Meet Our Team
LAB DIRECTOR
Dr. Sharon Hou (she/her) is the Director of the Culture and Child Health Lab. She is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University, and a Psychologist and Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital and BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr Hou is an Associate Member of the Women’s Health Research Institute and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health.
Dr. Hou completed her Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology and French with a minor in Applied Developmental Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her Master of Arts and Doctoral Degree (PhD) in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology from the University of Guelph, and completed two postdoctoral fellowships including a focus as a clinician-scientist in Oncology and Psychology at the University of Calgary, and specialization in Implementation Science and Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Hou immigrated with her family from Taiwan to Canada at an early age and grew up on the North Shore. Much of Dr. Hou’s work is shaped by her immigration experience and exposure to cultural diversity over her life. Outside of work, Dr. Hou enjoys brunch, traveling, hot yoga, and spending time with her beloved family and friends and her cat, Mosa.
Sharon Hou, PhD, Psychologist
RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERS
Sophia is a recent Simon Fraser University Graduate with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology. Her research interests focus on interventions that support children's mental health and promote inclusive, neurodiverse learning, as well as exploring creative forms of nonverbal expression. She plans to pursue graduate studies in Counselling Psychology to become a child and youth counsellor, with the goal of integrating art therapy into her future practice.
Currently, Sophia works as a child activity worker for a non-profit organization, supporting at-risk youths and as a behavioral interventionist assisting a young man with autism. She plans to publish and illustrate children's books that strengthen social and communication skills for neurodiverse youth.
Outside of academic pursuits, she has a high level of ballet training through the Royal Academy of Dance. She enjoys substitute dance teaching and choreographing for young dancers. She is also an aspiring artist who creates custom acrylic paintings.
Sophia Doddis
Abdirahman is a fourth-year psychology major at SFU. He is also pursuing a minor in Counselling and Human Development.
For the past three years, Abdirahman has been working with children with complex needs in residential settings as a youth worker and supervisor. Through his experience, he developed an interest in applying research-based methods to provide care to children who come from diverse backgrounds and require individualized care.
Abdirahman is working toward a career in counselling as a clinical counsellor, with a focus on children, adolescents and young adults. Outside of work and school, he enjoys playing soccer and hiking.
Abdirahman Hassan
Vanessa Lee
Vanessa is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia (UBC), pursuing a major in Psychology and a minor in Education. She is a 2026 Summer Student Researcher at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute with the Culture and Child Health Lab. She has also contributed to social psychology research at the Emotion and Self Lab (PI: Dr. Jessica Tracy) and counselling psychology research at the Resistance Lab (PI: Dr. Nic Johnson).
Her research interests include sexual violence prevention, substance use, social perceptions, mixed emotions, and eating disorders. Drawing on her cultural background, volunteer work, and lived experiences, Vanessa is particularly interested in improving the psychological well-being of diverse youth and young adults. She hopes to contribute to more accessible and culturally responsive psychological care.
Outside of academics, Vanessa enjoys strength training, running, playing video games, and spending quality time with loved ones.
Angel Leung
Angel (she/her) completed her BA in Psychology with a minor in Counselling and Human Development at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests center on intergenerational connections and kinship, family health and resilience, and immigrant and cultural family dynamics.
In the community, she actively serves as a volunteer youth mentor with KidStart and a PRIYD volunteer with Family Services of Greater Vancouver. Previously, she led an intergenerational program connecting Chinese seniors and youth in Chinatown, funded by the SFU Student Community Engagement Competition.
Driven by a passion for building resilience in families, Angel aspires to pursue graduate studies in counselling psychology to bridge research and community practice in support of families and underserved communities. Outside of work and study, she enjoys cooking, singing, going to the gym, and thrifting
Ariana Martinez earned her BA in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and is the current coordinator of the Healthy Families Lab with Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen. Her research interests focus on neurodivergence, eating disorders, and interventions supporting child and family mental health. She is particularly interested in the developmental, social, and cultural factors that shape children’s well-being and resilience.
Originally from Peru, Ariana brings a cross-cultural lens to her work, with a focus on how parenting and cultural context influence child development, especially among neurodivergent populations. She has recently expanded her research interests to explore the intersection of parenting and mental health, including how parental well-being impacts child outcomes. Ariana is also interested in the role of eHealth interventions in improving access to care and strengthening support systems for families navigating neurodevelopmental challenges. Through her work, she aims to contribute to more inclusive and effective approaches to family and child mental health.
Ariana Martinez
Griffin (he/him) is a third-year undergraduate student at UBC majoring in Microbiology and Immunology. He is a BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute INSPIRE Student with the Culture and Child Health Lab. His academic interests include healthcare, epidemiology, and global health, with a particular focus on oncology and the influence of social factors on health outcomes. He also has a strong interest in physical chemistry and prior research experience in a lab specializing in SFG spectroscopy.
Beyond academics, Griffin serves as VP Finance for Common Energy, a sustainability club at UBC dedicated to environmental outreach and promoting sustainability on campus through events and initiatives.
Outside of academics, he enjoys basketball, surfing, hiking, and watching TV and movies. He aspires to pursue a career in medicine, specifically in oncology or radiology, with a goal of advancing patient care, health equity, and health outcomes..
Griffin Mawson
Mikayla (she/her) is a third-year undergraduate Health Sciences student at Simon Fraser University. She is a BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute INSPIRE Student with the Culture and Child Health Lab. She is also a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society, where she is a member of the Research Information Outreach Team.
Outside of academics, Mikayla enjoys dancing, going to the gym, and time in nature. After completing her undergraduate studies, Mikayla hopes to pursue a career in clinical research focused on health equity.
Mikayla Mbogga
Rand Wang
Rand (he/him) recently completed his Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, where he will also be starting a Master of Public Health. His research interests lie at the intersection of culture and health outcomes, with a focus on how cultural contexts shape health behaviours and access to care.
Rand is currently working on a manuscript under the supervision of Dr. Kelley Lee, examining how Chinese Canadian communities seek and interpret vaccine information on Chinese-language online platforms. This work explores themes of trust, risk perception, and information sharing within culturally specific digital spaces. He is also preparing a scoping review under the supervision of Dr. Peter Hutchinson on factors influencing HPV vaccination uptake among racialized communities.
Outside of research, Rand works as a behavioural interventionist and is passionate about improving health accessibility. He has been a member of the SFU volleyball and running clubs and shares fitness-related content on social media, reaching an audience of over 32,000 followers and growing!
Gabi (she/her) completed her Bachelor of General Studies at Simon Fraser University with a minor in Counselling and Human Development and an extended minor in Psychology. Over her studies and experiences, she developed interests in child and adolescent mental health, identity development, and meaningful family and community engagement in research.
Gabi is co-supervised by Drs. Hou and Siden at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute where she supports projects focused on pediatric pain, patient-oriented research, and implementation science. She also volunteers with the All Families Lab at Simon Fraser University with Dr. Hali Kil, where she contributes to studies on family dynamics and multiracial identity development.
Gabi is passionate about understanding how diverse social and learning experiences influence mental health outcomes for youth. She hopes to build a career integrating clinical work and research to support children and families in education and healthcare . Outside of work and school, she enjoys reading outdoors, running, yoga, gardening, and hopes to become a foster cat mom.
Gabi Zamma
Christina (she/her) is a first year student in Bachelor of Nursing at the University of British Columbia and hopes to integrate research into her nursing career to advance health equity in perinatal health. Prior to pursuing nursing school, Christina studied Food and Nutrition at the University of British Columbia.
Christina is co-supervised by Drs. Hou and Siden at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute where she supports a project focused on implementing a clinical pathway in community practices across British Columbia. Christina was a CHILD-BRIGHT Summer Student (2025) during which she conducted a qualitative analysis of interviews with community pediatricians using both inductive and deductive approaches. Christina is also supporting a scoping review on health equity and children living with health complexity.
Outside of work, Christina loves trying new food, playing with her cats Parsley and Basil, and reading novels.
Christina Zeng
Collaborators
-
Dr. Katelynn Boerner
Pediatrics, University of British Columbia
-
Dr. Jennifer Coelho
Provincial Specialized Eating Disorders Program for Children and Adolescents, BC Children’s Hospital
-
Dr. Stephanie Glegg
Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of British Columbia
-
Dr. Fiona Schulte
Oncology, University of Calgary
-
Dr. Hal Siden
Pediatrics, University of British Columbia
We collaborate with national and international scholars, clinician-scientists, people with lived experience, and community partners to advance research in child health and health equity.
Check back soon - more collaborator profiles will be added as we continue to update this space.