Meet the Team
Jennifer Gordon, PhD, RD Psych
Dr. Jennifer Gordon (she/her) is Director of the Reproductive Mental Health Research Unit, a registered clinical psychologist, Professor of Psychology at the University of Regina, and a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Reproductive Mental Health.
Her research focuses on understanding, preventing, and treating mental health conditions linked to reproductive hormones and reproductive life events, including premenstrual mood disorders, perimenopausal depression, and infertility-related distress. Her work has been published in leading journals including JAMA Psychiatry, The Lancet Psychiatry, and The Lancet.
Dr. Gordon's research is supported by national and provincial funding agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. She is Chair of the University of Regina Research Ethics Board and Clinical Advisory Chair of the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD).
Gianna Zorzini, PhD
Gianna Zorzini (she/her) is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Regina. Her research focuses on how biopsychosocial factors contribute to mood disorders during reproductive transitions across the lifespan, with the overarching goal of advancing prevention and treatment. For her doctoral thesis, she examined (epi-)genetic markers of estrogen receptor genes and their association with depressive symptoms during the perinatal period. Currently, she is investigating patterns of substance use across the menstrual cycle.
Bethany Sander, MSc
Beth (she/her) is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina and has been involved in the Reproductive Mental Health Research Unit since 2019. Beth researches the hormonal mechanisms and psychosocial factors contributing to mood disorders during reproductive transitions and is passionate about women’s mental health. She is currently studying mechanisms underlying depression during the menopause transition. She also has clinical interests in these areas including learning more about evidence-based psychological interventions targeting these mental health concerns.
Her studies have been funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR), and the Guiding interdisciplinary Research On Women’s and girl’s health and Well-being (GROWW) program through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
Megan Poulter, MSc
Starting in September 2026, Megan (she/her) will be in the third year of her PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her research focuses primarily on reproductive psychology, an area of research and practice dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being throughout family planning and reproductive decision-making.
Megan completed her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Psychology in May 2022. She also completed a minor in Family Studies that included extensive exploration of contemporary issues facing families in diverse contexts, and her undergraduate thesis examined social cooperation and depression in adolescents assigned female at birth.
For her Master's thesis, Megan conducted a randomized clinical trial exploring the effect of a short-term cognitive-behavioural intervention on mental health outcomes, quality of life, and relationship satisfaction in adults assigned female at birth and experiencing infertility.
If you want to start a conversation with Megan, ask her about her cats (J.R.R. Tolkitten, George R.R. Meowtin, and C.S. Mewis) or what book she's reading!
May Ly, MSc
May (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at the U of R. She has research experience spanning various psychosocial factors of mental health, including body image, trauma, and rural/remote care. Within the RMHRU, she is involved in designing and testing a novel self-guided program for premenstrual mood disorders. Her doctoral research focuses on examining suicidality and self-harm in populations affected by such disorders.
Professionally, May has a background in helping people with complex health and social needs navigate systems—such as health, housing, justice, and family services—through an integrative case management approach. Her research is guided by increasing understanding of the needs of underserved populations and creating supports that address these needs.
May’s research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Maija Kiviharju, MSc
Maija Kiviharju (she/her) is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at the U of R. Under the supervision of Dr. Gordon, Maija's Master's thesis investigated the utility of the Coping with Infertility self-help program on the partners of those who complete it. She is also examining approaches to optimizing the program for men and other non-gestational partners.
Likewise, Maija's research interests pertain to reproductive events and parenting experiences, specifically the psychosocial aspects of infertility, pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. She also has an affinity for family dynamics and the interplay between biological factors (e.g., hormones) and mood.
To date, Maija's studies have been funded by Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR).
Venezya Thorsteinson, BA Hons
Venezya (she/her) is a second-year Master’s student in Clinical Psychology, currently working on a project investigating PMD education in medical residency programs. She previously helped interview participants for our Coping With Infertility randomized clinical trial and our Qualitative Investigation of Perimenopausal Depression.
Prior to joining the lab, Venezya worked as the research coordinator for Dr. Natasha Gallant’s Aging, Residents, and Caregivers (ARC) Research Unit for the 2024-2025 academic year. In addition, Venezya was awarded a Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research Undergraduate Research Award (UGRA) for the summer of 2025 to continue working with Dr. Gallant.
At the 2025 spring convocation, Venezya received her Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Regina. Venezya’s honours thesis, supervised by Dr. Natasha Gallant, investigated the relationship between mental health outcomes, gender-based discrimination, and migraines among women. Similarly, her research interests are related to health psychology, specifically, how pain-related disorders, psychological wellbeing, and individual differences influence women's overall health. Therefore, Venezya is grateful to join the RMHRU and she is looking forward to furthering her research experience through development of her Master’s thesis.
Taryn Wahl, BSc Hons
Taryn (they/she/he) is the research coordinator for the RMHRU and completed their Bachelor of Science with honours in psychology and a minor in biology in May 2024. They spent four years working as an educator for a sexual health clinic, which drew them to Dr. Gordon's work. Their honours project explored sexual and relationship satisfaction among participants in the Coping With Infertility trial.
Taryn is a second-year master's student in the Experimental and Applied Psychology program, supervised by Dr. Sarah Sangster. They are interested in reproductive hormone mood sensitivity, health care experiences, community-based research, and gender/sexual/relationship diversity. Taryn is currently assisting with the lab's research projects on premenstrual mood symptoms.
When not glued to a computer screen in the lab, Taryn can be found listening to music, taking dance classes, or lifting heavy weights at the gym!
Sage Wosminity, BA Hons
Sage (she/her) is a graduate of the University of Regina, where she earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her honours thesis examined the advocacy experiences of parents caring for children with congenital heart disease. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media, Art, and Performance with a concentration in Art History.
Sage is excited to join the Reproductive Mental Health Research Unit at the University of Regina as its new Research Coordinator. Her research interests lie at the intersection of health and clinical psychology, with a particular interest in reproductive mental health, and she hopes to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology with a focus on improving the mental health and well-being of individuals living with health-related conditions.
Alumni
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Loujane Zwai, Honours Student, 2025 - 2026
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Aamina Tauqeer, Honours Student, 2025 - 2026
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Sneha Chenji, Postdoctoral Student, 2023 - 2025
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Hannah Odaware, Honours Student, 2024 - 2025
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Duncan Preston, Honours Student and Research Assistant, 2023 - 2025
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Ashley Balsom, Master's and Doctoral Student, 2018 - 2024
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Sarah Gulash, Lab Coordinator, 2023 - 2024
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Anas Arwini, Honours Student, 2022 - 2023
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Zona Iftikhar, Honours Student, 2021 - 2022
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Sonia Stanger, Honours Student, 2021 - 2022
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Maria Halleran, Master's Student, 2020 - 2022
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Shalini Venkat, Honours Student, 2020 - 2021
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Sabrina Lybeck, Honours Student, 2020 - 2021
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Minhal Mussawar, Honours Student, 2020 - 2021
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Caleigh Showchuk, Honours Student, 2020 - 2021
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Loveness Dube, Postdoctoral Fellow, 2019 - 2021
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Andie Chernoff, Honours Student, 2018 - 2019
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Julie Ziemer, Honours Student, 2017 - 2018
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Tianna Sauer, Honours Student, 2017 - 2018
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Julia Grummisch, Ph.D. Student, 2016 - 2021
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Ashley Ethier, Master's Student, 2016 - 2018
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Rashell Wozniak, Honours Student, 2016 - 2017
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Alexis Peltier, Honours Student, 2015 - 2016