MCLAUGHLIN, Meghan
I began my journey on campus as a student just over 20 years ago. At the time, I was oblivious to the complexities it took to run a university, let alone navigate it successfully. Fast forward to today, I work in the College of Engineering as the Director of External Relations and Strategic Projects leading a fabulous team of five ASPA members. I have been employed with the University for the past 15 years and have spent 12 of those at the college.
A few strengths I can offer are bringing teams together to work across different disciplines and professions to achieve a common consensus, as well as supporting the community in delivering impact. I believe these could translate well as a representative of your voice on the ASPA executive. My goal will be to ensure individual and collective mechanisms are in place to support your careers and enable you to continue delivering meaningful work.
MEIER, Simona
My name is Simona Meier and I have been working as a Clinical Research Professional at the University of Saskatchewan for over 15 years. In my position, I help university faculty to set up, maintain and complete clinical research studies, provide clinical research expertise to research sites, research ethics boards and policy-makers, and act as a liaison among investigators, study staff, sponsors and other research, regulatory, and health agencies, in all administrative aspects of study management.
I enjoy volunteering, getting involved and contributing ideas and feedback. I also enjoy committee work and am currently on the Executive of the Canadian Chapter of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP). I have also been a volunteer with the Saskatoon SCAT Street Cat Rescue.
I am interested in being on the ASPA Executive to contribute and apply my knowledge and experience in new ways for the benefit of ASPA members.
MANEK, Aditya
I am Dr. Adi (Aditya) Manek.I am an experienced researcher, people leader, and operations manager. For over a year, I have been working as a Lab Manager for the Neuroscience, Molecular design, and Microbiology, Immunology, and Virology research clusters in Health Sciences Building. In addition, I manage the Histology Core Facility and its staff. I operate out of USask Health Sciences and have been part of ASPA since February 2022, but have been on campus more than 14 years.
From 2018 until early 2022, I was a Histologist at Health Sciences and part of CUPE 1975. Prior to that, I was a research associate and previously a graduate student in the Department of Biology, here at USask.
On a personal note, I am originally from India and grew up amid one of the biodiversity hotspots (western ghats) of the world before I moved to the land of the living skies. While I was an undergraduate student in India, I was an active member of several organizations and managed several interdepartmental events as a batch representative, cultural coordinator, and president of the Zoology society. In addition, I have been part of several non-profit organizations supporting ecological conservation. In Canada, I have volunteered with the Canadian Red Cross for over 3 years and volunteer with the Saskatoon Dog Rescue.
Previously, being an international student and currently as a part of the visible minority at the U of S, an opportunity as a part of the ASPA executive would give me the ability to understand and voice concerns raised by fellow union members. I believe my background and skills would bring a unique perspective to the table. Thank you for your consideration!
ALAVERDASHVILI, Mariam
Mariam Alaverdashvili is an accomplished Researcher and Research Development Specialist with administrative and academic experience in the fast-paced dynamic university environment settings, including Canada and Europe. She received a PhD degree in Neuroscience in 2002 (Academy of Sciences, Tbilisi, Country of Georgia).
Mariam joined the Institute of Physiology (Prague, Czech Republic) in 2003 as a scientist. She continued her research and teaching in several Canadian Universities, first as a post-doctoral fellow and later as a research associate (2007-2018).Mariam has been working at the University of Saskatchewan since 2012. In 2018, she joined the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, USask as a provincial research facilitator with a diverse research, educational, and administrative portfolio. Her aspiration is to advance Saskatchewan-wide applied clinical research and educational programs to improve the quality of life of people in SK, Canada and elsewhere. The most important achievements of Dr. Alaverdashvili in her current role are the establishment of a graduate program – Mental Health stream with the College of Medicine, Health Sciences Program, and the changes in research culture in the Department she has made via improving psychiatrists’ successful engagement in various scholarly activities. She is well published and continues her peer-reviewing activities for reputable academic journals and various internal and external funding institutions.
Dr. Alaverdashvili appreciates the value of volunteering activities for the benefit of organizations, communities, and society at large. As an example, recently she delivered a lecture and a workshop titled “Pitch your big ideas” to refugee girls and women at the Women’s Business Hub (Saskatoon Open Door Society). Mariam hopes that her work experience and broad knowledge will be an asset to ASPA Communications & Public Relations Committee.
DIGOUT, Bev
Department: College of Medicine
Position: Coordinator
Joined University: 2016
Years in current position: 3
Other U of S positions: Undergraduate Student Office (UGSO) Arts and Science Advisor/Coordinator
Other U of S involvements: Executive Committee of Saskatchewan Advising Board
Community Involvements: Board Experience; Broadway Theatre, Parenthood Saskatchewan, Family Services Canada & Saskatchewan, child friendly Saskatoon, Bishop Mahoney Institute of the Family, volunteering for the Saskatoon Adlerian Society and the Parent Education Committee. Contractual counselling; Crossroads Therapeutic Solutions and Sparkwood group
YIN, Helen
Helen Yin joined the University of Saskatchewan as an employee and ASPA Member 9 years ago in the Department of Civil, Geological, and Environmental Engineering as a lab coordinator. She was trained in environmental engineering and the reason why she chose environmental engineering was that she wanted to make a difference to make our planet better.
As a lab coordinator, Helen oversees the safety of the lab as well as facilitates research projects. Outside the University, Helen has been volunteering as a mental health helper in the Chinese community in Canada since COVID.
To Helen, life is an adventure and people with different stories are the most valuable, beautiful gifts to our life. Helen is excited to know more people and connect more with people from different backgrounds.
FAUCHOUX, Melanie
Melanie Fauchoux, PhD, P.Eng. began her journey at USask in 1999 as an Engineering undergraduate student and then completed her MSc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. During these years she was awarded a Graduate Teaching Fellowship and worked as a Sessional Lecturer.
In the fall of 2013, Melanie began working as a Departmental Assistant – heat transfer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, an ASPA position.
She currently manages research and undergraduate labs related to heat and moisture transfer, including equipment procurement, curriculum development and delivery, technical support and ensuring safety in the lab. After the University shut down in the spring of 2020, Melanie returned to the lab in June 2020 to facilitate ongoing research and continues to work full time on campus.
Melanie is very well organized, hardworking and has strong communications skills, which will be an asset to the ASPA membership. She believes in the importance of communication with members, hearing our members’ concerns, and promoting professional development.
Outside of work Melanie enjoys curling, golfing, quilting, and reading. She volunteers on several committees as part of her quilting and church groups. Melanie and her husband have two young girls, who have endless energy, which keeps her feeling youthful.
MOSIER, Karen
Karen E. Mosier is a Research Coordinator for the Department of Surgery in the College of Medicine. Karen has her BA in Psychology and MSc in Pharmacy. Karen has over sixteen years’ experience in research administration at the University of Saskatchewan.
Karen was the ASPA representative on CUPE’s Non-Academic Pension and Benefits Committee (NAPBC) for 3 years until it disbanded in June 2019.
In addition, Karen was a member of the ASPA communications committee from April 2018 to July 2019. In August 2019, she stepped up to chair two combined committees to form the Communications & Public Relations Committee which she chaired until April 2022. Karen served as an ASPA Executive for 2 years from May 2020 to April 2022. Mental health is an important priority to Karen and currently she serves as a member of the CUPE 1975 & ASPA Joint Mental Health Campaign Committee since December 2020. Outside of the campus community, Karen is also an active member of the Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA). She is a co-chair of the CARA Professional Development Committee and serves on the ASPA Executive as a member-at-large.
At this stage in her career, Karen would like to give something back to the campus community. Being Saskatchewan born and raised, and with both of her degrees awarded from the University of Saskatchewan, she would consider it an honor and a privilege to serve again as a member on the ASPA Executive committee.
JACOB, Paul
Paul Jacob has been working as a finance officer at the University of Saskatchewan since 2009. He also recently completed his Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan in Health Administration and Management. His research focuses on organizational behavior and human resources management.
He teaches introductory health care management courses to Masters of Public Health (MPH) students at the School of Public Health (SPH) at the University of Saskatchewan. He is also an instructor for various accounting and management courses at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatoon Campus.
Paul is a Chartered Professional Accountant/Certified management accountant (CPA, CMA) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). He also holds an MBA from Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Paul has been actively involved in various board level activities since 2011. He was an elected member of provincial executive of the Society of Management Accountants, Saskatchewan for 2011-2013 and CPA Saskatchewan board for 2018-20. He was involved with Graduate Student Association (GSA) University of Saskatchewan and represented GSA in few high profile dean searches on Campus, for example, dean of the College of Medicine. At the University of Saskatchewan, he was an elected member of the executive of the Administrative and Supervisory Personnel Association (ASPA) from 2011-13. He is also a member of Knights of Columbus, Holy Family Cathedral Council, Saskatoon since 2011.
LARSEN, Paige
I enjoy working in a diverse environment that requires flexibility and the ability to adapt. I love taking on new opportunities and expanding my skills and knowledge. In my spare time, I run (and play) a lot of table top role-playing games where I take on many different roles and collaborate with my friends. I also like to exercise my creativity with digital painting and playing the guitar.
I have had the privilege of working at the University of Saskatchewan since 2017; first as a student worker, and now I have been working within ASPA in full-time positions since January 2021. Currently, I work in Registrarial Services as a Space Planning Analyst.
RYDE, Angela
I’ve worked for the U of S since Fall 2009. Most of my work has been with Undergraduate Recruitment, specifically working as a team member of the Prospective Student Services Office and then Coordinator. I’ve also worked with other units such as Education (ITEP and EPSE), and AgBio as an Academic Advisor and Recruiter. My current role in the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is as a Program Advisor and I have been in this role since late 2019.
I was a CUPE member for much of my time and switched to ASPA for my current role. I find union volunteerism extremely rewarding and hope to be an asset to the ASPA Executive.
When I am not working, I’m usually in the shop working on a stained-glass project!
ASPA (Administrative and Supervisory Personnel Association) 