About the sephgsa

We are the School of Epidemiology & Public Health Graduate Student Association at the University of Ottawa. We exist to discuss problems common to graduate students at SEPH, plan academic and social events, and advocate on behalf of students on committees at SEPH, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Graduate Student Association of the University of Ottawa (GSAED).

Membership in the sephgsa is comprised of all students enrolled in degree programs in the School of Epidemiology & Public Health. Our association is entirely student run and changes year to year based on the needs and interests of our members. Whether you are a current student at SEPH and want to get involved, or a prospective student interested in studying at SEPH, we would love to hear from you!

Objectives

1

To provide a medium for the exchange of ideas of an academic and social nature between graduate students and the greater University of Ottawa community;

2

To establish a basis for the organization of academic, social, and sporting activities;

3

To discuss problems common to graduate students in the School of Epidemiology & Public Health, and to assist in carrying these problems to the appropriate agency, when necessary, on or off campus;

4

To promote and defend the rights, welfare and interests of members of the association and provide a central body which may represent graduate students within the greater University of Ottawa community; and

5

To act as a representative of the graduate students in the School of Epidemiology & Public Health on the University of Ottawa Graduate Student Association (GSAED).

Executive Council

The sephgsa Executive Council manages the day to day affairs of the association. Members stand for election at our Annual General Meeting held in the Fall term of each year and vacancies are filled by council at our monthly council meetings. Executive Council Meetings are open to all members and we encourage you to attend and voice any concerns you may have!

Read our Meeting Minutes

Read our Constitution

Council Members

Co- President

Fleursha Milfort (she/her) is a first-year Master of Public Health student, completing a degree concentration in Policy. Her passion is rooted in analyzing and creating polices to improve health outcomes for underserved populations. As Co-President, Fleursha looks forward to creating a more connected community with the different SEPH programs and community members. Her goal is to be available to all students and welcomes all feedback. Outside of school, she enjoys playing rugby, baking, and trying new activities.

Vice President

Taylor Hecker (she/her) is a first-year MPH student in the Global Health stream. She is interested in emergency management, advancing women's health, global health promotion, and disease prevention. As Vice President, Taylor looks forward to working with the SEPHGSA team to foster a supportive and welcoming environment for all SEPH students and representing SEPH's interests within the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, going on new adventures, and travelling.

Public Health Academic

Mohammed Gharad is a first year MPH student, specializing in health policy. He loves working with numbers, i.e. epidemiology and stats. Outside of school, he is a sales enthusiast, working as a closer. He is also a fitness person, who is a regular at the gym. He looks forward to further enhancing the academics of the students in the MPH program.

Wellness

Sophia Kara is an MPH student in the practice concentration. She hopes to bring her love of healthy living to this role, inspire fellow SEPH peers to be the best version of themselves by planning activities and teaching them practices that make them happy and improve their quality of life. Outside of school she enjoys practicing yoga, reading romantic comedies, volunteering, baking, and being in nature

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

Nour Elmestekawy is an MPH+ policy stream student in intensive French language training. She is passionate about social justice and equity, diversity, inclusion, indigeneity, and belonging (EDIIB) issues. Her public health interests include chronic illness prevention and addressing the social determinants of health. She aims to foster an inclusive academic environment, advocate for her peers, organize equity-attentive events, address biases through educational workshops, and enhance feedback and reporting systems for continuous improvement. Beyond academia, Nour enjoys rental league go-karting, exploring cultural foods/experiences with friends, and attending educational lectures on various topics.

Events

Isabella Alatorre-Hinojosa is a first year MPH+ student in the Public Health Practice stream studying French. She graduated with a bachelor’s in health sciences in 2022 from the University of Calgary and is interested in the ways health data can influence healthy public policy. As VP of Events, Isabella is committed to building SEPH’s sense of community for all its students through casual yet engaging social events. Outside of school, she enjoys dancing, cooking, seeing family and friends, and exploring the beautiful city of Ottawa.

MPH Representative

Maddy Roche, is a first-year MPH student in the public health practice stream. As your MPH rep, she is excited to be a voice for the cohort and to promote a positive student environment. She aims to be a strong advocate for everyone’s success and enjoyment! She will have an open-door policy, feel free to reach out with any needs, school related or not. In her spare time, she loves to play and coach hockey, work-out, and explore the city with my friends

MSc EPI Representative

Raidah is a first-year student in the MSc Epidemiology program. As the MSc Epidemiology representative, she aims to advocate for the interests of her fellow classmates and work with the SEPHGSA to create a positive experience for all SEPH students. Outside of school, she enjoys watching films (and talking/writing about them), reading, and is an avid hockey fan.

Co- President

Ishika Tripathi (she/her) is a first year Epidemiology student doing research in implementation science. As Co-President, she is excited to help both epidemiology and MPH students form connections and get their voices heard at the faculty/program level. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her friends and family. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you would like to voice concerns, share ideas, or just have a chat.

Epidemiology Academic

Sara Siddiqi is a PhD student in epidemiology at SEPH, co-supervised by Dr. Jess Fiedorowicz and Dr. Ian Colman. She is interested in investigating the relationship between mental illness and cardiovascular disease. Outside of school, she enjoys baking, hiking, and finding allergen friendly places to eat! As VP Academic Affairs Epidemiology, Sara aims to represent students and advocate for their needs in SEPH and the uOttawa community.

Wellness

Gillian is a first-year MSc Epidemiology student, co-supervised by Dr. Daniel Corsi and Dr. Rojiemiahd Edjoc. Her research focuses on prenatal cannabis use and congenital anomalies. As the VP of Wellness, Gillian hopes to foster community engagement, good mental health, and overall well-being in SEPH students. Her interests include watching TV shows, reading, and trying new cafés or restaurants.

Communication

Naima Khan is a first year MPH student in the policy stream with an undergrad background in Health Studies and Psychology. Some of her many interests include women’s health, substance use disorders, and health policy reform. As the VP of Communication, she aims to create an environment where everybody in our student community stays informed and involved. She is super excited to start off this new year and promote meaningful engagement among her peers. In her spare time, Naima enjoys reading, painting, and hiking!

Finance

Areej Amjad is a first year MPH student in the Global Health stream. She recently graduated with a Bachelors in Health Sciences and is interested in improving health equity in underserved communities. As VP of Financial Affairs, Areej intends to maintain a sustainable budget, maximize outreach through effective distribution of funds, and ensure transparency in the SEPH community. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with friends.

Events

Bowen Wright (she/her) is a Master of Public Health candidate, concentrating in Global Health and Spanish. She is passionate about low-barrier, community-based health initiatives that improve health equity. As co-VP of Events, she can’t wait to host events that bring the SEPH community together! Outside of class, Bowen can usually be found poking around second-hand bookshops, jogging along the Rideau river, or enjoying a concert.

International Representative

David Garibay-Treviño (he/him) is a first-year student in the Ph.D. program in Epidemiology. He is interested in the intersection between epidemiology and health policy. He comes from Mexico. As the international representative, David is eager to connect with the SEPH international community and increase awareness of international affairs in the GSA community and the influence of various health policies worldwide. Besides school, David is part of the novice rowing team of uOttawa; he likes to receive and give recommendations for books/films and is always happy to chat about life.

PhD Representative

Abdallah Alami

Our Logo

The sephgsa logo was designed by former council member Sebasitan Srugo and represents the interconnected continuity of the sephgsa. As members of the sephgsa we each provide a unique perspective and contribution during our time in the association and the collaboration of those diverse experiences creates a single continuum which no one individual could support.