Dying on Our Own terms: Project team

Principal investigators

Sherry Dupuis, PhD

Professor Emerita, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo

Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance, Co-Director

Pia Kontos, PhD

Senior Scientist, KITE-Research Institute – University Health Network 

Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Project staff

  • Romeo Colobong, Project Coordinator; Senior Research Associate, KITE-Research Institute – University Health Network
  • Sian Lockwood, Knowledge Translation Specialist, Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance
  • Taylor Kurta, PhD Student Research Assistant, University of Waterloo
  • Rebekah Gold, PhD Student Research Assistant, University of Waterloo
  • Erica MacTavish, PhD Student Research Assistant, University of Waterloo
  • Erin Delaney, MA Student Research Assistant, University of Waterloo
  • Stephanie Steh, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, University of Waterloo
  • Alvina Chowdhury, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, University of Waterloo

Co-investigators

  • Christine Jonas-Simpson, PhD, Professor Emerita, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University
  • Elaine Wiersma, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences and Director of the Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health Lakehead University
  • Nisha Sutherland, RN, PhD, Associate Professor, Lakehead University, School of Nursing, Health & Behavioural Sciences
  • Kimberly Lopez, PhD, Assistant Professor, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo
  • Pamela Roach, PhD, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine
  • Lynden (Lindsay) Crowshoe, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine; Assistant Dean Indigenous Health; the University of Calgary (UC) Cumming School of Medicine (CSM)

Collaborators (Co-Researchers/Co-Producers)

  • Allie Serota, Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging 
  • Andrea Bridge, person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, Ontario
  • Ann Marie Wilson, Family Member
  • Bill Heibein, person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, Ontario  
  • Brenda Hounam (Person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer), Ontario
  • Catherine Schalk, CEO, St. Clair O’Connor Community
  • Charlotte Clarke, PhD, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Health, Durham University, UK    
  • Christiana Egi, Executive Director, Alexis Lodge, Toronto, Ontario
  • Debbie Keay, person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, Ontario 
  • Ginah Kim, Attending Physician, Palliative Care, Baycrest Health Sciences
  • Giulia Perri, Program Director, Medical, Palliative, Baycrest Health Sciences Centre 
  • Heather Cooke, Manager, Advocacy & Education, Alzheimer Society of B.C. & Yukon
  • Jessica Luh Kim, Principal at JLK Consulting and Coaching Services 
  • Joshua Black, Bereavement Initiative Manager, BC Centre for Palliative Care
  • Katia Engell, Director of Strategy and Innovation, The Bitove Method
  • Leah Steinberg, Palliative Care Consult Team, Mount Sinai Hospital and Assistant Professor, Division of Palliative Care Department of Family and Community Medicine University of Toronto  
  • Linda Grossman, Family Member 
  • Lynn Jackson, Person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, British Columbia 
  • Mabel Ho, Social Worker  
  • Marilyn Taylor, person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, Alberta
  • Mary Beth Wighton, person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, Ontario 
  • Michelle Janisse, Programs Manager, Provincial Programs & Clinical Operations, Alzheimer Society of Ontario 
  • Myrna Norman, person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, British Columbia 
  • Nina Okopiem, Research Lead, Alzheimer Society Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton
  • Phyllis Fehr, person living with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, Ontario
  • Rebekah Gold, Young Caregiver Council of Canada 
  • Roger Marple, person who lived with dementia co-researcher/co-producer, Alberta 
  • Sandra Britten, person living with dementia co-research/co-producer, Nova Scotia  
  • Sarah Wu, Strategic Lead in Research, Alzheimer Society of B.C. & Yukon 
  • Wan Xing (Crystal) Yang, Social Worker at Yee Hong Finch Centre