Welcome Melissa, Afia and Liz!

In April, we were thrilled to welcome Melissa Egan to our team as our new Coordinator, Episodic Disabilities Initiatives. Melissa has worked in the field of health and HIV for over 15 years as an educator and facilitator, developing and delivering workshops to diverse audiences across Canada. She has worked extensively with marginalized, LGBTQ, and Indigenous people. Melissa’s experience includes front-line work at YouthCO in Vancouver, 8 years at CATIE as Regional Educator for the Prairies, and has helped create online learning courses using her background in curriculum development and adult education. Melissa can be reached via email at melissae@realizecanada.org, or by phone at 416-513-0440 ext 222.

 

Afia Amoako is one of two practicum students who will be supporting us, as well as our partner the University Health Network (UHN) on the Preferences and Needs for Aging Care among HIV Elders (PANACHE) Ontario project. Afia is a Masters of Sciences in Public Health Candidate at McGill University. She completed an Honours BSc in Immunology from the University of Toronto, and has research experience in molecular biology, biochemistry as well as in HIV and Hepatitis C. Afia is excited to be completing her practicum at Realize/UHN and looks forward to gaining more exposure to community based research as well as make a meaningful contribution to the PANACHE Ontario project. You can connect with Afia via email at AAmoako@realizecanada.org, or by phone at 416-513-0440 ext 234.

 

Our second practicum student is Elizabeth Racz. Elizabeth is a Master of Public Health candidate at Brock University, with a focus on infectious disease. She also holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honors) degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology.  Elizabeth’s professional experience includes academic and clinical research, and patient engagement. She has previously volunteered as an advisory board member with The Interdisciplinary HIV Pregnancy Research Group (IHPREG), and as a national board member of the Canadian Hemophilia Society HIV-Hep C Co-infection committee. Currently, Elizabeth is on the corporate Patient and Family Advisory Council of St. Michael’s Hospital, in Toronto. Elizabeth can be contacted via email at ERacz@realizecanada.org, or by phone at 416-513-0440 ext 224.