ECHO Research Team
Research Staff
Dr. Shannon Scott, Principal Investigator
I am a Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. I currently hold a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair for knowledge translation in child health.
My research program, translating Evidence in Child Health to enhance Outcomes (or ECHO), aims to improve the health outcomes of children in Alberta and Canada through application of the best research evidence, as well as exploring factors that shape research implementation. My research is in the field of knowledge translation (KT) — a field focused on decreasing the gap between what the best available evidence advises that clinicians do and what clinicians actually do in clinical practice.
I completed both a Bachelor of Nursing degree with distinction (1994), and a Master of Nursing degree at the University of Manitoba (1998). I completed a PhD (2006) in Nursing and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship (2008) at Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence (ARCHE) in the Department of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta, both funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR). I am the author of over 150 peer-reviewed papers and have given more than 300 presentations at international, national, and local meetings.
Little known fact: I almost did not go into nursing at all! But my desire to help sick children brought me to this profession and I am very passionate about nursing and nursing research.
Hannah Brooks, Research Manager
I am a public health practitioner working with ECHO as Research Manager. In this role I engage in research, financial management, website and social media management, and work with a variety of incredible stakeholders and research collaborators. I bring with me a background in childhood infectious diseases (MSc in Global Health) and basic sciences (BSc in Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology).
My research interests are centered around providing children and their families with relatable and easily understandable information to support their health decisions and help children thrive. Working with the team at ECHO Research and our collaborators, I feel very privileged to work with researchers, clinical experts, and parents to develop accessible resources that can help parents make informed decisions about their child’s health care needs.
Little known fact: I once had two turtles named Fluffy and Norbert.
Gwen Erdmann, Project Coordinator
I am a registered nurse, having completed both my Bachelor of Nursing degree (1983) and my Master of Nursing (2013) at the University of Alberta. I have over 20 years of experience in pediatric nursing and since 2011 my focus has been to improve the quality and safety of care for patients through medication safety measures. My Master’s studies focused on transformational practice, health technology innovation, health leadership, and healthy public policy planning. I am excited to be a part of the ECHO Research team as the team’s project coordinator and also to participate in the development of evidenced-based health resources for families.
Little known fact: If I hadn’t studied nursing, I wanted to be a musician. I still play the clarinet semi-seriously!
Una Mehrotra, Research Assistant
I graduated with a B.Sc in Psychology from the University of Alberta in Spring 2021 and I joined the ECHO program as a Research Assistant in the summer of 2021. I hope to translate the knowledge gained from this position into a career rooted in supporting the needs of younger individuals and their families by providing easily accessible, evidence-based care and offering personalized treatments that include the voices of patients in their design. I am happy to be working with such a warm and welcoming team of professionals who all share a passion for improving the lives of children with acute health conditions and their support systems.
Little known fact: I speak fluent Japanese and have lived in Tokyo twice.
Trainees
Elizabeth Cernigoy, RN, BScN, MN, PhD Student
I am a Registered Nurse who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Ottawa and a Master’s of Science in Nursing from Trinity Western University. My career journey has been primarily focused in Women’s and Children’s Health first at the Ottawa Hospital in Women’s Oncology then at BC Children’s Hospital and Alberta Children’s Hospital in Pediatric Oncology/Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant. Working with children and families is my true calling. I love bringing a smile to kids’ faces and helping them and their parents through health challenges and hospitalizations. Most recently I maintain my clinical practice working at Chinook Regional Hospital on the Pediatrics Unit. Currently, I am a nurse educator in the University of Lethbridge’s Nursing Education in Southern Alberta program and work from the Lethbridge College campus. The opportunity to work with undergraduate nursing students and inspire a passion for family nursing is a true privilege. I serve as the program’s Chair of the 1st and 2nd year of the Bachelor of Nursing Programs and work with inspiring future nurse leaders every day. I am a PhD student at the University of Alberta and a trainee with ECHO. I am excited to be working with such a dynamic team focused on Child Health. The focus of my dissertation work is exploring cultural adaptations of knowledge translation tools to address parent learning needs and improve child health outcomes. This blends my passion of education with child health and is an emerging need in the knowledge translation field.
Awards:
- UAH Class of September 1959 Teaching and Learning Graduate Award (2022)
- Alberta Innovates ECHO Trainee Conference Travel Award (2022)
- University of Alberta Nursing Research to Practice Award (2022)
- University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing Supplemental Funding in Recognition of ARNET Scholarship (2022)
- Alberta Registered Nurses Education Trust Chris Lambert Memorial Scholarship (2022)
- Dr Shirley Stinson Scholarship in Nursing History (2016)
Little known fact: I love taking my young children, dog, and husband on camping adventures and to parks around our neighbourhood.
Chentel Cunningham, RN, BScN, MN, NP, PhD Student
I am a pediatric nurse practitioner who graduated with my Masters of Nursing from the University of Alberta in 2011. My Master’s project involved the quantitative analysis identifying factors that shaped a pediatric gastroenteritis pathway. Since graduating, my clinical area of expertise involves pediatric heart failure and I have been involved in co-developing the first heart failure service and home inotrope program at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. My hopes in my doctoral studies are to advance nursing knowledge, mostly concentrating on the area of qualitative pediatric heart failure knowledge and pediatric advanced nursing practice.
Awards:
- Killiam Memorial Scholarship *honorary (2022)
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship (2022)
- University of Alberta Graduate Teaching Studentship Award (2022)
- Jannetta MacPhail Award (2021)
- Dorothy Kergin Award (2021)
- Academic Graduate Excellence Scholarship (2020)
- Nursing Research Endowment Award (2020)
- Dr Shirley Stinson Scholarship in Nursing History (2020)
- Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship (2020)
- WCHRI Graduate Studentship (2019)
- Alice Thomas Award in Nursing (2019)
- Ludmyla Zujewsky Memorial Scholarship (2019)
- Gary McPherson Scholarship (2019)
- Alberta Registered Nurses Educational Trust Academic Scholarship (2019)
Little known fact: I road bike and completed a 100 km race!
Tamara Dorfman, RN, BSc, BScN, NP, MN, PhD Student
I am a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who graduated from my Master of Nursing program in November 2012. My Master‘s thesis was a systemic review on instruments for scoring pain, non-pain related distress, analgesia, and sedation in pediatric mechanically ventilated patients and their efficacy and effectiveness in practice. Currently, I work as a Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric Cardiology at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. In September 2021, I started my PhD in Nursing with Dr. Scott as my supervisor. The focus of my graduate studies is on improving the psychosocial consequences experienced of children and adolescents living with congenital heart disease and their caregivers. I am grateful to be a member of the ECHO team and look forward to being involved in research that will improve the health outcomes of children and their families.
Awards:
- Shirley Stinson Scholarship in Nursing History (2022)
- WCHRI Graduate Studentship (2022)
- Karen Polowick Scholarship for Nursing Leadership (ARNET) (2022)
- University of Alberta Graduate Recruitment Scholarship (2021)
- Isobel Secord Graduate Scholarship (2021)
- South Edmonton Lioness Club Scholarship in Nursing (2021)
Little known fact: I play women’s hockey and am a huge Edmonton Oilers fan!
Meg Hayes, BScN (Hons) Student
I am currently in my 3rd year of the BSc in Nursing Honors and I have joined the ECHO team as part of my Honors program. I have always been passionate about working with children and hope to go into the pediatric field once I graduate. I hope to bring the experiences and knowledge I have learned in this role to my future practice. I am looking forward to playing a role in providing translations of knowledge and language in order to provide resources to these communities. I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to be a part of the ECHO research team that will provide evidence-based resources to better the lives of children and their families.
Little known fact: my full name is Megumi and my close friends and family call me Meg or Gumi.
Annie Mabbott, RN, BScN, MSc, PhD Student
I am a Registered Nurse with a Master of Science in Paediatrics and Child Health from University College London (2017) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alberta (2014). My clinical background is in the NICU at South Health Campus in Calgary, CICU at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, UK and as a nurse at a children’s sports camp in Maine, USA. My research experience started with an undergraduate summer studentship with ECHO; I have worked in various research roles at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, UCL Great Ormond Street Hospital Institute for Child Health, and for the National Health Service (NHS) in London. I am currently a Graduate Research Assistant pursuing a PhD in Nursing. I’m so excited to re-join the ECHO team and continue my work in improving child health through nursing research!
Awards:
- Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI) Graduate Studentship (2022)
- University of Alberta Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Recruitment Scholarship (2022)
- Roberta Jean and Don Fox Scholarship, University of Alberta (2013)
- Margaret Faulkner Memorial Scholarship, University of Alberta (2013)
- Faculty of Nursing Undergraduate Student Summer Research Award, University of Alberta (2013)
Little known fact: We have a baby boy, two cats and a Bernese mountain dog (our friends lovingly refer to our house as “the zoo”!)
Kathleen Shearer, RN, BScN, MN, PhD Student
I am a Registered Nurse and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing After Degree with Distinction from the University of Alberta in 2004. After graduation, I worked on the pediatric surgery unit at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, as well as in the pediatric scoliosis and head shape clinics. An early exposure to research work as a summer student fueled a passion to pursue a Master of Nursing (2011). Since that time I have worked with the Edmonton Interdisciplinary Scoliosis Research Group as a Research Nurse helping bridge the gap between research and practice. My work as a member of ECHO’s P-PAG (Pediatric Parent Advisory Group) formalized my interest in pursuing a PhD in Nursing. I look forward to increasing my knowledge around patient engagement and knowledge translation, looking specifically at Digital Storytelling as a novel KT tool.
Awards:
Isobel Secord Graduate Scholarship (2024)
University of Alberta Graduate Recruitment Scholarship (2024)
Little known fact: Once upon a time I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist (then a geologist, then a french math teacher). After an international experience in a hospital in Ecuador, I shifted my focus to nursing, and never looked back!
Kristin Zelyck, RN, BScN, MBioethics, PhD Student
I have been a registered nurse for over 20 years primarily in cardiology and intensive care settings. Initially, my clinical experiences ignited curiosity in ethical and moral issues in healthcare which led to completion of a master’s degree in Bioethics and Clinical Health Policy from Loyola University, Chicago. Currently I wear multiple hats as an assistant teaching professor with the Faculty of Nursing, casual nurse in CCU, and PhD student in Nursing at the University of Alberta. I identify as a settler scholar located on unsurrendered Treaty 6 lands and hope to ally with Indigenous Peoples in the work of decolonization and reconciliation.
Awards:
Indigenous Wellness Core (IWC) Graduate Studentship Award (2024)
Dr. Shirley Stinson Scholarship in Nursing History (2023)
ARNET Gayle Hissett Memorial Scholarship (2023)
Isobel Secord Graduate Scholarship (2022)
Little known fact: I have four children and am always trying to balance or give generously to my family while in school and working.
Former team members
We would like to acknowledge and thank our former ECHO staff and trainees for their engagement and contribution to our past and current research.
Although these former ECHO members no longer actively work with us, they contributed to our research and the development of our knowledge translation tools.
James Benoit, Postdoctoral Fellow
Claire Brideson, RN, BScN, NP
Maya Abdou, BScN(Hons)
Priscilla Appiah, BScN, MN
Aimee Gonzalez de Armas, BScN(Hons), MScN
Byunghoon (Tony) Ahn,BEd, MEd
Lauren Albrecht, BEd, MEd
Sarah Amsbaugh, RN, MN
Mandy Archibald, RN, BScN, PhD
Danielle Arseneau, BScN
Taylor Bailey, RN, MN
Arjun Bains, BScN(Hons)
Katherine Bannar-Martin, BSc, MSc, PhD
Kelli Buckreus, BA, MA(Ed), MLIS Student
Alyson Campbell, RN, BScN, PhD
Rebecca Campbell, BScN
Michelle Chan, PhD
Mikelle Djkowich, RN, BScN, MN
Lauren Dobson, BScN(Hons)
Joud Nour Eddin, BSc, MPH
Rachel Flynn, RN, BScN, PhD
Jane Fryer, RN, MN
Jadynn Gansauge, BScN(Hons)
Janice Gillis, RN, MN student
Kimberly Hodge, RN, BScN, MN, NP
Leigh Irvine, RN, MN
Lilly Lu, RN, MN
Rachel Joffe, BScN
Krystal Johnson, RN, MN
Mary Klute, BSc, MSc, BScN (after-degree)
Lisa Knisley, BN, MA, PhD
Shauna Langenberger, RN, MN
Anne Le, BSc, MSc
Dominique Lefebvre, BScN
Samantha Louie-Poon, RN, BScN, PhD
Leeann Lukenchuk, RN, MN
Danielle Lysak, RN, MN
Anna Mann, MEd
Jolene Medynski, RN, MN
Salima Meherali, RN, BScN, PhD
Ella Milne, BScN(Hons)
Deanna Joyce Neri, MA
Allison Norris, BA, BScN
Lilian Ohene, Postdoctoral Fellow, Queen Elizabeth Advanced Scholar
Deb Olmstead, RN, MN
Renee Paul, RN, MN
Annie Pentney, BScN
Tabatha Plesuk, RN, BScN, MLIS
Stephanie Powley-Unrau, BSc
Neelam Saleem Punjani, Postdoctoral Fellow
Kathy Reid, RN, MN
Misty Reis, NP
Ahmed Saeed, BScN(Hons)
Heather Sharpe, MN, PhD
Cindy Sun, BScN(Hons)
Hyelin Sung, BScN(Hons)
Alison Thompson, BN, MN, NP, PhD
Eugini Ann Tolentino, BScN
Brenda VandenBeld, RN, MN
Christina Vogel, RN, MN
Sarah Walton, BScN(Hons)
Tammy Wong, BScN(Hons)
Xuan Wu, BSc, MSc
Ziad Zahoui, BScN(Hons)
Amy Zhang, BScN(Hons)
Yihao Zhang, BASd
ECHO
The ECHO Research team is made up of researchers and trainees dedicated to improving health outcomes for children through knowledge translation research.
