RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL (RAC)
The role of RAC is to assist Northwood to create a culture of research and evidence based practice within the organization. This group meets once a month to ensure all research projects are in the best interest of the organization, its clients and staff, and only appropriate, ethical, and scientifically sound research occurs.
Andrea Mayo
attended the University of New Brunswick (UNB), where she received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Master’s of Exercise and Sport Science under the supervision of Dr. Danielle Bouchard. Andrea is finishing her PhD in the Department of Health at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Dr. Olga Theou, where she studies how lifestyle behaviors influence frailty, with a particular focus on physical activity. Currently, Andrea works at the IWK in the Women’s Health department and is using her data utilization skills to improve healthcare pathways for women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Pamela Fancey
is the Associate Director of the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging at Mount Saint Vincent University which has a mission to advance knowledge on aging to inform social policy and practice. Her role at the Centre includes grant writing, project development and management and fostering relations with stakeholders. She has led evaluation projects and has authored/co-authored articles and reports on topics including family/friend caregivers, older workers, age-friendly communities, dementia care, long term care, abuse of older adults, and home support workers. Ms. Fancey is also a part-time instructor with the Mount’s Department of Family Studies & Gerontology. In 2018 she was the recipient of Northwood’s Live More Award for Research.
Dr. Arla Day
is a Professor in Occupational Health Psychology at Saint Mary’s University and Director of the CN Centre for Occupational Health & Safety (www.cncohs.ca). She is a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association and was a Canada Research Chair for 10 years. She was an Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury, NZ, an international advisor at Stockholm Stress Centre, and chair of the NS Psychological Healthy Workplace Program.
While conducting research, she works directly with organizations to develop initiatives to support workers and foster healthy workplaces. She has authored many articles and books on healthy and inclusive workplaces, mental health, leadership, stress and well-being, and work-life balance.
Outside of work, she puts her work on health and wellbeing into practice, traveling, enjoying the marvels of Nova Scotia, and spending quality time with her family, friends, horses, dogs, cats, & chickens on her farm.
Dr. Judith Godin
received her Ph.D in psychology from Carleton University in 2011. Following her PhD, Judith held a Mitacs Elevate postdoctoral fellowship in health services research at the University of Toronto. After that, she worked at the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging at Mount Saint Vincent University as a data analyst and subsequently as a postdoctoral fellow. Judith is currently part of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging team that investigates how multi-morbidity modifies the risk of dementia and the patterns of disease expression. Developing a strong interest in quantitative methods and statistics while pursuing her PhD, Judith found herself drawn to the subjects of geriatrics and gerontology working as a data analyst, subsequently a postdoctoral fellow, at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her work examines how social and behavioural factors influence frailty and cognition, including how employment and retirement relate to frailty and cognitive impairment. Other interests include gerontology and health services research and occupational health psychology.
Jennifer Tucker
joined Northwood in 2009 as a Registered Nurse after returning home to Nova Scotia following several years studying and working in Ontario. Jennifer has held a variety of leadership roles during her years at Northwood and has established herself as a knowledgeable, trusted leader with a drive to pursue & embrace innovation and best practice.
In her current role as Senior Director of Long-Term Care, Jennifer leads the operations and leadership teams for Northwood Halifax, Bedford, Ivy Meadows and Shoreham Village.
Jennifer has led the LTC team through significant change over the last three+ years, responding with agility, strength, resilience and a focused commitment to Northwood’s values and philosophy of person-centered care.
Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McMaster University, a Master of Nursing in Health Policy & Education from Toronto Metropolitan University (formally Ryerson University) and has completed an Executive Certificate in Leadership from Dalhousie University.
John O’Keefe, B.A., B.S.W., M.S.W
graduated from Saint Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983. He graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Social Work degree in 1984 and a Master of Social Work degree in 1991. Currently, John is Manager, Social Work with Northwoodcare Inc., a member of the Northwood Group of Companies in Halifax. John is a former President of the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer Society of Canada and was a Board member of that organization from 2005 – 2017. John was a member of the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia from 1998 to 2011 and is a former President of that organization as well. In 2013, John was awarded a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition for the volunteer activity he carried out on behalf people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers with the Alzheimer Society across Canada. In addition, he is a past recipient of the Canadian Association of Social Workers Distinguished Service Award.
Stephen Filek
started with Northwood in 2018 as an LPN Homecare Supervisor. He eventually had a role as Staff Educator and then took on his current position as Manager of Client Care for Northwood Homecare and our 2 other homecare agencies in Victoria County and Antigonish. Stephen graduated from NSCC with Business Information Technology, Business Administration and Marketing, and then finally with the LPN Nursing Program. In addition to this, Stephen has a Certificate in Adult Education with the Canadian College of Educators, a Certificate in Practical Leadership with Sobey School of Business, and participated in the Northwood Leadership Development Program. Outside of work, Stephen enjoys quality time with his husband, travelling, and home improvement projects.
Tina Feth
Born in Zweibrucken, Germany, Tina emigrated as a young girl to Nova Scotia. She has always found comfort in working with people, especially older adults, so a career in nursing came naturally. Graduating from NSCC Akerley Campus, she has worked across many sectors in the health care industry but always found her way back to working with older adults helping to lend a voice and advocate for those who helped shape our communities. Currently, Tina is the Corporate Director of Community Development & Support and oversees our Adult Day, Retirement Living, Community Rec & Wellness, Pauline Potter Health Centre and supports the Community Connections program, part of the Victoria Country Home Support Service. Outside of work, Tina enjoys time with her 3 dogs, reading and spending time with family, especially in Canso, NS.
Melanie Gaunt
Born in Halifax, Melanie grew up in Montreal. She received her M.A. in Organizational Communications from Queens University of Charlotte, in North Carolina. She has extensive volunteering experience, particularly surrounding disability, accessibility, and quality of life. Diagnosed with MS in 2001, Melanie has lived at Northwood’s Ivany Place campus since its opening in 2010. Her education, experience and research in community living have helped her advocate, advise and advance her as an agent of change, particularly in LTC.
Crystal Knight
Crystal holds a degree in Psychology and Human Resources, which she has effectively applied to gain extensive professional experience in the financial and insurance sectors. Over the course of seven years, she collaborated with cross-functional leadership teams to successfully execute projects, design and deliver training programs, motivate and manage teams, monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), and maintain strong stakeholder relationships. Driven by a passion for strategic thinking and quality improvement, Crystal recently earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of New Brunswick and is now a licensed Registered Nurse, eager to contribute her skills and expertise to the healthcare industry.