Organizing Committee

Dr. Melanie Nelson(she/hers) B.Sc., B.Ed., D.Ed., M.A., Ph.D.

Samahquam First Nation (St’at’imc), Assistant Professor in UBC School and Applied Child Psychology program

Melanie is a member of Samahquam First Nation (St’at’imc) and is learning traditional approaches to wellness from Saa Hiil Thut Elder Gerry Oleman in addition to Western training. Her work explores Indigenous parent experience with diagnostic processes and how Indigenous youth identify and access supports for mental health and wellness.


Kate Rho(she/her) B.A.

Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia

Kate Rho (she/her) is a first-generation immigrant settler living on the unceded traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, sel̓íl̓witulh, and sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nations. As the research lab manager of the Anxiety Stress and Autism Program lab in the Department of Psychology, she conducts research on autism and co-occurring mental health conditions. In her spare time, she likes to cook Korean food and cuddle with her cat.