Camille Angus BA, CRA
Research Associate,
Department of Community Health and Epidemiology,
Dalhousie University
Tel: (902) 494-2653,
Fax: (902) 494-1597
E-mail:  
Camille Angus brings to the CLSA a background of community-based research, academic writing, research project management, research network and collaboration development, research administration, process innovation, knowledge translation, and research ethics. Camille most recently held concurrent positions in the Community Health Sciences department at the University of Northern British Columbia as Assistant Researcher in the BC Rural and Remote Health Research Institute, and Provincial Coordinator of the BC Rural and Remote Health Research Network. Contributions to the CLSA: Camille joined the CLSA in November 2005. As both research associate and research administrator, while working with PI’s, Co-I’s and other CLSA research associates in a variety of long-term CLSA activities in preparation for fieldwork in 2008 including: investigating recruitment and retention best practices; researching and developing data privacy and confidentiality policies; validating disease ascertainment algorithms; and developing survey and clinical measures modules. Camille is also currently working on the analysis and reporting of Feasibility Study 10b, which examined (through a web-based survey of other longitudinal studies and in-depth follow-up interviews) the ethical and practical issues related to the return of individualized test results to research participants.

Natasha Clayton
Research Coordinator, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics McMaster University
Tel: (905) 525-9140, ext. 22344
Fax: (905) 528-8860
E-mail:  
Natasha Clayton brings with her more than 12 years of marketing and social research experience, specializing in virtually all aspects of the industry including conceptual design, sample design, questionnaire development, statistical analysis, interpretation and presentation of study results. Her strength lies in her close attention to accuracy and implementation of stringent quality control procedures. As both a Senior Research Associate and Research Coordinator for the National Coordinating Site, Natasha works closely with the study PIs, Co-Is, and other CLSA research staff. Her primary responsibilities are development, implementation, and enforcement of security measures; development of the study training manual and standard operating procedures; pilot study recruitment, interviewing, and data management; and, newsletter preparation and distribution.

Olga Kits, BA(H), MA
Senior Research Associate, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology Dalhousie University
Tel: (902) 494-7635
Fax: (902) 494-1597
E-mail:  
Olga brings to the CLSA academic and applied skills in areas such as research, policy development and analysis, and project and resource allocation management. Olga contributed as a research and project manager on a CIHR study on resource allocation in health care systems around the world, as a policy analyst working on regulatory issues at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, at the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care working on portfolios such as privacy and patient safety issues, and was part of a small team reviewing the Ontario Regulated Health Professions Act. Olga is ABD in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto and received her MA from Queen’s University. Contribution to the CLSA: Olga started her association with the CLSA in 2004 and was deeply involved with studies 1 (best practices around recruitment and retention in longitudinal studies) and 10 (the return of clinical results to study participants). As a Senior Research Associate, Olga currently works with the PI’s and other CLSA members on a variety of fast-moving projects, including testing the pilot questionnaire and ramping up for the full-blown CLSA.

Amelie Pelletier, PhD
Senior Research Associate, Division of Clinical Epidemiology McGill University
Tel: (514) 934-1934, ext. 44745
Fax: (514) 934-4458
E-mail:  
Amélie Pelletier was recently awarded her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the Université de Montréal. Her expertise lies primarily in the field of basic science. She has extensive training in the conduct of laboratory research, focusing primarily on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Amélie also has specific knowledge regarding ethical procedures due to her past experience as a committee member on the ethics board at the University of Montreal health centre. Finally, she began her research career by working on several clinical research projects related to neurodegenerative diseases and sleep disorders. Contributions to the CLSA: Amélie joined the CLSA team in January 2007. She is a Senior Research Associate currently working on Phase II of the CLSA. As a part of McGill’s team, she is participating in the development of the clinical protocol for the second phase of the study and the survey modules. Amélie is also collaborating with Jennifer Uniat for the translation of CLSA documents. Her expertise will be very useful for the development of the biological specimen collection protocol.

Nancy Pyette BA, RN, MSW
Research Coordinator, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics McMaster University
Tel: (905) 525-9140, ext. 22790
Fax: (905) 528-8860
E-mail:  
Nancy Pyette’s academic background is in nursing, social work and adult education. With over twenty years of project management experience within the context of organizational development and health services research initiatives, Nancy’s primary interest is in the co-creation of human systems that support individual health and personal/professional growth. As the CLSA transitions from it’s planning and feasibility phase to it’s implementation phase, her accumulated knowledge and experience in this area will contribute to the development and execution of strategies and plans to ensure a successful project field launch.

Jennifer Liane Uniat, MSc
Senior Research Associate, Division of Clinical Epidemiology McGill University
Tel: (514) 934-1934
Fax: (514) 934-4458
E-mail:  
Jennifer Liane Uniat’s educational training has given her extensive knowledge in the fields of clinical exercise physiology and nutrition. Her interests reside primarily in lifestyle behaviours and their relationship to health prevention and promotion. Pursuing graduate studies, she obtained a Graduate Diploma in General Management from McGill University and a M.Sc. in Public Health from the Université de Montréal. As part of her research experience, she is also involved in a project related to multiple sclerosis. Her expertise allows her to bring a unique mix of skills to the CLSA team. Contributions to the CLSA: Jennifer Liane Uniat joined the CLSA team in March 2005. Her responsibilities for Phase I of the CLSA included coordinating the translation process for the documents required for each of the developmental studies and working closely with her team on the submission requirements for each study to the Ethics Committee. She also participated in the development of the questionnaire for the Tracking cohort. In Phase II, she is working with the team at McGill to elaborate the clinical protocol for the Comprehensive cohort and to develop survey modules.  In addition, she is responsible for coordinating and developing the Standard Operating Procedures and training manuals.  Finally, Jennifer continues to coordinate the translation procedures.