Team-member SPOTLIGHT!
Catherine Groves, MSc (she/her)
Preferred name: Catherine (“KATH-rin”)
PhD Candidate
Catherine is a 4th-year PhD candidate working with Dr. Coe, conducting research that focuses on pet parent preferences in decision-making in terms of the care their pets receive and the communication surrounding features of care, like the value of care.
Prior to beginning her doctoral program, Catherine completed both her BScH in Biomedical Science and MSc in Epidemiology at the University of Guelph. Catherine is passionate about the relationship-centred aspects of veterinary medicine. Her long-term goals are to support human-animal bonds, act as a cheerleader for all veterinary professionals, and work alongside veterinary outreach and organizations supporting accessible care.
Outside of research, Catherine is involved with various local animal rescues and community outreach programs, and can often be found reading with any number of animals on her lap, or in the ocean.
Meet the RCVM@OVC team.
Click an image to read a bio.
Dr. Jason Coe (he/him)
Preferred name: Jason (“JAY-sun”)
DVM, PhD, Principal Investigator
Dr. Natasha Janke (she/her)
Preferred name: Natasha (“Nah-TAH-shuh”)
PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow
Rosalie Fortin-Choquette (she/her)
Preferred name: Rosalie (“Rose-ah-lee”)
PhD, Research Associate
Catherine Groves (she/her)
Preferred name: Catherine (“KATH-rin”)
MSc, PhD Candidate
Dr. Kirsten Blokland (she/her)
Preferred name: Kirsten (“KEER-sten”)
PhD, Research Staff
Dr. Erin Phillips (she/her)
Preferred name: Erin (“AIR-in”)
DVM, DVSc, ACVIM-SAIM, PhD Student
Basima Rashid (she/her)
Preferred name: Basima (“BOSS-i-ma”)
MSc, PhD Student
Maziha Kamal (she/her)
Preferred name: Maziha (“Muh-Zee-Yuh”)
BSc, MSc Student
Kassandra Blais-Vaillancourt (she/her)
Preferred name: Kass
BSc, DVM Student, Lab Summer Student
Dr. Meaghan Bell (she/her)
Preferred name: Meaghan (“MEH-gan”)
BVMS, MSc Student
“The RCVM lab has given me a sense of belonging. Not only does our team have high standards for getting our work done, but the RCVM lab members foster an environment where you feel like part of a family.”
Basima Rashid, MSc,
PhD Student
“The RCVM lab has the most collaborative, welcoming, and knowledgeable colleagues one can ask for. I couldn’t ask for a better lab to be a part of!“
Maziha Kamal, BSc
MSc Student
RCVM@OVC team in action
Dr. Jason Coe, DVM, PhD, Principal Investigator
Dr. Jason Coe holds the VCA Canada Chair in Relationship-Centred Veterinary Medicine (2021-2026) and is a Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College. After graduating from the College as a veterinarian in 2001, he returned from mixed-animal veterinary practice to complete a PhD in veterinary-clinical communication in 2008. In the same year, Jason joined the Ontario Veterinary College in the Department of Population Medicine where he has established an active research program examining the human-animal bond as well as the role of interpersonal communication on the outcomes of veterinary care. In his current role at the College, he coordinates the clinical-communication curriculum across all 4 years of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program and is involved in teaching students about the relationships that exist between people and animals.
Over the past decade and a half, Jason has also established an international reputation for his leadership in research relating to veterinary communication, primary-care veterinary education and understanding of the human-animal relationship. In his research, Jason incorporates the use of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to perform research that has the goal of achieving the greatest practical learnings for the veterinary profession. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed to several book chapters and is regularly invited to speak nationally and internationally at scientific and continuing-education conferences. In 2021, Jason was honoured by the American Veterinary Medical Association with the AVMA Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award for his notable contributions to the veterinary profession. (Return to top)
Dr. Natasha Janke, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow
Dr. Natasha Janke’s (“Nah-TAH-shuh JAIN-kee”) research interests are driven by a desire to understand how social interactions in veterinary medicine impact outcomes. Natasha seeks to understand processes that can be used to tailor experiences to meet the individual needs of clients.
Natasha completed her MSc in epidemiology after receiving her BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Guelph. She then completed her PhD in epidemiology (OVC 2021), where she explored information exchange and decision-making within veterinary appointments. Following her PhD, Natasha examined the impact of a 15-month in-practice communication training intervention, as a post-doctoral fellow at Colorado State University.
Natasha returned to the OVC and joined the RCVM@OVC team in the summer of 2022. She is applying quantitative and qualitative research methods to explore team-based veterinary medicine, as she collaborates with VCA Canada.
Natasha enjoys cooking and activities that involve spending time outdoors, including hiking, paddleboarding, camping, and playing soccer. (Return to top)
Rosalie Fortin-Choquette, PhD, Research Associate
With the desire to bridge the gap between humanities and sciences, Rosalie’s research interests combine her background in social sciences and epidemiology, and aim to understand the relationship between diverse communication modalities, relationship-building and accessible care.
Rosalie earned her Master of Arts degree at the University of Guelph in the School of Literature and Languages in 2019, where her research focused on the evolution of various forms of communication through social media. This led to an interest in clinical communication and ICTs (information and communication technology), which formed the foundation for Rosalie’s doctoral work. Rosalie completed her PhD in epidemiology (OVC 2024), focusing on the identification of perceived barriers and the potential benefits associated with the implementation of virtual care platforms in the veterinary profession. As a research associate, Rosalie is currently evaluating canine rehabilitation programs following orthopaedic (TPLO) surgery, using an activity tracker.
When not conducting research, Rosalie enjoys spending time outside with her two dogs and two cats, and the horses she takes care of. She is greatly involved in the equestrian scene and you can often see her at a horse show on the weekends. (Return to top)
Catherine Groves, MSc, PhD Candidate
Having fulfilled multiple roles in animal care and veterinary clinic settings, including that of pet owner, Catherine is fascinated by the relationship-centred aspects of veterinary medicine.
Catherine completed both her BScH in Biomedical Science and MSc in Epidemiology at the University of Guelph. During her MSc, her work focused on exploring the prevalence and nature of cost conversations in companion animal practice. Her studies led her to an interest in how the value and importance of veterinary care is communicated with veterinary clients, including explanations of the explicit benefit this care provides to the patient.
Catherine is currently working on understanding pet parent preferences in decision-making in terms of the care their pets receive and the communication surrounding features of care, like the value of care.
Outside of her studies, Catherine’s involvement in various local animal rescues and community outreach programs, alongside her friends and partner, fuels her research interests and purpose in the field. In the evenings, Catherine can be found reading with any number of animals on her lap. (Return to top)
Dr. Kirsten Blokland, PhD, Research Staff
In all the research Kirsten has conducted, one of the threads that has held particular interest for her has been the various relationship-centred factors involved in the phenomena she has studied.
Kirsten completed her PhD in Psychology at the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children, focusing on the parent-child relationship and emotional development. Thereafter, she remained with the Hospital for Sick Children for the next 20 years as the clinical research project manager for several large studies involving parents and children.
Kirsten is delighted to have joined the RCVM@OVC team in late 2021, and is enjoying the challenge of applying her knowledge of relationship-centred phenomena to the context of veterinary medicine, supporting the activities of the team in a variety of ways.
Outside of work time, Kirsten enjoys spending time with her family (including their Havanese dog), teaching yoga, and singing classical music with a choir. (Return to top)
Dr. Erin Phillips, DVM, DVSc, ACVIM-SAIM, PhD Student
Erin is interested in improving the relationship between clients and veterinarians so that animals can be better treated and veterinarians can have greater job satisfaction.
Erin completed a BSc in Animal Biology at the University of Guelph, and a DVM and DVSc at the Ontario Veterinary College. Her DVSc focused on rivaroxaban use in dogs with thrombosis, and was supervised by Dr. Shauna Blois. Erin is also a board-certified specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine, and is excited to be working toward a PhD in the RCVM@OVC lab. Erin’s PhD is co-supervised by Dr. Jason Coe and Dr. Shauna Blois, and focuses on expanding what is known about a clinical practice referred to as the Talking Physical Exam and ways in which this practice can optimize clinical communication between veterinary professionals and clients.
Erin enjoys horseback riding, spending time with her three cats, and hanging out with her husband (newly married!). (Return to top)
Basima Rashid, MSc, PhD Student
Basima’s interest in social interactions and communication within the veterinary field drew her to the RCVM@OVC research program.
Basima completed her BASc Biology and Philosophy, followed by her MSc in Epidemiology, with both degrees completed at the University of Guelph. Basima’s MSc and PhD research focus on learning how the veterinary field can optimize the important role of Registered Veterinary Technicians, through training programs designed to support confidence in clinical communication skills and various other factors reflecting workplace wellness and professional development.
Outside of her research work, Basima worked at the African Lion Safari, where she handled and trained various exotic species including bats, pythons, armadillos, sloths, and even macaws. (Return to top)
Maziha Kamal, BSc, MSc Student
Maziha is passionate about relationship-centred veterinary medicine because it emphasizes the bond between animals and their owners, recognizing the interconnectedness of their well-being. Maziha values this approach because it considers not only the physical health of the animal but also their emotional and social needs, fostering stronger and more meaningful connections between veterinary professionals, animals, and their human companions.
Maziha completed a Bilingual Honours BSc at York University, specializing in Biology. Her undergraduate degree included a field course involving observation of animals’ interactions with people in various ecological contexts, including bird-banding sessions and small mammals’ response to camera monitoring. These experiences sparked Maziha’s curiosity about the potential therapeutic effects of animal-human interactions, particularly in high-stress environments such as healthcare settings. Currently, as an MSc Student in Population Medicine at the University of Guelph, Maziha is co-supervised by Dr. Jason Coe in the RCVM@OVC lab, and by Dr. Basem Gohar in the UGROHW Lab. Through this dual-supervision opportunity, Maziha is investigating the impact of support from a facility dog on human-healthcare workers’ perceived stress, perceived work support, and organizational commitment.
When not immersed in research, Maziha enjoys exploring the vibrant worlds of Nintendo games! Beyond that, she looks for opportunities to innovate healthcare, whether it’s brainstorming new service expansions or refining her skills in healthcare management. (Return to top)
Kassandra Blais-Vaillancourt, BSc, DVM Student, Lab Summer Student
Kassandra is interested in learning how we can best facilitate open and meaningful conversations in veterinary medicine. As a DVM student, she is passionate about ensuring that pet parents feel proactive and included in their pet’s health and treatment plan. She is excited about how we can incorporate relationship-centred veterinary medicine into our clinics and improve the well-being of our furry companions.
Kassandra graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Biological Science. Prior to her acceptance into the DVM program in 2022, she was conducting research at McGill University investigating the effects of the immune system on breast cancer progression. Kassandra spent the summer of 2023 engaged in research with the RCVM@OVC team, investigating the quality, nature, and reading level of digital messaging on veterinary-practice websites, and comparing the messaging to other sources of digital pet-health information. During the summer of 2024, she has returned to continue her research with the RCVM team!
Outside of research, Kassandra loves to hike with her dog, read with her cat, and spend as much time outdoors as she can. (Return to top)
Dr. Meaghan Bell, BVMS, MSc Student
Meaghan is interested in medical communication and how team collaboration can contribute to overall health and well-being for both staff and patients in veterinary practice.
After completing a BSc (Hons) in Wildlife Biology at the University of Guelph, Meaghan earned a BSc in Veterinary Biology at Murdoch University, and a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery in Applied Veterinary Medicine, also at Murdoch University. Meaghan has returned to the University of Guelph to join the RCVM@OVC lab and is excited to be working toward an MSc in Population Medicine, with a focus on the role of team-based care in veterinary medicine.
Outside of her research focus, Meaghan’s interest in medical communication and experiential learning drew her to become a long-time volunteer veterinary coach in the Art of Veterinary Medicine Labs for OVC veterinary students. In her spare time, Meaghan enjoys outdoor activities—especially hiking, camping, birding, and stand-up paddle boarding—as well as indoor activities such as yoga, reading, and jigsaw puzzles. (Return to top)
“Veterinary medicine is a team sport.”
Dr. Jason Coe, DVM, PhD
