Rebecca Benyk (she/her) is a first year PhD Student in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta, under the supervision of Dr. Adam.

Drawing on her own experience as a competitive figure skater who sustained a concussion, Rebecca’s research interests center on rehabilitation and recovery from injuries and the effect these injuries have on student-athletes’ mental health, athletic identity, and coping skills. Recognizing the significance of mental health in athletes, Rebecca strongly believes in its parallel importance with physical well-being and advocates for its protection. She seeks to meaningfully contribute to advancements in these areas over the course of her doctoral studies.

Grace Spilchak (she/her) is a second-year Master’s student in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta, supervised by Dr. Adam.

Her research centers on women’s health, sport performance, and their influence on overall well-being. She is committed to addressing the persistent disparities in sport research between women and men athletes.

Grace’s thesis, “Power in the Period: Understanding the Relationship Between Sport Performance Perceptions and Menstrual Cycle,” investigates the relationship between menstrual cycle phases and perceptions of sport performance. Her objective is to uncover how biological fluctuations may influence cognitive function, with the long-term goal of informing more personalized training and competition strategies for female athletes.

She is currently recruiting participants for this study and welcomes individuals who are interested in contributing to research that supports and empowers women in sport.

Sage Steadman (she/her) is a first-year Master's student in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta, under the supervision of Dr. Adam. 

As a former U Sports Women’s Basketball player, Sage’s research interests focus on how athletes, specifically women athletes, experience and manage anxiety while balancing the demands of sport with their overall health and well-being. She is passionate about advancing knowledge in women’s health and athlete mental health, with the goal of developing strategies and supports that promote resilience, balance, and positive performance experiences for athletes.

Jandra Wells (she/her) is currently a first-year Master’s student in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta, under the supervision of Dr. Margo Adam.

Jandra was previously a physical education teacher and athletic director which has shaped her research interests. Her focus is on identifying key turning points and systemic barriers that contribute to dropout rates—particularly those related to identity, puberty, coach–athlete relationships, and social belonging.

Jandra’s proposed thesis explores these influences alongside an analysis of youth sport frameworks, athletic policies, and school-based curricula to better understand how institutional practices shape girls’ sport participation. Her goal is to inform more effective, inclusive strategies to support the long-term retention of girls in sport.

Amy Alex (she/her) is currently a first year Master’s student in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta under the supervision of Dr. Taniya Nagpal. In the 2024/2025 academic year, she focused on ideal and actual weight discrepancies among women athletes.

Amy’s broader research interests include women’s health, body image, and overall well-being. She is passionate about reducing stigma in women’s health, addressing the underrepresentation of women in research, and fostering education that empowers both women and healthcare providers. Her goal is to contribute meaningful research that supports a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach, ensuring that every individual feels heard, seen, and valued.

Alysha Ambrosio (she/her) is a Master’s student in Physical Therapy at the University of Alberta. In the 2024/2025 academic year she completes a graduate level capstone research project that focused on the early menstrual experiences of young women and girls in competitive dance under the supervision of Dr. Margo Adam. Her work aims to enhance athlete well-being and performance by informing support systems and resources.

Alysha’s research interests include women’s health, menstrual function and dysfunction, health literacy in sport, and sport performance. Passionate about bridging research and practice, Alysha advocates for evidence-based strategies that empower athletes and reduce stigma. She strives to improve education and support systems that foster a more inclusive, informed, and athlete-centered sporting environment in competitive dance and beyond.

Alexandra Black (she/her) is an Undergraduate student working towards a combined degree in the Bachelor of Kinesiology & Education program with a minor in Mathematics. In the 2024/2025 academic year she completed an undergraduate research project under the supervision of Dr. Margo Adam that explored the relationship between age, self-criticism, and self-compassion measures in elite women athletes as well as the potential influence of these variables on perceived sport performance.

Alex’s research interests are tailored towards sports performance and the psychosocial experiences of women athletes in sport. She is passionate about understanding the pursuits of women and girls in sport with the ultimate goal of facilitating their long-term participation. Through her work, Alex aims to contribute to addressing the gender disparities that exist between men and women athletes in sports science.  

Sara Szabo (she/her) is the Experiential Learning Liaison at The Steadward Centre (TSC) within the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. TSC is a leader in adapted physical activity and para sport development, as well as research and teaching. 

Sara earned both her MSc in Exercise Physiology (2023) and her BKin in Adapted Physical Activity (2019) from the University of Alberta. Her master's thesis, "The Biocultural Entanglement of Athlete Training Responses Across the Menstrual Cycle in Recreational Runners", combined mixed-methods and a new materialist approach to examine both subjective and objective responses to endurance training across the menstrual cycle. As an undergraduate, she conducted research exploring practitioner perspectives on athlete recovery in Paralympic sport. Her research interests focus on amplifying the lived experiences of women and girls in (para) sport and (adapted) physical activity, with particular attention to athlete health and well-being, including menstrual, respiratory, and pelvic health.