This project is guided by a North American team of SCI researchers, SCI organizations, people with lived experience of SCI, health professionals, and research funders. Many of our team members play multiple roles within the SCI research system.
We have been awarded two SSHRC Partnership Development Grants, one in March 2019 and one in March 2023. The team is led by Dr. Heather Gainforth and includes 32 co-investigators, 10 collaborators and 7 partner organizations.
Heather Gainforth
Project Lead
Associate Professor, The University of British Columbia Okanagan; Principal Investigator, ICORD; Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar
Kim Anderson
Professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine; Staff Scientist, MetroHealth Medical Centre; Investigator, Cleveland FES Center
Peter Athanasopoulos
Senior Manager of Public Policy and Government Relations, Spinal Cord Injury Ontario
Hugh Anton
Clinical Professor, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of British Columbia; Clinical Research Coordinator, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre; Investigator, ICORD
Jasmin Ma
Assistant Professor of Teaching, University of British Columbia School of Kinesiology. Clinician Investigator, Arthritis Research Canada. Investigator, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries.
Myron Campbell
Associate Professor, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, The University of British Columbia
John Chernesky
Manager, Consumer Engagement Program, Praxis Research Institute
Teren Clarke
Former CEO, Spinal Cord Injury Alberta; Core Committee Member, Strategic Clinical Network for Neuroscience Rehabilitation and Vision, Alberta Health Services; Executive Committee Member, North American SCI Consortium
Susan Forwell
Professor, The University of British Columbia; Department Head, University of British Columbia Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Health; Principal Investigator, ICORD
Ian Graham
Professor, University of Ottawa; Senior Scientist, Centre for Practice-Changing Research
Femke Hoekstra
Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of British Columbia Okanagan; ICORD
Victoria Claydon
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University.Principal Investigator, ICORD. Affiliated Investigator, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute
Anita Kaiser
PhD Candidate, Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto; Research Director, Canadian Spinal Research Organization, Research Trainee, KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network
Jocelyn Maffin
Manager, BC SCI Resource Centre, Spinal Cord Injury BC
Kathleen Martin Ginis
Professor, The University of British Columbia Okanagan; Director, SCI Action Canada; Fellow, National Academy of Kinesiology; Principal Investigator, ICORD
Chris McBride
Executive Director, Spinal Cord Injury BC
Lowell McPhail
Former Managing Director, ICORD
Nancy Thorogood
Managing Director, ICORD
Ben Mortenson
Assistant Professor, The University of British Columbia; Principal Investigator, ICORD
Vanessa Noonan
Director of Research & Best Practice Implementation, Praxis Spinal Cord Institute (formerly Rick Hansen Institute)
Gayle Scarrow
Director, Knowledge Translation, Michael Smith Health Research BC
Lee Schaefer
Associate Professor, The University of Saskatchewan, College of Kinesiology
Kathryn Sibley
Associate Professor, University of Manitoba; Director of the Knowledge Translation Platform, George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation; Canada Research Chair in IKT and Rehabilitation Sciences
Shane Sweet
Associate Professor, McGill University
Anita Kothari
Professor, Western University
Christopher West
Assistant Professor, The University of British Columbia; Principal Investigator, ICORD
Rhonda Willms
Medical Manager, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre; Clinical Instructor, University of British Columbia; Associate Member, ICORD
Amy Latimer Cheung
Associate Professor, Queen’s University
Barry Munro
Chief Development Officer, Canadian Spinal Research Organization
Katrina Plamondon
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia Okanagan
Matthew Vis-Dunbar
Data and Digital Scholarship Librarian, UBC Okanagan
Trainees and Staff
Emily Giroux
PhD Student, Kinesiology; MSc, Health and Exercise Sciences
Michael Kennefick
PhD; Business Development Specialist, Mitacs
Yasaman Lotfizadeh
MA, Digital Arts and Humanities Student; MA, Graphic Design
Rhyann McKay
PhD Candidate, Kinesiology
Alanna Shwed
PhD Student, Kinesiology; MSc, Kinesiology
Kelsey Wuerstl
PhD Student, Kinesiology; MSc, Kinesiology
Divya Kanwar Bhati
Research Coordinator, Applied Behaviour Change Lab
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