People at GAHPS
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Dr. Jacqueline Gahagan - Director Dr. Gahagan is the Director of the GAHPS Unit and a Professor of Health Promotion in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University. She holds cross appointments in Community Health and Epidemiology and International Development Studies. She has worked for over two decades in HIV prevention in various contexts and is a well-regarded scholar with expertise in gender and health, health promotion, and measurement/evaluation. Dr. Gahagan also serves as a Policy Advisory to the Federal Minister of Health on HIV/AIDS. |
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Matthew Numer - Affiliate Researcher Matt holds a Lecturer faculty appointment in the School of Health and Human Performance in the Faculty of Health Professions at Dalhousie University. He is also a PhD candidate in the Interdisciplinary program at Dalhousie and research interest include masculinities and gay men’s sexual health with a specific emphasis on health promotion and policy development aimed at HIV prevention. Other activities include volunteering as Chair of the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project (NSRAP) and as a board member of the Halifax Sexual Health Centre. |
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Dr. Brenda Merritt - Affiliate Researcher Dr. Merritt is an Assistant Professor in the Dalhousie School of Occupational Therapy and currently holds cross appointments in Nursing and International Development Studies. Brenda’s key research interest includes investigating how key determinants of health, injury, and/or chronic health conditions impact a person’s ability to participate in chosen and necessary daily life activities. Some of her activities include serving on the Adsum for Women and Children Board of Directors and volunteering for WOW! – Women on Water. |
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Dr. Clemon George - Affiliate Researcher A social epidemiologist and CIHR New Investigator in the area of HIV at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa), Canada. His area of interest is youth sexual health, HIV and other STIs affecting youth, gay men and other at risk populations and community engaged scholarship. |
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Emily Murray - Research Associate Emily recently completed a masters degree in health promotion and works as a research associate/coordinator in pediatric hematology/oncology at the IWK Health Centre. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Scotia Chapter. Her current research interests focus on cancer survivorship in children and young adults, sexual health and health promotion. |
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Josée Lapalme - Research Assistant Josée is a health promotion graduate student in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University. Her research interests focus mainly on women's health and poverty-related health issues. She is currently studying how young women from low-income neighbourhoods perceive their emotional health. |
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Susan McWilliam - Research Assistant Sue is currently working towards an Interdisciplinary PhD from Dalhousie University where she is studying the impact of HIV prevention policies on women who inject drugs in Nova Scotia. Sue's previous work has focused on women living with HIV, women's HIV risk and the evaluation of harm reduction interventions. |
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Michelle Poirier - Research Assistant Michelle Poirier from Twillingate, Newfoundland. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, moved to Halifax and began work with a local biotechnology company as a Regulatory Affairs Associate. After 5 years, she decided to return to school to study Health Promotion. Michelle enjoys sailing, music, and working with youth. |
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Kathleen Hare - Research Assistant Kathleen is a graduate student working towards her MA in Health Promotion. Before starting her studies with the School of Health and Human Performance, she completed her BA in Sociology at the University of Victoria. Her current research interests include adolescent sexual health and sources of sexual health education. |
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Dr. Nathaniel Lewis - CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Lewis is a CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow working with Dr. Gahagan in the GAHPS Unit at Dalhousie. Recently graduated with a PhD from Queen’s University in Geography, his dissertation work focused on gay men’s migration decisions across the life course, and their implications for coming out, health, and well-being. His current research focuses on the connections between constructions of masculinity, health-seeking and sexual behaviours, and HIV risk and prevention in Nova Scotia. Dr. Lewis’ work can be found in Health & Place, Gender, Place & Culture, and Social & Cultural Geography. |
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Eric Ross - Research Assistant Eric is a working towards his M. Ed. in Counselling at Acadia University. He completed his B.Sc. in Music Therapy at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH). His research interests include the interaction of gender, self-esteem and resilience; and the use of a creative arts approach to mindfulness-based psychotherapy. |
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Jane Gavin-Hebert - Research Assistant Jane is an MA Candidate in Women's Studies. Prior to returning to Halifax to complete her Honors degree in Women's Studies (2005), she worked at Youthlink Innercity (1998-2002), a harm reduction agency for street youth in Toronto. She recently organized the Trust Women Project focused on reproductive justice. Jane is also employed with the YWCA and Avalon Sexual Assault Centre. |
