Team

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Trudy Smit Quosai

Chief Executive Officer

 

 
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With two decades of leadership experience in research and knowledge translation, service, and non-profit settings, Trudy leads strategic knowledge translation and exchange plans to support the development of policy and practice in responsible gambling. Her expertise includes using a range of strategies to provide evidence of best practices to meet the needs of social workers, health practitioners, families and caregivers, post-secondary institutions, and government. Working with the Board of Directors and talented staff, she has built a strong team that is becoming a global leader in knowledge translation to reduce gambling harms, whose work creates international impact. Prior to joining Greo, Trudy was the Associate Director of Research at Renison University College, affiliated with the University of Waterloo, where she increased research capacity and enhanced the school's research profile. She has a PhD in Family Relations and Applied Nutrition from the University of Guelph.

Elizabeth Lusk

Chief Strategy Officer

 

  
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As Chief Strategy Officer, Elizabeth works closely with stakeholders and allied treatment and prevention organizations to understand their knowledge needs and context, to determine strategic approaches to improve outcomes like reduced harm from gambling. Before joining Greo, Elizabeth partnered with clients across the health and social service sectors to engage stakeholders, and design innovative evidence-based program and service delivery models as Managing Partner of Gestalt Collective. Her expertise is in knowledge translation and exchange, with significant experience working on public health issues (e.g., substance use, domestic violence, immunization), addressing stigmas, applying harm reduction and health promotion principles in practice, and using trauma-informed approaches in engagement design and decision making processes. She has consulted on projects for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Canadian Public Health Association, and held positions with Seniors Health Knowledge Network and the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging. She has a BA in Kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario, where she completed graduate work in Health Sciences.

Matthew Young

Chief Research Officer

  
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Matthew oversees Greo’s research activities and the development of evidence products. He also provides support to Greo’s other service streams. Matthew has been working in the field of mental health, gambling, substance use, and addiction for over 30 years. Before joining Greo, Matthew spent almost 12 years at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction leading their substance use epidemiology and health economic research activities. He has served on numerous domestic and international advisory committees overseeing the monitoring and surveillance of addictive behaviours. This has involved a role as principal investigator and co-chair of the scientific committee that estimated the costs and harms of substance use in Canada. He was also principal investigator and co-chair of the scientific committee that led the first large scale, international project to develop Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines. Matthew has extensive experience studying gambling-related harms and did his doctoral work investigating craving among people who gamble. He has a PhD in Health Psychology from Carleton University, where he is an Adjunct Research Professor.

Jess Voll

Senior Evaluation Lead — Social Impact

 

 
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As Greo’s Director of Evaluation Services, Jess designs, informs, and measures the impact of harm reduction programs, policies, and partnerships. She leads the evaluation team, which collaborates with government and mental health and addictions organizations to support the design and evaluation of initiatives that aim to adopt a public health perspective to reducing harms. This has involved the development of a Theory of Change for the Safer Gambling Movement in the UK, Greo’s Safer Gambling Evaluation Evidence Hub, and providing external evaluation services for client programs. Previously, she led Greo's gambling and public health outreach program in Ontario that included a project funding program, webinars, a website with evidence-informed resources and tools, and a vibrant community of practice. Jess has also developed courses and taught for the University of Guelph’s Certificate in Knowledge Mobilization program. She has a Master of Public Health from Lakehead University, a diploma in Health Services and Policy Research, a certificate in Evaluation from the University of Victoria, and a Master of Health Evaluation from the University of Waterloo. She is designated a Credentialed Evaluator through the Canadian Evaluation Society.

Sasha Stark

Director of Research and Evidence Services

 

  
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As Director of Research and Evidence Services, Sasha oversees development of Greo’s knowledge synthesis products, leads research activities, and works with new and existing stakeholders. Before joining Greo, Sasha spent almost eight years at the Responsible Gambling Council, most recently as Senior Researcher, where she led primary and applied research and evaluation activities with international stakeholders. Some of her recent areas of inquiry include assessing the impacts of COVID-19 on online gambling behaviours and harm, re-envisioning youth gambling prevention, and broadening our understanding of digital wellbeing, including collaboration approaches, links with online gambling, and digital tools for people across the risk spectrum. Sasha has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Toronto, as part of the Collaborative Program on Addiction Studies through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Lindsay Kalbfleisch

Director of Stakeholder Engagement

 

 
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As Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Lindsay builds relationships with and between allied organizations working toward common goals. She supports project teams to ensure that stakeholder needs and context are deeply understood, and are the drivers of Greo’s work. Previously in her work at Greo, Lindsay managed a community investment program aimed at building non-profit stakeholders’ capacity to use research as a tool to increase their impact. She has also been involved in planning and facilitating multi-stakeholder forums with organizations such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Ontario Centre of Excellence in Child and Youth Mental Health, and the Canadian Partnership for Responsible Gambling. Before joining the Greo team, Lindsay worked in research, knowledge translation, and project management roles in the academic, and tech and innovation sectors. She has an MA from the University of Waterloo’s Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, a Knowledge Translation Professional Certificate from SickKids Learning Institute, and training in facilitation through Conrad Grebel University College.

Megan Harris

Senior Knowledge Mobilization Lead

 

 
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As Senior Knowledge Mobilization Lead, Megan works closely with engaged partners to help build their capacity to include lived and living experience, practice-based evidence, and research evidence into their current and future goals and aspirations. Megan joined Greo with extensive experience working with community-based, provincial / territorial and federal-level organizations to collectively identify needs and collaboratively develop plans of action to listen, learn, and grow. As Managing Partner of Gestalt Collective (in partnership with Greo's Elizabeth Lusk), Megan developed her own practice and evidence-based expertise related to knowledge mobilization in areas of treatment and prevention-based health such as substance use, mental health, dementia, pain and symptom management, and more. A strong facilitator, Megan has designed and led hundreds of consultations, strategic planning sessions, and organizational capacity building workshops. Megan has two undergraduate degrees in Physical Health and Education (BPHE) and Biology (BSc), from Queen's University, a Diploma of Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Waterloo.

Erika Veri

Project Management, Contracts, and Commissioning Specialist

 

 
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Erika provides expertise in client contracts and research commissioning, as well as project management to support Greo’s Research and Evidence Services team. She has over 20 years of experience at Greo in operational planning, strategic partnership development, project management, and contract and research grant administration. She has worked with a wide range of stakeholders including senior executives and scientific experts. Erika has a BA and Project Management Certification from the University of Waterloo, an Addictions Careworker Diploma from McMaster University, and is a certified Project Management Professional.

Laura Szamreta

Business Manager

 

 
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Laura manages Greo’s operations, human resources, communications, and event planning. She supports Greo’s products and services to ensure that they are the go-to source for distilled research on gambling. She also provides executive support to the CEO and Board of Directors, most recently helping to navigate Greo’s transition from a government-funded organization to a fully independent non-profit. Laura has over 15 years experience in executive administration, facilities and event management, customer loyalty, and with member-based organizations. She has a Diploma in Print Journalism from Sheridan College, and a BA from University of Guelph.

 

Sheila McKnight

Senior Knowledge Broker

 

  
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As part of the Research and Evidence Services team, Sheila produces evidence summaries for clients and supports the publication of research reviews, and other research related projects. She also coordinates the Research Snapshot program and Greo’s Evidence Centre. Her background has involved freelance editing and program coordination with non-profit organizations. Sheila has a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Western Ontario and a BA from McGill University. 

 

Corrine Leon

Senior Knowledge Broker

 

  
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A specialist in communications, Corrine coordinates stakeholder engagement activities. She supports the development of campaigns, knowledge products, and resources to facilitate the mobilization of evidence. Corrine was previously Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist at the Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition, a group of 12 health organizations advocating for the adoption of federal regulations that adequately protect children from commercial food and beverage marketing in Canada. She has also worked as a Parliamentary Researcher in the United Kingdom House of Commons. Corrine has a BA in Philosophy from McGill University and an MA in Political Communication from City, University of London.

 

Marie-Claire Flores-Pajot

Senior Knowledge Broker

 

  
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In her role as a Senior Knowledge Broker, Marie-Claire provides strategy and implementation planning to facilitate creative engagement among diverse stakeholders. She also helps develop content for various types of knowledge products. Marie-Claire has experience designing and implementing programs, services, and tools across the gambling, addiction, public health, and service design sectors. While with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, she oversaw the implementation of the Commission’s research agenda, the USA’s most comprehensive research program to study the social and economic impacts of casino gambling. At the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, she led a project to develop the first Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines. Marie-Claire has a BA in Biotechnology from La Cité Collégiale and a Master’s degree in Health: Science, Technology, and Policy from Carleton University.

 

Olivia Schultz

Senior Knowledge Broker

 

  
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As a Senior Knowledge Broker, Olivia (Liv) supports the Stakeholder Engagement team, fostering relationships with stakeholders and transforming evidence into valuable knowledge products. Previously, Olivia served as a Researcher and Knowledge Translation Assistant at the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, where they specialized in translating women’s experiences with prescribed opioids and chronic pain management into knowledge products and resources for women and health and social service providers. Olivia is also a co-founder of the Purity Culture Research Collective, an international group of researchers dedicated to exploring and disseminating knowledge about the impact of evangelical purity culture. She holds an MA in Religions and Cultures from Concordia University in Montreal.

 

Erin Luther

Senior Knowledge Broker

 

  
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As a Senior Knowledge Broker, Erin supports the Stakeholder Engagement team in connecting knowledge stakeholders and synthesizing evidence to bring research into practice. Erin has experience in co-production research, knowledge translation, and educational program design from her work in health and community services contexts. She previously led the development of capacity building projects for community education organizations in wildlife conservation and management. Before joining Greo, Erin was a postdoctoral fellow supported through the Maritime Strategy for Patient Oriented Research, where she facilitated collaborations between parents and clinicians to co-design supports for parents making pediatric health decisions. Erin has a PhD in Environmental Studies from York University.

 

Carling Baxter

Senior Research Analyst

 

 
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Carling’s role as Senior Research Analyst is to support the development of calls for, and management of, research funds. She also contributes to and leads research-related projects and helps to grow and manage Greo’s data repository. An expert in plain language writing, she has written over a hundred plain language summaries of gambling research articles. Before joining Greo, Carling assisted with research and data analysis of employee wellbeing surveys and training programs for Dialectic, an organization that helps companies improve their organizational culture. She was also a sessional instructor and teaching assistant at McMaster University, where she completed a PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour.

 

 

Kristin Beaton

Senior Evaluation Specialist

 

 
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As a part of the evaluation team, Kristin supports evaluation projects to facilitate evidence-based decision making. Before joining Greo, Kristin worked in local public health, supporting program planning, quality improvement, performance measurement and evaluation. She was the founder of the Ontario Public Health Evaluation Network and has been recognized as a leader in the field of public health evaluation. She has a passion for supporting organizations’ capacity to do evaluation and to use evaluation for decision making. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Waterloo and is a Credentialed Evaluator by the Canadian Evaluation Society.

 

 

Necole Sommersell

Senior Evaluation Specialist

 

 
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As a member of the evaluation team, Necole works across the organization to support the development of evidence-based policies, programs, and practices for the wide range of programs and stakeholders that Greo is involved in. Necole’s evaluator background includes working in education, not-for-profits, research institutes, and the healthcare system. Regardless of the sector, a main focus is to find and present data and information that will advance the work towards applicable and meaningful impact. Necole holds a Master of Arts in Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and is a Credentialed Evaluator through the Canadian Evaluation Society.

 

 

Chisomo Mchaina

Senior Evaluation Specialist

 

 
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As a member of the evaluation team, Chisomo supports the development of evidence-informed projects, strategies, policies, and frameworks that best address clients’ needs. Prior to joining Greo, Chisomo worked in local public health supporting various teams and the organization to adhere to the Ontario Public Health Standards, meet program goals, and serve the local community, using evaluation, performance measurement and monitoring, and quality improvement. She is passionate about sharing evaluation broadly and unlocking the potential for others to use it as part of their decision making processes. Chisomo holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Guelph and Lean Process Improvement white and yellow belt certifications. 

 

 

Adetoun Dapo-Famodu

Senior Research Analyst

 

 
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As a Senior Research Analyst, Adetoun leads and supports research-related projects, specifically evidence appraisal and synthesis, data collection and analysis, and the development of high-quality research products for clients. Before joining Greo, Adetoun provided performance measurement, evaluation, and research expertise to multi-country, multi-sector, multi-partner interventions implemented by international aid organizations and UN agencies such as UNICEF. She holds Master's degrees in Public Health Epidemiology from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and Data, Economics, and Development Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

 

 

Beverly Ostryhon

Operations and Implementation Specialist

 

 
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Beverly provides administrative support for Greo’s operations and Board of Directors. She brings varied administrative, organizational, and project support experience gained from her time at n-compass, a social care and wellness non-profit in the north of England. Building upon her background in a range of customer services roles, she is passionate about communication and the representation of diversity, health, and social issues in the non-profit sector. She has a BA in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Classics from McMaster University.

 

 

Kyle Tuico

Research Analyst

 
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As a Research Analyst, Kyle contributes to the development, facilitation, and synthesis of research-related projects. He also provides support for the development and management of research funding calls and engages with project stakeholders. Before joining Greo, Kyle worked as a research assistant with the Substance Use and Gambling Lab, assisting in data collection and analysis, and providing administrative support for gambling-related research. He holds a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Psychology, both from the University of Calgary.

 

 

Krystal Luscombe

Administrative Coordinator
 

 
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Krystal’s work extends across several operations verticals, including daily bookkeeping, human resources, project management support, and facilities management. Prior to joining Greo in 2017, Krystal held administrative positions at Guelph Animal Hospital and Jeff Elliott Playground Inspections, where she honed her skills in purchasing, inventory management, customer service, transcription, and bookkeeping support. Krystal holds a BSc Honours from the University of Guelph and enjoys volunteering her time outside of work to various animal welfare organizations. Krystal lives in Kitchener with her husband, two small children, and menagerie of rescue animals.

 

 

Lavender Huang

Administrative Specialist
 

 
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As Administrative Specialist, Lavender supports the Stakeholder Engagement and the Evaluation teams. She helps to foster effective communication, manage team schedules and travel arrangements, and enhance team project experiences. Prior to joining Greo, Lavender managed workflows and critical deadlines, worked with extensive tech stacks, and built strong client relationships at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Achievers. She has a Bachelor's degree in Management and Organizational Studies from the University of Western Ontario.