Faculty & Research
Current TFSON Faculty
Dawn Balsdon, Lecturer
RN, BSc (Trent), BScN (Ontario Tech), MHSc (Ontario Tech)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7729
Email: dawnbalsdon@trentu.ca
Research interests: Technology and the impact on nursing; health informatics and nursing; quality improvement planning; opioid crisis in Canada; impact of COVID on the opioid crisis in Canada; mental health and addictions; dual diagnosis transition from childhood to adulthood; examination of community supports for dual diagnosis adults; ethics education and simulation/gaming; alternative therapies and nursing implications; clinical experiences of students during COVID; virtual simulation and case study impact on the clinical experience; nursing theory and education; maternal care in remote and isolated communities; access to maternal care for FNIM women.
Dr. Ingrid Brenner, Associate Professor
RN, BSc, BPhysEd, BScN (Toronto), MSc (Queen's), PhD (Toronto), PhD (Queen's)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7253
Email: ibrenner@trentu.ca
Research interests: Exercise in health promotion; exercise for special populations (patients with cardiovascular disease, hemodialysis, pregnancy and the frail elderly); exercise immunology; thermal stress physiology.
Dr. Ellen Buck-McFadyen, Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator
RN, BScN (Queen's), MScN (York), PhD (McMaster)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7029
Email: ellenbuckmcfadyen@trentu.ca
Research interests: Rural health; social capita; community health; social determinants of health.
Ann Mary Celestini, Lecturer
RN, BA, BScN (Windsor), MHS (Athabasca)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 6046
Email: annmarycelestini@trentu.ca
Research interests: Education; instructional design; serious gaming; stress management; complementary and alternative therapies.
Kim English, Faculty
RN, BScN (Toronto Metropolitan, formerly Ryerson), MN (Toronto)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7059
Email: kimenglish@trentu.ca
Research interests: Rural & remote nursing & health; nurse activism; digital storytelling; LGBTQ+ health; technology and innovations in health and education; rurality and Indigenous health.
Dr. Cyndi Gilmer, Associate Professor and Compressed Program Coordinator
RN, BScN (Western), MHScN, DHlthSc (Charles Sturt)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7156
Email: cyndigilmer@trentu.ca
Research interests: Leadership; homelessness; access to health care; mental health and addictions; parenting.
Dr. Amy Hallaran, Faculty
RN, BScN, MScN (Ottawa), PhD (Queen's)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 6273
Email: amyhallaran@trentu.ca
Research interests: Transition to practice for new nurses; intention to leave and retention of nursing in the workforce; work environments; readiness for practice; work-readiness of nursing students.
Ann MacLeod, Faculty
RN, BScN (McGill), MPH (Michigan)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7386
Email: annmacleod@trentu.ca
Research interests: Interface between formal and informal caregivers; transitions of care; person-centred narratives; health promotion with community dwelling older adults; age-friendly Peterborough; arts-based research; community-based research; digital storytelling.
Dr. Michele McIntosh, Associate Professor
RN, BA (Queen's), BScN, MScN (Toronto), PhD (Alberta)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7507
Email: michelejmcintosh@trentu.ca
Research interests: Critical, feminist, qualitative research methods; women's health; maternal/infant health; violence; breastfeeding; sexuality; ethics.
Dr. Abeer Omar, Assistant Professor
RN, BScN, MScN (Alexandria), PhD (Case Western Reserve)
Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 5864
Email: abeeromar@trentu.ca
Research interests: Activity restriction and bed rest; rehabilitation; health services research; nursing best practices.
Dr. Victoria Reid-De Jong, Assistant Professor
RN, BScN (Toronto Metropolitan, formerly Ryerson), MSc-FNP (D'Youville), PhD (Victoria)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7517
Email: victoriareiddejong@trentu.ca
Research interests: Women's health; breast cancer; mastectomy tattoos; forensic nursing; existentialism; philosophical hermeneutics; autoethnography.
Dr. Kimberly Ritchie, Assistant Professor
RN, BScN (Queen's), MN (Toronto), PhD (Queen's)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7067
Email: kimberlyritchie@trentu.ca
Research interests: Mental health of older adults; care implications of older adults with PTSD and dementia; trauma and recovery of older Veterans; healthcare providers and public safety personnel.
Jaime Sims, Faculty
RN, BScN (Ryerson), MN (Charles Sturt)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 6390
Email: jaimesims@trentu.ca
Research interests: Women and children's health; relational practice; using 'aesthetics' (art) to support learning outcomes; leading and managing in complex environments; supporting the student learner for success.
Joanne Tay, Assistant Professor
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7506
Email: joannetay@trentu.ca
Dr. Patti Tracey, Faculty and Collaborative Program Coordinator
RN, BScN (Toronto Metropolitan, formerly Ryerson), MHSc (Athabasca), PhD (Toronto)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 6219
Email: pltracey@trentu.ca
Research interests: Global health; international nursing; community-based nursing practice; quality improvement initiatives relating to safe practices for short-term health experiences in low and middle income countries.
Dr. Tracey is the program coordinator and clinical leader for our biannual nurse brigade placement to Honduras: https://mycommunity.trentu.ca/nursingbrigadelp.
Dr. Rasha Wahid, Assistant Professor
RN, BScN (York), MScN (Alexandria), PhD (Manchester)
Phone: 416-415-5000, ext. 5864
Email: rashawahid@trentu.ca
Research interests: Development and implementation of concept inquiry-based pedagogy in nursing education; psychotherapy and mental health; development of complex interventions; qualitative research methods; trauma-informed care for survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, narcissistic abuse; health policy.
Ruth Walker, Faculty
RN, BScN (Trent), MN (Athabasca)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 7900
Email: ruthewalker@trentu.ca
Research interests: Student health and wellness services; campus nursing; post-secondary student population health; access to primary care; health equity; healthy practice settings; person-centred, aesthetic, critical, and qualitative research methods.
Dr. Sarah West, Associate Professor
BPHE, MSc, PhD (Toronto)
Phone: 705-748-1011, ext. 6129
Email: sarahwest@trentu.ca
Research interests: Exercise physiology; exercise in chronic disease (pediatric and adult); characterizing daily physical activity levels; impact of exercise on bone health (among other outcomes); impact of lifestyle/physical activity intervention.
Dr. Kirsten Woodend, Associate Professor
RN, BScN, MSc (Ottawa), PhD (Toronto)
Email: kirstenwoodend@trentu.ca
Research interests: Aging persons; chronic disease management and self-management; health systems.