Meet The Team
Gina-Marie Cerantola, PT
BSc, DPT, MSc Student
Gina is a physiotherapist with a special interest in pelvic health and Co-Director of Optimum Perinatal Health. She enjoys working with clients during their pregnancies to prepare for labour and delivery, and also postpartum to help with recovery and safe return to activity. Gina holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Calgary and a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Pacific University in Oregon, USA. She has recently returned to school to pursue pelvic health research at the University of Calgary, and is conducting The EPIS Trial as part of her thesis-based Master of Science program.
Dr. Erin Brennand, MD, FRCSC, MSc
Co-supervisor
Erin Brennand is a Gynecologist and specialist in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery. Also an Associate Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Community Health Sciences, her work spans the disciplines of Epidemiology & Health Services Research as they relate to the female reproductive tract including pelvic floor disorders, uterine conditions and surgery on the genito-urinary tract. Methodologies include quantitative work utilizing clinical trials, prospective cohorts, and administrative data, as well as qualitative approaches to gather rich narrative data. Research is informed by feminist epistemologies - questioning what is considered “good” science, the relevance of research produced for women, and the importance of lived experience in the creation of research questions.
Dr. Amy Metcalfe, PhD
Co-supervisor
Dr Amy Metcalfe is a perinatal epidemiologist and a Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medicine, and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. She is the Maternal and and Child Health Program Director for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Her research focuses on optimizing the management of chronic disease during pregnancy. Underlying this program of research is a focus on validation of existing data sources for use in research and application of novel statistical methods to answer clinically relevant questions.
Gina would also like to acknowledge her Supervisory Committee and the Patient Research Partners she has had the privilege of working with. They have been inspiring and have helped to inform her study every step of the way.