AYAH NAYFEH
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Ayah Nayfeh is a PhD candidate in Health Services Research at the University of Toronto's Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME). Her research explores the quality and experience of end-of-life care for patients and families from diverse ethnocultural backgrounds. Ayah is also a Program Lead (Innovations and Strategic Development) at Healthcare Excellence Canada, where she is responsible for supporting the implementation and evaluation of policies/programs to address COVID-19 in 100+ long-term care homes and homeless shelters across Canada. In 2019, Ayah was selected by Canada’s Office of International Affairs for the Health Portfolio to serve as a part of the Canadian delegation to the World Health Organization (WHO). In this role, Ayah led a nation-wide consultation and chaired a policy roundtable with Dr. Theresa Tam (Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer) and the Canadian Ambassador to the UN to discuss the provision of mental health services for refugees/migrants in Canada. Ayah has a strong record of peer-reviewed publications and has received several prestigious scholarships/awards for her research around health equity.
TASHA JAWA
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Tasha is a third-year MD/PhD Candidate in the Centre for Neuroscience Studies and School of Medicine at Queen’s University. Her research explores the impact of life-saving kidney replacement therapy on neurological outcomes in critically ill adults. Prior to embarking upon her current program, Tasha completed an honours BSc and MSc at the University of Toronto. Tasha has been recognized by several notable awards during her PhD training, including the Frederick Banting & Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship, Physician Services Incorporated (PSI) Foundation Research Trainee Fellowship Award, and the Canadian Federation of University Women Dr. Margaret McWilliams Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, among others. She has also contributed to many first- and co-authored publications.
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Outside of academia, Tasha is passionate about patient advocacy. She has worked with patients and families to develop educational infographics and videos to support their understanding of their own kidney disease and management, enabling patients and families to take part in their own healthcare. Tasha is also an active member of her community, promoting awareness of kidney health and disease on a global scale through the international World Kidney Day campaign.