Meet the Team
Jennifer Gordon, PhD, RD Psych
Dr. Jennifer Gordon (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Regina, and director of the Reproductive Mental Health Research Unit. Since 2018, she has been a Tier II Canada Research Chair in the Biopsychosocial Determinants of Women's Mental Health.
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Dr. Gordon is dedicated to advancing the identification, prevention, and treatment of mental health conditions uniquely affecting women. She is published in some of the world’s top mental health journals, including JAMA Psychiatry, the American Journal of Psychiatry, and The Lancet Psychiatry. Her research is well-funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) and the Saskatchewan Center for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR).
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She is also the clinical advisory chair of the International Association of Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), a non-profit organization that provides peer support, education, research, and advocacy.
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Sneha Chenji, PhD
Sneha (she/her) is a postdoctoral fellow at the U of R. She has a diverse research background with expertise in neuroimaging, neurostimulation and investigating brain-behavior relationships. In her research journey, she developed a growing curiosity around the potential role hormones played in influencing brain-related biomarkers and brain stimulation treatment. She was determined to gain additional training in psychoneuroendocrinology and has been doing just that since she joined the RMHRU in May 2023!
Her research involves analyzing the psychological effects of ovarian hormones in the reproductive lifespan, such as during the menopause transition. She is also involved with exciting projects to develop mental health programs in collaboration with the patient-led non-profit organization, IAPMD. In the future, Sneha would love to bring together her prior expertise in neuroimaging and brain stimulation, and her current training in psychoneuroendocrinology, to improve neuroimaging biomarkers and brain stimulation treatments in psychiatric populations.
In addition to her research interests, Sneha is passionate about patient-centered knowledge dissemination. She works as an independent contractor for IAPMD, leading research and education efforts for patients with lived experience of premenstrual disorders such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual exacerbation (PME) of other disorders. She will be engaging in conversations around various reproductive conditions and mental health through her soon-to-launch podcast "Bring UR Teal!".
Sneha's research has been funded by the Guiding interdisciplinary Research On Women’s and girl’s health and Well-being (GROWW) program through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
Bethany Sander, MSc
Beth (she/her) is a Ph.D. 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).
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Megan Poulter, MSc
Starting in September 2024, Megan (she/her) will be in the first 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 the family planning and reproductive decision-making process.
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.
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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. She plans to expand on this work in her PhD, by further exploring the family planning experiences of gender- and sexually-diverse individuals.
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), what book she's reading, or what she's knitting!"
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.
Christine Bueno, MSc
Christine Bueno (she/her) is completing her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina. Prior to joining the Reproductive Mood Disorder Research Unit as a student in 2023, she worked in the lab as a research assistant for two years. In her current doctoral research, she aims to examine the cognitive distortions that occur in premenstrual mood disorders. She also will test a pilot program designed to alleviate symptoms for people living with premenstrual mood disorders.
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Christine completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Science in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina. In her Honours thesis, Christine examined the efficacy of a self-directed, online, self-compassion, and mindfulness-based intervention (Mind-OP) in reducing levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Her master’s thesis included an additional module to Mind-OP that targeted feelings of connectedness (Mind-OP+). For her master’s research, she examined the efficacy of Mind-OP+ in increasing feelings of connectedness.
Although Christine’s Honours and Master’s research was incredibly rewarding and stimulating, she ultimately decided to pursue her passion for reproductive mental health for her doctoral research, under the supervision of Dr. Gordon. As a feminist, Christine believes it is important to increase awareness and treatment options for reproductive mental health issues that impact cis women, trans people, non-binary people, and two-spirit people.
Christine’s research has been funded by Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) and Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR).
Maija Kiviharju, BSc
Maija Kiviharju (she/her) is a second year Master's student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Regina. Under the supervision of Dr. Gordon, Maija's ongoing thesis research investigates 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.
In the spring of 2023, Maija achieved a Bachelor of Science Honours degree with a Psychology major and a Biology minor. Having completed her undergraduate/honours studies at the University of Regina under the supervision of Dr. Jeff Loucks, Maija feels fortunate to be a member of the U of R's academic community, which she hopes will continue in her upcoming doctoral studies.
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).
Duncan Preston, BSc
Duncan Preston (he/him) completed his Bachelor of Science Honours in Psychology degree under Dr. Jennifer Gordon’s supervision during the 2023-2024 academic year, with a minor in Biology. His honours thesis, reflecting his interdisciplinary background, analyzed sexual desire during perimenopause, focusing on the impacts of ovarian sex hormones and mood. He is currently finishing data collection for his thesis and completing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for hormone analysis.
Duncan is fascinated by how biological components, such as hormones, interact with mood and overall wellbeing. He aims to continue researching the effects of hormones on mood from both medical and clinical perspectives. The experiences gained from working in the lab have deepened his interest in pursuing a healthcare career, whether as an inpatient clinical psychologist, physician’s assistant, or medical doctor.
In 2023, he received the University of Regina Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies' Undergraduate Research Award under Dr. Gordon, as well as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Undergraduate Student Research Award in 2024. Throughout these research awards, he collaborated closely with Bethany Sander (MSc) and Dr. Gordon, gaining skills in participant engagement, communication, mental health assessments, research methodologies, data analysis, and laboratory techniques.
Duncan also enjoys working out at the gym, playing video games, and spending time with his family and boyfriend!
Taryn Wahl, BSc
Taryn (they/she/he) is the research coordinator for the RMHRU and completed their Bachelor of Science Honours in psychology with 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. Thanks to the U of R Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies' Undergraduate Research Award, Taryn spent the summer of 2024 as a research assistant for the Coping With Infertility RCT.
They are interested in reproductive hormone mood sensitivity, health care experiences, community-based research, and gender/sexual/relationship diversity. They recently completed an honours project within the lab exploring sexual and relationship satisfaction among individuals with infertility. Taryn is currently assisting graduate students with their research projects on PMDD and perimenopausal mental health.
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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!
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Matea Gerbeza
As of September 2024, Matea (she/her) is a first-year Master of Science student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Regina (U of R) in the Child Health Learning Development (CHLD) lab. She has been a research assistant in the RMHRU since 2023, working on the Infertility ACTion program and the Coping with Infertility randomized controlled trial.
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She received her Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in psychology from the U of R in 2023, after completing a study on mental health literacy and dispositional mindfulness. Her research interests include child and youth psychopathology, eating disorders, and the postpartum period. She is currently focused on the mental health impacts of chronic illness among young people and their family members.
Her Master's thesis, under the supervision of Dr. Kristi Wright, examines the usability of a psychoeducational program tailored for healthy siblings of children and adolescents with congenital heart disease. Her research is currently being funded by the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR), and the Canadian Behavioural Interventions and Trials Network (CBITN). She intends to pursue a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology at the U of R to continue studying child and youth psychopathology.
Venezya Thorsteinson
Venezya (she/her) is a new volunteer with the RMRHU, interviewing participants for our Coping With Infertility randomized clinical trial and creating social media posts. She also volunteers at family support groups at the I Love You More Wellness Centre. Venezya recently became the research coordinator for Dr. Natasha Gallant's Aging, Residents, Caregivers (ARC) research lab.
Venezya is in her last year of a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Psychology and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies at the U of R. During the 2023-2024 school year, she completed an undergraduate honours thesis investigating the relationship between mental health outcomes, gender-based discrimination, and migraines among women. Her research interests are related to health psychology, and specifically, how pain-related disorders, psychological wellbeing, and individual differences play influence women's overall health.
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Hannah Odaware
Hannah (she/her) is an undergraduate psychology student at the U of R and one of Dr. Gordon's honours students for 2024 - 2025. She is currently working on a research proposal to explore learning outcomes and participant engagement with the Coping with Infertility self-help program.
While conducting exploratory data analysis, Hannah will learn how to clean and organize large data sets and determine which statistical methods to use to understand more about the experiences of people who are struggling to conceive.
Genevieve Peris
Genevieve (she/her) is an undergraduate psychology student at the U of R and one of Dr. Gordon's honours students for 2024 - 2025. She is currently writing a research proposal to study how childhood trauma experiences may influence the severity of PMDD symptoms.
Genevieve will work with the RMHRU team on the ‘Thriving with PMDs’ program project. She will be learning how to recruit and enroll study participants, conduct clinical research interviews, and prepare large data sets for statistical analysis. She is very passionate about women’s mental health and excited to help further research in this field.
Saba Salimuddin
Saba (she/her) is a PhD student in the clinical psychology program at the U of R. She is currently working at the Online Therapy Unit, where her doctoral dissertation will examine new and expecting parents' engagement with client stories in internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy. Her research interest largely focus on factors influencing treatment perceptions, uptake, and engagement. Saba is assisting the RMHRU by enrolling and interviewing participants for the PMD Pilot project.
Alumni
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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