Below you can find our wonderful team of folks who make it all possible!
Founder & CEO
Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley has a PhD in clinical psychology and is a Registered Psychologist with 20 years of clinical practice working with individuals, leaders, and workplaces. She is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of the "Impact me app" & the "Dr. Dayna Method."
She is the Director of the Psychological Health and Safety Lab at Saint Mary's University and former Director of the Behaviour Change Institute at Dalhousie University. She has extensive applied experience and research knowledge on burnout, psychological safety in the workplace, behaviour and organizational change, and wellness leadership. She is an internationally recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She worked for almost 15 years in multidisciplinary teams on medical, surgical and cancer care hospital units working with individual with chronic and life threatening health conditions. She brings both direct lived experiences working in health care settings as well as research, public, and private sector workplace experiences. She also conducts research at Dalhousie University and at Saint Mary's University, where she holds faculty positions. She has 60 peer-reviewed publications and over 155 scholarly presentations. She is the author of the book "Healthy Habits Suck: How to get off the couch & live a healthy life…even if you don't want to." She has the lived experience of a female, visible minority, daughter of an immigrant to Canada. She is French/English bilingual.
Labour & Employment Lawyer & Coach
Ronald Pizzo offers strategic guidance and coaching in conflict management within the workplace. His method, grounded in evidence-based practice, aims to help leaders strike a balance between issue resolution and the preservation of positive team dynamics. Effective conflict resolution relies on nuanced communication skills that affirm the value and voice of all parties, fostering an atmosphere of harmony and understanding in situations of discord.
With a professional background that spans over 35 years as a labour and employment lawyer, mediator, and coach, Pizzo has dedicated his career to cultivating these critical communication skills in leaders and their teams.
His approach, refined through decades of practical experience, transforms complex workplace dynamics into opportunities for individual and collective growth and cohesion. The communication skills he imparts are intended for use in all workplace interactions, transcending their utility beyond conflict resolution.
Professor - Workplace Psychology
Dr. Debra Gilin is a Full Professor in the Psychology Department at Saint Mary's University as well as a member of the CN Centre for Occupational Health and Safety at Saint Mary's. Debra's Master's and PhD are in Industrial-Organizational psychology and has previously published results of successful workplace interventions focused on team conflict and civility in top-tier psychology journals (Journal of Applied Psychology, Psychological Science, and Journal of Occupational Health Psychology).
Registered Psychologist
Dr. Clair Barefoot is a clinical and health psychologist who blends deep clinical expertise with an insider's understanding of complex health systems. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina in 2017 and has built her career within the public health system, including roles at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation and Arthritis Centre and the Multi-Organ Transplant team. Dr. Barefoot specializes in working with physicians, residents, and adults with ADHD. She provides both assessment and therapy services, offering evidence-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help clients manage stress, prevent burnout, and build lasting resilience.
Registered Dietitian and Health Coach
Dr. Shannan M. Grant, RD, MSc, PhD (she/her/hers) is a Scientist, Registered Dietitian (RD), Dietetic Educator and lifelong learner. The focus of her work is community-based and practice-based research, focused on applying diverse designs and methodologies to complete comprehensive needs assessments, develop and implement programs, and evaluate interventions. She has practiced as a dietitian and wellness professional in several practice settings, including ~20 years in clinical (including primary, acute care, inpatient and outpatient settings) and community nutrition (including rural, remote, and urban settings). She was a founding member of and core faculty for York University's Health Coach Program, an internationally recognized program that trains allied healthcare professionals (including nurses, dietitians, dentists) in contemporary evidence-based counseling, conflict resolution, record keeping and modification communication techniques. This work was integral to her recognizing workplace safety as a modifiable risk factor to human health and wellness. A recipient of several awards for her contributions to patient care, communication and education, Shannan is a passionate believer that the best research and practice is done when we cultivate person-focused (all persons involved) environments.
Registered Psychologist
Dr. Schneider is a Registered Clinical Psychologist with specializations in Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology for adults. He uses evidence-based therapeutic approaches to help adults struggling with a wide variety of concerns such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress. Dr. Schneider's goal is to provide high-quality evidence-based care using a client-centered and compassionate approach. He is trained in several therapy approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and cognitive processing therapy.
Dr. Schneider completed his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Regina. He completed his predoctoral residency with the Nova Scotia Health Authority and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Schneider is involved in development, evaluation, and implementation of Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programs in Canada. Dr. Schneider has presented his research at national and international conferences and has published his work in many peer-reviewed journals.
Organizational Training & Systems Specialist
Christine Novitsky is an Organizational Training and Systems Specialist, where she turns strategy into action. With an M.Sc. in Applied Industrial-Organizational Psychology and experience in organizational development she supports the design and delivery of evidence-based training on topics such as conflict, resilience, and leadership, while building the systems and processes that keep programs running smoothly. She also contributes to the research initiatives at DLBA, helping to ensure that programs are informed by data and evidence. Her work brings together creativity, structure, and strategy, ensuring that projects are delivered with impact, efficiency, and heart.
Creative Director
Jaimee Lee is the Creative Director, where she takes a multidisciplinary approach that combines art and storytelling to create emotionally intelligent mental health content. Holding a BFA in Fine Arts from Concordia University, Jaimee has spent the past 20 years working across education, film production, and music, and since the COVID-19 pandemic, she has also contributed to the medical and psychology fields as a research assistant.
From 2008 to 2018, Jaimee worked as a private music teacher while contributing to Canadian independent films such as Lloyd the Conqueror and The Life and Death of Wiggly Chew in set design, music composition, and sound design. In her early twenties, she was a professional musician who released the independently produced album Waste of a Girl, co-wrote for The Marie Read Band, and recorded Songs Written Between Calgary to Montreal in 2009. As a performer, she appeared on more than 50 stages across Canada, including the Just for Laughs stage in Montreal and as the opener for Bedouin Soundclash in Calgary, Alberta. Jaimee also worked as a research assistant to modern composer Dr. Rosemary Mountain on The Playground.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she transitioned her focus to psychology, working as a research assistant, manager, and trainer for Dr. Lisa Barrett's rapid testing sites—an experience that deepened her passion for the field. Jaimee's work integrates creativity with evidence-based insight to foster authentic emotional connection.
PhD Student, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Haya Bakour holds a MSc in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is currently completing her PhD at Saint Mary's University. She has been involved with several research projects focused on test development, technology in personnel selection, healthcare worker burnout as well as bias and conflict in the workplace. Haya has worked within in-house and external consulting capacities to support organizations in developing and implementing top tier evidence-based solutions. She strongly adopts the scientist-practitioner model in her approach to both research and engaging with industry partners. Applying her passion for human behaviour in the workplace has been extremely rewarding and she looks forward to continue learning alongside her collaborators and colleagues. Outside of work, Haya enjoys crossing off countries from her travel bucket list and spending quality time with her family and friends.
PhD Student, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Megan Manels-Murphy is a driven and analytical academic with a master's in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Saint Mary's University and is currently completing her Ph.D. in the same field. Beyond her academic endeavors, Megan offers methodological expertise in the way data collection and analyses through her experience teaching graduate-level research methods lab as well as her work on several other projects such as the Burnout Recovery Program and the Nova Scotia International Student (NSIS) Project. Megan's primary purpose is to make each workplace a more welcoming and comfortable environment for all. In line with this goal, her research interests include diversity and inclusion, employee well-being and conflict management.
PhD Student, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Lanxi (Jo) Wang is a PhD student in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Saint Mary's University. Throughout her graduate studies, she researched various topics related to occupational health and safety, such as employee mental health, burnout, motivation, job engagement, unethical work behaviours, and incivility. Her research interests focus on mental health and well-being in the workplace. Outside of work, she enjoys practicing yoga and playing ukulele.
PhD Student, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Harley Harwood holds a BA (Hons) in Psychology and a MSc in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and is currently completing his PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Saint Mary's University. Harley has experience in both research and practice. His applied experience include working for a testing organization (Acuity Insights) helping examine the Casper and for working for this team! In terms of his research projects the range from reducing interview anxiety in asynchronous video interviews to examining the effects of generative AI in situational judgement tests. Through his work on various projects, he has gained critical insight on experimental design, expertise in statistical analysis and applying the principles of ethical and fair selection practices. Additionally, Harley also teaches undergraduate & graduate labs on statistics and methodology, giving students there first introduction to critical and evidence-based thought. Beyond Harley's academic endeavor's, he enjoys coaching high school football and spending time with family and friends.