Our Team
Researchers / Clinician-researchers
Dawn Stacey, RN, PhD, FCAHS, FRSC, FAAN, FCAN
Co-Scientific Director
Co-Scientific Director
Krystina B. Lewis, RN, MN, PhD, CCN(C)
Co-Scientific Director
Co-Scientific Director
Graduate Students / Post-doctoral Fellows
Joanne Jeanne Armah, MN, PhD(c)
Joanne is a PhD candidate in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa, School of Nursing. Her PhD research supervisor is Dr. Krystina Lewis and she has an interest in the area of developing strategies for effective shared decision-making in the integrated management of Brain-Heart conditions. Joanne comes with valuable experience in clinical leadership and management, clinical education, and cardiac/critical care nursing.
Joanne is a PhD candidate in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa, School of Nursing. Her PhD research supervisor is Dr. Krystina Lewis and she has an interest in the area of developing strategies for effective shared decision-making in the integrated management of Brain-Heart conditions. Joanne comes with valuable experience in clinical leadership and management, clinical education, and cardiac/critical care nursing.
Aramide Badejoh, BScN
Aramide is a Masters student in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Krystina Lewis. Her Master’s thesis is focused on exploring the patients’ perspective of an integrated brain-heart clinic for patients with combined brain and heart conditions, including their degree of involvement in decision-making.
Aramide is a Masters student in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Krystina Lewis. Her Master’s thesis is focused on exploring the patients’ perspective of an integrated brain-heart clinic for patients with combined brain and heart conditions, including their degree of involvement in decision-making.
Grace Bowry, RN, BScN
Grace is a Masters student in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her Master’s thesis is focused on patient experiences receiving cancer symptom management triage and self-management support from nurses.
Grace is a Masters student in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her Master’s thesis is focused on patient experiences receiving cancer symptom management triage and self-management support from nurses.
Semhal Gessese, RN, BScN, MScN, PhD student
Semhal is a PhD student at the University of Ottawa’s School of Nursing, supervised by Dr. Krystina Lewis. Her Masters thesis with the Ottawa Patient Decision Aids group was focused on the decisional needs of African, Caribbean, and Black populations diagnosed with brain-heart conditions. Her doctoral research focuses on co-developing equitable and culturally tailored decision support interventions with and for African, Caribbean, and Black populations diagnosed with brain-heart conditions. In addition to her academic pursuits, Semhal works clinically as a Registered Nurse in the Cardiac Surgery Unit at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
Semhal is a PhD student at the University of Ottawa’s School of Nursing, supervised by Dr. Krystina Lewis. Her Masters thesis with the Ottawa Patient Decision Aids group was focused on the decisional needs of African, Caribbean, and Black populations diagnosed with brain-heart conditions. Her doctoral research focuses on co-developing equitable and culturally tailored decision support interventions with and for African, Caribbean, and Black populations diagnosed with brain-heart conditions. In addition to her academic pursuits, Semhal works clinically as a Registered Nurse in the Cardiac Surgery Unit at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
Sandhya Goge, RN, MScN
Sandhya is a doctoral student at the School of Nursing, University of Ottawa, under the supervision of Dr. Dawn Stacey. In her current role as a diabetes nurse educator at the Foustanellas Endocrine and Diabetes Centre of The Ottawa Hospital, Sandhya provides self-management support to people living with complex diabetes care needs. Her research interests include diabetes technologies, type 1 diabetes, and shared decision making.
Sandhya is a doctoral student at the School of Nursing, University of Ottawa, under the supervision of Dr. Dawn Stacey. In her current role as a diabetes nurse educator at the Foustanellas Endocrine and Diabetes Centre of The Ottawa Hospital, Sandhya provides self-management support to people living with complex diabetes care needs. Her research interests include diabetes technologies, type 1 diabetes, and shared decision making.
Meghan Masztalar, RN, BScN
Meghan is a graduate student in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Krystina Lewis. Her Master’s thesis is focused on the consideration of cognition in patients with severe aortic stenosis facing treatment decisions.
Meghan is a graduate student in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Krystina Lewis. Her Master’s thesis is focused on the consideration of cognition in patients with severe aortic stenosis facing treatment decisions.
Patient / Consumer Partners
Rosalyn M. Blackett
Rosalyn is a person living with lived experience, and a patient partner with the Ottawa Patient Decision Aids Group and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Following a visit to one of the mobile heart clinics, she was diagnosed with a heart valve condition. Her interests have evolved immensely after being involved with many patient partner projects. The brain-heart and diabetes-heart conditions are of most interest to her. It's a holistic approach to wellness that keeps her involved in this capacity.
Rosalyn is a person living with lived experience, and a patient partner with the Ottawa Patient Decision Aids Group and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Following a visit to one of the mobile heart clinics, she was diagnosed with a heart valve condition. Her interests have evolved immensely after being involved with many patient partner projects. The brain-heart and diabetes-heart conditions are of most interest to her. It's a holistic approach to wellness that keeps her involved in this capacity.
Janet Gunderson
I am a consumer/partner. I enjoy taking part on research teams, commenting on documents, and contributing to scientific articles about patient decision aids and related topics.
I am a consumer/partner. I enjoy taking part on research teams, commenting on documents, and contributing to scientific articles about patient decision aids and related topics.
Gloria Higdon
Gloria Higdon, caregiver partner with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, has co-authored two peer reviewed articles and participated in presentations offering a caregiver voice.
Gloria Higdon, caregiver partner with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, has co-authored two peer reviewed articles and participated in presentations offering a caregiver voice.
Ann-Marie Julien
Ann-Marie is a person with lived and living experience of a heart / brain condition. She works with both the UOHI clinical and research teams providing real life insight and practical ideas to improve patient care. She believes in the power of knowledge and engagement to build strong positive outcomes.
Ann-Marie is a person with lived and living experience of a heart / brain condition. She works with both the UOHI clinical and research teams providing real life insight and practical ideas to improve patient care. She believes in the power of knowledge and engagement to build strong positive outcomes.
Maureen Smith
Maureen Smith has a rare disease diagnosed in childhood. For over 20 years, she has been a patient advocate and a patient partner in research projects, including 2 systematic reviews (patient decision aids, decision coaching) and co-producing a patient decision aid. She uses patient decision aids for herself and as a caregiver.
Maureen Smith has a rare disease diagnosed in childhood. For over 20 years, she has been a patient advocate and a patient partner in research projects, including 2 systematic reviews (patient decision aids, decision coaching) and co-producing a patient decision aid. She uses patient decision aids for herself and as a caregiver.
Alumni
Laura Boland, MSc, SLP-C
Laura is trained as a Speech-Language Pathologist and has worked in a variety of clinical settings in Ontario and Nova Scotia. She also worked as a Research Associate for Family Decision Services at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Laura completed her PhD in Population Health at the University of Ottawa with Dawn Stacey as her supervisor, Laura's research examined implementation of shared decision making in pediatric practice.
Laura is trained as a Speech-Language Pathologist and has worked in a variety of clinical settings in Ontario and Nova Scotia. She also worked as a Research Associate for Family Decision Services at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Laura completed her PhD in Population Health at the University of Ottawa with Dawn Stacey as her supervisor, Laura's research examined implementation of shared decision making in pediatric practice.
Sandra Dunn, RN, PhD
Sandy earned her PhD in Nursing at the University of Ottawa with a focus on knowledge translation and shared decision making. She holds an academic appointments as Adjunct Professor, at the University of Ottawa.
Sandy earned her PhD in Nursing at the University of Ottawa with a focus on knowledge translation and shared decision making. She holds an academic appointments as Adjunct Professor, at the University of Ottawa.
Simone Kienlin, RN, MSc, PhD
Simone completed her PhD at the Arctic University of North Norway supervised by Prof. Jürgen Kasper, Dr. Kari Nytrøen and Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her doctoral work focused on the development and evaluation of a framework for training health professionals in shared decision making "Ready for SDM". She is an Advisor for Shared decision making at The South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, developing, evaluating and implementing Patient Decision Aids and other measures to facilitate SDM.
Simone completed her PhD at the Arctic University of North Norway supervised by Prof. Jürgen Kasper, Dr. Kari Nytrøen and Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her doctoral work focused on the development and evaluation of a framework for training health professionals in shared decision making "Ready for SDM". She is an Advisor for Shared decision making at The South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, developing, evaluating and implementing Patient Decision Aids and other measures to facilitate SDM.
Claire Ludwig, RN, PhD(c)
Claire completed her PhD at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her doctoral work focused on engagement of patients who are frail and serious illness as part of research teams. Her other research interests examine how patients and nurses negotiate the process of triage and self-management in cancer symptom management. Claire is a senior health care leader involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of large-scale programs aimed at improving patient and caregiver outcomes.
Claire completed her PhD at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her doctoral work focused on engagement of patients who are frail and serious illness as part of research teams. Her other research interests examine how patients and nurses negotiate the process of triage and self-management in cancer symptom management. Claire is a senior health care leader involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of large-scale programs aimed at improving patient and caregiver outcomes.
Qian Zhang, PhD
Qian completed her PhD at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her research interests include the development and implementation of patient decisions and decision coaching in clinical practice.
Qian completed her PhD at the University of Ottawa supervised by Dr. Dawn Stacey. Her research interests include the development and implementation of patient decisions and decision coaching in clinical practice.
Last modified: 2025-08-20.
