Nitya Adepalli

Youth assessor & sleep study facilitator

I am a Master's student with a BSc in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour from McMaster University. I moved to Halifax last year to work with FORBOW studying genetic markers of mental illness. I really enjoy learning about how to predict mental illness.
 
In my free time, I love hiking, reading, volunteering, and doing yoga. I've explored lots of places all over Nova Scotia in the last year and I can't wait to see more!

Anna Nazarova

Youth assessor & Brain imaging facilitator

In 2018 I graduated cum laude from Leiden University in the Netherlands with my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. 
My original interest was in understanding the behaviour of children and seeking ways to help with their best psychological development. However, during the course of my studies I discovered the captivating yet complex nature of the brain. I shortly understood that my greatest research passion lies in the field of neuroscience and the developing brain. Thankfully, FORBOW has given me the opportunity to follow my path surrounded by a lovely team full of professional expertise and many amazing families!

During my spare time, I enjoy exploring this city as well as its surrounding nature, going to the gym, and working on a variety of creative projects.

Max Wang

Youth assessor

I graduated from The University of British Columbia in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, after initially majoring in Political Science. During my undergrad at UBC, I was a Research Assistant at the Social Cognition and Emotion lab, where I contributed to research looking at the effect of social signaling on promoting social interaction amongst strangers. After moving back home to Nova Scotia following graduation, I was a volunteer at the Couples and Sexual Health Lab at Dalhousie University, providing assistance to research on Sexual Interest and Arousal Disorder (SIAD). Before landing at FORBOW, I also worked as a summer camp counselor and worked on affordable housing projects around Halifax. As a Youth Assessor at FORBOW, it is an absolute pleasure building connections with such a diverse range of families and collaborating with our wonderfully talented team.
 
In my free time, I enjoy listening to emo music, watching Jeopardy, belting showtunes, gaming, and consuming all things gastronomical. I also play a variety of recreational sports, and am a huge fan of the Toronto Raptors, New England Patriots, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Amy Lowery

YOUTH ASSESSOR

Briana Ross

YOUTH ASSESSOR

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology from Dalhousie University in 2021. I first became involved with FORBOW as an honours student studying social cognition in the offspring of parents with and without severe mental illness. I have always been interested in how we can promote development and mental wellbeing in children/youth. Joining the FORBOW team as a youth assessor has given me the opportunity to learn and develop clinically relevant skills to support my long term goals of working in child/youth health care.
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In my free time I enjoy creative activities such as music, painting, and other types of art. I also enjoy staying active, going to parks with my dogs, and taking care of my plants.

Antonya Hall

YOUTH ASSESSOR

Dara Liu

YOUTH ASSESSOR

Before joining FORBOW, I graduated in 2020 from McGill University with a BSc in Psychology. During my undergraduate degree, I was a research assistant with a lab studying truth/lie-telling behaviours and eyewitness testimony in children. I also completed a thesis on the treatment of eating disorders. I am excited to be working with such a wonderful team and I look forward to meeting young people and their families as a youth assessor!

Swasti Arora

youth assessor

I completed my BA in Psychology in 2015 at Dalhousie University, where I went on to work as the Lab Manager for an Attention and Cognitive Neuroscience lab. Our research involved the optimization of attention testing measures and understanding how social and clinical variables can influence attention. I feel strongly about helping students reach their full potential and have worked in several teaching roles at Dalhousie, as well as on research projects focusing on survey design and psychometric improvements to student feedback. Outside of academia, I have experience working with non-profits in applied roles with diverse populations. I currently serve as the Editorial Assistant for the journal Experimental Psychology.
 My research interests include better understanding cross-cultural factors that influence mental health, and how we can better support diverse communities. I am excited to be part of FORBOW to work towards these goals and learn from a fantastic team!

In my spare time, I enjoy playing board games, D&D, going camping and hiking, singing, and spending time with my family, friends, and many pets.

Laura Eisner

YOUTH ASSESSOR

Megan Neil

PARENT ASSESSOR

​Jill Cumby​

research manager

As a mental health nurse, I am interested in learning how we may help youth who are at risk of developing a mental illness.

When I was a teenager, my career plan was to help youth in many ways. I wanted to work as a high school teacher and guidance counsellor. I did teach for a while, before going into mental health nursing. I completed my undergraduate nursing degree from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. I then returned to my home province of Newfoundland to complete my master’s in nursing at Memorial University. I have worked as a mental health nurse in Halifax since 2000. Outside of work, I love to sing, practice yoga, do aquafit, as well as spend time with family and friends.

Alisha Griffin

Pictou county COORDINATOR 

Alisha is the Research Coordinator for the FORBOW project and based out of the New Glasgow office. Alisha’s role includes intake of potential FORBOW participants and follow up with FORBOW participants throughout the duration of their participation in the program.

Nicole Stinson

TIDE PROJECT COORDINATOR 

I graduated from McGill University in 2019, where I studied Biology and Linguistics. During my undergrad, I worked in a lab manipulating DNA fragments in support of a study investigating evolutionary rescue. Prior to joining FORBOW, I taught science and robotics in middle schools, then worked in clinical research for a radiation-oncology unit in Montreal.
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I’m now the research coordinator for the TIDE project, an offshoot of FORBOW aiming to establish indicators for differential success in initial treatment plans for youth diagnosed with depression. I’m excited to work on a study dedicated to improving mental health through effective treatment. In my free time, I like biking around Halifax, going down Wikipedia rabbit holes, and spending time with friends.

Kathryn Freeman

GRADUATE STUDENT

I graduated from McGill University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology and Biotechnology. During my undergraduate degree I was a research assistant with the Gan-Or Lab located in the Montreal Neurological Institute where I validated genome-wide association study variants in REM sleep behaviour disorder and GBA-associated Parkinson’s disease. Upon graduation I achieved a place on the Dean’s Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research List for my diverse interests in research at McGill.

​My passion in both sleep and genetic research led me to FORBOW for graduate studies in my home province of Nova Scotia. I am ecstatic to pursue research that could materially improve patients’ lives. My research aims to identify sleep characteristics, physical activity levels and genetic variants which increase the developmental risk for severe mental illness. 
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When not working I also enjoy exploring the outdoors, cooking and staying active with my friends and family. I grew up as a competitive athlete in both alpine and water skiing which I also continue to enjoy on weekends

Zachary Hubshman

GRADUATE STUDENT

Daniel Murage

data Analyst

I am a Master's student with a BSc in Cognitive Neuroscience from Brown University. During my undergraduate studies, I worked at Butler Hospital as a research assistant, where I conducted behavioural research on depression, bipolar disorder and psychosis. My passion for mental health research has led me to FORBOW, where I am keen on pursuing research at the intersection of speech and imaging.
 
In my free time, I love reading, listening to music, and swimming. I've mostly seen the beauty of Nova Scotia on social media, so I am looking forward to exploring it in real life. 

Jason d'Eon

DATA ANALYST

Mayank Ramchandani

data Analyst

I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Neuroscience and Computer Science from Dalhousie University in 2024, and have been working at FORBOW since. I am extremely passionate about mental health including prevention of adverse outcomes. I work on multiple projects, mostly around data analysis, including actigraphy-watch analysis (effect of energy-activity rhythms and seasons on mood), fMRI and Machine Learning, meta-analyses, and outreach (social media and marketing) for the TIDE project.
 
I am very interested in brain imaging, including EEG, and love to play sports, listen to music, meet new people, spend time in nature and practice spirituality and mindfulness in my free time.

Starla Phillips

Research Assistant

I am an undergraduate student studying neuroscience and biochemistry at Dalhousie University. I am working as a research assistant and completing an honours research project with FORBOW. I am very interested in youth mental health, especially the role of genetics in diagnosis and treatment.
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In my free time I enjoy hiking, reading, and taking care of my (too many) plants.

Abigail Ross

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Sara Najafi Alishah

Research Assistant

I am an International Medical Graduate with a deep interest in neuroscience and psychiatry, particularly in the prevention of mental illness. My research mostly has focused on youth mental health and well-being, with an emphasis on early intervention and prevention strategies.
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In my spare time, I enjoy playing the Santoor, a traditional musical instrument, and immersing myself in nature, embracing the beauty of the outdoors.

Barbara Pavlova

investigator

I am a clinical psychologist, cognitive-behavioural therapist and researcher. I want to find out why some people develop anxiety disorders and whether we can prevent it. I am testing a new way of helping parents not to pass anxiety on to their children. I am also interested in the interplay between mood and anxiety. I am looking at whether effectively treating anxiety reduces the risk of depression and other problems.

Rudolf Uher​

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

I am a psychiatrist and a researcher. I believe that we should do research that really matters and improves lives.

I came to Nova Scotia to take the opportunity offered by the Canada Research Chair Program. In my work here, I am studying how to help young people develop mental well-being and avoid mental illness. This work builds on my earlier training in medicine and psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital in London, UK, and in Prague, in the Czech Republic. In my earlier training, I noticed that adults with mental illness often experience only limited improvement, even with the best available treatment. I often wondered if we could make a bigger difference by working with people when they are younger, when the brain and body are developing.

With my colleagues in Halifax, London, Boston, and elsewhere, I am studying whether we can predict what treatment works best for whom. I am grateful that as a researcher I can help advance knowledge and as a clinician I can put in into practice. When I am not working, I enjoy hiking, observing wildlife, and taking photographs.
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