Hello

My Name Is Ariele

 

About

I am a social scientist and pracademic whose work bridges academic research, community engagement, strategic communication, and social change. I hold a Master’s degree in Sustainability from the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where my graduate work strengthened my interests in interdisciplinary research, systems thinking, community-engaged scholarship, and the relationship between institutions, public discourse, and social change.

My academic experience extends beyond graduate study to research, teaching, and knowledge mobilization. I have contributed as a graduate researcher and research fellow, supported undergraduate learning as a teaching assistant, delivered guest lectures and presentations, and worked as Communications Director for a national veterans research project. Across these roles, I have developed experience translating research and complex social issues into accessible knowledge for academic, professional, and public audiences.

My pracademic work complements this research and teaching experience. Through senior roles in communications, brand strategy, and social-change marketing—including founding a marketing agency focused on social impact—I have worked at the intersection of advocacy, public engagement, organizational strategy, and behaviour change. This professional experience informs how I approach research: not only as a means of producing knowledge, but as a vehicle for engaging communities, shaping public discourse, and contributing to meaningful systems change.

I am currently preparing doctoral applications. My emerging research agenda examines mental health policy, human rights, advocacy, and systems reform, with particular interest in how legislation, institutions, lived experience, social movements, and public discourse interact to shape policy and social change. This work brings together the academic and applied dimensions of my career and reflects my broader commitment to research that is rigorous, community-engaged, and capable of contributing beyond the university.

 

Research

Mental Health & Movements

My research examines the relationship between mental health policy, human rights, and systems reform. I am particularly interested in how legislation, institutions, and public discourse shape experiences of autonomy, recovery, and wellbeing. Drawing on policy analysis, lived experience scholarship, and community-engaged research, I explore how mental health systems can balance individual rights with compassionate and effective care. Through this work, I seek to contribute to more equitable, evidence-informed approaches to mental health policy and practice in Canada and beyond.

 

Algorithms & Advocacy

My work leverages artificial intelligence and algorithms to drive social impact. By blending my technical expertise with a passion for language and the art of algorithms, I create innovative solutions addressing societal issues. I focus on the humanistic qualities of algorithms for good, emphasizing prosocial and proenvironmental applications. Whether through predictive analytics for environmental conservation or ensuring algorithmic fairness in social services, my goal is to make technology a force for positive change.

Functional Fashion & Forecasting

Every good adventure starts with a strategically packed suitcase of essentials. Once you transition your wardrobe to dark neutrals, you realize there's no better way to look put together and clean. As a social scientist, my functional fashion research spans textiles, technology, and trends through the lens of prosocial and proenvironmental causes. This is the sweet spot between academic study and practical application. Let’s pursue the greater good together (furry friends included).

Wellness, Waterways & Waste

As a social scientist focused on the intersection of technology and wellness, I study the grounding effects of water and negative air ions near bodies of water—oceans, lakes, lagoons, rivers, and ponds. My research explores how soil and the earth's electric charge can heal our bodies, promoting wellness in mind and soul. I dedicate a significant amount of my free time to global waterway cleanups. I enjoy engaging in citizen science brand audits and dialogues with corporations to improve packaging and disposal methods. Social platforms have mobilized a new wave of advocates for prosocial and proenvironmental causes, which my team and I utilize to pursue the greater good globally.

 

Works

 

 

 

Contact