1 in 5 Initiative | Initiative 1 sur 5
Our Team
The 1 in 5 Initiative is led by a multidisciplinary group of University of Ottawa undergraduate and graduate students.
Presidents
Malika Lanthier
Co-President & Financial Director
Mali is a second year Clinical Psychology student at the University of Ottawa under the supervision of Dr. Rébecca Robillard in the Sleep Research Laboratory. Her research and clinical interests are related to insomnia, depression, and anxiety in older adults. Mali aims to promote psychological well-being and reducing stigma through her work in the 1 in 5 Initiative. She makes the best of stress by reading, trying new food, and spending time with loved ones.
Clinical Supervisor
Bianca St-Denis
Co-President
Bianca is a second year Clinical Psychology student at the University of Ottawa under the supervision of Dr. Martine Lagacé and Dr. Meredith Rocchi. Her research currently focuses on data anxiety. She also previously worked on projects related to psychological needs and measurement validation.
Christina Mutschler, Ph.D., C. Psych.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services
Incoming.
Volunteers
Karina Fonesca
Communications Director
Karina is a full-time research assistant in the Sleep Research Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Rébecca Robillard while she is applying to graduate studies in clinical psychology. Among her many research interests, she is currently working on various projects in collaboration with Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Karina also works as a volunteer research assistant in the Cognition and Anxiety Studies Laboratory at the University of Ottawa. In her spare time, you can find her at the gym, playing hockey or guitar, and spending time with her ducks.
Liz Dromer
Workshop Facilitator
Hi! My name is Liz, and I am a volunteer of the 1/5 initiative. I am currently a student in the MA-PhD program in clinical psychology at the University of Ottawa and graduated from the University of Montréal with an MSc in public health. I am passionate about mental health and helping others access appropriate resources and support, which is why I joined this initiative! In my free time I love doing spin classes, hiking in Gatineau Park, and watching RuPaul Drag’s Race to destress!
Martina Speck
Workshop Facilitator and Communication Team Volunteer
Martina is a PhD student in the Experimental Psychology program under Dr. Andra Smith's supervision. Her research focuses on the neuroscience of mindfulness, exploring its effects on the brain and behavior. Passionate about mental health, Martina aims to bridge scientific insights with real-world applications to foster resilience and well-being.
Mélissa Vallée
Workshop Facilitator and Communications Team Volunteer
Mélissa is a fourth-year student in the B.A. Psychology program at the University of Ottawa. She is completing her honours thesis with the Sleep Research Laboratory. Among her many research interests, she is particularly interested in anxiety and depression. Mélissa aims to promote how to have a balanced life through her involvement with the 1 in 5 Initiative. She spends her time being open to new ideas, making new friends, and watching her favourite shows.
Defne Oksit
Workshop Facilitator
Defne is working as a full-time research assistant at the Sleep Research Laboratory with Dr. Rébecca Robillard while preparing for graduate school. She is responsible for managing a cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia project with older adults as well as a study aiming to validate ambulatory sleep wearables in clinical populations to increase accessibility. Additionally, she volunteers as a research assistant at the University of Ottawa's Neuroscience Memory Laboratory. In her free time, she's either lifting weights, strumming a ukulele (at least trying), FaceTiming her family, or lost in a good book.
Geneviève D'Amours
Communications Team Volunteer
Geneviève is a second-year Health Sciences student at the University of Ottawa. Through her implication with the 1 in 5 Initiative, Geneviève aims to promote the importance of self-care in the midst of having a busy lifestyle. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, reading a good book and sharing her love for dance as a part-time dance teacher,
Salma Ben Messaoud
Workshop Facilitator and Communication Team Volunteer
Incoming.