People

Dr. Desmond McEwan
Assistant Professor
Chartered Psychologist through the British Psychological Society
Associate Editor at Applied Psychology: International Review
Editorial Board Member at Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology, Psychology of Sport & Exercise, and Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology

Growing up just outside of Edmonton, Alberta, Desi (he/him) spent his childhood heavily involved in sport. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Grant MacEwan University (2005-2009), a Master’s degree in Kinesiology at McMaster University (2010-2012), and a PhD in Kinesiology at UBC (2013-2017) where he first began researching teamwork and team effectiveness in sport. Following a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Victoria (2017-2018), Desi moved to the UK where he was an Assistant Professor at the University of Bath (2019-2022). He returned to Vancouver in 2023 when he began his position at UBC. He currently teaches Sport & Exercise Psychology (KIN 150) and The Psychology of Team Effectiveness (KIN 486) and will begin teaching Applied Sport & Performance Psychology in 2025-26. When he’s not working, Desi is typically spending time with his wife, Alicia, or having his heart broken watching the hockey, Formula 1, and football/soccer teams he supports (or crushing his friends at fantasy sports!).

Kieran McBride
Kieran (he/him) is a second-year Master’s student in UBC’s MA Kinesiology program. After growing up in Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia (BC), Kieran moved to Kelowna to pursue his undergraduate studies in Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC’s Okanagan campus from 2018-2022. Upon graduating, Kieran worked as both a senior services and sport and family program coordinator back in his home district of West Vancouver before applying to pursue his graduate studies at UBC’s Vancouver campus. Kieran’s research interests include applied sport psychology, stress and coping in sport, and team communication. Outside of school, Kieran enjoys playing on his recreational soccer and field hockey teams, and exploring BC’s coast by boat, car, and foot.

Stefanie Atkinson
Stef (she/her) is a first-year Master’s student in UBC’s MA Kinesiology program. She completed her first Bachelor’s degree in Child, Youth, and Family at the University of Guelph (2012-2016) before returning for a second degree in Psychology (2022-2024). Growing up, Stef spent fifteen years dancing and has since competed in bodybuilding, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and CrossFit. After reading Relentless by Tim Grover, Stef became enthralled by high-performance athletes’ minds and how they could push themselves to greater heights. Stef has spent over six years as a personal trainer and coach, supporting individuals pursuing their fitness goals and navigating how mindset influences engagement in sport and exercise. Stef is interested in exploring how trust in the coach-athlete relationship influences performance outcomes and athlete thriving. When not on campus, she can be found coaching Functional Fitness classes, training for the upcoming CrossFit season, or rewatching New Girl for the 12th time.

Kaitlin Crawford
Katie (she/her) is a fourth-year PhD student at the University of Bath (lead supervisor: Dr. Rachel Arnold). Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland and raised across North America (including Quebec, Ontario, Colorado, and California), Katie considers North Vancouver home. She competed on the UBC Thunderbirds women’s volleyball team, winning two U Sports National Championships while completing her BA in Sociology (Class of 2016). In December 2020, Katie graduated with an MA in Kinesiology from UBC (lead supervisor: Prof Mark Beauchamp), where her thesis explored help-seeking behaviours among professional male ice hockey players. Her doctoral research utilizes qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate antecedents for optimizing teamwork behaviours in team sport. Katie is also a professional member of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association and works as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® for Bath Rugby, an English Premiership rugby club, within their Academy pathway.

Thomas Hughes
Tommy (he/him) is a fourth-year PhD student at the University of Bath (lead supervisor: Dr. Lee Moore). His research focuses on understanding the role of stress and the pathways to human thriving within high-performance organisations. Tommy’s academic background includes a Master’s degree in Management from the University of Liverpool. Professionally, Tommy applies his expertise by equipping individuals and teams to excel in challenging environments, particularly within the pinnacle of UK motorsport. His military background further informs his work, as he co-leads a performance consultancy alongside two former members of the British special forces. Their work is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations thrive under demanding conditions. Beyond his professional pursuits, Tommy is an avid sports fan, with a particular passion for Formula 1 and football. His love for travel has taken him to some unique and unconventional destinations, including North Korea.

Adrienn Szabadics  
Adrienn (she/her) is a third-year PhD student at Buckinghamshire New University (lead supervisor: Dr. Paul Morgan) researching team resilience in women’s sports. She grew up in Hungary before moving to the UK to study BSc Sport Psychology and Coaching Sciences at Bournemouth University. She then completed a Master’s in Sport & Exercise Psychology at the University of Winchester and a Master’s in Psychology at Oxford Brookes University. Sport has been a part of Adrienn’s life from being a competitive swimmer in her school years to now finding a passion for long distance running. She enjoys being outdoors, whether that’s gardening and tending to her vegetable patch or exploring new walking/running trails with her husband.

Eesha Shah
Eesha (she/her) is a first-year PhD student at the University of Bath (lead supervisor: Dr. Rachel Arnold), where she is working to understand the role of athlete leadership and teamwork in thriving in team sport. Hailing from Singapore, Eesha completed a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the National University of Singapore (2009-2013) and a Master’s degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology at Loughborough University (2018-2019). Prior to beginning her PhD, Eesha spent six years as a practitioner in high performance sport at the Singapore Sport Institute. Growing up, Eesha spent a lot of time on tennis courts, running tracks, and dance studios. Her fascination with team sport really began with movies (but true stories) like Miracle and Remember the Titans; then, one fateful night she watched the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on TV and found her ambition: sport psychology, high performance sport, and team dynamics.