Dr. Janet Fast holds a doctorate in Family and Consumer Economics from Cornell University. Throughout her career, Dr. Fast has engaged in research, policy, and practice focusing on the economics of aging and the paid work and unpaid care work of family members. Her research addresses family, labour, health, and continuing care policy issues, and she often advises government policy-makers and NGOs on caregiving and workplace support policies. She currently co-leads an international and multidisciplinary research team investigating the intersection of work and care across the life course. She is a member of the leadership teams of two large, transdisciplinary, and international research programs: the AGE-WELL National Centres of Excellence, Canada’s technology and aging network, and the UK-based Sustainable Care: Connecting People and Systems program. Dr. Fast was a Visiting Professor at the Centre for International Research on Care, Labour and Economy (CIRCLE) at Leeds University in 2014. She was also awarded the Mirabelli-Glossop Award for Distinguished Contribution in 2012 for her exceptional and sustained contributions to the work of the Vanier Institute of the Family. Learn how one pivotal question can shape a career in confronting the intersection between paid work and care work.
Norah Keating
Dr. Norah Keating is a social gerontologist whose professional life has been devoted to enhancing the quality of life of older adults. She has an international reputation for her work in families, liveable communities, and care. Dr. Keating is a Professor of Rural Ageing at Swansea University; Co-Director of Research on Aging, Policies, and Practice at the University of Alberta; and an Extraordinary Professor at North-West University in South Africa. As part of her international research and capacity-building activities, she is the Director of the International Association on Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) Global Social Issues on Ageing (GSIA). In 2020, she received the Award of Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) in the UK for her contribution to social science.
Governments and NGOs often call on Dr. Keating to provide evidence to inform social and health policy. Recent consultations include a report on intergenerational relationships for the UK government; and technical advising to the World Health Organization on two initiatives: The World Report on Ageing and Health and Community-based Initiatives to Support Older Adults in Low-Income Countries. She is working with the Government of Canada on its national campaign to reduce loneliness and social exclusion of older adults.
Megan Strickfaden
Dr. Megan Strickfaden’s background includes a PhD in Anthropology & Design Studies from Edinburgh Napier University, an Engineering Diploma in Design Research from Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, an MDes in Sustainable Design Practice, and a BA specialization with a double major in Art/Design & Anthropology, both from the University of Alberta. She has also spent more than a decade working as a practicing designer.
One of Dr. Strickfaden’s current research interests is material culture, design, and disability studies, including designing liveable spaces that enhance older adults’ well-being, particularly those with dementia. She is the only researcher in the world who has been allowed to research De Hogeweyk (known as the dementia village) in the Netherlands. She is part of collaborative teams that involve researchers from the University of Alberta and international institutions, as well as graduate and undergraduate students.
Jacquie Eales
Jacquie Eales has been the RAPP Research Manager for over two decades. She brings a background in speech-language pathology (BSc, MSc) to RAPP, focusing on aging and communication disorders. She strongly advocates for older adults and their families and works collaboratively and effectively with relevant policy, practice, and advocacy partners. She is passionate about translating research knowledge into useful formats to facilitate its uptake by policy, practice, and community partners. She makes a meaningful difference in her community by serving on the Age-Friendly Edmonton Leadership Table (since 2018), on the Board of Directors of GEF Seniors Housing (2016-2022), by championing the Cycling Without Age grassroots program, and by co-hosting four-generation family suppers every week. In 2022, Jacquie was nominated for a Minister of Seniors Service Award for her outstanding commitment and contribution to Alberta Seniors.