HERHealth Podcast

Welcome to the AVA HerHealth Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re honoured to be joined by Dr. Malcolm King , a citizen of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and a nationally recognized leader in Indigenous health research. Dr. King is a health researcher at the University of Saskatchewan and currently serves as Scientific Director of the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research. W...

Welcome to the AVA HerHealth Podcast! We are honoured to be joined by Dr. Malcolm King , a citizen of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and a nationally respected leader in Indigenous health research. In this episode, we revisit themes from Dr. King's recent AVA webinar: "Exploring Intersections Between Adversity, Socioeconomic and Health Inequities Among Indigenous Women and Ge...

In this Q&A-style episode of the HERHealth Podcast, we feature highlights from Dr. Gabrielle Weasel Head’s thought-provoking AVA webinar, “Reclaiming a Sovereign Imagination: Meaningful Assessment in Higher Education from a Blackfoot Perspective.” Dr. Weasel Head (Tsapinaaki), a member of the Kainaiwa Nation and Associate Professor in Indigenous Studies at Mount Royal University, shares insigh...

In this episode of the HERHealth Podcast, we spotlight Dr. Gabrielle Weasel Head’s powerful AVA webinar, “Reclaiming a Sovereign Imagination: Meaningful Assessment in Higher Education from a Blackfoot Perspective.” Dr. Weasel Head (Tsapinaaki), a member of the Kainaiwa Nation and Associate Professor in Indigenous Studies at Mount Royal University, offers a transformative vision for assessment root...

In this Q&A-style episode, host Alexandria Lozowchuk sits down with Andrea Silverstone , CEO of Sagesse , and Carrie McManus , Director of Innovation and Programs, for a powerful conversation about how innovation can reshape the civil society sector to better meet today’s increasingly complex challenges. Together, they make a compelling case for shifting to an innovation framework to ensure th...

Welcome to the HerHealth Podcast! In today’s episode, we explore why innovation is no longer optional in the civil society sector. Adapted from a live webinar hosted as part of the AVA Webinar Series, this episode features two thought leaders from Sagesse: Andrea Silverstone (CEO) and Carrie McManus (Director of Innovation and Programs). Together, they examine how organizations must evolve to meet...

In this special AVA Conversations episode of the HerHealth Podcast, we sit down with Karen Mason and Dr. Paul van Donkelaar, co-founders of SOAR (Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research) , for an engaging Q&A that builds on their recent AVA Webinar. Together, we dive deeper into: The personal and professional journeys that led them to focus on intimate partner violence-...

In this episode of the HerHealth Podcast , we explore the often-overlooked intersection of brain injury and intimate partner violence (IPV-BI). Adapted from the May 28 AVA Webinar, this episode features powerful insights from Karen Mason and Dr. Paul van Donkelaar , co-founders of SOAR (Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research) . Learn about the prevalence of brain injuries...

Welcome to the HerHealth Podcast! In this episode, host Dr. Sarah Yercich an early career researcher with AVA, Co-Director of the Freedom Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and faculty in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Capilano University, sits down with Femi Akinsanya , Co-Director of the Training, Resource, and Education Centre at Calgary Communities Against Sexual Ab...

This episode is adapted from a live webinar held on Wednesday, May 14, as part of the AVA Webinar Series: Sexual Violence and Trauma-Informed Care – A Public Health Approach. Our featured guest is Femi Akinsanya (she/her), BSc, Co-Director of the Training, Resource, and Education Centre at Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse (CCASA). A dedicated leader in the nonprofit and public sectors, Fem...

Welcome to the HerHealth Podcast! In this episode, host Dr. Sarah Yercich an early career researcher with AVA, Co-Director of the Freedom Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and faculty in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Capilano University, sits down with Kira Snodgrass and Mary Valenzuela from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse. Together, Kira and Mary help lead e...

This episode is adapted from a live webinar held on Wednesday, May 7, as part of the AVA Webinar Series: Sexual Violence in Intimate Partner Violence - Legal Frameworks and Support Strategies,  featuring our guests Kira Snodgrass and Mary Valenzuela from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse. Kira Snodgrass is a Sexual Violence Educator with CCASA. With a background in Child & Youth Care an...

This episode is adapted from a live webinar held on Wednesday, April 23rd, as part of the AVA Webinar Series: Rethinking Prevention–The Roots of Sexual Violence and Intersectionality,  featuring our guests Kira Snodgrass and Mary Valenzuela from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse. Kira Snodgrass is a Sexual Violence Educator with CCASA. With a background in Child & Youth Care and Addicti...

Welcome to the HerHealth Podcast! In this episode, host Dr. Sarah Yercich an early career researcher with AVA, Co-Director of the Freedom Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and faculty in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Capilano University, sits down with Kira Snodgrass and Mary Valenzuela from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse. At AVA we are working together to m...

Welcome to the HerHealth Podcast! In this episode, host Dr. Sarah Yercich an early career researcher with AVA, Co-Director of the Freedom Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and faculty in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Capilano University, sits down with Kira Snodgrass and Mary Valenzuela from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse. At AVA we are working together to m...

This episode is adapted from a live webinar held onWednesday, April 23rd, as part of the AVA Webinar Series: Understanding Sexual Assault, Child Sexual Abuse, and Responding to Disclosures , featuring our guests Kira Snodgrass and Mary Valenzuela from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse. Kira Snodgrass is a Sexual Violence Educator with CCASA.With a background in Child & Youth Care and Ad...

Today’s episode is adapted from a webinar hosted by Dr. Sarah Yercich, part of the AVA (Alliance Against Violence & Adversity) Webinar Series, originally aired on April 2, 2025. We explore a critical question: Family Law Protection Orders and Peace Bonds—Do These Legal Mechanisms Ensure the Safety of Survivors of Gender-Based Violence? Our featured guest is Hannah Ellison from Battered Women’s...

Welcome to the HerHealth Podcast! In this episode, host Dr. Sarah Yercich an early career researcher with AVA, Co-Director of the Freedom Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and faculty in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Capilano University, sits down with Hannah Ellison from Battered Women’s Support Services. Together, they explore the effectiveness of family law protect...

In this episode, we sit down with renowned researcher Dr. Bonnie Kaplan to explore the powerful connection between nutrition and mental health. Drawing on decades of research and clinical insight, Dr. Kaplan breaks down how micronutrients play a critical role in brain function, emotional regulation, and even the prevention of mental health conditions like dementia and mood disorders. We discuss: H...

In today’s episode, we’re spotlighting a presentation from AVA’s webinar series on the critical role of nutrition in brain function and mental health. We’re honoured to welcome: Dr. Bonnie J. Kaplan, Professor Emerita at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Originally from Ohio, Dr. Kaplan completed all of her training in the U.S. and has published extensively on the biological b...

Today we interview Dr. Nicole Letourneau, a Registered Nurse and a Professor in the Faculty of Nursing and the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Dr. Letourneau holds the University of Calgary Research Excellence Chair in Parent and Child Health. She is the Scientific Director of the Alliance against Violence and Adversity (AVA). AVA brings together over 250 academic and comm...

Today’s episode is adapted from a webinar featuring two renowned experts discussing resilience. The presentation can be viewed on AVA’s YouTube channel @AVATrainingca along with other presentations from the series. Be sure to check out the link in the bio for timestamps and more details about today's episode. We’re thrilled to feature: • Dr. Caroline Piotrowski, Associate Professor at the Univ...

In today’s episode, we’re featuring a presentation from AVA webinars series on how our biology adapts to life’s challenges through the lens of epigenetics and cognitive neuroscience. The presentation can be viewed on AVA’s YouTube channel @AVATrainingca along with other presentations from the series. We’re thrilled to feature: • Dr. Sarah Merrill, a research fellow in the Department of Psychiatry...

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Letourneau, Scientific Director of the Alliance against Violence and Adversity (AVA), a CIHR-funded National Health Research Training Platform and Women’s and Girls’ Health Hub. We welcome Dr. Kendra Nixon , a leading researcher in violence prevention and Director of RESOLVE , a tri-prairie research network focused on family and gender-based violence. Together, they div...

HERHealth: Transforming Health for Women & Girls at Risk HERHealth is a podcast dedicated to empowering women, girls, and gender-diverse people to take charge of their health and well-being. Hosted by Dr. Nicole Letourneau, Scientific Director of AVA, this podcast explores the critical health challenges faced by those at risk or affected by violence and adversity. Each episode delves into the...