É«»¨ÌÃ

Dr. Augie Westhaver

Academic Director

Chair of Sociology and coordinator for the Health, Wellness, & Sport in Society (HWSS) program, Dr. Westhaver is a sociologist with a long history of teaching and research in qualitative methodology and ethnography. Since joining Saint Mary's in 2004, he’s focused his energy on addressing computational approaches in the social sciences and teaching courses in the sociology of sport. More recently, as part of his work with the centre, he’s turned his attention to actions we can take to support the well-being of those working and playing in the sport sector. 

Dr. MacIntosh Ross

Teaching Fellow

Dr. MacIntosh Ross earned his PhD in sociocultural kinesiology at the University of Western Ontario. Prior to his doctoral studies, Mac completed his MA in history at Saint Mary's University under the supervision of the Scott McCain & McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health founder Dr. Colin Howell. As a scholar, Mac focuses on the intersection of sport and human rights, employing a multidisciplinary approach.

His work has appeared in the Journal of Sport History, É«»¨Ìà Journal for the History of Sport, Sport History Review, and Sport and Social Issues. Mac is committed to amplifying the voices of survivors of abuse in sport, organizing and coordinating the group Scholars Against Abuse in Canadian Sport (SAACS) to further these efforts. Once SAACS fulfilled its mandate, Mac and several other activists joined forces to create the Canadian Collective for Human Rights in Sport, of which he is the inaugural chair.

In 2024, Mac was awarded the North American Society for Sport History (NASSH) Sport History and Social Justice Award, alongside CBC journalist and fellow Nova Scotian, Shireen Ahmed. He was taught at the University of Windsor, St. Francis Xavier University and Western University

Cedric Ralph

Operations Support Specialist

Cedric Ralph BA'25 completed his degree in Honours Psychology while playing for the SMU Huskies men's hockey team. His undergraduate research focused on athletes and their performance outcomes, and he has a particular interest in the roles of meditation, mindfulness, self-criticism, and self-compassion in athlete's wellbeing.

In his hockey career, Cedric has played in the NHL Prospects Tournament with the Carolina Hurricanes, as well as attended development camp with the Florida Panthers. He also spent four years in the Ontario Hockey League with the Guelph Storm, where he had the privilege of being a member of the 2019 OHL Championship team that competed in the Memorial Cup in Halifax. 

In 2024, Cedric was awarded the Harry & Lily Rutte Award for Spirituality and the Workplace for his thesis, where he examined the relationship between Buddhism and Psychology relative to peak performance among athletes. In his off time, Cedric lends his skills as a coach training youth hockey players both in Halifax and, previously, in Peterborough, Ontario.

Lauryn Collins

Senior Communications Officer

Lauryn Collins is an experienced communications professional with a background in academic, corporate, and creative writing. Holding a masters degree from Dalhousie University, where her research examined the politics of disability in Victorian literature and beyond, she entered the world of corporate communications as a marketing specialist before shifting fully into strategic communications. She is an avid ballroom dancer, and in her spare time, you can often find her in the studio perfecting her footwork for her Classic Latin repertoire.