Exploring Place and Health through Community Health Interventions

Michelle Vine is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Brock University, with research interests in public health practice, program evaluation, school health, school nutrition policy, and child and youth health. The goal of her research is to understand how the environments we occupy - where we live, work and play - impact our health. Most recently, her research has focused on the nutrition policy environment in Ontario secondary schools, health literacy, and the mental health of adolescents, and on the scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education. Michelle holds the Credentialed Evaluator designation through the Canadian Evaluation Society, and after completing her PhD in Health Geography from McMaster University, was employed as an Evaluation Specialist at Public Health Ontario.

Rachel Harris is an evaluator, facilitator, educator, and researcher with over a decade of experience in public health practice. Working locally and at the provincial level, Rachel has led program evaluations and other projects focused on health equity, harm reduction, children's health, and public health governance. She is a proud Trent University alumna (Bachelor of Arts with Honours) and also holds a Bachelor of Education and Master of Arts in Geography from the University of Toronto. She is a Credentialed Evaluator through the Canadian Evaluation Society.

Kate Mulligan is a globally recognized health geographer, implementation researcher, and policy expert specializing in scaling community-led solutions to improve health equity and resilience. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, a Commonwealth Fund Senior Fellow, and the founding Scientific Director of the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing.

Jennifer Dean is an Associate Professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, and a Candidate Member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute and Canadian Institute of Planners. Jennifer is a health geographer and social scientist by training with expertise in neighbourhood determinants of health and the relationship between people and place. Her research has explored the links between local environment and youth body weight, immigrant health and well-being in small communities, and active transportation and e-mobility in older adults.