Irene Ogada

Dr. Irene Ogada is an Assistant Professor in the Graduate Applied Human Nutrition Program at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her research focuses on maternal and child nutrition, nutrition equity, and sustainable community-driven health initiatives. She employs mixed-methods approaches to address systemic barriers and promote culturally safe nutrition practices in marginalized communities, including refugees, low-income populations, and Indigenous groups. Her work spans global collaborations in Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa, Finland, and Canada.

Dr. Ogada teaches courses such as Nutrition and Population Health Assessment, Ecological Perspectives of Food, and Nutrition Education in the Community. She emphasizes intersectionality and socio-ecological frameworks in her research, particularly exploring connections between environmental sustainability, nutrition, and wellbeing. Her projects include developing participatory platforms for equity-seeking communities and co-creating culturally appropriate health resources.

Her research themes include maternal and child nutrition (e.g., breastfeeding, early childhood nutrition), advancing nutrition equity through intersectional approaches, and sustainable practices linking land-based learning to health. She collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to integrate physiological evidence with community insights, ensuring interventions are both evidence-based and culturally grounded.

Dr. Ogada’s recent work addresses community perceptions of conservation in Kenya, dietary interventions for children with cerebral palsy, and nutritional assessments in hospital settings across Africa. She prioritizes capacity-building for student researchers and global health partnerships to foster equitable and sustainable outcomes.