I grew up in Ottawa, Ontario and then earned my B.S. in Psychology (Honours) from the University of Western Ontario before moving to Vancouver to pursue graduate studies in School Psychology. Although the milder climate is what initially drew me to Vancouver, it was the collaborative and social-ecological approach to child psychology that kept me out west. As a doctoral candidate in the School and Applied Child Psychology program, my clinical work focuses on using comprehensive assessments and therapy as tools for empowering vulnerable youth to see themselves as strong, capable, and resilient, and I am passionate about collaborating with parents and teachers to create environments that are caring, supportive and promote acceptance and appreciation of differences.
Under the supervision of Dr. Shelley Hymel, my research investigates individual and contextual factors that contribute to bullying and victimization, as well as, the prevention of mental health challenges and the promotion of well-being through social-emotional learning and school-based mental health. For my dissertation, I developed a series of two related studies, the first investigating how teachers interpret and respond to identity-based bullying, and the second exploring school factors that influence student reporting of identity-based bullying to school staff. The results of both will contribute to understanding how to create safe schools for all students.