We are pleased to announce that Dr. Tara Packham, has accepted the appointment of Interim Director of Clinical Health Professionals Research for Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) for a one-year term effective September 1, 2021.

Working closely with the research leadership team, Dr. Packham’s primary role will be to build capacity through increased research activities among frontline clinical health professionals.  In addition, she will contribute to the development of research priorities and strategy at Hamilton Health Sciences.

Dr. Tara Packham is an occupational therapist and assistant professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. She practiced at HHS for over 25 years with a focus on hand and upper limb rehabilitation, which birthed an interest in pain research, including neuroplasticity approaches to recovery. Her teaching and research program focus on optimizing measurement and moving evidence into practice to promote well-being, participation and recovery in musculoskeletal and neurological conditions through both quantitative and qualitative approaches to inquiry. She is an active member of the Canadian & American Societies for Hand Therapists, and the International Association for the Study of Pain, serving as a senior editor for Pain Medicine, and on the editorial board of the Journal of Hand Therapy.