Neutral background square Sept 2025 reduced.png

Dr. Melody Morton Ninomiya

Lead Researcher

Dr. Melody Morton Ninomiya is a researcher, educator, and mediator with research experience in Indigenous health and wellness, critical public health, mental health and addictions, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, community-based and decolonizing research methods and methodologies, and knowledge mobilization.

Prior to starting at Laurier, Dr. Morton Ninomiya held a CIHR postdoctoral fellowship at Well Living House, St. Michael’s Hospital, and postdoctoral position at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Since 2018, she has been a project scientist at CAMH on projects with First Nation communities in Ontario and Labrador. Dr. Morton Ninomiya received a PhD in Medicine (Community Health and Humanities) from Memorial University, MEd (Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning) from Memorial University, BEd from Queen’s University, and BA from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Researchers

Research Team

Madison Wells

Associate Research Director

Madison works across a variety of Ishkode nested projects and helps support the training and supervision of incoming undergraduate and graduate students working with Dr. Morton Ninomiya and our Ishkode Research Group. Madison holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a specialization in Indigenous Peoples' Health, as well as a BA in Health and Community Services with an area of focus on Indigenous Peoples' Health (both from the University of Victoria). A fun fact about Madison is that she works remotely from Victoria, BC, where she also enjoy tattooing and hand-making upcycled clothing!

Nicole Bulger

Project Coordinator & Associate Researcher

Nicole (she/her) is a settler to Turtle Island. She is a Project Coordinator and Associate Researcher with the IndWisdom Project and the KSTART Project, with Dr. Morton Ninomiya's research lab. Nicole graduated with a Master's degree from Wilfrid Laurier's Community Psychology program in 2020 and is currently a PhD student in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. She has been engaged in community-led capacity building for the last several years, primarily working with Indigenous communities across Canada. Nicole's work centers around Indigenous Peoples right to self-determination; as an ally, she focuses on holding Western governments accountable to supporting and protecting Indigenous Peoples inherent rights.

Laura Peach

Associate Research Director

Laura is an Associate Research Director and Postdoctoral Fellow with a PhD in Public Health Sciences (University of Waterloo), an MA in Geography, and a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics (both from Western University). Her research experience includes projects such as Bridging Place and Social Spaces: Building Relationships Towards Indigenous Food Sovereignty (Canadian Institutes of Health Research); Impact of Climate Change on the Health of Indigenous Peoples: An Umbrella Review (World Health Organization); evaluation of the Rural and Northern Community-Focused Model of COPD Care (Rural Coordinating Centre of BC and Northern Health Authority); and the First Nations Mental Wellness Initiatives project at CAMH (funded by the MOHLTC). In her spare time, Laura enjoys playing intramural sports and cooking elaborate meals for friends and family.

Graduate Students

Ian Heft

My name is lan Heft and I'm a PhD student in Community Psychology (anticipating being in the class of 2028). I am a Registered Psychotherapist specializing in addiction and trauma and currently I work at a residential treatment facility operated by my local hospital and run a private practice. I wrote a successful Health Canada Grant Project that brought funding for addiction medicine and frontline harm reduction and outreach to two First Nation communities in my region and worked in both communities for close to 3 years. In my spare time I enjoy playing guitar, banjo and mandolin.

Taha Awan

Hello everyone, my name is Taha Awan, a graduate student pursuing a Master's in Science in Health Sciences, specifically in the Community, Population, and Public Health stream. I reside in Waterloo while at Wilfrid Laurier University. I expect to graduate by 2026! The projects I'm currently working on involve FASD knowledge mobilization, looking over articles involving knowledge translation, and a Public Health Agency of Canada study on child welfare data recording practices. A fun fact about me is that l'm a big fan of dungeons and dragons!

Emilie Broomfield

Hello! My name is Emilie Broomfield. I am a graduate student at Wilfrid Laurier University where I am currently completing my MSc in Health Sciences, specifically in the Community, Public, and Population Health field. I am currently working on the Indigenous Knowledge Realist Review project, and a fun fact about me is that I am from Nunatsiavut, Labrador!

Jillian Lamorie

Hi! I'm Jillian Lamorie, a first-year MSc student in Health Sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University, currently working on a thesis focused on Indigenous communities and the healthcare system (expected 2027). I am currently working on the IndWisdom Realist Review project as well. l've previously been involved in Land Acknowledgment workshops, Reconciliation Action Planning, and philanthropic partnerships through my summer internship. A fun fact about me is that l've read 30 books this year!

Lauren O'Neill

Lauren is a second-year MA student in Community Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University. She has a BA in Psychology with minors in Indigenous Studies and Youth & Children's studies. Prior to her studies, she served as a birth and postpartum doula and childbirth educator. Her main research focuses on analyzing the knowledge, attitudes and practices of social workers in New Brunswick concerning Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and prenatal alcohol use, with the goal of providing a rich understanding of lived experiences and needs to inform appropriate knowledge mobilization initiatives, education, and policy.

Tracy Searle

My name is Tracy Searle and I am a MSc student in Health Sciences, specializing in the Community and Population Public Health stream at Wilfrid Laurier University (2026). | recently graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a BSc in Health Sciences with minors in Biology and Psychology. I have worked on the New Brunswick FASD Center of Excellence and the Scoping Review for Knowledge Mobilization with and for Equity-deserving Communities. A fun fact about me is that my favourite artist is Taylor Swift.

Undergraduate Students

Peace Agada

Hello! My name is Peace Agada, and I'm currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with minors in Chemistry and Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University (2026). Projects I have been involved in include: knowledge mobilization related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), the Indwisdom study, Indigenous physical activity protocol development, as well as scoping review, bibliometric analysis, and data collection for ED/D group-focused research projects. A fun fact about me is that I'm left-handed!

Emma Gerges

Hi! My name is Emma, and I'm an Undergraduate Research Assistant. I'm currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology (2028). Projects I have been involved in include: Breast Cancer Research Project (URNCST Journal Mentored Paper) and McMaster SCORE! Project. A fun fact about me is that I traveled to Upper Egypt for a volunteer teaching trip, where I taught children and visited families.

Praveen Kaur

Hello! My name is Praveen Kaur and I am an Undergraduate Research Assistant!

I am in Honours Psychology, fourth year, and will graduate in 2027. Prior to this position, I worked as an RA in Afro Support Through Generations Program Evaluation. A fun fact about me is that I love going on long walks and hikes, especially in the fall.