PAN’s Research and Evaluation Department Changes

We wanted to reach out and share some changes happening within PAN’s Research and Evaluation Department.  

faces of Janice Duddy, Jennifer Demchuk , and Joanna Mendell together under a tree.

Janice, Jen and Joanna together for the first time in real-life

First of all, Janice Duddy is leaving PAN. She has been working with us since 2013 and in the Director of Evaluation and Research role since 2016. With the important partnerships that Janice has helped build over the last 10 years, PAN has accomplished many important and impactful projects. Janice has had a dedication to mentorship and relationship building that will outlast her at PAN and live on in the work PAN does moving forward. She will finish up her external commitments on December 16th. We will miss her but wish her well in her future endeavours.  

We are very excited to announce that Joanna Mendell has stepped into the Director of Research and Evaluation role at PAN. Joanna started her relationship with PAN back in 2013 when she did her MPH practicum at PAN on the Making it Work study. We were very excited when she came back in a paid position at PAN in 2019 supporting the Making it Work study and then moving into a Research Manager position. Joanna is passionate about community-based work, sharing research and evaluation findings in accessible and useable ways with participants and community, and working with community to find solutions for people impacted by the poison drug supply crisis. Joanna works from her home in unceded Wet’suwet’en territory in what is colonially called Smithers, BC. She can be reached at [email protected] and we look forward to seeing where she takes the research and evaluation department work at PAN. 

Next up, we are happy to share that Jennifer Demchuk has stepped into an expanded role as the Research and Evaluation Manager. Jennifer joined our team in the summer of 2021, supporting a parental leave and we are excited to be able to have her continue working with the department in an expanded role that will include providing leadership to our evaluation team and projects. Jennifer has been an important leader and team builder at PAN with a strong ability to move deliverables and timelines forward! Jennifer lives on Treaty 4 territory, traditional lands of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda, and the homeland of the Métis Nation, in what is colonially called Regina, SK and can be reached at [email protected]. 

Janak Bajgai

We are also happy to introduce you to Janak Bajgai who started in a new role – PAN’s Evaluation Specialist. Janak will be supporting evaluation work with the PHSA’s Collective Impact Network and other evaluation projects including our fee-for-service work. Prior to joining PAN, Janak provided leadership to key population programs in HIV prevention and education in Alberta. Janak is particularly interested identifying ways to engage stakeholders through evaluations to drive system level improvements. Janak completed his Master of Public Health from Memorial University, undergraduate medical education from Kathmandu University in Nepal, and a Diploma in Tropical Medicine from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK. We are looking forward to Janak’s energy and passion for social justice on the Research and Evaluation team. Janak lives on Treaty 7 territory in what is colonially called Calgary. You can get a hold of him at [email protected].  

 

 

We are also happy to introduce a few other members of the Research and Evaluation team:  

Courtney Tizya joined the Making it Work team, as a Research Trainee. Courtney is joining us from Nanaimo, unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw Nation. Courtney is a 4th year criminology student who is passionate about Indigenous rights and advocacy. We are very excited for what Courtney will bring to the Making it Work team! Learn more about Courtney in here.  

Alison Ko is joining us from Kimberley, traditional unceded Ktunaxa territory, as the Coordinator for the Small Urban, Rural, and Remote Harm Reduction Project. Alison brings valuable knowledge and experience working in rural harm reduction and we feel very lucky to have her, and her understanding of rural issues, benefit the SURR HR Project. 

Raina Domagala is joining us as from Prince George, traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, as a Peer Research Associate for the Making it Work project. Raina is very involved in the community in PG and will bring a lot of knowledge and experience to Making it Work. 

Our team has committed to restructuring and growing to ensure that we are supporting the amazing work we do in response to issues and needs identified by our members and allied organizations. We are looking forward to the year ahead and the great work we will be doing in partnership with all of you. Please be in touch if you have questions or ideas.  

Questions? Feedback? Get in touch!
Joanna Mendell, Director of Research and Evaluation
[email protected]