Staff Members

Research Assistant – Research Team on Trans Youth and Their Families (ErJTF)

Inès Ait Abdelmalek is a student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Montreal. From the beginning of their academic career, they have been involved in various areas of research such as social neuroscience, social psychology and behavioural neuroscience. Inès has been a research assistant for the Canada Research Chair on Transgender Children and Their Families since 2021 under the supervision of Annie Pullen Sansfaçon and is a member of the Research Team on Trans Youth and Their Families (ErJTF). They have been working on raising awareness among students and professionals in health and social services on the barriers faced by trans and non-binary people to improve their access to services and their quality of care. Inès has an insatiable curiosity about human behaviour and development and is focused on LGBTQ2+ wellness, trans and non-binary issues, and sex, gender and sexual orientation as variables. More broadly, Inès is interested in the mental health of marginalized communities, attachment within relationships, neurodiversity and personality disorders.

Research Assistant – Trans indigenous Talking circle project

Johnny Boivin nitishinikashun. I am an Innu & Atikamekw multidisciplinary artist. I am an active member of the Youth Council of the Native Montreal friendship centre, as well as the Chaire Réseau Jeunesse: Volet Autochtone with Concordia University. My implications around other Indigenous youth have mostly been in urban settings, where I have also participated in the program Ensemble Pour le Climat, with for ending point the great climate march of September 27th 2019. Preceding this great event, I have also participated at the Youth Summit organized by the RJPNQL.

Coordinator of the Canada Research Chair on transgender children and their families and coordinator of the project – discontinuation of transitions

Morgane Gelly has an atypical career path that has been shaped by their insatiable curiosity. After studying fashion design, they completely reoriented themselves and fell in love with human sciences. After obtaining a double bachelor’s degree (equivalent to a double bachelor’s degree) in anthropology and sociology in France, they flew to Montreal to further their interest in gender studies. They completed a master’s degree in sociology at UQAM in 2018 with a thesis on access to gynecological care for trans men. They then completed a DESS in journalism at UdeM which led them to an internship at La Presse. Since 2019, Morgane Gelly has held the position of research coordinator at the Canada Research Chair on Transgender Children and their Families, which allows them to work on multiple projects and dimensions of research: recruitment, interviewing, data analysis, writing, team coordination. And because they still wants to nurture their passion for human relationships, Morgane has also just trained as a relationship and sexuality coach!

Research Assistant – Discontinuation of transitions project – youth pilot

Rosalie Gravel holds a bachelor’s degree in music from the Université de Montréal and studies psychology. As an experienced guitar teacher for children and teenagers, they feel concerned for the sense of belonging and the inclusion among youth. Their interests span the areas of resilience, authenticity, emotions, and social support, especially through intersectionality. Aiming to participate in destigmatising diversity, they engage in research surrounding gender as multiplicity. Their ideal: to work towards a world where everyone can flourish trough validating experiences and social acceptance.

Partnership Coordinator

Sei Laroche-Tanguay is a student in Sexology at UQAM. In the interest of deepening his knowledge in gender study and meeting the needs of trans and non-binary populations, he completed a BAC in sexology and realised an internship at Action santé travesti(e)s et transsexuel(le)s du Québec (ASTT(e)Q). His master’s subject touches the practice of cosplay in Quebec and the exploration of gender of trans and non-binary people. Within the research team, Sei is responsible for coordinating partnerships

Coordinator – Research Team

Sloan (he/him) is a Psychology student at Concordia University. In September 2020, he was elected as secretary on the Aide aux Trans du Québec (ATQ)’s board of directors. He is passionate about research around trans* realities and community work. He is currently writing an undergraduate thesis on the effects of sexualized advertising on transgender men. In the community sector, he specializes in projects that support transgender immigrants and refugees.

Research professional for the project Discontinuation of transition – professional pilot

Tommly Planchat (he/him) is a research assistant for the Chair since 2021. He specialized in social psychology of health, with a particular interest in gender studies. He then worked as a project manager and facilitator with LGBTQI+ people, people with disabilities and more recently with adolescents. He was a clinical coordinator at a youth center, where he began training in inclusive and anti-oppressive professional practices.

Ré Poulin is graduating in law at the University of Montreal, holder of a certificate in criminology, he/they also work as a lawyer at Groupe Accès Justice. Ré is the research team research assistant; his/their main tasks are to synthesize recent publications for researchers and to vulgarize information.

Research Coordinator – Growing up trans project

Charles-Antoine Thibeault is a music therapist and doctoral student in social work at the Université de Montréal under the supervision of Annie Pullen Sansfaçon. He completed a Master’s degree in music therapy at Concordia University in 2017, where he was involved as a research assistant and then as a lecturer. Since his graduation, he has been involved on the board of directors of the Association Québécoise de Musicothérapie, where he sits as President. He accumulates several years of experience as a music therapist in social pediatrics as well as with the organization Gender Creative Kids Canada.

Marie-Édith Vigneault has advocated for the respect of the rights and well-being of queer and trans* youth for more than ten years. She has been involved in the Research Chair since its beginnings. She is responsible for its scientific monitoring.