Meet the ENRRICH External Advisory Committee

We are excited to introduce the ENRRICH External Advisory Committee. This is, in part, an effort to be transparent about how ENRRICH functions. It is also a chance to thank these individuals for the important perspectives that they each bring to this research theme.

The ENRRICH External Advisory Committee is comprised of four individuals who were invited to the panel based on their knowledge and experience in child health and development, rehabilitation, knowledge translation, patient engagement, and other relevant scientific methodologies. Their role is to help the Theme Executive Committee stay true to ENRRICH’s overall direction and vision, and provide general oversight and advice regarding functions of the Theme. Members of the External Advisory Committee also participate as reviewers for ENRRICH grants. ENRRICH Executive meets with External Advisory annually each fall to discuss Theme accomplishments and challenges, along with strategies to continually grow and evolve ENRRICH while remaining focused on our values. We are grateful for their support and direction.

The ENRRICH External Advisory is comprised of:

Dr. Tracy Blake

Tracy Blake was born on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. The only daughter of Trinidadian immigrants, Tracy Blake and her youngest brother were raised in the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-faith, working class Toronto neighbourhood of Rexdale. Sport was a power source of connection throughout Tracy’s upbringing. The desire to contribute to sport beyond the field of play motivated Tracy’s post-secondary academic journey and clinical training as a sport and orthopaedic physiotherapist via McMaster University and the University of Western Ontario. Clinical experiences in private practice, sport, acute inpatient hospital care led to questions about how knowledge used by health care practitioners is produced, transmitted, applied, and internalized. She sought to answer those questions while completing her doctorate at the University of Calgary, with a research focus in pediatric sport-related concussion and physical activity. It was during this time that the seeds of connection between population health, health equity, person-centred care, and participation and performance optimization were sown. She continues to explore the way these themes influence and impact the health of the communities she serves as a clinician, researcher, educator, and author.

Dr. Annette Majnemer

Annette Majnemer, OT, MSc, PhD, FCAHS, is an occupational therapist with doctoral training in the neurosciences. She was the inaugural Vice-Dean, Education for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and is a Professor in the School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, cross-appointed to the Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology & Neurosurgery. Dr. Majnemer is a Senior Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, and an Investigator with the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation in Montreal. She is a nominated Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, serving on their Board and Executive, and is Co-Editor of Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. She co-leads a bilingual website called Childhood Disability LINK (www.childhooddisability.ca), educating families and frontline clinicians about childhood disability research. She is currently the lead of a pan-Canadian patient-oriented research CIHR-SPOR network called CHILD-BRIGHT (www.child-bright.ca) that engages over 350 stakeholders in research that is aimed at promoting brighter futures for children with developmental disabilities.

Dr. Nick Reed

Nick Reed completed his Bachelor of Kinesiology at McMaster University, his Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy within the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto, and his PhD within the Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto. 

Nick is an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto where he directs the OAK (Outcomes, Advocacy and Knowledge) Concussion Lab and holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Pediatric Concussion.  Additionally, Nick is a member of the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto and an Adjunct Scientist within the Bloorivew Research Institute at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

His work focuses on developing, delivering and evaluating research, educational and clinical programming specific to youth and concussion. His passion is helping youth do the things they need, want and love to do in their lives.

Dr. Shannon Scott

Shannon Scott is a Professor and Acting Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Nursing and Canada Research Chair in Knowledge Translation in Child Health at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Her research program (ECHO – translating Evidence in Child Health to enhance Outcomes) aims to improve the health outcomes of children Canada through the application of the best research evidence. As a founding co-Director of TREKK (Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids) –a Knowledge Mobilization Initiative funded by the Networks of Centres of Excellence program in Canada, she is actively improving the outcomes of children needing emergency care in Canada. She is a Distinguished Professor funded by the Stollery Science Lab program and was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists in Scientists. She has held more than $8 million dollars of research funding as Principal Investigator and over $35 million as a co-investigator. She has published over 200 papers in peer reviewed journals, delivered more than 400 presentations around the globe.