Continuing & Professional Studies, Palo Alto University

Sarah L. Desmarais, Ph.D., is the President at Policy Research Associates, Inc. (PRA) since 2022. She is responsible for the strategic priorities of PRA and oversight of PRA operations. Dr. Desmarais received her PhD in Forensic Psychology and Law from Simon Fraser University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining PRA, Dr. Desmarais was a tenured Professor of Psychology and University Faculty Scholar at North Carolina State University. She also was an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida with joint appointments in the Department of Community and Family Health and the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy. Dr. Desmarais works on issues at the intersection of public health, community safety, and social justice. Her current research is focused on evidence-based practices for reducing detention rates, especially among people with behavioral health needs. Dr. Desmarais has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in journals including the American Journal of Public Health, Criminal Justice and Behavior, and Law and Human Behavior. She has held grants and contracts from foundations, state, and federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Justice, the National Science Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation.

Dr. Nicholls is Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UBC and Distinguished Scientist and Lead, Forensic Research BC Mental Health and Substance User Services and President-Elect, International Association of Forensic Mental Health. She holds cross-appointments at UBC including the SPPH and an Adjunct appointment in the Department of Psychology, SFU. Her research examines the intersections of law and mental health related to the provision of services to persons in conflict with the law and diverse marginalized populations focusing on assessment and treatment of violence, criminality, and the development and implementation of EBP. She has published manuals to support the translation of research into practice and has engaged in large-scale implementations and evaluations; these include violence risk assessments and mental health screening in correctional settings, mental health assessments, and treatment planning (see manuals). Her scholarly work has earned her and her teams multiple grants and awards totaling over $15 million. Recently she received a CIHR Foundation award (> $2 million; 2015-2022) to fund her research.