StFX is known for producing leaders, innovators, and changemakers. The StFX Human Kinetics department is no exception, boasting a dynamic roster of graduates and faculty who are shaping conversations about physical movement in today's post-pandemic world.
Two such alumni are Dr. Janet McMordie '08 and Dr. Heather O'Grady '17. Both came to StFX from outside Nova Scotia, went on to pursue graduate studies at McMaster University, and today call Ontario home. Each has followed a unique career path that was interrupted and transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and each, in her own way, is challenging the status quo.
Dr. Janet McMordie '08 is a Toronto-based actor, physician and podcaster. Born and raised on Canada's west coast, she chose StFX for her undergraduate studies where she leaned into her fascination with the human body. Inspired to pursue sports medicine, she earned her Master of Science at Western University and Doctor of Medicine at McMaster University.
Her medical career in full swing, Janet's life took an unexpected turn when the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world. It was in the online space opened up through isolation that she discovered improv and the world of acting. She would channel this passion into an exciting new chapter marked by creative projects, connecting with other "second-act" actors, and elevating the voices of women and non-binary people in the arts.
Dr. Heather O'Grady '17 is a health researcher based in southern Ontario, where she works to foster more patient- and family-centric healthcare processes. Born to StFX graduates, she left her Burlington home to attend StFX where she would discover the mentorship of Human Kinetics faculty and her own interest in community-based research. She returned to Ontario to pursue her graduate studies in rehabilitation science at McMaster University, with a thematic focus on knowledge translation.
The pandemic upended Heather's original research plans and she pivoted to a project focused on improving communication with intensive-care patients and families around research trial participation. As a postdoctoral fellow at the Niagara Health Knowledge Institute, she builds on her doctoral research while working in community to break down barriers between inquiry and practice and leveraging her expertise at the international level.
