Meet Team Giles

Ph.D. Students
Umerdad Khudadad
Laura Martin
Britta Peterson
Talia Ritondo

Master's Students
Sofia Pantano
Meredith Wing

Undergraduate Students
Stay tuned!

Umerdad Khudadad
Umerdad is a third-year PhD student in Human Kinetics. He completed an undergraduate degree in Nursing and a MSc in Health Policy and Management from the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, where he lived as a refugee from his homeland of Afghanistan. He was awarded the competitive National Institute of Health Fogarty International Collaborative Trauma and Injury Research Training (ICTIRT) fellowship to complete his MSc training. His doctoral research is co-supervised by Dr. Giles and Dr. Ian Pike of UBC. Through his research, he examines the intersections of deprivation and home injuries. Umerdad enjoys playing football and working out. His research is funded by a MITACS grant and an Ontario Graduate Student scholarship.

Britta Peterson
A third-year PhD student, Britta has lived and played across Canada, from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Central Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Her formal education has targeted all things recreation and leisure, while her research is focused on Indigenous Peoples' and newcomers' experiences of inclusion belonging (or lack thereof) at pump tracks. In her leisure time, she is passionate about exploring nature by canoe and bike, drinking lattes, and challenging social and systemic inequities. Britta received the 2023 Marion Miller Award from the Canadian Congress for Leisure Research for the most outstanding paper authored by a Canadian graduate student. She is funded through a doctoral SSHRC scholarship.

Talia Ritondo
Talia is a third-year, SSHRC-funded PhD student in Human Kinetics. She is co-supervised by Dr. Francine Darroch in the Department of Health Science at Carleton University. Her research is contributing to Dr. Darroch (PI) and Dr. Giles' (Co-I) SSHRC-funded research on elite athletics and pregnancy. She is examining the nexus of pregnancy, safe sport, and human rights. Talia completed her Master of Arts in Recreation and Leisure Studies at Brock University. Her thesis critically examined postnatal women’s community team sport participation. During the year between her MA and PhD, she was Brock’s Gender & Sexual Violence Education Coordinator. For her leisure, Talia plays competitive beach volleyball and enjoys weightlifting, baking, video games, and board games. Talia received the 2022 Marion Miller Award from the Canadian Congress for Leisure Research for the most outstanding paper authored by a Canadian graduate student.

Laura Martin
Laura is a sixth-year PhD Student in Human Kinetics. She completed her Master of Arts in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Neuroscience and Mental Health at Carleton University. Laura’s doctoral research is co-supervised by Dr. Martin Camiré. Through her research she explores a pilot mentoring program, which paired student-athletes and community youth, with critical attention to its broader implications towards addressing inequities. In her leisure time, Laura enjoys the gym, studio, and outdoors; family, friends, and her dog; and travel.

Sofia Pantano
Sofia is a second-year Master of Arts at the School of Human Kinetics. She completed her Bachelor of Commerce, Honours, in Management at Carleton University where she continued to grow her love for the water. Sofia took on leadership roles with Ravens Artistic Swimming and Ravens Women's Waterpolo. Sofia is passionate about aquatic safety and drowning prevention, especially in marginalized groups. Throughout her Master's thesis, she is examining lifeguard retention among members of equity-owed communities. Sofia continues to engage with her athletic and aquatic passion by playing Gee-Gees Water Polo and hopes to promote aquatic safety in different realms and environments. She is funded through a SSHRC master's scholarship.

Meredith Wing
Meredith is a second-year master student under the co-supervision of Dr. Audrey Giles (University of Ottawa) and Dr. Nancy Spencer (University of Alberta). Meredith graduated from Queen’s University with a BSc in Kinesiology and a Certificate in Disability and Physical Activity. She fostered her passion for disability advocacy and health promotion throughout her time as a student trainer in the Revved Up accessible gym and as an undergraduate researcher. While at Queen’s, Meredith also spent time exploring their love of music and philosophy, hosting a weekly radio show on CFRC 101.9. Meredith contributes her unique perspective as a disabled person. They are examining the inclusion (or lack thereof) of disability at Indigenous multi-sport events. In her free time, Meredith enjoys reading about anything and everything and has recently begun skateboarding (so she needs all the tips and tricks she can get)!