Editors

Sally Abudiab

Sally is a second-year Master’s student at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. Her decision to pursue a Master’s degree at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute was motivated by wanting to advance research and improve outcomes for those living with a neurotrauma injury. She holds an Honours Specialist degree (H. BSc) in Mental Health Studies from the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus and takes on an interdisciplinary approach to clinical research. Currently, Sally’s research aim is to shed light on our understanding of the relationship between recovery of executive functioning and long-term outcomes in moderate-severe brain injuries.

One of her greatest passions is pursuing health equity. She believes that the pursuit of health equity starts when conscious effort is made around how people can access information. She joins rehabINK to contribute to the translation of knowledge to improve patient care. She strongly believes that information should be accessible, particularly in the areas of chronic condition management and integration of post-acute health and social services.

Ivona Berger

Ivona is a first year medical student at the University of Toronto. She also completed her Master’s at the University of Toronto in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, and is a graduate of the BHSc program at McMaster University. Throughout her academic career, Ivona has developed an interest for many aspects of rehabilitation science. For instance, she has been involved in a variety of concussion, autism, and cancer research. She hopes to continue helping others by contributing to this field of knowledge and through her future endeavours in the medical field.

As a member of rehabINK, Ivona wants to engage others in the diverse field of rehabilitation science, empower students to share their ideas, and make this knowledge more accessible to everyone. She is looking forward to developing her own skills, and working with the rest of the team toward achieving these goals.

Insiya Bhalloo

A graduate from the University of Toronto’s Psycholinguistics Specialist program (Honours, B.A in Psycholinguistics, Specialist and Minor in Psychology, 2018), Insiya is especially interested in developing culturally and linguistically-relevant speech-language and literacy assessment and therapy tools. Conversant in multiple languages (including Urdu, Swahili, Gujrati and Farsi), Insiya is passionate about contributing to the research field of multi-literacy research – one of the many reasons why she enjoys her work as an MSc student at the Bilingual and Multilingual Development Lab. Her MSc project focuses on the precursors of literacy development in bilingual children, internationally and in Canada. Insiya is developing an age-appropriate Urdu phonological awareness (i.e. awareness of spoken sound segments, such as the ‘k’ sound in the word ‘crow’) screening tool and reading test; developing such tools will facilitate early detection and intervention of reading difficulties in bilingual Canadian children.

A first year Speech-Language Pathology research MSc student, Insiya is particularly passionate about research dissemination and developing researcher-clinician alliances through effective research communication skills – two goals which led her to joining the rehabINK editorial team.

Adora Chui

Adora is a PhD Student in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. After training in basic science (University of British Columbia) and clinical science (McMaster University), she explored her way into a research career and is focused on knowledge creation and translation. She sees rehabINK as a fun platform to communicate rehabilitation science creatively and enjoys the process of writing, editing, and leading within the rehabINK team.

A registered occupational therapist, Adora cares about issues surrounding dis/ability and in/justice. This perspective has led her to question how well included people with depression are in rehabilitation research. Her doctoral work therefore examines how Canadian brain injury rehabilitation guidelines can be made more applicable for adults with traumatic brain injury who are also depressed. Along with rehabINK’s dedicated and talented members, Adora loves that we can share our research and bring the stories of rehabilitation science to life.

Stephanie Cimino

Stephanie R. Cimino is a second year PhD student in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. Prior to starting her PhD, she received her Bachelor of Applied Science in Kinesiology and her Master of Science degree in Biomechanics. After working in various positions as a research analyst both with the Sunnybrook Research Institute and University of Toronto, she discovered a passion for conducting research in individuals with limb loss. She is particularly interested in how this population conceptualizes their quality of life and long-term community outcomes. This newly found passion lead to her dissertation topic, which will involve working to develope a patient-reported outcome measure on quality of life for people with lower limb loss.

Stephanie joined rehabINK in October 2019. She was first drawn to the student-led publication to learn more about translating scientific research, which is often targeted to others in the research community, for the general public. She is excited to be apart of this multidisciplinary team, and to help make rehabilitation sciences more accessible for everyone!

Lucas Crosby

Lucas’ graduate studies began as a Master’s student at the University of Western Ontario. He went on to complete his thesis on a proof-of-concept intervention using mirror therapy for post-stroke lower extremity rehabilitation. He joined the Mobility Team at Toronto Rehab Institute as a Research Assistant in the summer of 2015 while transitioning into the doctoral program in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto in September 2015.

His research interests include post-stroke gait spatiotemporal analysis and interventions to improve gait and lower-extremity function following stroke. For his doctoral work, Lucas will be studying how an individual perceives the way they walk, and investigate the relationship between gait asymmetry and rhythm perception and production in healthy adults and following stroke.

Lucas joined rehabINK as a Junior Editor in 2017 to further develop skills in writing, editing, and project collaboration. He has since transitioned into the role of Website Editor and is looking forward to new rehabINK endeavours in 2019. He is excited to be involved in this initiative to bring fellow student’s research to the greater rehabilitation sciences community at large.

Nithin Jacob

Nithin is a first year Master’s student at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute with a collaborative specialization in neuroscience at the University of Toronto. After completing his Honours BSc in Kinesiology at McMaster University, he decided to pursue his passion for exercise research under Dr. Robin Green.

His thesis explores how combined cognitive and aerobic training improves brain health in older adults. He hopes that this project will guide the use of similar interventions in brain injury populations.

Nithin is thrilled to be part of rehabINK, a platform carrying the stories and knowledge of rehabilitation researchers to the public without intimidating scientific language. He is looking forward to honing his writing, editing, and collaboration skills while working with a talented and creative team.

Bismah Khalid

Bismah Khalid is a 2nd-year student completing a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto as well.

Bismah’s current interests are in bridging her lifelong passions for art and science. Currently, she is focused on exploring student mental health and arts-based initiatives, such as narrative writing, poetry, and music. She hopes to pursue her role as an occupational therapist in mental health with students and young adults.

Joining the rehabINK team means being able to work alongside individuals who are passionate about exploring and translating important topics in rehabilitation. Bismah believes that this team provides her with valuable opportunities to refine her own skills as an editor while contributing to the growing accessible literature in rehabilitation sciences.

Jacqueline Nestico

Jackie is a first-year Master’s student at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. She received her BA in Kinesiology and Physical Education from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2018. She also studied abroad for a semester at Keele University in England, taking primarily psychology courses, while travelling around Europe! After volunteering in multiple balance and movement labs during her undergrad, Jackie became interested in pursuing a master’s in that field, which led her to RSI! Jackie’s master’s research focuses on mobility and balance while walking in challenging environments. She hopes that her research can eventually help inform gait rehabilitation in clinical populations.

Jackie is an active member of the RSI community, participating on several committees. She enjoys being involved as it allows her to stay connected with multiple groups of peers while also contributing the RSI student’s experiences. She joined rehabINK as a way to refine her own writing and editing skills, and as a way to learn about various topics related to rehabilitation sciences. Jackie is excited to explore and collaborate on future issues with the rehabINK team.

Katerina Parrott-Mautner

Katerina is a first year Masters of Physical Therapy Student at the University of Toronto. She previously graduated from York University with an honours bachelor degree in Psychology. Katerina has experience volunteering in rehabilitation with individuals with dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and Huntington’s Chorea. She is looking forward to learning more about the world of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation. Katerina is excited to work with the talented rehabINK team by contributing her knowledge of clear language and also by working on her own editing skills!

Stephanie Posa

Stephanie is Msc student at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at UofT. She graduated from UofT with a HBSc in Psychology and Art History.

Stephanie’s research interests centre on a desire to fuse health research with arts-based methods. For her thesis, she is exploring how paediatric cancer survivors describe their identity and sense of self through drawings and interviews, as they attend a recreational camp for children with cancer.

Stephanie is super excited to be an editor at rehabINK! She is looking forward to collaborating with fellow editors to promote rehabINK‘s interdisciplinary fusion of science, research and creative expression to a diverse audience!

Julia Rybkina

Julia is a second year Master’s student and a junior editor/podcast lead at rehabINK! She has a keen interest in clinical research, having been in neuroscience, psychology and oncology laboratories both in Canada and abroad, she is particularly interested in studying cognitive impairments as a result of various neurological diseases.

Her current project focuses on investigating the feasibility and efficacy of a remotely administered memory intervention for individuals living with chronic moderate-severe Traumatic Brain Injury or Multiple Sclerosis. In her spare time she enjoys reading and listening to podcasts which is what brought her to rehabINK. Julia really cares about helping to make research findings in rehabilitation more accessible to the general public, whether it be through educational, easily digestible articles of engaging podcast discussions.

Stephanie Saunders

Stephanie is a first year MScPT/PhD dual degree student at McMaster University in Rehabilitation Sciences, where her PhD work will examine fall risk in community dwelling older adults. She completed her Master’s in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa and previously worked as a Kinesiologist after completing a Kinesiology and Political Science degree. Prior to starting her dual-degree program, Stephanie worked as a Research Coordinator in Palliative Care at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care.

Her past research experience has looked at physical activity behaviours in adults with cancer, creative practices for improving quality of life in cancer survivors, experiences of transitioning between settings in palliative care patients, and a cross-organization communication tool for individuals with serious illness.

Having worked in both clinical and research settings, Stephanie has come to recognize the importance of physical movement and is passionate about promoting evidence-based, lifelong, activity to maintain independent and meaningful lifestyles. It was for this reason she joined RehabINK! Stephanie is excited to work with a wide range of interdisciplinary collaborators and immerse herself in rehab sciences, while gaining experience promoting research in an accessible way.

Josh Shore

Josh is an MSc student in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute and the collaborative program in neuroscience at the University of Toronto. He graduated from Queen’s University with a BSc. (Honours) Subject of Specialization in Kinesiology in 2019.

As a registered kinesiologist, Josh is passionate about using physical exercise as a rehabilitation strategy. Josh’s thesis research explores the use of an online platform for delivering exercise-based active rehabilitation programs for youth with concussion across the province. He hopes that this project will help increase accessibility to high-quality concussion rehabilitation services across Ontario and beyond.

Josh has always been interested in writing and editing, and he is excited to further refine these skills at rehabINK. Josh believes in the importance of making research interesting and accessible for the public, and he looks forward to working with the team at rehabINK to engage a diverse audience with exciting stories of advances in the field of rehabilitation science.

Mikaela Stiver

Mikaela is a fourth year Ph.D. candidate in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto. She obtained her B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of Guelph in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Drawn to her undergraduate roots in anatomy, Mikaela is pursuing her doctoral training with Dr. Anne Agur—a leader in the field of musculoskeletal research. Mikaela’s current research aims to characterize and quantify the 3D architecture of the trapezius muscle and correlate structural findings with patterns that have been reported in myofascial pain syndrome.

Beyond research, Mikaela is deeply passionate about education, teaching, and scientific communication. She served for two years as a site coordinator for the University of Toronto (St. George) chapter of Let’s Talk Science—a national, charitable organization that aims to inspire and engage youth through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach. Mikaela is eager to explore her role on the rehabINK editorial team as an opportunity to promote knowledge translation and engagement within rehabilitation research.

Alexandra Thompson

Alexandra is a first year PhD student at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. She also completed her Honours Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Psychology as well as her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto. Under the co-supervision of Dr. Emily Nalder and Dr. Deirdre Dawson, her doctoral research will explore the emerging use of mobile health technology in acquired brain injury rehabilitation. Alexandra first joined rehabINK as an author during her master’s degree, where she developed a passion for scientific storytelling. Now as a registered occupational therapist and PhD student, Alexandra is especially interested in sharing rehabilitation science research in a way that is clinically relevant, accessible and engaging. She is thrilled to have the chance to work with the talented and creative rehabINK team and collaborators!

Abby Vijayakumar

Abby is a Master’s student at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. She graduated from the University of Toronto with an HBSc in Life Science.

Abby’s research interests include employment for youth and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, inclusion in the workplace, and coping in relation to employment. For her thesis, she is exploring how youth and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder cope with stress and anxiety in competitive employment.

Abby is really excited to be an editor at rehabINK! She joined rehabINK to refine her own writing and editing skills and to learn more about various topics in the rehabilitation field. She is looking forward to working with fellow editors on the rehabINK team!

Christina Ziebart

Tina Ziebart is a registered kinesiologist and certified exercise physiologist, studying to become a physical therapist. She graduated her undergraduate and master’s from the University of Waterloo in Kinesiology. She is currently working on her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences at Western University.

In research, Tina has published several studies on exercise and posture in people with osteoporosis. She will continue her research in her PhD, gaining a better understanding of patient’s expectations related to exercise, and through a randomized controlled trial on the effects of exercise, nutrition and falls prevention for fracture prevention.

Tina joined rehabINK to be part of an amazing team working to disseminate rehabilitation knowledge. rehabINK provides a really nice platform to collaborate with other rehab-researchers that are like-minded, but can still provide a unique perspective to other aspects of rehabilitation.