Alumni

Mallory began the MA Clinical Psychology program in 2022 at Lakehead University. For their thesis project, they are examining the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and sexual debut among the First Nation population. Their thesis is supervised by Dr. Mushquash. Mallory’s research interests include trauma, sexual health, First Nation youth health and well-being, suicide, harm reduction, and prevention. Mallory currently holds a position with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Oshkaatisak council. Mallory is a trainee with the 2SLGBTQ+ Health at Dalla Lana School of Public Health. In their free time, Mallory enjoys traveling, music, hiking, and crafting.

Andrea Raynak is the Director, Nursing Practice at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Within her role, she advances the practice of nursing organizationally and creates and maintain programs and practices that support, promote and evaluate nursing practice. She facilitates the integration of research into practice and further, progresses a learning culture. Her research interests include identifying knowledge/health system gaps and proposing sustainable solutions to enhance the nursing profession and further, guide organizational and academic policy. She also works as a Contract Lecturer for Lakehead University. Andrea began the PhD Health Sciences program in 2020. Her research involves examining nurse’s attitudes towards patients with substance use difficulties in the hospital setting in order to propose pragmatic approaches to care for this patient population. Her work is supervised by Dr. Mushquash and supported by a CIHR Doctoral Student Research Award. In her free time Andrea enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, reading fiction novels and running!

Dr. Suzanne Chomycz was born and raised in Thunder Bay. Dr. Chomycz obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Lakehead University in May 2017. During her doctoral studies, she completed her dissertation under the supervision of Dr. Mushquash, entitled “Personality, Motives, and Polydrug Use in Undergraduates”. She obtained autonomous practice as a psychologist in June 2018 and currently provides psychotherapy and assessment services with adult populations at Sullivan + Associates Clinical Psychology in Thunder Bay.

Dr. Alexandra Drawson completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology (Lakehead University) in 2018. Her dissertation examined indicators of child mental wellbeing in First Nations communities using a community-based participatory research approach. She is currently employed as a psychologist with St. Joseph’s Care Group Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services (CAPS). Her research interests include the impact of sleep and screen use on pediatric mental health, transdiagnostic approaches to the assessment and treatment of mental disorders, rural and northern community well being,  and measure development and validation.

Dr. Nicole Marshall is a recent graduate of the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Lakehead University. She completed her doctoral residency at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences in Whitby, Ontario, where she is now employed. Dr. Marshall’s dissertation longitudinally evaluated Cree Nations Treatment Haven’s methadone maintenance therapy program, which was the first on-reserve methadone maintenance therapy program in Canada. This research followed a community-based participatory action research approach and was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Research Award. Her other research interests include Indigenous mental health, substance use and addictions, and personality.

Jessica is a 1st year Masters student in the Clinical Psychology program at Lakehead University. Her thesis is supervised by Dr. Mushquash. Jessica’s research interests include substance use and addiction, emotion regulation and coping, and First Nations mental health. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, and camping.

Victoria is a 5th year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University. Her research interests include clinical program evaluation, as well as substance use and addictions. Her dissertation research, supervised by Dr. Mushquash, involves examining the acute effects of cannabis on mood, and symptoms of anxiety and depression using ecological momentary assessment. In her free time, Victoria enjoys doing yoga and spending time outdoors with her dog.

Elaine Toombs is a 5th year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University. She has completed her predoctoral internship at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, through the Northern Ontario Psychology Internship Consortium in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Elaine’s research interests include First Nations mental health, adverse childhood experiences, resilience and parenting. Her dissertation research is supervised by Dr. Mushquash and examines adverse childhood experiences in a First Nations treatment seeking population.

Kristy is an Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan and PhD student. Kristy's research interests include culturally relevant mental health treatments for Indigenous people, substance use as a form of self-medication, resilience in childhood and adolescence, as well as behavioural addictions in diverse communities. Her dissertation research examined the development, implementation, and evaluation of a transdiagnostic group intervention for First Nations children, relying on cultural skills and practices as a medium for intervention. Kristy’s work is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Award from the Institute of Indigenous Peoples Health and Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant. Kristy has collaborated with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, as well as Thunderbird Partnership Foundation on research projects. Kristy completed her pre-doctoral residency in the 2022 - 2023 year with the Northwestern Ontario Residency Psychology Internship Consortium in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  In her leisure time, Kristy enjoys spending time with family, snowboarding, gardening, crafting, and walking her dog.