Kind regards, 
Tamil Kendall, PhD
Director, Partnership for Women's Health Research Canada

Spotlight on Maternal Mental Health: Don’t Miss PWHR’s First 2025-2026 Seminar

Join us for the first seminar in the 2025–2026 PWHR Research Seminar Series: Infant-Related Harm Thoughts: Why They Matter and How to Manage Them.

This series will feature recipients of the 2025 Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award, including:

• Dr. Nichole Fairbrother, Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI)
  A Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia and registered psychologist, Dr. Fairbrother leads the UBC Perinatal Anxiety Disorders Research Lab, one of the only labs in Canada focused on perinatal anxiety. Her research also addresses the highly stigmatized and misunderstood area of intrusive thoughts, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and infant safety. Her work is transforming how we screen, understand, and support perinatal mental health.
  

• Samantha Buchsdruecker, Indigenous Mental Health Advocate
  Samantha is a mixed-race Indigenous mother from Big River First Nation and a descendant of residential school and Sixties Scoop survivors. Drawing from her lived experience, she advocates for culturally safe, trauma-informed care and works to improve access to mental health, maternal health, and community resources for Indigenous families.

EVENT DETAILS: 

• Time: October 30, 2025
• Date:
  9:00-10:00 AM PT
  10:00-11:00 AM MT
  12:00-1:00 PM ET
  1:00-2:00 PM AT
• Location: Online via Zoom 

Shaping the Future of Women’s Health Research: Join PWHR’s Special Event with Dr. David Phipps 

EVENT DETAILS: 

• Time: November 13, 2025
• Date:
  9:00-10:30 AM PT
  10:00-11:30 AM MT
  12:00-1:30 PM ET
  1:00-2:30 PM AT
• Location: Online via Zoom 

Reclaiming Birth as Ceremony: Indigenous Midwifery in Alberta 

We’re excited to continue the 2025–2026 PWHR Research Seminar Series, featuring recipients of the 2025 Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award.

This second seminar, Reclaiming Birth as Ceremony: Indigenous Midwifery in Alberta, will feature:

• Dr. Stephanie Montesanti, Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI)
  A Professor and Canada Research Chair in Health System Integration at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health, Dr. Montesanti is internationally recognized for her leadership in equity-focused health systems research. Her work centers Indigenous and rural communities and builds partnerships that co-design community-based health policies and services. Through the CARE Lab, she is advancing a bold, equity-centered vision for health system transformation.
  
  
• Maddie Amyotte, Registered Midwife and Lactation Consultant 
  Maddie Amyotte is a Métis Registered Midwife and Lactation Consultant living in Nistawâyâw (Fort McMurray). Her path to midwifery began after a career as a Registered Nurse. Maddie worked in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, as well as Public Health prior to completing a master’s degree in Nursing with a Midwifery Specialty from Frontier Nursing University. Maddie is also the Executive Health Director with Ihkapaskwa Collective, and an Auntie with the Aunties Within Reach program.
  

EVENT DETAILS:

• Time: November 26, 2025
• Date:
  9:00-10:00 AM PT
  10:00-11:00 AM MT
  12:00-1:00 PM ET
  1:00-2:00 PM AT
• Location: Online via Zoom 

Upcoming Virtual Mentoring Sessions – Calling all Trainees! 

Join us for an inspiring afternoon of guidance and insights from leading researchers and strategic thinkers in women’s health and social impact.

Finding Meaning on the Tenure Track: Developing an Action-Oriented Research Program on Gender-Based Violence
Dr. Alexa Yakubovich, a social epidemiologist and tenure-track Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University, leads a mixed-methods research program exploring the causes and prevention of violence against women and gender-based violence more broadly. As an Affiliate Scientist with Nova Scotia Health and the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, and a Research Fellow at the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research, Dr. Yakubovich engages in multi-sector research that informs policy and service design across Canada and internationally.

PhD to Social Impact: Building a Career Beyond Academia
Dr. Victoria Gay, PhD in environmental science, brings over two decades of experience working at the intersection of research, strategy, and organizational change. She helps organizations in health, housing, justice, social services, social finance, and environmental sustainability maximize impact, advance advocacy, and drive innovation. With a longstanding commitment to advancing gender equity, Dr. Gay now works as a strategic consultant, translating her expertise in women’s health research and organizational strategy into meaningful social impact.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear practical advice and insights from leaders navigating academia, research, and social impact careers.

EVENT DETAILS: 

• Date: October 20, 2025
• Time:
  9:00-10:00 AM PT
  10:00-11:00 AM MT
  12:00-1:00 PM ET
  1:00-2:00 PM AT
• Location: Online via Zoom