Canada

Bloorview Research Institute

gillian
Gillian King, BA (Honours), MA, PhD
Lead Investigator
Discipline: Social Psychology

Gillian’s research interests include psychosocial aspects of childhood disability and enhancing service delivery. She holds a Canada Research Chair in Optimal Care for Children with Disabilities and is a Distinguished Senior Scientist in the Bloorview Research Institute.
virginia
Virginia Wright, BSc (PT), MSc, PhD
Co-lnvestigator
Discipline: Physical Therapy

Virginia’s research interests include development and validation of outcome measures, and intervention effectiveness in pediatric rehabilitation. She is a Senior Scientist in the Bloorview Research Institute.
ResearchGate
heidi

Heidi Schwellnus, BSc, BHSc (OT), MSc, PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.)
Co-Investigator
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Heidi’s research interests include investigating strengths-based, solution-focused coaching as a method for increased engagement in clinical teaching and mentoring, and rehabilitation. She is a Collaborative Practice Leader for professional groups including Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy, at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
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Diane Savage, MSW, RSW
Knowledge User
Discipline: Social Work

Diane is the Vice-President, Experience and Transformation at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
LinkedIn
carolyn
Carolyn Mcdougall, MHSc (Health Administration), OT Reg. (Ont.)
Knowledge User
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

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Madhu Pinto, BSc (Honours), MASP
Research Coordinator
Discipline: Applied Social Psychology

Madhu is a Research Coordinator in the Bloorview Research Institute. In addition to this project, she coordinates studies looking at clinical listening skills in pediatric rehabilitation and the impact of a new online client portal at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

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Laura Thompson, BA (Honours), MScOT, OT Reg. (Ont.)
Research Clinician
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Laura is a Team Lead and Occupational Therapist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. She currently works on the Transitions Team, and has a range of experience in a variety of other inpatient, outpatient, and community programs at Holland Bloorview. Laura is a Lecturer (status appointment) in the Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto.


Michelle Phoenix, PhD, SLP, Reg. CASLPO
Scientist
Discipline: Speech Language Pathology

Michelle’s research interests include parent’s attendance, participation, and engagement in children’s developmental rehabilitation services. Michelle is an assistant professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. She is a CanChild Scientist and Adjunct Scientist at the Bloorview Research Institute.
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Eric Smart, MScOT, PhD (Student), OT Reg. (Ont.)
Research Trainee/PhD Doctoral Student
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Eric’s research interests include initiation and maintenance of parental engagement in children’s therapy programs over time. Eric is a PhD Student in the Department of Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto.
LinkedIn
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Jan Magee
Parent of a client and Family Leader, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Jan is a mother of a son with Cerebral Palsy. She is a member of the Holland Bloorview Family Advisory Committee and has participated on many committees as a family advisor. Both she and her son have participated in many studies since he was 2 years old. She is currently involved in the Transitions Strategy initiative at Holland Bloorview.
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Emily Chan
Client and Family Leader, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Disciplines: Psychology and Health Policy

Emily is a second-year student at the University of Toronto currently majoring in Mental Health Studies and Health Policy.  Emily is a current patient and a former inpatient (for 6 years) of Holland Bloorview, and is an active volunteer at Holland Bloorview as a youth leader, an ambassador, and as a member of the Youth Advisory Council.

Kate Einarson, PhD
Knowledge Translation Specialist
Disciplines: Child Development, Knowledge Translation

Kate has expertise in knowledge translation (KT) and evidence-informed behavior change strategies. Her research interests include the effects of environment on children’s skill acquisition, prosocial behaviour, and mental health. She is a Knowledge Translation Specialist in the Bloorview Research Institute.

Matthew McLarnon, MSc, PhD
Co-Investigator
Disciplines: General Management and Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Quantitative Research Methods

Matt’s Ph.D. research combined an exploration into how resilience operates in response to challenging experiences with the application of advanced statistical methodologies like structural equation models and mixture models. His research helps to offer an understanding of the components of resilience that can be developed to help restore well-being.
ResearchGate | LinkedIn

United States

lisa
Lisa A. Chiarello, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Co-Investigator
Discipline: Physical Therapy

Lisa’s research interests include family-centred care and participation of children. Lisa is the Director of the DHSC Program and a Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Drexel University.
Reema Shubaily, MS, PhD (Student), PT
Research Trainee/PhD Doctoral Student
Discipline: Physical Therapy

Reema’s research interests include family-centered care, how to engage parents in the rehabilitation process and the factors that facilitate or hinder parents’ engagement. Reema is a PhD student in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences at Drexel University.

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Roger Ideishi, JD, OT/L, FAOTA
Co-Investigator
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Roger is the Director of Occupational Therapy and Professor of Health, Human Function, and Rehabilitation Sciences at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

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Deborah Gaebler-Spira, BSc, MD
Collaborator
Disciplines: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Deborah is the Director of the Cerebral Palsy Program at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
ResearchGate

Patrick Sung, BS, MS
Research Associate
Discipline: Physical Rehabilitation Medicine

Patrick is a Clinical Research Associate at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. He manages multiple industry sponsored and PI initiated projects in physical rehabilitation medicine.

Australia

queensland

jenny
Jenny Ziviani, BA, MEd, PhD, BAppSc (OT)
Co-Investigator
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Jenny’s research interests include determining intervention effectiveness for children with developmental disabilities, motivation for change, and how service providers can evaluate outcomes in pediatric rehabilitation. She is Emeritus Professor of Occupational Therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Queensland.

jodie

Jodie Copley, BOccThy (Hons), PhD
Co-Investigator
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Jodie’s research interests include clinical reasoning and decision-making of occupational therapists working with children. She is Senior Lecturer and Clinical Education Program Director within the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Queensland.
rachel
Rachel D’Arrigo, BOccThy (Hons 1), PhD
Research Trainee
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Rachel completed her PhD at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Queensland in 2019. Her research explored child and parent engagement in occupational therapy in Brisbane, Australia. She currently works as an occupational therapist clinician at Montrose Therapy and Respite Services.

Laura Desha, BOccThy (Hons 1), PhD
Senior Research Technician
Discipline: Occupational Therapy

Laura is a Senior Research Technician within the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, at The University of Queensland, and a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine at Bond University.