Majidullah Shaikh
Postdoctoral Fellow
Maji completed his PhD in sport-based youth development in 2022 and is a SSHRC post-doctoral fellow with the ABC Lab. His main focus of inquiry and action is on advancing intentional and meaningful engagement in research partnerships across the sport sector. In this endeavour, he is collaborating across the North American sport sector with several researchers and knowledge users including administrators, decision- and policy-makers at the local-to-national levels. Maji also consults in the development, implementation, and evaluation of youth sport programming and staff training. He takes a community-engaged approach in collaborating and sharing decision-making with knowledge users to design programs that best meet the needs of their beneficiaries and communities. In and beyond his research, Maji enjoys cycling, travelling, board gaming, karaoke, and spending lots of time zoning out.
Email: Maji Shaikh
Alexandra Walters
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
Emily Giroux
PhD Student (3rd Year)
Emily earned her MSc with the ABC Lab in 2018, and is currently a 3rd year PhD candidate. Emily’s work focuses on supporting non-profit disability organizations to be able to authentically and equitably engage in research partnerships. Outside of the lab, Emily loves travelling, trying new foods, and spending time with friends and family.
Email: Emily Giroux || Twitter: @emilylizgiroux
Alanna Shwed
PhD Student (3rd Year)
Alanna is currently in the third year of her PhD program with the ABC Lab. She is interested in understanding how we can support researchers to implement and maintain quality partnerships to improve the relevance and impact of research findings. Her research aims to investigate and support the uptake of the new IKT Guiding Principles, and to produce and test an evidence-based resource tool to help researchers adopt the guiding principles and engage in partnerships. When she’s not working, Alanna enjoys all activities, but her favourites are swimming and trying out new baked goods.
Email: Alanna Shwed
Lauren Finlay
Undergraduate Student (4th 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
Research Coordinator
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
