KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTE - Key Persons
Ahnika is a life-long resident of Treaty #3, a program supervisor with the provincial government and mom to one human and one dog. She has lived experience supporting her sisters with navigating the child and youth mental health system in a rural and remote context. Ahnika is dedicated to advocating for access for young people in Northern Ontario and promoting equitable opportunities. She is vice-president of the Kenora Rainy-River Districts Child and Family Services Board and president of her wrestling club.
Job Titles:
- Senior Administrative Assistant
Job Titles:
- Director of Research
- Director, Research and Knowledge Mobilization
Amy Porath (PhD) is the director of research and knowledge mobilization at the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions (the Knowledge Institute).
Amy holds a PhD in psychology and is an alumna of both the University of Ottawa and Carleton. She has more than 22 years of experience conducting and leading substance use research and knowledge mobilization activities. An internationally recognized subject matter expert, her savvy has been sought out by the Government of Canada, parliamentary committees and the World Health Organization. Amy is also a peer reviewer for several journals and a longtime member of the editorial board for the Canadian Journal of Addiction.
Amy leads the Knowledge Institute's efforts to identify and respond to the knowledge needs of the child and youth mental health and addictions sector and others who shape policy and practice in this area. This includes advancing and mobilizing knowledge through applied research initiatives, evidence resources and quality standards.
Job Titles:
- Quality Improvement Consultant
Job Titles:
- Manager, Planning and Performance
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Damion Nurse is a cake artist, owner of the award-winning Toronto-based bakery, Cinnabean cakes and former executive producer of the Canadian television series, ‘da Kink in my Hair. As the father of a teenage son who has experienced mental health challenges since early childhood, Damion has been closely connected with many mental health agencies and has previously served on several advisory committees devoted to child and youth mental health.
Job Titles:
- Operations and Performance Measurement Specialist
Job Titles:
- Quality Improvement Specialist
Job Titles:
- Senior Administrative Assistant
Job Titles:
- Quality Improvement Specialist
Job Titles:
- Implementation Consultant
Kelly-Lynn Musico is a physiotherapist, yoga teacher and mom to three young adults. Along with her lived experience as a family member in the child and youth mental health sector, Kelly-Lynn brings extensive experience in the hospital, home care, school and private sectors and a long track record as a dedicated volunteer. She currently contributes her voice to a national mental health research project and several family advisory councils at both the local and provincial levels.
Job Titles:
- Quality Improvement Consultant ( on Leave )
Kristy is a young caregiver and a knowledge equity specialist with Frayme. She holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in social inequities in health. Kristy is passionate about knowledge mobilization and believes that community engagement is key to creating sustainable programs and services. She advocates for young people and caregivers to be key stakeholders in youth mental health system transformation. Based near Muskoka, Kristy is an avid hiker, skier and yogi. She's often found with her sidekick, Moose the dog.
Job Titles:
- Quality Improvement Consultant
Leslie Kulperger has more than 20 years of experience in research, evaluation and management systems. She personally experienced significant gaps in mental health services while trying to access appropriate supports for her 11-year-old son at school and in the community. After he died by suicide in 2018, Leslie founded Myles Ahead in his memory, with the goal of leveraging her professional skills to create meaningful and measurable changes in the mental health and education sectors across Canada.
Louise Murray-Leung is the family engagement lead at the Lynwood Charlton Centre. With a passion born of lived experience caring for loved ones with mental health challenges, Louise has played an important role in amplifying the family voice in child and youth mental health in Ontario. Notably, she was part of the advisory group that helped develop the quality standard for family engagement. She is also a volunteer peer leader with her local chapter of Parents for Children's Mental Health.
Job Titles:
- Senior Child and Youth Mental Health Clinician - Scientist
Job Titles:
- Director of Special Projects and Operations
Melissa Jennings (she/her) is the director of special projects and operations at the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions (the Knowledge Institute).
Melissa holds a master's degree in child studies and a bachelor's degree in psychology. Early in her career, she was involved in a range of program evaluation and community-based research initiatives in the areas of school-age childcare, early years, social-emotional learning, violence against women and programming for seniors. Melissa joined the Knowledge Institute's leadership team in 2012 and has led the evaluation support program, the knowledge broker team and most recently key internal planning- and performance-related activities.
Melissa oversees the Knowledge Institute's operations.
Job Titles:
- Family Engagement Specialist
Job Titles:
- Manager, Knowledge Mobilization
Purnima Sundar (PhD) is the executive director at the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions (the Knowledge Institute).
With almost 25 years of experience doing community-based, participatory action research, evaluation, implementation and knowledge mobilization in the areas of child and youth mental health and race and equity, Purnima sets the vision and strategy for the Knowledge Institute. She was educated in the fields of psychology and social work, with a focus on community development and social planning. Purnima is also adjunct research professor in the School of Social Work at Carleton University.
Since joining the Knowledge Institute in 2008, she has worked with government partners across ministries, as well as agency leaders, young people and families throughout the province to ensure high quality, evidence-based mental health and addictions services for Ontario's children and young people.
Job Titles:
- Implementation Consultant
Sarah is a single mother of two young girls. She became passionate about advocating for children's mental health when her eldest daughter received a diagnosis at a young age. In her extensive journey through the mental health system, Sarah has encountered many obstacles and barriers, especially after moving from a large city to a small town. She now sits on various committees through many provincial mental health organizations and is a parent support group leader through Parents for Children's Mental Health (PCMH).
Shannon McGavin is a system change leader dedicated to increasing wellness in rural communities across Canada. She has worked to enhance outcomes for children, young people and families in education for over 25 years. Throughout her own mental health challenges and supporting those she cares for, Shannon shamelessly advocates for mental health and substance use transformation on several local and provincial advisory boards, community health organizations, local integrated youth service organizations and in her own organization, The Well Community Collective.
Stephen is an adjunct professor and faculty advisor with the Faculty of Education at Queen's University. He recently completed his term as Director of Education and CEO at the Upper Canada District School Board, and is a former superintendent of Instruction, high school principal, special education teacher, guidance counsellor and teacher of Indigenous studies. Along with his experience working with students and families, Stephen brings experience seeking support for some of his children to the family advisory council.
Our communications team works strategically across the organization and with each of our project teams to ensure that we are effectively communicating what we do.
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Vicki Cochrane is a busy mom of two sons with exceptions that require constant advocacy, resourcefulness and the ability to ask for support when needed. She is driven by the desire to bring a voice of families trying to navigate the child and youth mental health system and the hope of improving it. Vicki is passionate about community development and volunteerism. She also happens to be a child and youth worker with over 20 years of experience working for the Children's Aid Society.
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist