Tara Horrill

Dr. Tara Horrill is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Manitoba, where she conducts research and teaches with a focus on health equity and cancer care. She is based at the Helen Glass Centre for Nursing on the Fort Garry Campus and is actively involved in interdisciplinary and community-engaged research initiatives.

• Institution: University of Manitoba
• School: College of Nursing
• Research Affiliations: REACHE Lab (Founder), EQUIP Healthcare, Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (Founding Member)
• Contact: tara.horrill@umanitoba.ca

Dr. Horrill holds a PhD in Nursing from the University of Manitoba (2021) and a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) from the same institution (2005). Her doctoral research on inequities in oncology care for Indigenous Peoples was nominated for a Governor General's Gold Medal and a Distinguished Dissertation Award.

Her research is grounded in critical and intersectional theories and centers on equity-oriented healthcare, particularly for marginalized populations across the cancer continuum—from screening to end-of-life care. Key areas include healthcare access, cultural safety, trauma and violence-informed care, and the social determinants of health. She uses methodologies such as critical ethnography and scoping reviews to generate evidence for health systems change.

Although specific publications are not listed, her research themes consistently emphasize systemic barriers, Indigenous health disparities, and organizational factors influencing the implementation of equitable care practices in oncology settings.

Dr. Horrill has received numerous awards, including the 2024 Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba Award of Excellence in Research and multiple graduate scholarships and fellowships from the University of Manitoba, Canadian Nurses Foundation, and Michael Smith Health Research BC.

• 2024: Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba Award of Excellence in Research
• 2021: Michael Smith Health Research BC Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Nominated for Governor General's Gold Medal and Distinguished Dissertation Award
• Multiple Murphy Scholarships, Nancie J. Mauro Scholarships, and University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships

She is actively mentoring graduate students, currently accepting both Master’s and PhD candidates. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes critical thinking, emotional connection, authenticity, and mutual respect. She aims to create accessible, applicable learning environments that challenge assumptions and foster creativity in addressing health inequities. Dr. Horrill collaborates with researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and patients to mobilize knowledge and improve cancer care systems.

She leads the REACHE Lab (Research for Advancing Cancer Health Equity), which focuses on advancing evidence-based, equity-promoting interventions in cancer care. Through the Cancer Health Equity Collaborative and EQUIP Healthcare, she contributes to national and provincial efforts to implement trauma-informed, culturally safe, and equity-oriented healthcare services.