The Oversight Board is made up of representatives from the U of A, AHS, SCHF and AWHF. The board ensures that WCHRI meets the highest standard of good governance, including accountability and transparency and delivers quality, innovative research. The board provides strategic direction and is responsible for making sure that legal and regulatory requirements are met, approving the annual budget and monitoring WCHRI’s overall performance.

Oversight Board members

Brenda HemmelgarnDean, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, U of A (Chair)
Verna Yiu
(Greta Cummings, Designate)
Provost & Vice-President Academic, U of A
Aminah Robinson Fayek
(Jason Acker, Designate)
Vice President, Research & Innovation, U of A
Sarah ForgieChair, Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, U of A
Jane SchulzChair, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, U of A
Lawrence RicherVice Dean, Research (Clinical), Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, U of A
Shanthi JohnsonDean, School of Public Health, U of A
Braden Manns
(Marc Leduc, Designate)
Vice President, Provincial Clinical Excellence, AHS
Christine WesterlundSenior Operating Officer, Stollery Children’s Hospital, AHS
Janie ClinkSenior Operating Officer, Royal Alexandra Hospital, AHS
Mike House
(Katherine Sweet, Designate)
President & CEO, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation
Delphine BrookerBoard of Trustees representative, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation
Sharlene RutherfordPresident & CEO, Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation
Dianne BalonBoard of Directors representative, Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation
Ex -officio (non-voting members)
Sandra DavidgeInstitute Executive Director
Todd AlexanderInstitute Associate Director
Updated April 2023

The Scientific Advisory Committee is made up of internationally renowned research leaders. The committee provides an external viewpoint and advises WCHRI on a number of topics relevant to institute structure and strategy—research themes, operations, mentorship, leadership, evaluation, etc. The committee also offers WCHRI a mechanism to build national and international collaborations with other like-minded institutes and networks.

Scientific Advisory Committee members

Stephanie A. Atkinson, PhD, DSc (honoris causa), FCAHS, FASN

  • Professor, Department of Pediatrics
  • Associate Member, Department Biochemistry & Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
  • Special Professional Staff, McMaster Children’s Hospital

Paul Franks, PhD

  • Professor, Genetic Epidemiology, Lund University
  • Head of the Department of Translational Medicine and Scientific Director, Medical Science, Novo Nordisk Foundation
  • Adjunct Professor, Harvard School of Public Health

Annette Majnemer, OT, PhD, FCAHS

  • Vice Dean, Education, Faculty of Medicine
  • Professor, School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University
  • Director, CHILD-BRIGHT Network

Patrick McGrath, OC, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS

  • Professor, Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University
  • Former Vice President Research, Innovation and Knowledge Translation for the IWK Health Centre and the Nova Scotia Health Authority

Charles Nelson, PhD

  • Director of Research, Developmental Medicine Center, Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
  • Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
  • Richard David Scott Chair in Pediatric Developmental Medicine Research, Boston Children’s Hospital

Paula Rochon, MD, MPH, FCAHS

  • VP Research, Women’s College Hospital (WCH)
  • Professor, Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto
  • RTO/ERO Chair in Geriatric Medicine

The Program Advisory Committee is made up of U of A cross-faculty representatives. The committee represents member interests and advises WCHRI’s executive director on programs and operations, which includes:

  • providing guidance on the development, prioritization and alignment of WCHRI programs and services;
  • assisting in the determination of performance indicators and reviewing actual performance against those indicators;
  • assisting in the dissemination of key WCHRI outcomes and results; and,
  • providing guidance on operational and business issues, especially issues that would compromise the success of WCHRI.

Theme leads are appointed within the Program Advisory Committee by the executive director. Their role is to provide more focused attention towards:

  • developing a community of member researchers within each theme area;
  • identifying opportunities to better support theme areas through existing programs and operations; and,
  • assisting with ongoing strategic planning by developing goals and objectives that will support theme area development.

Program Advisory Committee members

Todd AlexanderAssociate Director, WCHRI
Rhonda BellProfessor, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences
WCHRI theme lead for pregnancy and developmental trajectories
Amit BhavsarAssociate Professor, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
Sandra DavidgeExecutive Director, WCHRI
Matt HicksAssociate Professor, Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
Stephanie MontesantiAssociate Professor, School of Public Health
Colleen NorrisCavarzan Chair in Mature Women’s Health
Jacqueline PeiAssociate Professor, Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education
Lesley PritchardAssistant Professor, Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
Alexa ThompsonPhD student, Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
Lonnie ZwaigenbaumProfessor, Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
Updated March 2023

The WCHRI Trainee Advisory Committee is composed of in-training members representing the following areas:

  • member faculties/departments;
  • research theme (child, maternal, women);
  • levels/types of training (graduate, postdoctoral, residency).

The Trainee Advisory Committee is aimed at engaging in-training members in WCHRI programs and activities. The Trainee Advisory Committee reports to the Program Advisory Committee and is responsible for the following areas:

  • representing in-training member interests in WCHRI;
  • providing feedback and suggestions to improve WCHRI programs and trainee engagement;
  • providing career, mentorship and skill-building opportunities and resources;
  • advising on WCHRI Research Day workshops, topics and format;
  • other topics as determined by the committee and approved by Program Advisory Committee.

Trainee Advisory Committee members

MemberSupervisorPositionWCHRI ThemeDepartment/Faculty
Cornelson, Shannon Undergraduate studentWomenNative Studies
Joly, Vannesa Jacqueline PeiPhD studentChildEducation Psychology
Gill, JasmineSophia PinMedical  studentWomenObstetrics & Gynecology
Giovannoni, Marina Sophia PinMedical studentWomenObstetrics & Gynecology
Martens, Matthew Jason DyckPostdoctoral fellowChildPediatrics
Mathias, Holly Elaine HyshkaPhD candidateWomenSchool of Public Health
McWeeny, Robert Yifeng WeiMasters studentChildPsychiatry
Misaghi, Ehsan (delegate chair)Andrew WaskiewiczMD/PhD candidateChild, PregnancyScience
Olukotun, Mary Bukola SalamiPhD candidateChildNursing
Patel, Vaishvi Sue RossMedical studentWomenObstetrics & Gynecology
Persad, Kaya Gary LopschukMasters studentChildPediatrics
Rubio Atonal, FernandoMaria IoannouPhD candidateChildPhysiology
Sawchuk, TaylorPeter MetcalfeMedical studentChildSurgery
Thompson, Alexa (chair)Carmen CharltonPhD candidatePregnancyLaboratory Medicine & Pathology
Tichenor, ErinTim BarlottMasters studentWomenRehabilitation Medicine
Tiernan, KeattonKate StoreyMasters studentChildSchool of Public Health
Watson, AdrianneAnastassia Voronova  PhD candidateChildMedical Genetics
WCHRI Senior StaffTanya VothWCHRI

Updated February 2023