Faculty Feature: Dr. Roula Markoulakis

I have the pleasure of writing this faculty spotlight on my own supervisor, Dr. Roula Markoulakis.

Dr. Markoulakis is a health services researcher whose work focuses on improving access to mental health and addiction care for youth and their families. As my supervisor, I have seen how her research centers on understanding how youth and their families navigate complex systems of care, especially when trying to access the right supports. A key part of her work is patient navigation through the Family Navigation Project, which helps families move through these systems more effectively. She is also involved in research across Northern Ontario, including Sudbury and Manitoulin, where she examines how geography and system structure impact access, particularly for equity-deserving communities.

She takes a community-based, patient-oriented approach, working closely with youth and families to understand real-world experiences and identify where improvements are needed. Her work through the Family Navigation Project focuses on helping families better access and use mental health services. What stands out most is how intentional her research is in being grounded in lived experiences and leading to meaningful change.

As a mentor, she values curiosity, independence, and thoughtful preparation, which has shaped how I approach my own work. I spoke with Dr. Markoulakis about her experience at RSI, her research experience, and current projects: 

How would you describe your research focus to someone outside of your field? 

My research is focused on supporting youth with mental health and or addiction concerns and their families find, access, and transition through mental health care and related systems. This involves understanding their experiences in the system (what is working well, what is not, and where there are opportunities to optimize supports to best meet their needs and achieve good outcomes). I am also particularly focused on patient navigation (a model of supporting youth and families in finding their way through complex systems of care). My work is patient and family oriented, community engaged, and employs a wide range of methods to address these ongoing challenges in youth mental health care. 

What initially drew you to this area of work? 

I came into this work in a few ways. As a master’s student, I was exploring caregiver experiences of caring for children with autism, and at the same time, I was volunteering at my school’s accessibility centre, where I began to notice that students with mental health concerns were having very different experiences navigating institutional policies and the accessibility supports available to them compared to students with physical or learning disabilities. This motivated my PhD research, which looked at how post-secondary students with mental health concerns interact with accessibility and mental health supports in the university setting. I began to realize that navigating complex systems of care (which are largely invisible and unknown to the people using them) was an important factor in achieving good outcomes. Throughout these experiences, I was also a family support for a young person accessing mental health services, and encountered firsthand the many ways people can fall through gaps in care. These early research and personal experiences continue to shape my research program. 

How would you describe your approach to mentoring students? 

I try to implement a combination of support and self-sufficiency. Helping students learn how to approach their research, work through problems, seek and access further guidance or resources when needed, and communicate their work is very important. Simultaneously, giving them the space to complete these kinds of activities independently is key to their growth as graduate learners. 

What qualities do you value most in students as a mentor? 

The ability to be a self-starter and have an inquisitive mind. I think it’s really important for students to approach our conversations having already done their own exploration into the questions they have for me that day, so that our conversations are more informed and productive. 

How does your work contribute to the goals of RSI? 

RSI has amazingly diverse expertise. I see my work aligning most with RSI’s explorations of the intersection of rehabilitation with critical disability studies and with brain health studies. In these areas, my research contributes to the goals of RSI by exploring how youth and families’ experiences in mental health care are socially and structurally produced (including how systems and practices of care can enhance or detract from access to and participation in care). Additionally, my work is focused on ensuring youth and families are able to access and participate in care that is well-matched to their needs and goals, which can contribute to optimal functioning and quality of life. 

Are there any emerging areas or future directions in your work that you are excited about? 

Lately, I have been excited about Learning Health Systems (LHS) and have begun some projects that are setting the stage for LHS in youth mental health and addictions navigation. The idea that we can band together (across various facets of the healthcare system) to collectively share and learn from data while rapidly informing and learning from practice has the potential to add value to the healthcare system and be transformative for care. 

What is your go-to coffee or tea order? 

My coffee order is boring but effective! Hot black coffee or an americano any day. 

Do you have a favourite underrated restaurant or lunch spot near campus or your lab? 

Mad Radish or Kibo Sushi are both near my lab (although they’re both fairly well known and for good reason). 

What is one book, podcast, or show you have enjoyed recently? 

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green. If you want a book that thoughtfully weaves together the history of medicine, public health, and epidemiology with questions of health equity and social responsibility, this book is for you. It shows how infectious disease is never just a biological phenomenon, but one that is shaped by and permeates politics, economics, and social movements. It’s a powerful reminder that medical progress depends just as much on addressing structural inequities as it does on scientific discovery.