Academic CV


Full academic CV or industry resume available upon request at alexandria.pavelich@usask.ca

Further information on scholarships, awards, and grants received, publishing, current organizational memberships, non-academic employment history, and volunteer experience is detailed extensively on my LinkedIn page. 

PROJECT INVOLVEMENT

Alexandria’s MA graduate research examined suicide prevention among Canadian military veterans who are working alongside service dogs by utilizing the concept of "mattering." Her PhD research will continue to have a strong focus on alternative treatment for care procedures (such as animal-assisted intervention) with a trauma-informed approach in the context of pain and social suffering. 

Her primary academic interests include the medicalization of everyday life, pain, trauma-informed treatment practices, iatrogenic harm, creative knowledge translation, mattering in the context of health promotion, healthcare reform, attachment theory, polyvagal theory, and integrative medicine.

More information on current projects and KT activities can be found HERE.

PUBLICATION RECORD

REFEREED CONTRIBUTIONS

ACCEPTED/FORTHCOMING:  Pavelich, A., McKenzie, H., Dell, C., Stempien,J., Laliberte, L., Arisman, K., Smith, J., Hozack, A., Tupper, S., Acoose, S.,Gunderson, J., and Pease, E. (2023). Understanding if and how therapy-dog handler teams benefit emergency department patients with mental health concerns. Canadian Sociological Association - Annual Congress, Toronto, ON,  May 27 - June 2.

ACCEPTED/FORTHCOMING:
Tupper, S., Beckwell, E., Pavelich, A., Arisman, K., and Fesciuc, D. (2023). Solutions-focused story telling: challenging pain related stigma and marginalization through graphic medicine. Canadian Pain Society, Banff, Alberta, May 10 - 13. Canadian Journal of Pain.

SUBMITTED:
McKenzie, H. A., Dell, C.A., Arisman, K., Pavelich, A., Williamson, L., Snead, E., Gibson, M., Carey, B., Raichuk, E., Beaupre, C., Khalid, A., Buhr, E.,Smith. J., Peachey, S., Kubes, K. (2023). Where Narratives About Human-Animal Relations During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lead Us: Advancing Animal-Inclusive Housing to Promote Human and Animal Health. Frontiers in Communication.

UNDER REVIEW
:  Pavelich, A. (2023). Exploring the Role of Service Dogs for Canadian Military Veterans Experiencing Suicidality. Journal of Veteran Studies.

Carey, B., Dell, C.A., Pavelich, A. (2023).The Pawsitive Effect of TherapyDogs in a Hospital Emergency Department. The ScienceBreaker. 2 pages. DOI:https://doi.org/10.25250/thescbr.brk694

IN PREPARATION:  Pavelich, A. (2022). The Significance of Mattering and Service Dogs for Veterans Living with Syndemic Pain.

IN PREPARATION:  Pavelich, A., Tupper, S., Jack, J., & Jones, C. (2022). “I Lost All Hope Of Finding Help:” A Descriptive Study of Stigma Experiences with Chronic Pain in Saskatchewan. To Canadian Journal of Pain.

IN PREPARATION: Tupper, S., Jack, J., Pavelich, A., & Jones, C. (2022). “Improving Pain in Saskatchewan:” Gaps Analysis and Mapping Improvement Strategies Through Community-Based Participatory Action. To Canadian Journal of Pain.

Pavelich, A. (2022). The Life-Saving Role of Service Dogs for Canadian Military Veterans Experiencing Suicidality. Critical Suicide Studies 4th Annual Meeting, Victoria, BC, October 21 - 22.

Tupper, S., Jack, J.,Jones, C., Juckes, K., Hewson, M., Pavelich, A., Beckwell, E., McCreery,R., Ugolini, C., Coe, J., Baerg, K., Downe, P., Dell, C., and Lawson, K. (2022). Improving pain in Saskatchewan, Canada: a community-based participatory project to identify, co-design, and engage change in pain management. International Association for the Study of Pain, Toronto, ON, September 19 - 23.

INVITED
: Pavelich, A. (2022). The Significance of "Mattering:" Exploring the Experiences of Military Veterans Living with PTSD, Substance Use Harms, and Pain While Working Alongside Service Dogs. Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California, on August 5 - 7.

INVITED: Pavelich, A. (2022). Navigating Iatrogenic Harm Among Female Pain Patients: Utilizing Institutional Ethnography to Explore the Social Organization of Trauma-Informed Care. Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California, on August 5 - 7.

Pavelich, A. (2022). The Life-Saving Role of Service Dogs for Military Veterans Experiencing Suicidality. Suicide Research Symposium (SRS) – Inaugural Conference, Mount Sinai Health System, New York City, NY on June 16– 17.

Pavelich, A. (2022). The Life-Saving Role of Service Dogs in Promoting "Mattering" for Military Veterans Experiencing Suicidality. Canadian Sociological Association - Annual Congress,  May 16 - 20.

Jones, C., Jack, J., Hewson, M., Pavelich, A., Okeeweehow, S., Beckwell, E., McCreery, R., Baerg, K., Juckes, K., Coe, J., Dell, C., Downe, P., Lawson, K., Ugulini, C., and Tupper, S. (2022). Partners in Pain: Evaluation of a virtual community engagement group for people living with chronic pain in Saskatchewan. Canadian Pain Society - Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec on May 10 - 13.

Dell, C., Williamson, L., Carey, B., McKenzie, H., Pavelich, A., Gibson, M., & Cruz, M. (2021). Responding to university student substance use and mental health concerns during COVID-19 through an on-line therapy dog program. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Issues of Substance 2021: Driving Change Together, in Ottawa, Ontario on November 23 – 25.

Dell, C., Williamson, L.,Gibson, M., & Pavelich, A. (2022). The varied helping roles of service dogs in the recovery journeys of veterans diagnosed with PTSD &substance use disorder. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) Issues of Substance 2021 conference. Virtual format, November 23-25.

Dell, C., Williamson, L., Carey, B., McKenzie, H., Pavelich, A., Gibson, M., & Cruz, M. (2021). Responding to university student substance use and mental health concerns during COVID-19 through an on-line therapy dog program. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Issues of Substance 2021: Driving Change Together, in Ottawa, Ontario on November 23 – 25.

Dell, C., Williamson, L., Gibson, M., & Pavelich, A. (2021). Panel: The Varied Helping Roles of Service Dogs in the Recovery Journeys of Veterans Diagnosed with PTSD & Substance Use Disorder. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Issues of Substance 2021: Driving Change Together, in Ottawa, Ontario on November 23 – 25.

Pavelich, A. (2021). Animal-assisted intervention and suicidality: The impact of service dogs for Veterans at high-risk for suicide. American Psychological Association (APA) Convention - Human Animal Interaction Social Hour, in Washington, DC on August 12.

Dell, C., Williamson, L., Carey, B., Cruz, M.,Gibson, E., & Pavelich, A. (2022) Transitioning therapy dogs online during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned. Animals. (ISSN 2076-2615).

Carey, B., Pavelich, A., Fletcher-Hildebrand, S. (2021). Transitioning therapy dogs online during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned. 10th Annual E-Mental Health Conference: Virtual Care in Times of Crisis and Beyond, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., on March 4.

Pavelich, A. (2021). Exploring animal-assisted intervention among military veterans: The potential social significance and impact of psychiatric service dogs. Poster submitted for presentation at the Anthrozoology as International Practice: A Student Conference in Animal Studies at the University of Exeter, UK on March 4-5.

Pavelich, A. (2021). Exploring animal-assisted intervention among military veterans: The potential social significance and impact of psychiatric service dogs. Paper submitted for presentation at the Anthrozoology as International Practice: A Student Conference in Animal Studies at the University of Exeter, UK on March 4-5.

Pavelich, A. (2021). The Depoliticization of Suicide: A Critical Discourse Analysis on the Government of Canada’s Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention. Paper submitted for presentation at the "Re-Imaging Social Futures" Conference at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, March 4-5.

INVITED/COVID POST-PONED: Pavelich, A. (2020). The Depoliticization of Suicide: A Critical Discourse Analysis on the Government of Canada’s Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention. Paper submitted for presentation at the Fourth Conference of the Critical Suicide Studies Network at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, June 12-13, 2020.

INVITED/COVID POST-PONED: Pavelich, A. (2020). The Medicalization of Social Suffering: The Depoliticizing Nature of Psychiatric Labels in Critical Suicidology. Paper submitted for presentation at the Sociology Graduate Conference: Social Justice in a Changing Society at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, April 22-24.

Carey, B. (Presenter), Dell, C., Williamson, L., Pavelich, A., McKenzie, H., Gibson,M., Cruz, M. (2020). “Transitioning a Therapy Dog Program Online during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned”. Virtual Solutions for Substance Use Care Conference.University of British Columbia. Virtual Platform. In absentia.

Pavelich, A. (2019, May). Culture as Intervention: Applying Indigenous Knowledge & Self-Determination to Suicide Prevention Policies in Northern Saskatchewan. Sojourners: Undergraduate Journal of Sociology, 11. UBC. (Also available on ResearchGate).

Pavelich, A. (2019) The Medicalization of Suicide and its Depoliticization of Social Suffering. Presenter at the Sociology Undergraduate Student Association Academic Conference on March 15th, 2019 at York University in Toronto, Ontario. Best Presentation Recipient.

Bohr, Y., Manion, I., Lee, Y., Armour, L., Pavelich, A., & Abdelmaseh, M. (2019). I(nuit)-SPARX: Design of a Culture Specific Mental Health e-Intervention by Nunavut Youth for Nunavut Youth. Paper presentation at the International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health at the Hyatt Regency in Calgary, Alberta, March 22-24.

Pavelich, A.
(2018, March). Culture as Intervention: Applying Indigenous Knowledge & Self-Determination to Suicide Prevention Policy in Northern Saskatchewan. Paper presented at the Sociology Undergraduate Student Association Academic Conference on March 15th, 2018 at York University in Toronto, Ontario.

Pavelich, A. (2017, April). From Deviance to Disease: The Role of Medicalization in the History of Psychopathology. Paper presented at the Medical Practices & Processes Panel at the Mount Royal Historical Society Foothills Colloquium on April 30th at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta.

NON-REFEREED CONTRIBUTIONS

A. Pavelich, & T. Wirchenko. (2020, January). Introducing a Therapy Dog for Staff Members in the Peter MacKinnon and Administration Building: Pilot Project Report. University of Saskatchewan, Pilot Project Report. Office of Centennial Enhancement Chair in One Health & Wellness.

A. Pavelich, C. Dell, J. Ogresko. (2019, November). PAWS Your Stress: A Therapy Dog Program on the University of Saskatchewan Campus. USask Media Production - Promotional Video. (6:24 seconds).

McQuay, J., Pavelich, A., Porter, S., Tarantini, M., Van Dusen, O., and Wong, F. (2019, August). Undergraduate Student Expectations and Experiences in York University’s Sociology Program Final Report for FLR at York University in 2018 – 2019 as supported by the Sociology Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA) at York University in Toronto, Ontario.

Pavelich, A. (2017, October). Medicalization and Pharmaceutical Intervention within Psychiatry. Invited Paper Presenter at the Humber College Academic Conference re: The State of (in)Equality: Social Justice Under Siege on October 28th, 2017 at the Harbourfront Center in Toronto, Ontario.

UNSCHEDULED INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY & GUEST LECTURES

Animal-Assisted Interaction and Suicidality: The Impact of Service Dogs for Veterans at High Risk for Suicide
HAI Research Group for the American Psychological Association - Washington, DC
Human-Animal Interactions Research Webinar - September 15, 2021

Exploring animal-assisted intervention among military veterans:
The potential social significance and impact of psychiatric service dogs

University of Saskatchewan
990 Seminar Series - April 30, 2021

Introducing Animal-Assisted Intervention & Therapy Dogs- Guest Lecture
University of Saskatchewan
Peer Health Mentors - January 26, 2020

Fostering Graduate Student Success: SSHRC Funding
University of Saskatchewan
990 Seminar Series - October 4th, 2019

Introduction to Research Skills
I-SPARX Youth Champions Retreat
Iqualuit, Nunavut
April 14, 2019

ADDITIONAL CREATIVE MEDIA

"PAWS In Places"

As apart of my Professional Knowledge Translation Training Certification offered through SickKids (Toronto), I was able to develop a KT plan for our "PAWS in Places" pet housing project initiative operating through the One Health and Wellness Office.

In addition to publications and presentations and a pet-friendly housing guide, poster creation and dissemination has occurred to help educate the community about their rights as potential tenants or landlords dealing with animals in rental properties.

More information on the project is available HERE.

NEWS RELEASE - USask GuideAims to Help Put The Welcome Mat Out For Pets

December21, 2022
University of Saskatchewan News Release

Be Well: Therapy Dogs & Animal-Assisted Interventions (2019).

Developer of the University of Saskatchewan Student Wellness Center Information Pamphlet.

Fall 2021, I helped produce and co-direct a video on the "PAWS Your Stress" Therapy Dog program on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

The One Health & Wellness Office were able to take a digital storytelling methodology workshop, and this is the outcome of my project as apart of our www.servicedogresearch.ca. Additional team member videos can be found HERE

ADDITIONAL PUBLISHED OUTPUTS

RELEVANT NEWS MEDIA

U of S-developed guide highlights benefits of pet ownership in rental housing
January 10, 2023
Link to StarPhoenix Article

USask guide aims to help put the welcome mat out for pets
December 21, 2022
Link to USask News Release

How Service Dogs Help Veterans (CTV Saskatoon)
May 10, 2022
Link to CTV Saskatoon Video & Interview

University of Saskatchewan study shows service dogs improve veteran mental health
May 10, 2022
Link to Global TV News Saskatoon Interview & Article

Q+A: Sask. researcher says service dogs prevent suicides
May 10, 2022
FRONT PAGE (Print) - Link to Saskatoon StarPhoenix Article

Dealing With Chronic Pain In Saskatchewan - Live TV Interview
January 31, 2022
Link to Global TV News Interview for SaskPain

Veteran Service Dogs Can Save a Life

November 11, 2021
CJWW News Article & 24-Hour Radio Interview Clips 

Hounds of hope: USask researcher investigates how service dogs can improve the mental health of veterans
October 9, 2021
Newspaper article in the Star Phoenix for my Young Innovator feature

Hounds of hope: USask researcher investigates how service dogs can improve the mental health of veterans

October 8, 2021
News Release for my Young Innovator feature through the University of Saskatchewan


Online therapy dog program showing positive results, USask professor says

June 10, 2020
News Release for Therapy Dogs & PAWS Your Stress moving online for USask community

New USask podcast series focuses on mental health, wellness amid COVID-19
May 11, 2020
News Release for Be Well Podcast Series featuring PAWS Your Stress

Therapy dogs give One Health benefits.
November 1, 2019
PAWS Your Stress Official USask Video Release

Major scholarships awarded to USask Students

July 17, 2019
USask Research Profile and Impact

8th Annual LA&PS Celebration of Student Academic Achievement
May 3, 2019
Sociology Department Announcement

Globe & Mail - York University Strike
May 10, 2018
‘We feel like pawns’: York University students grow increasingly angry over strike

Sask. residents with chronic pain can feel 'quite abandoned by the system'


On October 8, 2020 I gave an interview to the Star Phoenix regarding my opinion on the state of trauma-informed care for chronic pain patients in Saskatoon. This front-page report is available for view here dated on January 2, 2021.

A publicly available statement I made in response to this published piece can be found on my personal page - it details how the article did not focus on the subject matter I originally agreed to speak to, providing a longer commentary on why chronic pain isn't adequately approached by existing health care services.

Service Dog Research Blog - How Zola The Dog Helps with My Chronic Pain and Health Management


Featured Blog on the www.servicedogresearch.ca website can be found HERE

Excerpt: "My name is Alexandria, and I am a current Master’s student working in the One Health and Wellness Office! Prior to COVID-19, I used to work alongside St. John Ambulance and help coordinate the PAWS Your Stress Therapy Dog program on the University of Saskatchewan campus. However, when the world went into lockdown and the university closed in 2020, that meant that Therapy Dogs were no longer able to visit the USask campus… so, I ended up adopting a “Therapy Dog in Training” of my own: Zola! "

Non-Academic Published Work

Relive Bengough, Saskatchewan’s Gateway Festival
July 24, 2017
Photo Essay Feature Exclaim! Music Magazine - Toronto, Ontario

Is the U of S Capable of Dealing with Addictions?
May, 2017
Health Feature - Print and Online in at The Sheaf Publishing Co. - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The Truth About Students Eating Gluten-Free

March, 2017
Health Feature - Print and Online in at The Sheaf Publishing Co. - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Seasonal Affective Disorder: More Than Just the Winter Blues
February, 2017
Health Feature - Print and Online in at The Sheaf Publishing Co. - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Why A Dry January Should Be A 2017 Resolution For You
January, 2017
Health Feature - Print and Online in at The Sheaf Publishing Co. - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

"Don’t Believe Everything you Read: How To apply Science to Your Daily Life" - MoveU Blog, May 2019

Content Creator / Blog Consultant

"Don’t let the name of this blog fool you, evidence-based research ABSOLUTELY has its place. Think of all the significant medical advancements we’ve made that have started with pure science: anaesthesia, vaccines, and antibiotics to name a few. However, we feel the need to raise awareness about the issues surrounding…"

Full blog posting available HERE.


Using Format