Dr. Cecilia Bukutu
MRP Project Lead
Dr. Cecilia Bukutu is the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Director of Public Health at Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE). She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UAlberta. Cecilia obtained her MPhil and PhD in Epidemiology from University of Cambridge, UK and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at City University (UK) and at the University of Alberta (UAlberta).
She has held senior leadership and management roles including Director Institutional Research and Program Development, Managing Director in the Nursing Faculty at UAlberta, and Associate Director at PolicyWise.
Cecilia has led many successful funded (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRIC, PHAC) public health and knowledge translation research collaborations that include the Speak Science Simply Program, VacciNation Project, and the current multi-institutional Building Healthy Communities Mentorship and Resilience Program (MRP). Cecilia is dedicated to supporting the next generation of researchers and has mentored and supervised over 35 students and postdoctoral fellows to complete various health related research projects. At UAlberta Cecilia received the Presidents Dare to Discover: Connecting Communities Team Award and at CUE she was awarded the 2021 Gerald S. Krispin Research Award which recognizes the achievements of Concordia researchers, in raising the profile of research and scholarship at Concordia.
Dr. Viola Manokore
MRP Project Co-Lead
Dr. Viola Manokore is an instructor and researcher at NorQuest College where she teaches in the department of Practical Nursing. She is a certified educator and holds a PhD in curriculum, instruction and teacher education from Michigan State University.
Her first and second degrees are in biological sciences. Viola is an internationally recognized scholar with university teaching experience at various levels. She was the recipient of a 2020 Gold Medal in leadership in teaching from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan). The CICan award recognizes a faculty member who has made personal growth and enhanced academic growth for students.
In recognition of her research contributions at NorQuest College, in 2019 Viola was the recipient of the “Quest for Excellence” research award. This award recognizes research contributions for faculty at NorQuest College. She was also the recipient of the 2020/2021 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning award from Alberta Colleges and Institutes Faculties Association (ACIFA). Viola has more than 25 publications in refereed journals. She has mentored and supervised 6 doctoral students, 30+ masters students and a significant number of undergraduate students. She is the founder and editor of a peer reviewed Journal of Practical Nurse Education and Practice. Viola is the lead on a project that is exploring mental health awareness and systems navigation in Alberta. The project has a newsletter that is widely distributed in Alberta and beyond.
Ms. Carol Manata
MRP Project Coordinator
Carol has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health Science from Makerere University, School of Public Health, Uganda and a Masters degree in Public Health from Nottingham Trent University, UK. Carol is currently completing her PhD in Public Health from Canterbury Christ Church University, UK.
Her PhD research project focuses on Provision and Access to Primary Care Services for Immigrants Experiencing Homelessness in the UK. Carol is responsible for coordinating the day to day activities of the Mentorship & Resilience Project (MRP).