Past Mentees

Maria Hayes RGN, BNS, MSc (Clinical Practice), MSc (Advanced Practice), RANP, RNP, RNR (Rad), FFNMRCSI, Honorary Teaching Associate RCSI, FHFA, AFIPC, FESC, is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Cardiac Surgery at Blackrock Clinic, Dublin, and Assistant Professor of Nursing at University College Dublin. A past president of the Irish Nurses Cardiovascular Association, she previously served as European Nurse Advisor for the Valvular Heart Disease study group. She contributes to ACNAP and CONNECT and holds fellowships from RCSI and the European Society of Cardiology.

Rachel Hamilton is an RN. She is currently working on her PhD in Nursing at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. Ms. Hamilton’s goals are to engage in innovative research exploring pediatric cancer survivorship and to improve monitoring and evaluation of children following cancer therapy. Ms. Hamilton has previously engaged in a Pediatric Oncology Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) in which data were collected from members of the pediatric oncology community.

Herleen is an undergraduate nursing student from the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Mohammad Goudarzi Rad is an experienced ICU nurse who graduated with the Master of Critical Care Nursing program at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. He is currently a second-year PhD. student in nursing at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto. His research interests are cardiovascular nursing, respiratory depression, and mechanical ventilation. In his Ph.D. project, he is currently evaluating a transcutaneous electrical stimulator for the early treatment of opioid-induced respiratory depression in postoperative patients.

Dr. Salima Hemani is an RN with a PhD in Nursing from the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. Dr. Hemani has practiced cardiac nursing for over two decades. Her area of research addresses South Asians and their risk for cardiovascular disease, particularly the self-management of chronic disease and adoption of a healthy lifestyle through engagement in preventative strategies such as healthy eating. @SalimaHemani1.

Dr. Costa was a visiting ( (Fall 2024) ) PhD student in the Clinical Care Nursing and Health graduate program at Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE), Brazil. His research evaluated a renal protection protocol for assessing and managing contrast-induced nephropathy in cardiac surgery patients. During his visit, he developed clinical and research skills through mentorship, collaboration, and participation in research addressing cardiothoracic surgical challenges. This experience strengthened his capacity as a clinician and researcher to develop evidence-based interventions aimed at improving patient outcomes and advancing clinical practice.

Dr. Pedrosa is a Nurse Scientist and Assistant Professor from the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Campinas (FEnf-UNICAMP) in Brazil. She currently teaches and engages in cardiac research at FEnf-UNICAMP, in addition to coordinating the Cardiac Transplant program at Hospital de Clínicas da UNICAMP. She is also an instructor of the American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Course and Executive Director of the Nursing Department of the Society of Cardiology of the State of São Paulo (SOCESP) - 2022-2023. Dr. Pedrosa will work closely with Dr. Fredericks on a number of cardiovascular research projects, as part of her training as a Junior Visiting Professor. @rafapedrosa2016

Prof. Julie Sander was hosted by Dr. Suzanne Fredericks. Prof. Sanders is the Director of Clinical Research at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and Clinical Professor of Cardiovascular Nursing at William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London. Her area of specialty is cardiothoracic surgery; cardiovascular nursing. She is responsible for developing research and clinical academic career opportunities (internships, MSc, PhD, post-doc) for nurses and allied professionals (AP) in cardiovascular care. She is particularly interested in mortality, morbidity and patient reported outcomes after cardiac surgery; and is the lead for the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery (SCTS) Nursing. The aim of her research visit was to establish collaboration with international centres and universities to build on her current program of research. @julessanders2

Dr. Candida Canicali Primo was a visiting researcher from Departamento de Enfermagem; Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem (PPGENF); Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva (PPGSC); Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES). During her research visit, Dr. Primo was provided mentorship related to teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Primo attended 10 undergraduate, 10 master level, and 5 doctoral classes; participated in class discussion and group facilitation; and developed an understanding of a variety of learning and teaching styles

Dr. Magboo is from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, United Kingdom. She visited Canada last summer for her travelling fellowship hosted by Dr. Suzanne Fredericks, co-founder of CONNECT. The aim of the fellowship was to establish collaboration with international centres and universities to further develop Ms. Magboo’s PhD programme of work, which focuses on the health-related quality of life and psychosocial effects of the diagnosis and surgical interventions for aortovascular manifestations in Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients. @magboo_rena

Mohit Prashar is an undergraduate student in Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. He completed research activities in clinical and rehabilitation research, with a focus on advancing mobility among older adults through the use of digital health tools. Mohit also contributed to research aimed at improving cardiovascular outcomes by examining non-pharmacological interventions and enhancing preoperative patient education for individuals undergoing cardiac surgery. Through this work, he contributed to bridging research and clinical practice to support equitable and evidence-informed care.

Simran Sangha completed a research placement under Dr. Fredericks’ mentorship beginning in September 2025. She is a fourth-year Biomedical Sciences student at Toronto Metropolitan University with a strong interest in cardiovascular health and recovery following cardiac surgery. During her placement, she conducted a study examining facilitators and barriers to postoperative recovery across high-income and low- and middle-income countries, exploring how health systems and access to care influence outcomes. Simran aspires to become a cardiovascular perfusionist and advance equitable cardiac care.

Joy Anne Gaitmann completed her Master of Nursing Toronto Metropolitan University. She serves as a clinical research coordinator, leading clinical trials within the cardiovascular program. Joy holds specialized certifications in emergency medicine, acute care, and cardiac catheterization. She is dedicated to being a supportive mentor for students, colleagues and clinicians. Her research interests are cardiovascular nursing, medical devices and knowledge translation.

Arjun Singh was a research trainee from September 2024 to March 2026 and is a second-year medical student at Nova Southeastern University’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tampa Bay. His research focuses on obesity-related neuroinflammation, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline, particularly insulin resistance pathways and GLP-1 receptor agonists in Alzheimer’s disease. He contributed to literature and scoping reviews examining metabolic dysfunction, cardiometabolic risk, and neurodegeneration, gaining experience in systematic review methodology, structured data extraction, and synthesis of translational and clinical evidence.

Ms. Arshiya Sahni completed a clinical placement with Dr. Fredericks from May to August 2026. She is a Toronto-based emerging communications professional pursuing a degree in Professional Communication at Toronto Metropolitan University, with minors in Marketing and Public Relations. Her interests include creative strategy, brand storytelling, visual direction, and social media. She is particularly interested in how visual storytelling, audience engagement, and marketing communication translate creative ideas into meaningful digital content. Her broader interests include cinema, media, fashion, and visual culture, particularly their influence on identity and perception.

Ava Pearson, an intern with Toronto Metropolitan University’s Urban Health Research Network, has been interviewing experts, photographing Toronto’s urban landscapes, and creating documentary content surrounding the work of PhD student Rezwana Rahman and Nurse Practitioner Erin Ziegler. The Urban Health Research Network strives to share stories that empower voices within Toronto’s urban health landscape. Through this work, she hopes to promote inclusivity and showcase urban health from a fresh and more personal perspective.