Our graduates are living and working all over the world in organizations including universities, colleges, hospitals, other healthcare settings, K-12 schools, NGOs, research institutes, and more. Here are a few of them.
Elizabeth Eichler completed her Master's in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science in 2018. Co-supervised by Prof. Parissa Safai and Dr. Rebecca Bassett-Gunter, her research explored Dance Movement Therapy as a quality physical activity for people with Parkinson's Disease. Currently, Elizabeth is working as a psychotherapist, finding her passion in helping those struggling.
Under the supervision of Dr. Yuka Nakamura, Hadeth Rassol completed her Master's thesis on the negotiation process of identity, belonging, and feelings of citizenship for Muslim Canadians participating in a community- and religion-based sport organization, namely, the Umoja Soccer Tournament. The study aimed to highlight Canadian Muslim voices and allow individuals to share their experiences of negotiating being Canadian and Muslim in today’s political and social climate.
Dr. Alix Krahn (she/her) is feminist sport scholar whose research examines the sport-work-gender nexus in sport coaching. Under the supervision of Prof. Parissa Safai, her doctoral study used feminist political economy to examine sport coaching as work within the context of university sport, with an emphasis on the gendered and gendering nature of sport coaching work and the fraught sport coaching professional project in Canada. Alix is currently a Postdoctoral Visitor at York University.
Under the supervision of Yuka Nakamura, Joyce Magat’s research focused on the social construction of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in sport. She is currently enrolled at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in pursuit of a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. Her hope is to integrate her passion for helping others and for health and well-being into her future professional practice.
Dr. Emily McCullogh (she/her) completed her doctorate in April 2020. Under the supervision of Prof. Parissa Safai, her doctoral work examined the experiences of care and caring in youth competitive sport through a socio-philosophical lens. As a qualitative researcher, she has also explored on injury prevention, health, and the built environment.
Dr. Mitchell McSweeney (he/him) is an Assistant Professor in Sport Management at the University of Minnesota. His research agenda focuses on social entrepreneurship, innovation, sport for development, forced migration, and livelihoods. Mitch completed his PhD at York University under the advisory of Dr. Lyndsay Hayhurst and Prof. Parissa Safai. In 2022, he received the Journal of Sport for Development Early Career Scholar Award.
Dr. Cheryl Pritlove received her PhD in 2016 (supervised by Prof. Parissa Safai) and is currently a Research Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. Dr. Pritlove is a critical qualitative methodologist, feminist political economist, and health services researcher, with expertise in patient and community engagement, patient-centered care research, EDI, critical social theories, and knowledge translation. Her research has informed provincial policy decisions and has received international attention and media coverage.
Tayler Sinclair completed her Master's in the Development Studies program at York University under the supervision of Dr. Lyndsay Hayhurst. Her internship in the humanitarian and development space informed her perspectives on such issues as gender equality, refugee resettlement, and trauma- and violence-informed approaches. Through her own research on Caribbean immigrant women in Ontario, Tayler explored the intersections of health, well-being, social support and time poverty.
John Vlahos completed his Master’s under the supervision of Prof. Parissa Safai in 2011. His thesis focused on perceptions of risk, competition and identity among endurance race participants competing in the Tough Mudder series. Following this, he acquired a Master of Advanced Studies in Sport Administration and Technology from the International Academy of Sport Science and Technology (AISTS). He is currently working with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
Dr. Lauren Wolman (she/her) completed her Masters and PhD (under the co-supervision of Drs. Jessica Fraser-Thomas and Yuka Nakamura) in the field of Cultural Sports Psychology. Currently, Lauren is Manager of EDI Research and Strategic Initiatives at Centennial College, where she supports several key college-wide priorities including the Centennial EDI Institutional Capacity-Building Journey, the Anti-Black Racism Institutional Commitments, and work of the Indigenous Strategic Framework. In her spare time, Lauren is on the Board of Directors for Rugby Canada and is Chair of the Ethics and Integrity Committee.