Principal Investigator
Dr. Kelsey Spence, BSc, PhD
Dr. Kelsey Spence is an Assistant Professor in Epidemiology and One Health at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. She received her BSc in Forensic Science and Biology from Trent University (2014) and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Guelph (2017). Prior to returning to the University of Guelph in 2021, she held positions as a postdoctoral researcher at the Royal Veterinary College in London, England, and as a scientific evaluator at the Public Health Agency of Canada. Kelsey’s research explores the use of biosecurity and infection control practices among animal and human populations. She is particularly interested in how decision-making about animal care is influenced by human socio-cultural factors. In addition to her research, Kelsey has a strong interest in pedagogy and teaches epidemiology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In 2023, she was awarded the University of Guelph Faculty Association Distinguished Professor Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Current Students
Juliet Germann, BSc, MSc
PhD Student
Juliet is currently a second-year PhD student in the Department of Population Medicine at OVC, specializing in Epidemiology and One Health. She is under the joint supervision of Drs. Kelsey Spence and Charlotte Winder. Prior to her doctoral studies, Juliet successfully completed her MSc in Epidemiology, supervised by Drs. Kelsey Spence and Terri O’Sullivan. In 2020, Juliet graduated with her BSc (Honours) from the University of Toronto Mississauga, where she did a specialization in Biological Anthropology and a minor in Biology. Juliet has a variety of hobbies and interests, primarily to do with her dogs Paddington and Sandwich. Other than that, she enjoys knitting (not very well) and snow sports.
Connect with Juliet on LinkedIn.
Peggy Pritchard, BA/BPHE, MLIS
PhD Student
Peggy began her doctoral studies in Population Medicine (Epidemiology) in September 2022 after a very full and rewarding braided career. She is a dedicated therapy dog volunteer with over 1,000 hours of direct therapy dog support of vulnerable people at end of life (weekly visits to residential hospice), university students (exam stress-busting events), and children (COVID mass vaccination clinics). She was the Principal Investigator on the University of Guelph’s Animal Utilization Protocol that paved the way for therapy dog visits to campus, and she collaborated with Hospice Wellington’s Integrated Wellness Coordinator on the development of standard operating procedures for their therapy dog visitation program. She provides leadership and mentoring support to fellow therapy dog volunteers. Her contributions have been recognized by awards from the St. John Ambulance Ontario Council, and the Rotary Club of Guelph-Trillium.
View Peggy’s research contributions here.
Sarah Makepeace, BSc
MSc Student
Sarah is currently in the second year of her master’s with the supervision of Dr. Kelsey Spence and Dr. Katie Clow and her work looks at pet caregivers use of tick preventative measures. Sarah completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of New Brunswick and has spent many summers working as a field technician on a variety of projects. She loves the outdoors, animals, and trivia!
Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.
Breanne Murray, BSc
PhD Student
I graduated with my BSc in 2023 at the University of Guelph majoring in Biomedical Science. The experience and knowledge I gained from my BSc led me to develop a strong interest in epidemiology. In 2022 I completed an undergraduate research assistantship in the Spence lab where I investigated the language around the term “biosecurity” within the equine industry. I thoroughly enjoyed this project, and in 2023 I was lucky enough to return to the Spence lab in pursuit of a master’s degree. I am currently completing a PhD in Population Medicine under the supervision of Dr. Kelsey Spence and co-advised by Dr. Amy Greer. Throughout my degree, I strive to identify gaps in disease communication within the general public and strategize ways to combat this. Outside of academia, I enjoy simple activities such as reading and painting, however, I am always happy to venture into the outdoors for a good hike!
Connect with Breanne on LinkedIn.
Ivana Blagojevic, BSc, MSc
PhD Student
Ivana is currently a first-year PhD student in the Department of Population Medicine in Epidemiology and One Health. Her research is focused on investigating factors driving tick preventative behaviours of dog owners under the guidance of Dr. Kelsey Spence and co-supervised by Dr. Katie Clow. She aims to understand the decision-making process of owners to encourage use of tick prevention and improve client-veterinarian communication. Prior to her doctoral studies, Ivana completed her MSc of Animal Physiology (2024) supervised by Dr. Wendy Pearson as well as, her BSc of Animal Biology (2022) in the department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. Outside of her research, Ivana enjoys travelling with her friends and family, baking and playing pickleball.
Connect with Ivana on LinkedIn.
Risha Gupta , BSc
MSc Student
I graduated with my BSc in 2023 at Trent University majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. During my 4th year, I completed an undergraduate thesis on the sex dependent effects of Monocrotaline on food intake, leading me to build an interest in research. I am currently completing a MSc in Population Medicine under the supervision of Drs.Kelsey Spence and Terri O’Suillvan. I will be researching biosecurity knowledge mobilization. I have a variety of hobbies, including sewing, swimming and doing puzzles.
Connect with Risha on LinkedIn.
Rachel Cairney
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Rachel is currently a fourth-year student at the University of Guelph, where she is majoring in Microbiology and minoring in Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences. Her fascination with microorganisms and host-pathogen interactions, as well as commitment to scientific communication, drive her academic pursuits. Since 2022, she has volunteered with Let’s Talk Science at the University of Guelph, where she recently assumed the role of Assistant Coordinator during the Winter 2024 semester. Currently, Rachel is completing an Undergraduate Research Assistantship within the Spence Lab, conducting a scoping review of literature describing the effectiveness of biosecurity practices on farms. Outside of academics, Rachel has a love for reading, walking through nature, and animals (particularly cats).
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn.
Alumni
Natassia Lambrou, BBRM, MSc
MSc Student (2022-2024)
Natassia graduated from the MSc program in the department of Population Medicine at the OVC, specializing in Epidemiology and One Health. Her research focused on bison producers’ access to veterinary services in Ontario, and was co-advised by Drs. Kelsey Spence and Charlotte Winder. Natassia graduated from the University of Guelph in 2018 with a Bachelor of Bio-Resource Management majoring in Equine Management. As shown through her academic journey, she has a passion for animals and plans to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine after the completion of her MSc. In her downtime she enjoys horseback riding, travelling, baking, snowboarding and wakesurfing.
Connect with Natassia on LinkedIn.
Karli Chalmers, BSc
Undergraduate Research Assistant (2023-2024)
Karli Chalmers completed her BSc in Bio-Medical Sciences in 2024. With the Spence Lab, she researched core competencies for epidemiologists. Karli’s interest in qualitative research will be further pursued in her upcoming Master’s degree. Karli has received multiple scholarships throughout her undergraduate degree and was most recently awarded with the Hagen Undergraduate Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to the top two students with the highest cumulative averages in any major in the College of Biological Science. Beyond her academic pursuits, Karli has dedicated over 200 hours to volunteering with older adults. During the pandemic, she led virtual recreational programming for long-term care residents across Canada to mitigate isolation. Her commitment to community service was recognized with the Ontario Volunteer Service Award.
Connect with Karli on LinkedIn.