Welcome
I’m an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta and Director of the Pediatric Centre for Weight and Health at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, AB. I’m also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the U of A.
After completing my academic studies, which included a BSc (Dietetics) at the University of British Columbia, a PhD (Nutrition and Metabolism) at the University of Alberta, and a post-doctoral fellowship (Preventive Medicine) at the University of Southern California, I returned to the University of Alberta to start an independent research program in pediatric obesity. Currently, I’m supported by a Population Health Investigator Award from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (2008 – 2011) and a New Investigator Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2007 – 2012).
My academic / clinical interests and activities include:
- Developing, delivering, and evaluating weight management interventions for overweight children, teens and their families;
- Optimizing obesity-related health services for families;
- Examining the effects of body fat and body fat distribution on risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in children and teens;
- Building community capacity to improve the lifestyles and health of First Nations families;
- Collaborating with colleagues from across Canada to develop a national clinical research network in pediatric obesity called ACORN (Addressing Childhood Obesity through Research and Networking).