Welcome to Foundry Research!
Foundry Research is a diverse group of researchers, trainees, staff, service providers, community members, young people and families/caregivers. Our central office team is based in British Columbia, Canada. We share the goal of making positive change in the lives of young people, families/caregivers and communities by centring their voices in research. We support this goal through the co-creation and implementation of evidence and through knowledge exchange with partners and collaborators. On this page, you will find information about the topics we research, our studies, our team and how to connect with us.
The work represented on this webpage is not inclusive of all the research happening across the Foundry network. We look forward to continuing to expand the content on this webpage and to highlight and celebrate the incredible work of all our partners, collaborators and communities in our network who are contributing to this important field of research.
We acknowledge, with much gratitude, that our work takes place on land steeped in rich Indigenous history and home to many First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples today. We recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. We recognize the role research has played and continues to play in perpetuating harm towards Indigenous Peoples and communities and our necessary role in Truth and Reconciliation to repair and move forward in conducting this work in a good way. We see the potential for research to improve the health outcomes and experiences of youth across BC, and we are learning, and unlearning, in ways for our work to be part of that positive change.
Recent Updates
- Members of the Foundry Research team attended the IEPA14 conference and presented 14 posters and five oral presentations! Find more information about these, and other presentations, on the IEPA14 schedule here.
- Many folks from Foundry, including representatives from Foundry Research, attended and presented at the 2022 International Association for Youth Mental Health Conference. Check out Foundry’s IAYMH 2022 site for all of the details.
- Members of the Youth Research Advisory Panel (Y-RAP), one of several advisory groups consisting of diverse youth from across British Columbia who work with Foundry researchers, recently wrote blog posts about some key considerations for research. Check out the Y-RAP’s blog posts, including:
Research Areas
Current Studies
Completed studies
Who we are
Foundry Research is a diverse group of researchers, trainees, staff, young people and family members/caregivers. Our central office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
We recognize and respect Coast Salish Peoples as the traditional stewards of the stolen, occupied and ancestral lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-waututh), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō) and Stz’uminus Nations and the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group that our central office is located on.
Our team members live and work in different communities across the Lower Mainland, and the province. Collectively, and individually, we continue our learning, and unlearning, journeys about the traditional stewards of the lands where we find ourselves located.
Get to know our central office team by checking out the bios below. And check back to see additional trainees, scientists, staff, youth, family members/caregivers and collaborators on our team!
Our Team
Sarah Adair
Research Coordinator, Foundry Vancouver-Granville Sarah Adair
Research Coordinator, Foundry Vancouver-GranvilleSarah has five years of research experience, working on both qualitative and quantitative projects with people from all walks of life. With a BSc in Psychology, Sarah has an interest in the internal and external pressures that impact mental health. Her focus on neuroscience broadened to include public health after working with the BC Centre on Substance Use. She has worked with Vancouver Community College and Indigenous youth to understand their journey to post-secondary education and with the University of Victoria to understand community perceptions of cannabis legalization. She also created a substance use education program intended for a university audience. Sarah is supporting the research happening at Foundry Vancouver-Granville. From quality assurance to focus groups to longitudinal studies, she manages a portfolio of exciting projects born from community need, guided by the question “Who is this research for?”. Fun fact: Sarah’s idol is Jane Fonda, and she tries to emulate Jane’s resilience, passion for advocacy and zest for aerobics.
Anurada Amarasekera
Research Assistant Anurada Amarasekera
Research AssistantAnurada Amarasekera is a MA student at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she is studying clinical psychology. Her research interests are using community-based participatory research (CBPR) to better understand substance use disparities endured by multiple minoritized populations, in particular, 2SLGBTQ+ South Asian young adults. Outside of research, Anurada is an avid lover of paddleboarding and swimming.
Skye Barbic
Head Scientist; Associate Professor at UBC; Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Skye Barbic
Head Scientist; Associate Professor at UBC; Michael Smith Health Research BC ScholarSkye brings over 18 years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist working with youth and young adults with mental ill-health and substance use disorders. She is an active member of the health outcomes research community and has applied her expertise in health outcomes measurement to the fields of psychiatry and mental health rehabilitation. Skye obtained her PhD at McGill University and conducted post-doctoral fellowships at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) Department of Psychiatry. Skye is a faculty member at UBC and a passionate member of Foundry since its inception. As the Foundry Head Scientist, Skye oversees all research activities and informs the Foundry community and partners about key results used to improve services.
Fun fact: Skye’s past jobs include horse caretaker, flight attendant, athletic therapist, event planner and barista.
Sherry Hanna
Research Coordinator Sherry Hanna
Research CoordinatorSherry graduated from the University of British Columbia Okanagan with a Bachelor of Science Degree and an Honors in Psychology. She brings four years of experience in research and trial coordination. She is passionate about helping youth gain the skills necessary to successfully navigate both their inner and outer worlds. Her work often focuses on adolescent substance use prevention and positive mental health. Sherry has coordinated several trials of PreVenture, a personality-based substance use prevention program for youth. She is currently working on a pilot trial of the PreVenture program that aims to evaluate both the feasibility and acceptability of the program when adapted for online delivery. Outside of work, Sherry’s passion is spending time with her family and friends in Mother Nature’s playgrounds.
Amanda Kwan
Research Coordinator Amanda Kwan
Research CoordinatorAmanda completed a Master of Science in Population and Public Health, specializing in systems science and epidemiology, from the University of British Columbia. Her current work focuses on understanding program and service impacts on health, social and employment outcomes for youth and adult populations. She is passionate about supporting the health and well-being of individuals across the life trajectory, from the early years through adolescence and adulthood. In her free time, you can find Amanda traveling or exploring the cuisines of different cultures from her kitchen.
Julia Langton
Provincial Director, Research, Evaluation & Data Julia Langton
Provincial Director, Research, Evaluation & DataJulia has her PhD in Psychology/Neuroscience and has extensive experience in applied research in healthcare and performance measurement and evaluation frameworks. She is currently an Adjunct Professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and on the Executive Council of the Canadian Evaluation Society BC. She has led teams to develop evidence-informed communications products designed to enable learning and improve practice and policy including peer–reviewed publications, reports, blogs, presentations, book chapters and web resources. Julia comes to Foundry from Michael Smith Health Research BC where she led the evaluation team, and prior to that was at the Centre for Health Services and Policy Research at UBC, leading provincial and national research initiatives in primary care. Julia is originally from Sydney, Australia, and, since moving to Canada in 2014, has become a Canadian citizen. In her spare time she loves swimming, snowshoeing and hiking (depending on the season), followed by a delicious meal with friends.
Emilie Mallia
Senior Data Analyst Emilie Mallia
Senior Data AnalystEmilie joined the Foundry Central Office team in early 2021, after spending three years using population-level linked administrative health data as an ICES-appointed analyst for the Health Outcomes and Performance Evaluation team at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). While her past role was research-centered, Emilie’s current work with Foundry spans analytical research support, data governance and mobilization, and data support for services planning, operations and evaluation. Emilie holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of British Columbia and is passionate about mental health and health systems innovation.
Fun Fact: Emilie loves pugs and has been a long-time fan of Doug the Pug (and, more recently, Noodle, the pug from TikTok)!
Kirsten Marchand
Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Michael Smith Health Research BC Trainee Kirsten Marchand
Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Michael Smith Health Research BC TraineeDr. Kirsten Marchand completed her doctoral degree at the University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health where she gained methodological skills in epidemiology and health services research. Kirsten applies these skills to investigate innovative treatments for people who use substances. Dr. Marchand is passionate about studies that empower people to be more active partners in the research process and that will improve their treatment experiences and outcomes. Kirsten is currently working with the Improving Treatment Together project team, which is co-designing solutions to reduce barriers to substance use treatment for young people who use opioids, such as heroin and fentanyl. Dr. Marchand’s fellowship research builds on this project, with the first phase focusing on youth and caregiver preferences for opioid agonist treatment and its outcomes, and the second phase studying these preferred outcomes over time using large clinical and administrative data sets. When not at her desk, Kirsten spends time with her family in the beautiful forests and waters of the Musqueam nation.
Harmandeep Matharoo
Administrative Assistant Harmandeep Matharoo
Administrative AssistantHarmandeep moved to Canada from India in 2016 and completed a two-year health science diploma at Langara College. He has worked in health care for the last two years in clerical and administrative roles. Since joining Foundry in 2022, Harmandeep has supported Foundry Virtual and Foundry Research with scheduling, travel, event planning, document preparation, and related tasks. Harmandeep is a philomath and loves learning new skills and trying new activities. Swimming and badminton are his favourite pastimes, and he also identifies as a foodie. He also enjoys spending time with young people — as an immigrant and Asian, Harmandeep wants to increase awareness for mental health and 2SLGBTQIA+ resources and to work within the health care system to promote change and remove stigma.
Steve Mathias
Executive Director; Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC Steve Mathias
Executive Director; Clinical Assistant Professor at UBCSteve Mathias is Executive Director of Foundry, British Columbia’s community-based, integrated health and social service network for young people (12-24 years old) and their families/caregivers. Steve trained as a psychiatrist at the University of British Columbia and has obtained fellowships in both Addiction Medicine (ABAM) and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (FRCPC). As a medical student, he co-founded the Community Health Initiative by University Students, which saw an integrated health and social service centre open in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, uniquely staffed by volunteer students from ten faculty and departments, working evenings and on weekends. In 2009, he co-founded the Inner City Youth Program, the first intensive case management team in Canada to work with homeless and precariously housed youth living in inner city Vancouver. In 2014, Steve submitted a proposal to the British Columbia Parliamentary Select Standing Committee on Child and Youth Mental Health, which led to the funding of the initial five Foundry centres. From 2017-18, Steve was the co-head of the Department of Psychiatry and Physician Program Director at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Steve recently returned from a one-year sabbatical, spent travelling to thirty-two countries with his wife and three school-aged daughters.
Kirsten McCulloch
Research Assistant Kirsten McCulloch
Research AssistantKirsten completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours), specializing in Biology and Psychology, and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Public Health with a focus on perinatal mental health. She has over three years of experience in the youth mental health field. Prior to joining Foundry, Kirsten worked as a Youth Outreach Worker with young people ages 10-24. Her current role supports the Lift/Futur en tête and Foundry Work & Education projects. Outside of work, Kirsten loves to attend yoga classes, hike and bake!
Dan Nixon
Engagement Specialist Dan Nixon
Engagement SpecialistWhat sparked your interest in research?
My interest in research comes from my interest for change. Research has an incredible potential to be a driver for positive change and learnings. I have always been a curious person and research allows me to be curious in a way which can empower others and make meaningful impacts.
What do you like most about being part of Foundry Research?
This will sound super cheesy but definitely the people. The staff at Foundry are some of the most remarkable people I have ever met. The people I get to meet are also outstanding! The youth, families and communities that work alongside the Foundry Research team never cease to amaze and humble me. The passion for each other and for the work is unparalleled.
What Foundry Research activities are you currently involved in?
I am currently involved with the Foundry Research and Evaluation Youth Working Group, which is a gathering of youth who we involve in our work. It is a new group and we work alongside the staff and researchers at Foundry to make sure youth voices and perspectives are at the centre of all things happening. This group aims to inform, consult and co-create together.
In your dream scenario, what research would you like to work on next?
I have many dreams for research at Foundry but if I had to choose one, it would be a community-based participatory research project where any youth from any community in the province could co-create a research project to answer a question important to them.
Please share three things you love:
Food, a good dance break and sunrises.
Anna-Joy Ong
Research Project Coordinator Anna-Joy Ong
Research Project CoordinatorAnna-Joy brings 4 years of experience in health research and is particularly interested in qualitative work. After completing a Master of Public Health (MPH), she shifted her focus from global maternal and infant health to youth mental health in Canada. She is excited to actively engage youth in research projects that amplify their voices and advocate for their needs. Currently, her work focuses on implementing a program that supports youth with mental health challenges in their pursuit of competitive education and employment opportunities. Outside the office, her favorite activities include cooking for friends and family, travelling, finding new coffee shops, and spending time outside.
Nikki Ow
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Nikki Ow
Postdoctoral Research FellowNikki is currently a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Skye Barbic at the University of British Columbia. She joined Dr. Barbic after finishing her PhD in health outcomes at McGill University. Her research interests are in outcome measurement development and evaluation, research methodology, program evaluation, and child and youth quality of life outcomes. Her current research project focuses on health services research and the development and measurement of health outcomes for youth with mental health and substance use disorders. Nikki is also an occupational therapist with more than 10 years of clinical experience working with children and adolescents
Fun fact: Besides Singapore, where she was born and raised, Nikki has lived in five other countries.
Kate Phillips
Knowledge Translation Coordinator Kate Phillips
Knowledge Translation CoordinatorKate completed her degree in Psychology at the University of British Columbia and most notably enjoyed classes related to systems-thinking in the health and social sectors. As a result, she is passionate about improving the experiences of youth and equity-deserving groups in British Columbia’s health care system by listening, learning and promoting all forms of evidence, knowledge and expertise. At Foundry, Kate uses a variety of media to consolidate and promote knowledge for use by youth, families/caregivers, service providers and Foundry’s partners in government and across Canada. She spends most of her spare time exploring the mountains, land and waters of the Coast Salish Peoples with good friends and family through various outdoor pursuits!
Melissa Sadeh
Project Support Coordinator Melissa Sadeh
Project Support CoordinatorMelissa is a passionate and impact-driven project and change management professional who has worked on a range of projects ranging from IT implementations to people-centric initiatives. With over 4 years of project and change management experience, Melissa is passionate about the people side of any project and the importance of values-based strategies and support. In supporting the research team, Melissa will be providing essential project management support and oversight to the research team projects, funding, capacity and resource needs, along with liaising with other stakeholders within Foundry and the University of British Columbia. Outside of work, Melissa is an avid salsa dancer, performer and teacher for over 15 years, currently dancing with local dance studio Baza Dance here in the Vancouver area!
Corinne Tallon
Research Operations Lead Corinne Tallon
Research Operations LeadCorinne brings ten years of experience in health research. She is passionate about working with others to create and leverage evidence that supports health systems improvements for young people and their families. She loves supporting others to pursue their passion in research and believes that the world of research can offer amazing opportunities for anyone and everyone to get involved and find answers to their most burning questions.
Corinne started her research journey in clinical research before completing a Master of Public Health at Simon Fraser University and turning to applied research in mental health and substance use.
Corinne loves to spend time with family and friends and enjoys going on adventures with her husband, their son, and their black lab Shilo.
Karen Tee
Associate Executive Director Karen Tee
Associate Executive DirectorKaren Tee is Associate Executive Director of Foundry and a Clinical Psychologist passionate about early intervention in youth and young adult mental health. She brings over 20 years of direct service and program development and management experience in youth mental health, having previously developed the Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) Program and led the Child, Youth and Young Adult Mental Health portfolio in Fraser Health, British Columbia. She has been with Foundry since its inception in 2015 and is responsible for providing clinical leadership and overseeing service implementation. In collaboration with Foundry Network clinical leaders, Karen has been leading the development and implementation of Foundry’s Integrated Stepped Care Model. When she is not working, she can be found dancing on a ballroom floor, or travelling in another country.
Roxanne Turuba
Research Coordinator Roxanne Turuba
Research CoordinatorRoxanne completed her Master of Public Health (MPH), specialized in Epidemiology, at Lakehead University while assisting with research projects at the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. This work primarily focused on developing and implementing person-centred health interventions to improve access to maternal care and substance use services in rural and remote First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario. She is now leading research studies at Foundry that focus on improving mental health and substance use service for youth, as well as improving the experiences of family members/caregivers and service providers. Roxanne is passionate about actively engaging youth and families/caregivers in her work and empowering them to improve how services are delivered. Fun fact: Roxanne grew up in a small francophone town in Northern Ontario. She has French, Finnish and Ukrainian heritage – naturally some of her favourite things include croissants, saunas and homemade perogies!
Cassia Warren
Research Project Coordinator Cassia Warren
Research Project CoordinatorCassia attended the University of British Columbia for her Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Oncology. Cassia’s journey in health research extends from working in cell culture to project management and research trial coordination, and more recently moving into the mental health sector after joining Foundry in 2021. She is passionate about bringing to life research questions raised by communities and mentoring youth to guide and lead the work. Cassia is of Chinese and Ukrainian ancestry, and as a settler on the lands of the Lheidli T’enneh she adventures with her pup Pippin and does all things creative and crafty.
Madelyn Whyte
Research Project Coordinator Madelyn Whyte
Research Project CoordinatorMadelyn is a graduate of the University of British Columbia with a degree in biochemistry. She brings over four years of research experience and previously worked on clinical research in an emergency department. She is passionate about meaningfully engaging young people in research and empowering them to voice their perspectives and advocate for their needs. Her current research projects focus on the youth peer support program at Foundry and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people. When Madelyn is not at work, she loves spending time outdoors, travelling and hanging out with her friends, family and cats!
Kelli Wuerth
Writer, Special Projects Kelli Wuerth
Writer, Special ProjectsKelli is passionate about understanding the relationships among infectious diseases, substance use, mental health issues and other determinants of health and how we can improve related health outcomes. At Foundry, she writes research papers, grants and related content for the research team. She has a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of British Columbia. In her spare time, Kelli enjoys curling, cooking and taking care of her container garden.
Supporters
In addition to the funders of each of our projects, we would like to thank all of Foundry’s donors and supporters!
Foundry Research also extends a special thank you to the Graham Boeckh Foundation and Michael Smith Health Research BC for their support.
Connect with us
Connect with Foundry on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Follow Dr. Skye Barbic, the Foundry Head Scientist, on Twitter @skye_barbic.
For inquiries about Foundry research, please email us at info@foundrybc.ca.