About Us
Dr. Khara Sauro
Dr. Khara Sauro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery with cross appointments with the Departments of Community of Health Sciences and Oncology. Dr. Sauro holds a PhD from the Department of Community Health Sciences specializing in Health Services Research from the University of Calgary and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Implementation Science within the Department of Critical Care Medicine (University of Calgary). Dr. Sauro’s research uses diverse methodologies to improve the care of patients with cancer who undergo surgery.
Meet Our Trainees
Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Lauren Capozzi
Dr. Lauren Capozzi is Physiatrist currently doing a Clinical and Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Rehabilitation at the University of Calgary. She has her PhD in Cancer, Exercise and Rehabilitation, is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist, and Co-Founder of Thrive Health. Her research program focuses on screening and triage for physical impairment and inactivity following a cancer diagnosis, improving how we identify those who would benefit from further rehabilitation and exercise resources, and finding ways to best connect these individuals with the right services at the right time.
PhD Candidate
Dr. Cody Dunne
Dr. Cody Dunne is a Emergency Medicine Physician and PhD Candidate at the K2I Lab. Dr. Dunne’s primary research interest is in prehospital resuscitation interventions. Specifically, his PhD work is related to examining the effectiveness of choking interventions performed by bystanders and paramedics on patient outcomes. Find him on: Twitter/X: @codydunneNL
PhD student
Benny Rana
Benny Rana is a first-year PhD student in the k2i Lab. She has a Master of Public Health from the University of Saskatchewan and a Master of Science in Kinesiology, with a specialization in health, exercise, and sport psychology from the University of Calgary. Benny has experience working in the field of health promotion, implementation science, cancer epidemiology, and exercise oncology. Benny's research interest are in equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in cancer care and health services research. Find her on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile Twitter/X: @bennyrana_
Master's Student
Christopher Roach
Chris Roach is a Master’s Student in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, specializing in Health Services Research. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Business Studies from Lancaster University, along with extensive training in a variety of areas, including Health Emergency Planning, Health Policy Analysis, PROSCI Change Management, and more. Chris’s research focuses on improving patient flow in Alberta hospitals using a scoping review to map and characterize evidence for interventions to manage patient flow for hospital patients during their hospital admissions. He plans to use the findings from the scoping review in a a health policy analysis aimed at evaluating and establishing optimal policy within the local context in Alberta. Find Chris on: LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/chris-roach-53a1b033
Master's Student
Linda Bakunda
Linda Bakunda is a graduate student in the Community Health Sciences department at the Cumming School of Medicine, specializing in Health Services Research. She brings a unique perspective to her studies, having earned a Bachelor of Commerce with a focus on Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, complemented by a minor in Health and Society. Linda's academic background is further enhanced by an embedded certificate in Mental Wellbeing and Resilience. Currently, Linda is working on her thesis project. Her research focuses on examining the access to and quality of surgical care for African, Caribbean, and Black patients. This important work aims to shed light on potential disparities and contribute to improving healthcare outcomes for these populations.
Master's Student
Rudra Dahal
Rudra Dahal is a first-year MSc student in the Department of Community Health Sciences, specializing in Health Services Research. Rudra holds a Master of Health Service Management from the University of Lethbridge and a Master of Education (Health) from Tribhuvan University. Rudra has prior research experience working on a variety of projects both internationally and nationally related to health literacy, health system’s research, immigrant health, and cancer screening.
Meet Our Staff
Research Coordinator
Sarina Aryal
Sarina Aryal is a Research Coordinator for the K2I lab. Sarina recently completed her Master's in Community Health Sciences with a specialization in Health Services Research at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on the implementation of programs and innovations within community settings and health services. She helps ensure the smooth operation of K2I Lab activities through project management and supports various research projects, including qualitative research and literature reviews. Find Sarina on: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarinaaryal/
Data Analyst
Abby Thomas
Abby is a Data Analyst with the K2I lab. Abby recently completed a Master’s in Community Health Sciences, specializing in Epidemiology at the University of Calgary, under the supervision of Dr. Khara Sauro and Dr. Kirsten Fiest. Abby’s work with the K2I lab primarily focuses on the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) projects, namely a validation study comparing the ERAS Interactive Audit System with hospital records, and various retrospective cohort studies examining the impact of the implementation of ERAS programs on a variety of outcomes.
Research Assistant
Liana Fillo
Liana Fillo is a Research Assistant in the K2I Lab. She has a Bachelor of Science with a major in Kinesiology and brings with her an additional interest and passion for health and wellness. Currently, Liana is working on research related to patients with Head and Neck Cancer. The goal is to explore the gaps in research for this population related to transitions in care and long-term outcomes. These projects are meaningful as this is an underserved cancer population lacking impactful interventions to improve quality of life and patient outcomes.