Program Staff and Student Assistants

Dr. Katie Aubrecht

Co-Director

Dr. Katie Aubrecht is an Associate Professor in StFX’s Department of Sociology Co-Director of the Centre for Aging and Disability Justice and Scientific Director of the Spatializing Care: Intersectional Disability Studies Lab at St. Francis Xavier University (StFX). Her work looks at marginality and mental health, rurality and resilience, across the lifespan as health equity and social justice issues.

She holds a Tier II Canada Research Chair Health Equity and Social Justice. Through this role, and using a team-based approach, she works with others to create, share and action knowledge to improve care and mental health of people in rural communities who face social and economic barriers. Her research uses participatory action approaches, meaning community members are involved in shaping the work. It has three goals: 1) Find promising ways to apply human rights principles to rural mental health care; 2) Study how these approaches affect health equity; 3) Share knowledge to promote social justice and inform policy in Canada and beyond.

Katie earned her PhD in Social Justice Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. She also holds a Master’s degree in Sociology with a focus on Critical Disability Studies from York University and a Bachelor of Arts Honours with Distinction in Sociology from St. Francis Xavier University. At StFX, Katie teaches courses that explore how society understands disability, mental health, and social difference, such as Social Policy, Disability and Culture, and Spaces and Places of Mental Healthcare.

Before joining the Sociology Department at StFX, Katie worked as a research coordinator and postdoctoral fellow at the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging at Mount Saint Vincent University, where she taught courses on Healthy Aging, Dementia, Critical Theories in Family Studies, and Care Policy. She later completed a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Health System Impact Postdoctoral Fellowship with Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care–Research, advancing evidence-informed approaches to person- and family-centered dementia care. Katie also serves on the Executive and Advisory Committees for CIHR’s pan-Canadian Health System Impact Training Platform, where she is a Co-Principal Applicant and champion for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Reconciliation.

Email: @email
Website: https://www.stfx.ca/carelab
Phone: 902-867-4845

Dr. Megan MacGillivray

Co-Director

Dr. Megan MacGillivray is an Associate Professor in the Interdisciplinary Health Program, Co-Director of the Centre for Aging and Disability Justice, and leads her research lab at St. Francis Xavier University (StFX). Her current work is focused on understanding the social prescribing landscape in Nova Scotia in hopes of identifying perceived barriers to inform strategies for successful implementation.

Social prescribing aims to address the social determinants of health and often focuses on reducing social isolation. Nova Scotians are at increased risk for social isolation due to the rapidly aging and largely rural population, as well as the high prevalence of Nova Scotians who experience disability.

Megan earned her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of British Columbia. She also holds a MSc degree in Kinesiology from the University of British Columbia and a BSc with Honours in Human Kinetics from St. Francis Xavier University. At StFX, Megan teaches courses that explore social determinants of health, aging and disability across the lifecourse from a public health lens, and health innovation. A focus on equity, diversity and inclusion is woven into all courses.

Before joining the Interdisciplinary Health Program at StFX, Megan worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the Psychology Department at StFX where she explored movement patterns of infants. Megan was employed on various research projects at the University of British Columbia including: self-management of a mobile app for spinal cord injury, long-term health outcomes among people with a rare condition (Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita), peer-based wheelchair skills training, and many other adaptive mobility studies.

Megan is passionate about exploring innovative solutions to health ‘problems’. Megan is an affiliate scientist with Nova Scotia Health, an Associate Scientist with Maritime SPOR Support Unit, and an Affiliate member of the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD).

Email: @email
Phone: 902-867-1268

Bethany Theuerkauf

Program Manager

Bethany Theuerkauf is a higher education professional and health educator based in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. She holds a Bachelor of Human Kinetics, a Bachelor of Education in Physical Education and Health Education, and a Master’s in Adult Education with a focus on Health Education.

Bethany empowers learners and communities in Nova Scotia through innovative health education and transformative learning experiences. She designs programs that enhance physical and mental health literacy, utilize interprofessional collaborations, and strengthen community connections, with a focus on intergenerational engagement, supporting both youth and older adults, particularly in rural and underrepresented populations.

Guided by values of lifelong learning, equity, inclusivity, and strengths-based approaches, Bethany applies transformational and experiential learning strategies to create reflective, impactful experiences that equip learners with the skills and confidence to flourish. She has led multi-stakeholder initiatives, professional development workshops, and contributed to policy and strategy development in community, higher education, and provincial contexts for wellbeing.

She is the proud mother of Samuel and Benjamin Samson.

Email: @email
Phone: 902-867-3895

Logan Durant

GROW-SP Program Assistant

Logan graduated in 2025 from St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in Psychology, following a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Health he received in 2024. Currently, he works as a Program Assistant for the Collective Impact Project, helping with the asset mapping piece of the project. Additionally, he works as a research assistant in the Prejudice Awareness and Reduction (PAR) lab, examining how Canadian immigrants use online spaces to express, advance and evolve their cultural identities in Canada, as well as investigating ideological constructs and their influence on racial prejudice in children. Logan is considering pursuing a career in clinical psychology, with hopes to apply his knowledge of mental health to clinical practice.

Logan’s research interests cover various topics, including mental health, psychopathology, child and adolescent psychology, cognitive psychology, and how these topics relate to and intersect with medicine and the medical field.

Aside from academic interests, Logan is also passionate about music, cooking, and socializing with friends and family.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/logan-durant-410182303

Janet Kennedy

Researcher

I am from Ottawa, ON. I graduated in 2025 with a BASc in Health Honours, majoring in Biomedical Science and minoring in Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health. For my honours thesis, I conducted a scoping review examining post-partum pain management policies and practices for individuals who gave birth by cesarean section, under the supervision of Dr. Aubrecht. I am interested in women's and reproductive health, substance use and addiction medicine, and health equity, and I hope to make meaningful contributions to these areas through future research and community involvement. Outside of academics, a fun fact about me is that I played varsity rugby at StFX and have been playing rugby in New Zealand since completing my undergraduate degree!

Erin MacLellan

GROW-SP Program Undergraduate Assistant

My name is Erin MacLellan, and I am from St. Peter’s, Cape Breton. I am in my fourth year of a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. I am contributing to the program development work for the GROW-Social Participation Collective Impact Initiative, supporting governance and evaluation and mapping social programs for seniors in rural communities. For the past two summers, I enjoyed working as a Cultural Tourism Coordinator for the Customs House Artisan Incubator and Gallery Shop. A fun fact about me is that I am currently learning French.

Kate Benning

Student Assistant

Kate Benning is a third year Honours Sociology student at St. Francis Xavier University, where she is also pursuing a subsidiary in Development Studies. Originally from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Kate brings a deep interest in the social dimensions of health and rural life to her academic and research work. She joined the Spatializing Care Lab to contribute to interdisciplinary research exploring how mental health intersects with disability and rurality. In addition to her role as a student researcher with the lab, Kate supports event coordination and knowledge mobilization efforts for the Centre on Aging and Disability Justice, helping to bridge research, practice, and public engagement.

Emma Elliot

Student Assistant

I am a third-year sociology major at StFX, and I am all about people and nature! I love exploring how the outdoors brings people of all ages together and enhances overall well-being. I’m looking forward to expanding my knowledge through work with the GROW-SP project and the Spatializing Care Lab.

Najibah Chowdhury Kazi

Student Assistant

I am in my 2nd year in the BASC Health program. I started working in research last year under Dr. Katie Aubrecht, researching socio-structural barriers impacting older adult immigrants. I presented an abstract at the Dalhousie Interdisciplinary Health Conference on March 2025, and I also presented a poster in Student Research Day at St. FX 2025. Currently, I am doing research on local older adult population in Nova Scotia and I want to further my research skills.

You can find my abstract in this link here: https://ojs.library.dal.ca/hpj/article/view/12476

Kate Steele

Student Assistant

Kate Steele is in her fourth year at StFX, where she is completing a double major in Psychology and Sociology. She brings research experience from the StFX Psychology Department and is passionate about supporting others. Kate draws on her lived experience with disability to contribute a deep understanding of people and their diverse needs. She is excited to join the project and looks forward to contributing meaningfully to ongoing research.

Reagan Strang

Student Assistant

Reagan Strang is a 3rd year student from Newfoundland pursuing a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Health. In the lab, she is connected to the Rural Aging and Accessibility Network and collective impact initiative. She enjoys working in the community and is actively involved with organizations such as the Special Olympics both in her hometown and here in Antigonish. In the future, she hopes to become an Occupational Therapist and continue to work in the field of disability.