), Stephanie’s role includes planning and executing a variety of research and evaluation projects related to mental health and addiction. She works directly with key stakeholders, including advisory groups, service providers, clinicians, and people with lived and living experience.