Brooklyn Toivonen
Brooklyn is in her fourth year of HBSc Psych and Bed, and is completing her undergraduate Honours Thesis with Dr. Aislin Mushquash and co-supervisor Ishaq Malik this 2025/2026 academic year. She started as a research assistant doing qualitative coding for research from Children’s Centre Thunder Bay during the 2024/2025 academic year. Her research interests include personality traits, emotion regulation, ACEs, gambling motives, and problem online sports betting. Brooklyn has lots of other practical experiences, including a research opportunity course in Dr. James Kryklywy's lab, Psi-Chi membership, volunteering for Let's Talk Science, and is currently the President of Lakehead University's Women in Sports Association (WISA.) Outside of work and school, Brooklyn enjoys hiking, dancing, and playing piano.
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Kati Whelan
Kati (she/her) joined the MA Clinical Psychology program at Lakehead University in 2025. She completed an Honours BSc in Psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2024. Her MA thesis will examine whether social media use functions as an effective coping mechanism for acute stress recovery, and whether its effectiveness depends on active versus passive use. She is currently supported by the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and was recently appointed as a general committee member on the CPA's Section for Students in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Kati's other research interests include the evaluation and effective implementation of digital mental health tools, the role of peer support in chronic pain, and the transdiagnostic applicability of DBT. Outside of academics, Kati enjoys making collages, playing board and video games, and spending time with her cat, Wiggler.
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Melinda D’Souza
Melinda volunteered in the lab from 2023-2024.
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Claire Breton-Di-Paolo
Clare volunteered in the lab from 2023-2024.
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Amy Stern
Amy joined the MA Clinical Psychology Program at Lakehead University in 2024. She completed an Honours BSc specializing in Psychology at York University in 2021. Her MA thesis will be examining Canadian educators’ (K-12) openness to use digital mental health tools inside and outside of the classroom. Amy was awarded the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)- Canada Graduate Master’s Scholarship in 2025 and the St. Joseph’s Care Group Award in Applied Health Research. She has previously been supported by the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Amy’s other research interests include, emotion regulation, chronic pain, adolescent and young adult mental health, and maternal health. In her spare time, Amy loves to read novels, crochet, bike ride, go to concerts, and spend time with her cat Sammy.
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Mackenzie (Kenzie) McQueen
Kenzie (she/her) started as lab/research coordinator in April 2025 after completing her Specialized HBA with in Psychology, Minor in Philosophy. She began as a volunteer research assistant in the lab in 2023 and completed her undergraduate honours thesis with Dr. Aislin Mushquash in 2024/2025. Her research interests include interpersonal relationships, intimate partner and domestic violence, intimate relationships, trauma, and coping. Outside of work, Kenzie enjoys reading, spending time with her dog, making jewelry, watching Critical Role, and listening to Taylor Swift.
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Teagan Neufeld
Teagan (she/her) is an Indigenous graduate student from Kenora, Ontario. She began training in Clinical Psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Aislin Mushquash in 2024. She holds a HBSc in Behavioural Neuroscience (2018) and an MSc in Biology (2022) from Laurentian University, as well as a Specialized HBA in Psychology from Lakehead University (2024). Her HBA thesis, supervised by Dr. Aislin Mushquash, examined the acceptance of the JoyPop™ app among post-secondary students through a qualitative approach and received recognition of academic excellence from the Canadian Psychological Association. Teagan’s research interests focus on adaptive coping mechanisms, childhood adversity, and the evaluation and integration of mHealth tools. Outside of her academic pursuits, Teagan enjoys beading, sewing, watching movies, and playing video and board games.
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Jen Wyman
In May 2023, Jennifer completed her Specialized HBA in Psychology, earning first-class standing in her undergraduate studies. She was awarded the Mettler Toledo scholarship for her entire undergraduate degree, which was tied to her father’s work – a scholarship that had not been granted for 10 years. Her main research interests include mental health and wellness, addictions, trauma, coping, mood/anxiety disorders, and other psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Jennifer was a volunteer research assistant in the lab in 2023-2024.
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Amelia Traer
Amelia began the undergraduate psychology program at Lakehead University in 2021. She became involved as a research assistant in the Coping Research Lab in February of 2023. Her areas of interest include Indigenous health & well-being, coping, neuropsychology, mental health interventions, and personality. Amelia's commitment to her education is underpinned by the invaluable support from the Métis Nation of Ontario Post-Secondary Education Support Program and the Indspire: Building Brighter Futures Program. She has been recognized for her academic achievements, having been named to both the Dean's List (Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences) and President's List. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking, cross-country skiing, and spending time with her dog.
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Angela Ashley
Angela (She/her) began the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University in 2025. Her research focuses on the role of digital mHealth tools in promoting youth and family mental health, emotion co-regulation, and coping. Prior to this, she also completed her MA in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University under the supervision of Dr. Mushquash. Her MA research focused on implementing and assessing the impact of a resilience-building and coping mHealth app, JoyPop, as an adjunct tool for youth clients receiving mental health services. Her research has been supported through CGS-M CIHR funding, and she is a Fellow with The Digital, Inclusive, Virtual, and Equitable Research Training in Mental Health Platform (DIVERT Mental Health). For 5 years, Angela also worked with individuals with developmental disabilities as a support worker. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking/baking new recipes, reading, and rock climbing!
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Dara Rosdobutko
Dara Rosdobutko graduated from the HBA in Psychology program with a minor in Aging and Health at Lakehead University in 2023. She commenced her second undergraduate degree in the 1-year HBSW program in July 2023. With a keen eye for research, Dara assumed the role of a research assistant in 2022, contributing to the coordination of participants for the pilot study of the JoyPop app within the Coping Research lab. Her primary interest lies in mental health and public health research, with a specific emphasis on evaluating service access in Northwestern Ontario.
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Victoria Ewen
Victoria completed her Masters with Dr. Mushquash in 2016.
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Hailey Gilmour
Hailey Gilmour completed her honours thesis with Dr. Mushquash in 2019. Her project focused on the congruence between parent and child coping behaviours and how that related to parent-child relationship quality.
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Jessica Coran
Jessica Coran is an undergraduate student who previously volunteered in the lab. She supported worked with Dr. Mushquash and Allie Popowich on the attachment, coping, and relationship quality study.
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Jessica Frappa
Jessica is an undergraduate student who previously volunteered in the lab. She supported worked with Dr. Mushquash and Allie Popowich on the attachment, coping, and relationship quality study.
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Kaitlyn Kotala
Kaitlyn was a volunteer research assistant and supported a study on attachment, coping, and relationship quality. Her research interests are in anxiety and mood disorders, trauma, and interpersonal relationships.
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Tori Antier
Tori was a volunteer research assistant for a study on attachment, coping and relationship quality. Her areas of interest are in personality traits, emotions, and genetics.
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Jaidyn Charlton
Jaidyn began her PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2024. Her overall research umbrella is focused on the coping methods used by dark personality traits in response to stressors. Her research and clinical interests include forensics/law, coping, the internet, personality, childhood adversity/trauma, and encouraging well-being. Jaidyn completed her HBA in 2021 and MA in 2024, all supervised by Dr. Mushquash at Lakehead University. She was previously awarded the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - Canada Graduate Master's Scholarship and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Her doctoral research is currently supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - Doctoral Fellowship. She has experience with other research examining the JoyPop app, Indigenous mental health, and more. Outside of academia, she is an avid reader and story writer, and usually has some kind of oldies or musical ambience playing
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Kendra Ryan
Kendra Ryan is in her fourth year of the specialized HBA psychology program. For her thesis project she is examining the role of technoference and communication satisfaction on intimacy among couples in romantic relationships. Other research interests include childhood attachment, child and developmental psychology, relationship quality, and mental health.
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Nolan Maenpaa
Nolan is in the third year of the HBSc of Psychology program, as well as completing a minor in Biology. He is volunteering as a research assistant for a study on attachment, coping and relationship quality. His interests are in mental development, coping mechanisms, and somatoform disorders.
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