Michelle Phoenix is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University and a CanChild Scientist. She has practiced clinically as a speech-language pathologist and holds an adjunct scientist position with KidsAbility. Her research focusses on improving access and equity in children’s rehabilitation services. This includes topics of family-centred care, cultural responsivity and trauma informed care, parent well-being, and innovative models of service delivery. She works with a variety of community partners and studies ways that we can include often excluded populations in service design, delivery, and evaluation.

In 2026 Michelle Phoenix & Vanessa Tomas were funded by Kids Brain Health + and Brain Canada to co-design a social prescribing model in children’s rehabilitation services. https://kidsbrainhealth.ca/kbhn_projects/co-creating-a-social-prescribing-model-for-pediatric-rehabilitation-contexts-in-canada/

Michelle plays soccer and enjoys walking in nature, espeically with her partner and 3 kids