Meet the Team

Bhavarth Dave

Bhavarth completed his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from L.M. College of Pharmacy Ahmedabad, India. He is currently a PhD candidate in Medical Sciences at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, specializing in Clinical Neurosciences. His research focuses on evaluating the mechanisms and impact of psychotropic medications on treatment outcomes and adverse effects in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of dementia. Through his research, he aims to synthesize evidence to improve our understanding of the effects of psychotropic medications in managing NPS among individuals with dementia, helping to optimize treatment strategies and ultimately improve the overall well-being of this vulnerable population.

Brigette Mayorga

Brigette is a Research Coordinator at CAMH, where she supports the coordination and implementation of Tech-ICP across long-term care homes in Ontario. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto, with a specialization in Social Justice and Diversity, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Mental Health. Her background spans social work, mental health research, and multi-site clinical research, giving her a strong interest in bridging research and practice. Through her work on Tech-ICP, Brigette is interested in advancing person-centred, evidence-informed approaches to dementia care and exploring how technology and non-pharmacological interventions can be integrated into everyday care to improve the experiences and quality of life of residents, families, and care teams.

Em Craig

Em is a Research Analyst at CAMH. Her professional interests specialize in the science of aging and the brain with a breadth of experience spanning biochemical and animal research to hands-on work in personal care for geriatric populations. They obtained a Master of Science from the University of Guelph studying the molecular relationship between hormones and the breakdown of brain cells in dementia, and has also explored their passion for communicating scientific knowledge to wide communities through their past experiences as a scientific writer and knowledge translator for both public- and industry-facing audiences.

Fira Gulifeire

Fira is a Research Assistant at CAMH with a background in neuroscience and clinical research. She holds a Master of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Waterloo, where her research focused on virtual reality, sensory integration, and cybersickness. Her experience includes working directly with older adults and their families and care partners to support respectful, person-centered research participation. Her broader research background spans aging and cognition, sleep and brain-behaviour, cognitive assessment, and multimodal neurophysiological data collection across older adults and adolescents. Through Tech-ICP, she is interested in advancing research and technology that can improve care experiences and quality of life for older adults and those who support them.

Hamed Azami

Hamed Azami is a Scientific Associate at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) with a background in health data science, biomedical engineering, machine learning, and artificial intelligence applied to mental and neurological disorders. He holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and completed a research fellowship at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital. His research spans neurophysiology, digital health, aging, and dementia, with a focus on developing and applying advanced analytical methods to physiological data, wearable, cognitive, and other multimodal data to better understand brain health and support earlier detection and more personalized care. Through Tech-ICP, Hamed co-leads the technology workstream, supporting the evaluation and integration of wearable and digital technologies and the development of data-driven approaches to improve assessment, monitoring, and care in long-term care settings.

Heli Juola

Heli is Program Lead with the Psychogeriatric Resource Consultation (PRC) Program within the Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Clinical Manager with the Tech-ICP Project at CAMH. She holds a Master of Social Work and has more than 25 years of experience in mental health, working across hospital and knowledge-to-practice settings. Driven by a focus on quality of life, Heli supports point-of-care teams as care partners in delivering high-quality, person-centred care.

Jessica Barton

Jessica is the Lab Manager for Geriatric Mental Health Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where she supports the coordination and implementation of Tech-ICP across participating hospital partners and long-term care homes. She holds a Master of Science in Health Psychology from the University of Galway, Ireland and has more than eight years of experience conducting and managing clinical and multi-site research. Her work spans research operations, project implementation, partnership development, staff training, and financial and regulatory oversight. Through Tech-ICP, Jessica is interested in translating research into sustainable improvements in practice and supporting the implementation of evidence-informed, technology-enabled approaches that enhance dementia care and quality of life for residents and their care partners.

Joy Ye

Joy graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sociology. She started her career in community health and health promotion, with a focus on advancing health equity for marginalized populations. She is now a Research Assistant at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She is especially interested in the incorporation of social sciences in clinical research and the analysis of medical knowledge through the intersections of identity. With Tech-ICP, she seeks to bring a trauma-informed and culturally-sensitive lens to the improvement of dementia care.

Kaniz Farhat

Kaniz graduated from York University with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), with a background in mental health research. Her research experience focuses on childhood interpersonal trauma, trauma-informed care, and implementation science, with an interest in improving health outcomes. Through Tech-ICP, she is interested in applying a person-centred and trauma-informed lens to dementia care while supporting standardized, team-based approaches that improve quality of life and make care more compassionate, equitable, and humane.

Lorequé Fearon

Lorequé is a Research Analyst currently supporting the Tech-ICP project. Lorequé currently holds a Bachelors of Applied Science in Psychology with a certificate in Research Skills and Analysis, and she is currently completing a Masters in Social Work. She has experience contributing to various research projects and clinical trials focusing on the improvement of quality of life in older adults, as well as conducting her undergraduate thesis project aimed at observing cell phone use and cognitive performance. Lorequé has worked with various populations including justice involved individuals and women that have been victims of abuse, and is very interested in improving the standards of care for older adults. Through these experiences, Lorequé has developed a strong interest in advancing person-centered evidence-informed standards of care.

Matthew D’Amario

Matthew is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Upon graduating from York University with a BSc in Psychology with Honours, Summa Cum Laude, he worked in academic research coordinating projects exploring decision-making processes and cognitive changes in younger and older adulthood. More recently, he worked in clinical neuropsychology research at Baycrest Hospital testing a streamlined pathway for diagnostic assessment regarding dementia and other memory-related cognitive disorders. At CAMH, he is engaged in projects focused on assessing and improving treatment approaches in long-term care homes, and in integrating technology into both the diagnostic and care pathways in older adult mental healthcare. Matthew is an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness across the lifespan and is committed to improving later-life health outcomes by meeting people where they are at, through a personal, empathetic, and ever-forward-thinking approach.

Nelson Pang

Nelson is a Research Analyst at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where he supports the implementation of the Tech-ICP project. He is a Registered Social Worker with a Masters of Social Work from the University of Toronto, with a specialization in Health and Mental Health. His background spans mental health care, research in health and mental health, and evaluation. He is interested in work focuses on evidence-based solutions to health issues through a social-determinants lens.

Olivia Luka

Olivia is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where she supports the implementation of the Tech-ICP project. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences from Western University, with a specialization in Kinesiology. Her background includes experience in geriatric care and research, with a focus on individualized physical activity interventions and supporting the physical and mental well-being of older adults. Prior to joining CAMH, Olivia worked as an Administrative Coordinator at a forensic psychology clinic, supporting programs focused on community integration and rehabilitation for individuals with sexual offences. She has also supported individuals across a range of settings, including private therapy, WSIB, and motor vehicle accident (MVA) services. Through her work with Tech-ICP, Olivia is interested in taking a comprehensive, person-centred approach to improving mental and physical health and enhancing care for older adults.

Sarah Dick

Sarah is a Research Analyst at CAMH with a background in clinical research, accessibility, and person-centered support. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with an Honours Specialization in Psychology from King’s University College, where she completed a clinical practicum focused on neuropsychological testing for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Her thesis examined motivations, cue reactivity, and profiles of cannabis use. As an Intervenor, she provided individualized support to deafblind individuals with complex medical needs. She develops training resources and outreach initiatives to promote accessible, inclusive support and research. Her training in neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and clinical social work practice informs her commitment to holistic person-centered care.

Yankai Feng

Yankai is a Research Methods Specialist with Geriatric Mental Health Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). He holds a Master of Science in Biostatistics from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining CAMH, he worked as a Research Data Analyst at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he supported clinical research through statistical analysis and data management. At CAMH, his work spans clinical trials and implementation research in older adult mental health, with a focus on study design, statistical analysis, and research data management. Through Tech-ICP, he supports the development and evaluation of data-driven approaches to improving dementia care in long-term care homes. He is particularly interested in applying rigorous quantitative methods and technology to translate clinical research into practical and sustainable improvements in care.