Our Team
Academic Leadership
Kristin Cleverley
Director & Chair
Associate Professor & Rossy Chair in Campus Mental Health, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Amanda Uliaszek
Associate Director, Research
Professor & Program Coordinator, Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough
Julius Haag
Associate Director, Education & Training
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto Mississauga
Catherine Sabiston
Associate Director, Engagement & Impact
Professor & Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Psychosocial Well-being, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, University of Toronto
About Kristin
Professor Kristin Cleverley (she/her) is the inaugural Rossy Chair in Campus Mental Health at the University of Toronto and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing and Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and Senior Scientist in the Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health at CAMH. She is the Chair of the University of Toronto Student and Youth Mental Health Research Initiative and Co-Chaired the Ontario Health Quality Standard on Youth-to-Adult Health Care Transitions. Prof. Cleverley’s research engages students, youth, and caregivers in the co-design of novel clinical and health system interventions to improve continuity of care.
About Amanda
Professor Amanda A. Uliaszek (she/her) has been the director of the STEPP (Study and Treatment of Emotion Dysregulation and Personality Pathology) Lab at the University of Toronto since 2011. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Northwestern University and completed her predoctoral residency at the University of Illinois Chicago Medical Center. Prof. Uliaszek has obtained international recognition for her research on psychotherapy mechanisms and outcomes, with a specific focus on improving treatments for children, youth, and university students. Prof. Uliaszek is a registered psychologist in Ontario, with an expertise in the delivery of dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
About Julius
Professor Julius Haag (he/him) is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in the Department of Sociology at UTM, where he teaches courses in policing, urban life and public policy, and youth gangs. Prior to joining Inlight, Prof. Haag contributed to several campus-based initiatives, including as the session lead for Race Based Data Collection at the National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and as a review panel member for the U of T review of the Role of Campus Safety Services in Student Mental Health. His research interests include policing, youth justice, gangs, racialization, ethnicity, criminalization, and teaching and learning.
About Catherine
Professor Catherine Sabiston (she/her) is a Canada Research Chair in physical activity and psychosocial well-being in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto and the Director of the Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre. Catherine has been awarded numerous career distinctions, including a fellowship with the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Her research has focused on physical activity and adaptive and maladaptive mental health outcomes in individuals across the lifespan. A particular topic is body image impacting activity levels in adolescents.
Administrative Team
Emma McCann
Senior Partnership and Engagement Lead
About Emma
Emma McCann (she/her) is the Senior Partnership and Engagement Lead of the University of Toronto Inlight Student Mental Health Research Initiative, where she supports the initiative’s student engagement strategy. Emma has advised at the community, national, and international level to build stakeholder engagement into mental health research and systems of care. Her previous roles, including at CAMH and Frayme, supported the development of youth engagement strategy to support integrated youth services across the country. Emma moderated the first ever side event dedicated to global mental health at the UN General Assembly and formerly served as a member of the Canadian Federal Ministerial Advisory Council on Mental Health.
Feryal Mahnaei
Project Coordinator
About Feryal
Feryal Mahnaei (she/her) is a Project Coordinator at the INLIGHT Mental Health Research Initiative, combining her expertise in neuromechanics and healthcare project management to support groundbreaking mental health research. She holds a Master of Science in Biomechanics and Neuroscience from York University, where she explored postural control and cognitive-motor interactions, using advanced tools like motion capture, EMG, and virtual reality systems to gain deeper insights into human movement.
Beyond research, Feryal has worked in healthcare and infrastructure project management, collaborating with diverse teams to bring innovative ideas to life. Her experience as a researcher, teaching assistant, and healthcare project coordinator has allowed her to mentor students, contribute to biomechanics and rehabilitation research, and refine her ability to turn complex data into meaningful action. Now, at INLIGHT, she applies her skills in roject coordination, leadership, stakeholder engagement, and data analysis to drive mental health research forward, ensuring seamless execution of key initiatives. Passionate about bridging the gap between research and real-world impact, she is excited to collaborate with researchers, students, and healthcare professionals to advance innovation in mental health care. Outside work, she enjoys hiking, painting, martial arts, and paddleboarding.
Sarah Ahmad
Program Operations Assistant
About Sarah
Sarah Ahmad (she/her) is a Program Operations Assistant with the University of Toronto Inlight Student Mental Health Research Initiative. She will be supporting research initiatives and program operations focused on improving student mental health and wellbeing. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, with majors in Biology for Health Sciences and Psychology. Sarah is currently pursuing a Master of Health Science in Medical Physiology at the University of Toronto, where she is developing skills in clinical physiology, health data, commercialization, and project management. Her previous work experience in clinical research, with Statistics Canada, and in pharmacy operations has strengthened her interests in research coordination, healthcare innovation, and using evidence to support meaningful impact.
Samiya Shariff
Communications Assistant
About Samiya
Samiya Shariff (she/her) is a Master of Health Science student in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Toronto. She holds an HBSc in Global Health, with minors in Immunology and Psychology. Her academic and professional experiences have shaped her interest in mental health, accessible healthcare, and client-centered care. Through her work in community and healthcare settings, Samiya has supported individuals with diverse needs and developed a passion for creating inclusive spaces where people feel heard and supported. At Inlight, she is excited to contribute to student mental health initiatives, engage with the university community, and help bridge research with meaningful, student-centered impact.
Implementation Committee
Associate Dean, Research and External Relations, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing (Chair)
Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation, University of Toronto Scarborough
Vice-Principal, Research, University of Toronto Mississauga
Vice-Provost, Students
Associate Dean, Research, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Vice-President, Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Academic Director, Inlight
Director, Strategy & Operations, Inlight
Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives, ISI
Council of Principals & Deans
Dean, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing (Chair)
Associate Vice-President & Vice Provost, Strategic Initiatives (Chair)
Dean, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Dean, Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Science
Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean, University of Toronto Mississauga
Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation, University of Toronto Scarborough
Academic Director, Inlight
Student Advisory Committee
Mohammad Usman
Undergraduate Student, Life Sciences
University of Toronto Scarborough
Ayanika Bhattacharjee
Undergraduate Student, Mental Health Studies
University of Toronto Scarborough
Ankita Goyat
PharmD Student, Doctor of Pharmacy
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Toronto St. George
Amira El-Rayes
Undergraduate Student, Psychology
University of Toronto Mississauga
Sandy Luu
Doctoral Student, Psychology
University of Toronto Mississauga
Fides Arguelles
Master’s Student, Clinical Psychology
University of Toronto Scarborough
Cherrie Wei
Undergraduate Student, Psychology & Applied Data Science
Faculty of Arts and Science
University of Toronto St. George
Anjana Sudharshan
Master’s Student, Epidemiology
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
University of Toronto St. George