THE TEAM
Dr. Sepali Guruge is a Professor at the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing. Dr. Guruge obtained her education in Sri Lanka, the former Soviet Union, and Canada. She focused her doctoral dissertation in Nursing at the University of Toronto on the influence of gender, racial, social, and economic inequalities on the production of and responses to intimate male partner violence in the post-migration context. Her post-doctoral work at the University of Western Ontario examined the effects of intimate partner violence on women's health. Both her doctoral and post-doctoral studies were supported by Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowships. Dr. Guruge's nursing experience includes practice, teaching, research...[Read More]
Sepali Guruge, RN, PhD
Current Research Staff
Kerith Paul, MA
Research Project Manager
Kerith Paul obtained her M.A. in Immigration & Settlement Studies at Ryerson in 2009 and since then has worked for the YMCA of Greater Toronto in the Ontario-wide CSS Government-Assisted Refugee Program, coordinated the Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Project (RULSC), a private refugee sponsorship project, and most recently worked for the International Department at Trent University. Kerith received the Ryerson Julia Hanigsberg Make Your Mark Staff Award in 2016 for her work with the RULSC project.
Ernest Leung, BA(s)
Research Assistant
Ernest Leung is currently an undergraduate student in the English and the French Departments at the University of Toronto. His research interests surround feminist, socialist/Marxist, and (post-)colonial literatures and theories, particularly in the field of Asian world literature. He is interested in investigating ways in rocess of identity formation, resistance, and cultural change.
Vathsala Jayasuriya, MD, PhD
Research Assistant
Dr. Vathsala Jayasuriya is a Consultant Community Physician in Sri Lanka and a former Senior Lecturer in Community Medicine at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayawardene. Dr. Illesinghe has led/collaborated on a number of research projects focused on examining the prevalence, risk factors, and responses to inimate partner violence against women. She has received several awards/orations for her work in Sri Lanka. She served as the Chairperson of the Expert Committee on Women's Health at the Sri Lanka Medical Association, as a mentor of the South Asian Network to address Masculinities (SANAM) and has also worked with the WHO international network of Violence Against Women (VAW) researchers.
HeeJin Zhou, MSc
Research Assistant
HeeJin Zhou received a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Neuroscience from Queen’s University and has completed a Master of Health Science Education at McMaster University. She is a dedicated education researcher with a strong passion for promoting program accessibility in higher education. Her research interests include learner resilience, diversity and inclusion, and professional identity formation.
Parvathy Kanthasamy, PhD
Research Assistant
Dr. Parvathy Kathasamy has been involved in community-based research projects for over 30 years. She is an avid advocate for immigrants' and refugees' rights in Toronto. She is the Founder and current Director of Vasantham, A Tamil Wellness Centre that has been serving the Tamil community in the Greater Toronto Area for over 20 years. Dr. Kanthasamy has received numerous awards that honour her works. She obtained her PhD in Linguistics from Monash University, Australia.
Hasina Amanzai, MScN
Research Assistant
.jpg)
Hasina Amanzai is a lecturer at the Daphne Cockwell School of nursing and Yeates School of Graduate Studies Nurse Practitioner Program. Hasina has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ryerson University and a Master of Nursing -Nurse Practitioner degree with Global Health focus. She is currently practicing as an acute care (Emergency) and primary care nurse practitioner. Hasina’s research interests are in the areas of women's health, immigrant population, and well being of the elderly. She is currently working with Dr. Sepali Guruge as a research assistant and conducting research on social distancing among immigrant populations in the GTA within the context of Covid-19.
Sara Sadeghi, BSc(s)
Research Assistant
Sara Sadeghi is a Biomedical Science student at Ryerson University. Her research interests include health related topics such as palliative care, elder caregiver support, home care, and the needs of immigrants and newcomers. In the future, she wishes to pursue a medical degree and to explore more research topics.
Bruce Danesh, BHS(s)
Research Volunteer
Bruce Danesh is currently a Health Sciences undergraduate student majoring in Community and Population Health at University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). His research interests surround Immigrant and refugee health and working for community development is his career goal.
Previous Research Staff
Robert Ta Research Assistant 2020
Summer Weiga Chen Research Assistant 2020
Jamie Jiangrong Zhuang Research Assistant 2020
Grace Ting Research Assistant 2020
Sarah Humes Research Assistant 2020
Shahed Ghadban Research Assistant 2020
Truong Thanh Binh Nguyen Research Assistant 2020
Tenzin Kunsang Research Assistant 2020
Dianne Foran Research Assistant 2020
Christina Usanov Research Assistant 2020
Laura Collins Research Assistant 2020
Noah Wardak Research Assistant 2020
Mikael Wardak Research Assistant 2020
Simona Kolarova Research Assistant 2020
Seoan (Annie) Oh Research Assistant 2020
James Valenciano Research Assistant 2020
Manzu Man Ara Research Assistant 2020
Nirmalan Kaththalingam Research Assistant 2020
Mandeep Kaur Sharma Research Assistant 2018
Martha Cedeno Research Assistant 2018
Berenice Chavez Research Assistant 2018
Abinet Gebreegziabher Research Assistant 2018
Selasi Dorkenoo Research Assistant 2018
Deon Castello Research Assistant 2018
Stephanie Pietrantonio Research Assistant 2018
Daniela Maldonado Castaneda Research Assistant 2018
Abeer Omar Research Associate 2018
Christine Soobin Lee Research Assistant 2018
Kristina Hyunjee Lee Research Assistant 2018
Haya Umar Research Assistant 2018
Shine Jiyoun Chung Project Manager 2018
Matthew Maelzer Research Assistant 2018
Sen Wang Research Assistant 2018
Thuvaraka Rajaratnam Research Assistant 2018
Mairead Cavanagh Research Assistant 2018
Souhail Boutmira Research Assistant 2017-2020
Mia Hershkowitz Research Coordinator 2017-2019
Rajini Tarcicus Research Assistant 2017
Anupam Aery Research Assistant 2017
Parthiban Vadivelu Research Assistant 2017
Cajaani Velautham Research Assistant 2017
Ssad El Hakmi Research Assistant 2017-2019
Younglee Ha Research Assistant 2017
Radamis Zaky Research Assistant 2017
Cindy Ou Research Assistant 2017-2018
Carlos Enrique Pardo Research Assistant 2017
Guanglong Pang Research Assistant 2017
Paola Ortiz Research Assistant 2017
Ivy Li Research Assistant 2017-2018
Mari Kozak Research Assistant 2017-2018
Laura Hogarth Research Assistant 2017
Dayana Gonzalez Research Assistant 2017
Hector Goldar Perrote Research Assistant 2017
Lodi Awad Research Assistant 2017
Abir Al Jamal Research Assistant 2017
Catherine Maule Research Coordinator 2017-2018
Ahmad Kanji Research Assistant 2017
Nicole Jeffery Research Assistant 2016
Micheline Jackson Research Assistant 2016
Kristian Piraino Research Assistant 2016
Udit Bhandari Research Assistant 2016
Chantel Spade Research Assistant 2015
Laura Zahreddine Research Assistant 2015
Mary Wei Research Assistant 2015
Mainka Tandon Research Assistant 2015
Patricia Julian Research Assistant 2015
Sayani Paul Research Assistant 2015
Birpreet Saini Research Assistant 2014-2015
Maria Bernard Research Assistant 2014-2015
Melanie Selvadurai Research Assistant 2014-2015
William Moo Research Assistant 2014-2015
Sadaf Grace Seifi Research Assistant 2014-2015
Arthur Ze Yu Wang Research Coordinator 2014-2018
Melissa Giacomini Research Assistant 2014-2015
Sathiya Sivahurunathan Research Assistant 2014
Chee-Mei Chan Research Assistant 2014
Alexandra Machacek Research Assistant 2014
Hissan Butt Research Assistant 2013-2014
Shamette Hepburn Research Assistant 2013-2014
Valerie Molina Research Assistant 2013
Ferzana Chaze Research Assistant 2013
Mary Susan Thompson Project Manager 2011-2014
Nigel Kingwell Research Assistant 2011-2012
Jasmine Kwong Research Assistant 2011
Frederica Gomes Research Assistant 2011
Kimberly Bryce Research Assistant 2010-2011
Chula Madamage Research Assistant 2011