Meet Team Giles

Ph.D Students
Tricia McGuire-Adams
Karen Lawford
Lauren Brooks-Cleator
Yvonne James

Master's Students
Michelle Bauer
Julia Frigault
Michelle Hope Rumford

Undergraduate Students
Breanna Phillipps
​Sebastien Denize
Amina Haggar
Allison Rich
Justina Marianayagam

Tricia McGuire-Adams
Tricia McGuire-Adams, an Anishinaabekwe and mother from Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek, is a CIHR-funded fourth year Ph.D. candidate in the Human Kinetics Program at the University of Ottawa.  She also received her Master of Arts Degree in Indigenous Governance from the University of Victoria. Tricia’s PhD research investigates if physical activity, specifically geared to gaining physical strength coupled with a direct challenging of one's internalized colonization, can be used to change the negative trajectory of urban Anishinaabe women’s physical health with the aim to provide a decolonial praxis. She is the former Director of the Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network Secretariat for the National Association of Friendship Centres and has worked with a variety of Aboriginal organizations in areas as such as community based research, community justice, post-secondary education, and women’s issues.    


Karen Lawford
Karen Lawford is an OGS-funded fourth year Ph.D. (c) at the Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies. Her primary research interests are federal health policy, invisible health policies, constitutional law, and jurisdictional incongruencies with respect to health care. Ms. Lawford is also a registered midwife (Ontario) and an Aboriginal Midwife (Lac Seul First Nation, Treaty 3). Karen is co-supervised by Dr. Ivy Bourgeault. 



Lauren Brooks-Cleator
Lauren Brooks-Cleator is a CIHR-funded third year Ph.D. candidate from Bracebridge, Ontario. She completed her undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science with specialization in Human Kinetics, at uOttawa in 2012. She completed her CIHR-funded Master's of Arts degree in Human Kinetics under the supervision of Dr. Giles and is really excited to be continuing her graduate work with Team Giles. Her doctoral research will involve examining  active aging and creating a culturally safe age-friendly community framework with urban Aboriginal seniors.



Yvonne James
Yvonne James is a second year Ph.D student in the institute of Feminist and Gender Studies. Yvonne holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies. In 2013 Yvonne was awarded her Master of Arts degree from the University of Ottawa. Her major research paper explored constructions of ‘bad’ mothers in academia. Since graduation, Yvonne has worked as a research associate at the Pan-Canadian Health Human Resources Network. In July 2014 Yvonne worked on a team that was awarded a CIHR planning grant. Yvonne’s Ph.D research stems from these funds, and will examine Canadian midwives’ capacity to deliver maternity care in the context of birth centres. Yvonne is co-supervised by Dr. Ivy Bourgeault.


Michelle Bauer
Michelle Bauer is a second year Master's of Arts student. She completed her BA with a specialization in psychology at Concordia University. Her research interests involve injury prevention in community based settings. Her MA thesis will examine perceptions of injury prevention for children from a same-sex (male) parent perspective. She is also hoping to address "risky play" and how that is viewed in this population. 



Julia Frigault
Julia Frigault is a second year Master's of Arts student. She recently received her honour's Bachelor with Specialization in Human Kinetics from the University of Ottawa. With interests in public health, health promotion, and injury prevention, her MA thesis will focus on critiquing current fall prevention interventions. Outside of her studies, Julia likes spending time with her family and friends; participating in recreational activities, such as volleyball, rugby, and swimming; travelling; and reading a good book.




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Michelle Hope Rumford 
Hope Rumford is a first-year Master of Arts student. She recently received her honour's Bachelor of Social Science with Majors in Anthropology and Aboriginal Studies (French Immersion) from the University of Ottawa. Her research interests and the focus of her MA research sport for development, Christianity and Indigenous peoples. Hope enjoys spending her time outdoors hiking, canoeing, camping, and skating on the canal; laughing with her three younger siblings; playing with animals and babies; and crocheting.




Breanna Phillipps
Breanna Phillipps is a fourth year student in the Bachelor of Human Kinetics French Immersion program. She is currently completing her fourth year research project supervised by Dr. Giles that is focused on creating a guideline for developing culturally safe interventions and programs. Breanna is further involved in the University through her position as a Faculty of Health Sciences student mentor and member of the varsity women’s rugby team.  She has a passion for health and sport, which she hopes to lead her into a rewarding career. The completion of a master’s degree in either public health or physiotherapy is a future aspiration for Breanna. At this point in time, she is excited to get involved in research and explore her academic interests.
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Sebastien Denize
Sebastien Denize is a fourth year student completing a Bsc. Specializing in Human Kinetics. He completed his UROP project in his 3rd year supervised by Audrey. He is currently completing his 4th year research project on the long-term impacts of working for the NWT Aquatics Program. After graduating he plans on completing a second major in psychology and applying to medical school to specialize in psychiatry. In his free time he loves to play basketball and watch practically any sport.



Amina Haggar
Amina Haggar is a fourth year student in the bachelor of science with specialization in Human Kinetics program. She is currently completing a fourth year research project under the supervision of Dr. Giles. Her research will explore sport for development programs in Australian and Canadian Aboriginal communities funded by mining, oil and gas companies. Some of her hobbies include photography, travelling, and spending time with her niece and nephew.



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Allison Rich
Allison Rich is a fourth year Health Science student. She is doing her honours thesis with Audrey on boating safety in the NWT. She is from Powassan Ontario. Aside from school, she is also a member of the Health Science Student Association and the uOttawa Quidditch team. In her free time, she can be found going to the gym, reading, watching movies, and going on hikes.




Justina Marianayagam
Justina Marianayagam is a third year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences French Immersion program. She is currently completing her UROP project under the supervision of Dr. Giles and will be focusing on the evaluation of Kids Don’t Float (KDF); an injury prevention program that was developed to address Alaska’s high child and youth drowning rate through education. Justina is a Loran Scholar and has a strong background in health promotion through her work at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and an NGO in Coimbatore, India. She is from Yellowknife, NWT and aspires to return up North to work within the healthcare field.