Alexandra Walters, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Alexandra completed her PhD in physical activity for persons experiencing disability in 2024. Her work focuses on research co-production and research partnerships with and for persons with disabilities while co-developing partnership evaluation tools. This research is an extension of her SSHRC-funded Ph.D. work, which focused on the engagement of persons with disabilities in the co-development of a Disability-Specific Competency-Based Framework to enhance the capacity of qualified exercise professionals to provide safe, welcoming and inclusive physical activity experiences for persons with disabilities. Alexandra is also the Knowledge Mobilization Manager for the Canadian Disability Participation Project (CDPP). When Alexandra is not working, she enjoys engaging in CrossFit, downhill skiing, and taking her dog on long walks.
Email: Alexandra Walters
Alanna Shwed, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Alanna completed her PhD in Kinesiology at UBC Okanagan in 2025. Her research focuses on building institutional systems that support meaningful partnerships between researchers and people with lived experience in health research. As a Michael Smith Health Research BC Postdoctoral Fellow, she is developing and evaluating a Coproduction Learning System at the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) to help embed the Integrated Knowledge Translation (IKT) Guiding Principles into institutional structures and culture.
Her postdoctoral work builds on her PhD research, which explored how researchers adopt and implement the IKT Guiding Principles within the spinal cord injury research system. Together, her projects aim to advance the science and practice of research co-production through behaviour change, implementation science, and systems thinking.
When she’s not deep in research, Alanna’s probably swimming, testing out a new hobby, or scrolling TikTok for her next great idea.
Email: Alanna Shwed
Parres Holliday
Masters Student (2nd Year)
Parres is currently in the first year of her MSc program with the ABC Lab and was selected as a trainee for the Canadian Behavioural Interventions and Trials Network (CBITN) Scholars Program (2024-25). She is interested in intervention development, testing, and implementation. Her research aims to co-develop an e-Learning course for peer health coaches to provide smoking cessation behavioural counselling for individuals with spinal cord injury. Parres is also interested in conducting research in partnership and is supporting the co-development of an e-Learning platform related to evidence-based guidance for engaging in partnerships. Her MSc research is being conducted in partnership with Spinal Cord Injury British Columbia. Outside of the lab Parres can often be spotted in something pink, running, at the lake, and with her friends!
Email: Parres Holliday
Lauren Finlay
Masters Student (1st year)
Lauren is currently in the final year of her undergraduate degree in Psychology at UBC Okanagan. She is passionate about enhancing the relevance and impact of research through meaningful partnerships. In collaboration with Alanna Shwed, Lauren is contributing to the implementation of the Integrated Knowledge Translation (IKT) Guiding Principles, supporting researchers in building and sustaining effective, collaborative relationships. This fall, she will begin her Master’s with the ABC Lab, where her research will focus on risk communication and spinal cord injury prevention in high-risk sports such as mountain biking. Outside the lab, Lauren enjoys running, spending time outdoors, working in her community, and connecting with friends.
Email: Lauren Finlay
Christina Skinner, MFA
Communications Lead
Christina completed both her BA and MFA at UBC Vancouver. As Communications Lead in the Applied Behaviour Change Lab, she coordinates a variety projects, including the IKT Guiding Principles project. She has a specific focus and expertise in communication and knowledge translation, with a wealth of experience in global and regional public health policy, research, and promotion, as well as a keen head for marketing and finance. Christina loves to work, but will also take time for the ski hill, running in the woods, drinking tea, remembering to breathe, and dreaming up new strategies for her and her team’s ongoing success.
Email: Christina Skinner
