Emily Drake
Biography
Dr. Emily Drake (she/her) is an experienced health leader with over 17 years of experience leading multi-modal research programs and translating evidence into programs, policies, system innovation, and impactful science communication. She graduated from Acadia University’s Honours Psychology program and Dalhousie University’s Master’s in Health Promotion program. Dr. Drake demonstrates high levels of health services and knowledge translation/implementation science acuity. A former contributor to the HuffPost (US) and invited speaker, her writing and public speaking skills have been sought out by non-profit organizations, healthcare providers, and the private sector in Canada, Europe, the United States, and Australia.
Dr. Drake recently completed a postdoctoral research appointment at McGill University and is an Assistant Professor at ÂÜÀòÊÓƵ Allison University. She also holds an adjunct appointment in the Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University and has affiliate scientist status with IWK Health in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. She runs her own consulting business (EmilyDrake.ca) and previously completed her PhD at Dalhousie University. She was a Killam Laureate, a Healthy Populations Institute scholar, an IGNITE RTA Trainee (Canadian Cancer Society), and a Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute Cancer Research Training Program trainee. Prior to this she was working with Hope & Cope at the Jewish General Hospital/McGill University as the Director of their young adult cancer support program.
A social innovator, Dr. Drake co-founded Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Societal Movement (#ayacsm) in 2013. This active, multi-disciplinary, multi-channel social media community continues to grow, and is changing the way stakeholders interact and share information regarding young people living with cancer.
Publications
See:
Education
- Postdoctoral Researcher: McGill University
- PhD: Dalhousie University
- MA: Dalhousie University
- BSc: Acadia University
Teaching
- HLTH 1001: Health and Society
- HLTH 2001: The Canadian Health Care System
- HLTH 2011: Health Research and Analysis
- HLTH 3001: Health Communication
Grants, awards & honours
2025 Cole Foundation Fellowship – [declined]
2024 OncoDaily - Oncoinfluencers to Follow on Social Media: Dr. Emily Drake
2023 Named Top 100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders by OncoDaily
2023 BHCRI – CRTP: Skills Acquisition Training Program Award
2023 Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) Research Training Award: PhD level (RTA-PH-23)
2023 BRIC NS Student Research Award
2023 Faculty of Health Scholarship
2023 Dalhousie OpenThink Scholarship, Faculty of Graduate Studies
2023 Leon and Rose Zitner Award for exceptional impacts in the area of health, through community engagement and mobilization of citizen knowledge (Healthy Populations Institute, and the Faculties of Dentistry, Health and Medicine)
2022-2023 Faculty of Health Scholarship
2022 BHCRI – CRTP: Skills Acquisition Training Program Award
2021-2022 Faculty of Health Scholarship
2021-2022 Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute’s (BHCRI) Cancer Research Training Program (CRTP) Doctoral Award* - funds provided by the QE II Foundation
2020 Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation of Canada Graduate Scholarship for Canadian Women
2019 BHCRI – CRTP: Skills Acquisition Training Program Award
2019-2021 Killam Level 2 Predoctoral Scholarship
2018 Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s HCP – Professional Development Grant
2018 The Colleen Elliot Award (Excellence in Cancer Research), Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation awarded for research trainee who demonstrates the greatest promise and potential for excellence in cancer research
2018-2020 Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute’s (BHCRI) Cancer Research Training Program (CRTP) Doctoral Award* - funds provided by the Terry Fox Research Institute and the GIVETOLIVE Donald Francis MacDougall, PhD Award
*Awarded top mark of the competition
2017 WEGO Health Activist Award - Best in Show: Blog – Nominee
2017-2019 Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute’s (BHCRI) Cancer Research Training Program (CRTP) Doctoral Award
2017-2021 Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Graduate Scholarship
2017-2019 Stipend, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University
2017-2019 Faculty of Health Professions Entrance Scholarship
2017 Faculty of Graduate Studies, Dalhousie University Award
2016 WEGO Health Activist Award - Best in Show: Blog – Nominee
2014 WEGO Health Activist Award – Rookie of the Year – Nominee
2013 1st Place: AYA Cancer Innovation and Research Award for Models of Care Partnerships from Critical Mass’ Annual Conference. Awarded by the Steven G. AYA Cancer Research Fund. Cleveland, OH, USA. November 2013
2012 Certificate of Recognition from the Venturing Out Beyond Our Cancer (VOBOC) Foundation for tremendous leadership in the advancement of care for adolescent and young adult cancer patients
2011 C17 Norma Auger Scholarship
2011 Best Graduate Student Research Poster at the 2011 Meeting at the Crossroads: Student Research in Health Conference, Halifax, NS, Canada. April 2011
2010 Bultz Student Award: Best Student Poster Research Presentation at the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology’s Annual Conference in Partnership with the International Psycho-Oncology Society’s 12th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, Québec, QC, Canada. May 2010.
2010 Best Graduate Student Research Poster at the 2010 Meeting at the Crossroads: Student Research in Health Conference, Halifax, NS, Canada. March 2010.
2009 Best Graduate Student Research Poster at the 2009 Meeting at the Crossroads: Student Research in Health Conference, Halifax, NS, Canada. May 2009.
2009 Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Graduate Studies: Bursary
2009 Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Graduate Studies: Bursary