Our Team
Each of our team members brings a unique lens to our work and a passion for youth and youth worker wellbeing across Ontario.
Uzo Anucha
Provincial Academic Director
York Research Chair
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Uzo (she/her) is the Founder and Provincial Academic Director of YouthREX. She is the York Research Chair in Youth and Contexts of Inequity and an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, York University. Her educational background includes a PhD in Social Work from the University of Toronto; MSW and BSW from York University; and BSc and MSc from University of Nigeria.
Uzo’s community-engaged research is focused on critical youth work. She conceptualizes her research as a community dialogue that is centred on equitable collaborations with community stakeholders. Her research projects emphasize multi-methods / multi-focal research that make space for multi perspectives.
Uzo has served on a variety of boards, including being appointed by an Order in Council by the Government of Ontario to the Board of Directors of the Central Local Health Integrated Network for two terms of six years (2011-2017). She is currently on the Board of Directors of the York Region Children’s Aid Society.
Cyril Cromwell
Learning & Development Consultant
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Cyril (he/him) is a social justice advocate and community educator. At YouthREX, Cyril supports professional development and learning opportunities for Ontario youth workers.
As a proponent of Social Justice, Cyril has led professional development and media art projects across the Greater Toronto Area and abroad for over a decade in community centres, schools, open custody detention centres and in his photography studio. As a community educator, Cyril is interested in amplifying the voices of young people and youth workers in research and policy to reduce the gap that often exists between well-meaning theory and critical practice.
Kamau Davis-Locke
Learning and Research Associate
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Kamau (he/his) is Learn & Research Associate at YouthREX. He studied Criminology and Sociology at Douglas College. He also spent time as a research assistant for the Toronto Youth Forum, “Project Groundings: Youth and Community Development in Canada and Jamaica”. Kamau has interests in combatting racial and social inequities and exploring innovative methods of assisting marginalized communities.
Outside of work, his interests include spending time with his family, working out, reading novels, and cooking (but not well).
Irene Duah-Kessie
Research & Evaluation Associate
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Irene (she/her) is a Research & Evaluation Associate at YouthREX. She is passionate about advancing health equity and creating spaces for young people to thrive. She founded and leads Rise In STEM, a youth-led grassroots initiative committed to addressing the racial gap within higher education and STEM careers.
Irene holds a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences from McMaster University and a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from the University of Toronto.
In her spare time, she enjoys baking and nature walks.
Dorrie Fiissel
Research & Evaluation Director
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Dorrie (she/her) is the Research & Evaluation Director at YouthREX. She received her Ph.D. from the Applied Social Psychology program at the University of Windsor. Drawing from her past experiences in research and evaluation, Dorrie provides support to Ontario youth programs in their various evaluation needs, from logic model development to the creation of data collection tools to analyzing and reporting data.
Dorrie grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, and travels back as often as possible with her three children.
David Galano
Research & Evaluation Manager
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David (he/his) is Research & Evaluation Manager at YouthREX. He studied Sociology and Criminology at Brock University, where he received his BA and went on to complete an MA. He also spent time as a graduate student at the University of Toronto’s Sociology Department, where he gained valuable experience in research and education. David has scholarly interests in social and political thought, precarious work, and socio-legal research.
His interests include spending time with his family, cooking, spending time outdoors, and watching calcio.
Katarina Gligorijevic
Learning & Knowledge Exchange Manager
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Katarina (she/her) supports learning opportunities and resource development at YouthREX. She is committed to using data to drive social change, and has worked to advocate for cultural and youth-friendly urban spaces. Katarina studied Sociology at McGill, and went on to obtain an MA in Human Geography from the University of Toronto.
Her interests include coffee, electronic music, and dabbling in different forms of movement. Born in Serbia, she has also found inspiration in the youth (sub)cultures of Montreal and Berlin.
Chanel Herbert
Operations & Innovation Manager
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Chanel (she/her) leads the operations and administrative aspects of YouthREX and supports our capacity building opportunities. She is a published author with a B.A. in Sociology and Creative Writing from York University and a M.Ed. from the University of Toronto.
Her experiences as a Barbadian immigrant to Toronto fuel her interest in research on persons of African descent and how they're impacted by the intersections of race, immigrant status and class within the education system.
Outside of work, Chanel likes reading, watching documentaries, and spending time with family and friends.
Khadijah Kanji
Youth Program Supports Associate
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Khadijah (she/her) is supporting evaluation at YouthREX. She received her Master's of Social Work in 2017, where her research examined queer subjectivity in the Toronto South Asian diaspora. Khadijah also works for an Islamic educational centre, where she focuses on anti-Islamophobia education and activism, and is a board member for a non-profit serving 2SLGBTQ+ youth across Ontario.
Khadijah writes and speaks regularly on issues of race, gender, and sexuality. She has worked previously in therapy and research.
James Malekzadeh
Multimedia Storyteller
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James (he/him) is a Multimedia Storyteller for YouthREX. He has a BFA in Film Studies from Ryerson University with a focus in documentary film. James has experience mentoring youth in media production, archiving experiences of migration with newcomer communities, and working in the documentary field. Much of his past work covers the multitude of experiences of living in Toronto: from migrating here to navigating the city’s systems and structures.
Outside of work, his interests include exploring all corners of Toronto by transit and by bike, trying new cuisines, vegetable gardening, and slowly learning how to speak Farsi.
Maria Piñeros
Design & Brand Manager
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Maria (she/her) is a Graphic Designer for YouthREX. She received her Bachelor of Design with honours from the YSDN Program at York University. As a designer, she focuses on thinking critically about the capacity that design has as a transformative tool to educate, empower, and inspire people, especially youth.
Outside of work, she enjoys illustrating, travelling, and hanging out with her dog Mango. Born in Colombia, Maria often likes to bring elements of her own culture into the work that she creates.
Kathe Rogers
Knowledge Exchange Director
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Kathe (she/her) is the Knowledge Exchange Director at YouthREX. She is a registered social worker with extensive experience in communications, advocacy, public education, counselling, and community building, having supported a variety of projects across not-for-profit organizations and community-based initiatives.
Kathe is a former film student, seasoned storyteller, engaged lover of art and music, amateur star-gazer, novice embroiderer, and pop culture trivia guru.
Princess Asiedu
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Princess (she/her) is a first year Kinesiology student at York University. She is also a medical receptionist at a clinic in Mississauga. Her research interests involve understanding the relationship between youth care workers and the developmental outcomes of children.
Her work within the community involves volunteering within the youth sector, health care clinics, and retirement homes.
Her personal interests include reading romance novels, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
Latoya Buchanan
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Latoya (she/her) is currently a BSW student in her final semester at York University, and a Social Service Worker from Humber College. Latoya has worked as a casual Support Worker at Community Living North Halton, supporting adults with developmental disabilities for two plus years, and enjoys her field placement position as a Residential Client Advocate, supporting women and children experiencing domestic violence and homelessness.
Outside of work and school, Latoya enjoys spending time with her family, spending time outdoors, taking long road trips, and cooking delicious meals.
Alexander De Rose
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Alexander (he/him) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. Alexander is a 4th-year student at York University in the Law and Society Bachelors program and a member of the Dean’s Circle of Scholars. His academic interests include philosophy, law, socio-legal studies, and theories of political economy. Inspired by post-modern legal thought and contemporary ideas of governance, Alexander aspires to pursue a Juris Doctor degree at one of Canada’s top law schools, where he can help make lasting changes in our legal system and social institutions.
Outside of academia, Alexander enjoys spending time outdoors with his loved ones, volunteering, and writing short stories.
Kimberly Hood
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Kimberly (she/her) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. She is a 3rd-year student at York University in the Bachelor of Social Work Honours Program.
Kimberly graduated from the Social Service Worker Diploma program at Sheridan College with high honours in 2021. Her social work interests are working with new immigrants and providing counselling for youth and women who have survived trauma.
She has also earned Diplomas in Travel and Tourism and Fight Attendant from the International Institute of Travel.
Kimberly has over 15 years of experience in the financial industry, most recently 10 years with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) as a Sales and Service Specialist.
She is a founding member of H.E.L.P. Groups (Hands-on Experiential Learning with Peers). Created by second-year Social Service Worker (SSW) practicum students for first-year SSW international students who are looking for support and resources to help make the first year in Canada and college a positive experience.
Kimberly has also volunteered her time with CIBC Run for the Cure, CIBC Waterfront Clean-Up, and Community Food Bank Disaster Relief for various food banks in the Brampton community.
Her interests include creating memories with her two children. She also enjoys travelling and organizing.
Caroline Hummell
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Caroline works as a Research Assistant at YouthREX. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Mount St. Mary’s University (MD) and a Master of Science in Sport Psychology from Queen’s University. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Applied Health Sciences at Brock University with a focus on program evaluation and positive youth development in the sport and recreation sector.
Caroline has experience working as an external evaluation consultant for provincial and national sport organizations, assisting as a varsity-level basketball coach, and volunteering with various youth-serving organizations.
Outside of work and school, she enjoys coaching youth basketball, going for long hikes with friends, and binge-watching the latest Netflix reality TV show.
Helen Lam
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Helen (she/her) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. She graduated from York University with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and currently studies at the University of Toronto in the Master of Social Work program.
Outside of work, Helen is involved in affordable housing committees and community environment/gardening initiatives. Also, she enjoys dance and jogging. Helen knows English, Cantonese, and French - she especially loves the French language!
Celina Lieu
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Celina (she/her) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. Celina is a third-year Psychology student at York University. She is interested in a variety of research and academic topics, one of which includes the importance of comprehensive sex education for youth.
Outside of work and school, she enjoys reading, crocheting, and spending time with loved ones.
Chinedu Victor Nwokedi
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Victor (he/him) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. His background includes a Diploma in Flight Dispatch and Helicopter Landing from the Universal School of Aviation. He is currently a student at Fanshawe College, with the goal of becoming an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer.
Victor is interested in finding creative ways to support underserved areas and fighting racial and social injustices.
His hobbies outside of work include painting, exercising, meditation, and reading mysteries. He speaks both Igbo and English with ease.
Jenny Qin
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Jenny (she/her) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. She is interested in how language intersects with social and cultural identity and hopes to work with the youth sector in the future. She is currently completing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from York University.
During her free time, she volunteers with a variety of non-profit organizations, ranging from providing resources to those with disabilities, to raising awareness for mental health. She also enjoys learning languages, reading true crime novels, and consuming horror media.
Monica Romero
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Monica (she/her) supports YouthREX’s administrative functions in addition to research in the areas of social work field education and evaluation.
Monica holds an Honours Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Windsor and an Honours Bachelor's of Social Work degree from York University. She is currently pursuing a Joint Master of Social Work and Juris Doctor degree at the University of Windsor.
Outside of work, Monica actively volunteers with organizations that promote the protection of human rights. She is an avid horror and psychological fiction reader and a coffee connoisseur.
Peter Sawicki
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Peter (he/him) is a Polish-Canadian who is working on several projects. He attended York University and acquired credits while there.
Peter has a background in business economics and accounting. His experience at York University gave him a unique skill set.
Outside of work, Peter enjoys gardening, playing chess, and spending time with friends, family, and his cat
Rahma Siad-Togane
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Rahma (she/her) is a PhD candidate at York University's School of Social Work. Her research examines surveillance and policing within public housing communities. Her areas of interest include neighborhoods and housing, urban poverty/income polarization, youth development, social policy, race and policing, resiliency, and community surveillance.
Rahma has also worked in the non-profit sector for 14 years in youth engagement and settlement services for racialized newcomer Canadians, with a focus on Black women's health and wellbeing.
Sinthu Srikanthan
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Sinthu (she/her) is a Research Assistant with YouthREX. Sinthu loves qualitative research (especially Institutional Ethnography) and has published her work in the British Journal of Social Work, Health & Social Work, and Intersectionalities: A Global Journal of Social Work Analysis, Research, Polity, and Practice.
Sinthu is also a passionate social worker at the University Health Network’s Red Blood Cell Disorders clinic. Here, Sinthu applies Social Justice, Human Rights, and Anti-Oppressive frameworks to provide counselling and advocacy to people with sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and other hemoglobinopathies. She has practice interests in supporting people at the intersections of racism and ableism.
Outside of work, Sinthu enjoys learning how to play the guitar, reading books, and spending time with her friends and family. One of her most favourite pastimes is watching theatre and musicals.
Clementine Utchay
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Clementine (she/her) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Health Studies with a specialization in Health Management from York University. Clementine is excited about amplifying youth voice in research and evaluation and the possibilities of arts-based approaches.
Adrienne Young
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Adrienne (she/her) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. She received her B.A. from the University of British Columbia, her MSW from Boston University and is currently a PhD Student at York University School of Social Work. She is passionate about elevating youth voice and is experienced in planning, facilitating and evaluating youth advisory councils across sectors. Adrienne is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and is a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights. She draws inspiration from youth movements for equity and justice all over the globe.
Past Research Assistants + Interns
Anne Campbell
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Anne (she/her) holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, an Addictions and Mental Health Graduate Certificate from Humber College, and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Her areas of interest include the social determinants of health, community development, healthy cities, and mental health programming.
Outside of work, Anne enjoys cheering for the Raptors, learning French, and going for lots of bike rides.
Nate Evangelista
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Nate (he/him) is majoring in Graphic Communications Management at Ryerson University. He is also pursuing a minor in Communication and Design. Nate is actively involved with the Graphic Communications Management Course Union (GCMCU) and was its President for 2019-2020. He supported digital content creation at YouthREX.
Nate aims to convey emotion and narratives through his minimal yet effective design. In his free time, Nate is an avid cook, enjoys working out, and loves watching anime with his boyfriend. Nate speaks English, Filipino, and is currently learning Japanese and Korean.
Suzanne McKeag
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Suzanne (she/her) was in her final year of the Specialized Honours Psychology Bachelor of Arts Program at York University, and holds a Bachelor of Design from the Ontario College of Art and Design University.
Suzanne is pursuing a career in Clinical Psychology, after working extensively in process analysis and development.
In 2018 and 2019, Suzanne participated in the Peace of Minds Yogathon Fundraiser for the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario. She enjoys creating and consuming art and design, and she is fluent in English and French.
Nicole Sarfo
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Nicole (she/her) was a placement student at YouthREX, driven by the desire to treat people with dignity and respect. She was completing the Addictions and Mental Health graduate certificate program at Humber College.
Nicole is also a health professional, serving as an Emergency Care Worker at the Canadian Red Cross. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a minor in Sociology from Brock University.
Nicole enjoys teaching kids at church and dancing to Afrobeats.
Amberlynn Palmer
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Amberlynn (she/her) was a Research Assistant with YouthREX. She has experience working with youth and adults involved in the justice system and child welfare system. Amberlynn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Amberlynn was a Master of Social Work candidate at York University.
She really enjoys gardening, working out, cooking, eating snacks, and being at home.
Chantal Phillips
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Chantal (she/her) was a Research Assistant and completed a fellowship with YouthREX.
Her research interests include addressing anti-Black racism in academic, political, and health-based contexts. Chantal received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Medical Science from Western University and is a medical student at the University of Toronto.
Chantal is passionate about her faith and how this intersects with social justice. Her hobbies include running, experimenting with coffee beverages, and spoiling her baby nephew.
Nyla Bouchard-Wemigwans
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Alex Frappier
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Emily Lim
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Emily (she/her) is an undergraduate Research Assistant at YouthREX. She is in her fourth year of Urban Studies and hopes to pursue her master's in urban planning. She has some experience in working with non-profit organizations, as well as conducting research. She is interested in equitable urban planning through urban design and policy and part of a few extracurriculars, including the Federation of Urban Studies Students and CITY Institute at York.
She speaks Khmer at home and enjoys spending time with her family and friends, watching movies and trying new foods/activities!
Rocio Macabena Perez
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Rocio (she/her) is an intern at YouthREX. She is pursuing a doctorate in Psychoéducation at the Université de Montréal focused on the development and evaluation of innovative and artistic programs from the perspective of positive youth development.
Rocio is also an art educator and a clinician supporting youth with mental health difficulties.
She fluently speaks Spanish and French. Some things she enjoys are painting murals, swimming, and reading comic books.
Ossob Nur
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Ossob is a MSW practicum student from York University and completed her BSW at the University of Calgary.
Over the last nine years in Edmonton, her practice has largely been in youth residential settings, working with people experiencing chronic and episodic homelessness.
Ossob is passionate about coffee, kdramas and all pistachio deserts.
Linda Kelechi Eronmhonsele
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A youth coach who provides young people with the right knowledge and skills needed to lead better lives while contributing positively to the sustainable development of society.
Master of Arts in Comparative Literature & Arts, Brock University, Post Graduate certification in Public relations, York University (in view).
I am a wife, mother, writer, and digital content creator who loves to dance to the beautiful afrobeat of West Africa. I speak English fluently and the Igbo language with a touch of French.
Kayla Mitchell
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Kayla (she/her) is a Research Assistant at YouthREX. She is a recent communications and marketing graduate from McMaster University.
During her free time, she enjoys hanging out with family and friends, listening to true crime podcasts, cooking, and working out.
Tiffany Ford
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Our province-wide Academic Network bringing together professors with an interest in youth wellbeing from across Ontario's colleges and universities.
Uzo Anucha
York Research Chair
Youth and Contexts of Inequity
Associate Professor
School of Social Work, York University
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Uzo Anucha (she/her) is the Founder and Provincial Academic Director of YouthREX. She is the York Research Chair in Youth and Contexts of Inequity and an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, York University. Her educational background includes a PhD in Social Work from the University of Toronto; MSW and BSW from York University; and BSc and MSc from University of Nigeria.
Uzo’s community-engaged research is focused on critical youth work. She conceptualizes her research as a community dialogue that is centred on equitable collaborations with community stakeholders. Her research projects emphasize multi-methods / multi-focal research that make space for multi perspectives.
Uzo has served on a variety of boards, including being appointed by an Order in Council by the Government of Ontario to the Board of Directors of the Central Local Health Integrated Network for two terms of six years (2011-2017). She is currently on the Board of Directors of the York Region Children’s Aid Society.
Oyedeji Ayonrinde
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology
Queen's University
Annette Bazira-Okafor
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Annette Bazira-Okafor is the founder of Black Youth Write, a non-profit organization that works with Black youth to write and create content for publication for other kids and youth. She is also the founder and editor of Black Girl’s Magazine and Teen Black Girl’s Magazine, two publications written and created by Black girls from the ages of 8 to 17. Black Girl’s Magazine publications are currently in over 200 public and school libraries.
Annette holds a PhD in Social Justice Education from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.
Corliss Bean
Assistant Professor
Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies
Brock University
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Corliss Bean is a member of YouthREX’s Provincial Academic Network. She is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Brock University. Her educational background includes a PhD, MA, and BSc from the University of Ottawa in Human Kinetics, with particular focus on Sport Psychology.
Corliss’s research involves working with community organizations at local and national levels to develop, implement, and evaluate their programming with the goal of fostering youth psychosocial development and building organizational and/or community capacity. She is also committed to bridging research and practice through accessible media including blogs, webinars, and workshops. Corliss has extensive publication and granting records.
Corliss presently facilitates two of YouthREX’s online certificates, including Program Evaluation for Youth Wellbeing and Using Spreadsheets in Program Evaluation. Corliss is also a Credentialed Evaluator certified by the Canadian Evaluation Society. She also sits on variety of boards, including being a delegate on Canadian Tire Jumpstart Community and an Academic Partner within the Research and Evaluation Team at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment LaunchPad.
Nombuso Dlamini
Associate Professor
Faculty of Education
York University
Peter Donahue
Associate Professor
School of Social Work
King’s University College
Travonne Edwards
Assistant Professor
School of Child and Youth Care
Toronto Metropolitan University
PhD Social Work Candidate
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
University of Toronto
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Travonne is an experienced critical youth worker with a demonstrated history of working in various social services related settings, including child welfare and protection, education, and supportive housing for youth experiencing homelessness.
His program of research aims to understand how state systems operate and how Black communities experience them, to one day improve their realities and outcomes. He currently works as a project director of a research project that partners with the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies' One Vision One Voice, which is a program led by the Black community to address the overrepresentation and disparities faced by Black Canadians. Additionally, he teaches in the Sheridan College CYC program, works at the University of Toronto’s Youth Wellness Lab as a Doctoral Research Coordinator, and is a Doctoral Fellow at The Centre for Research and Innovation for Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB).
Mary Goitom
Associate Professor
School of Social Work
York University
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Nene Kwasi Kafele
Community Scholar in Residence
Daniel Kikulwe
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
York University
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Daniel Kikulwe completed his PhD in Social Work at York University in 2014 where he is now teaching. The focus of his doctoral research was on the work and practices of racialized child welfare workers in providing services to families and children.
His area of academic interest is in child welfare practices and policies, as well as immigration. Other areas of research interests relate to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children and its applicability to the global south, as well as kinship care trends in Canada.
In the past, Daniel also has worked in child welfare, as a frontline staff and supervisor for 14 years. He has experience working with youth, families, and communities. His child welfare experiences have been both in Ontario and the Yukon.
Bryn King
Assistant Professor
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
University of Toronto
Co-Founder and Co-Director
Youth Wellness Lab
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Bryn King, MSW, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, and an affiliated researcher at the Children’s Data Network and the California Child Welfare Indicators Project. She is also the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Youth Wellness Lab, a youth-driven collaborative research hub housed at the University of Toronto.
Bryn's research examines the epidemiology, service involvement, and outcomes of families who come to the attention of the child protective system in North America, with a focus on disparities in involvement and the experiences and trajectories of youth.
Kristen Lwin
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
University of Windsor
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Kristen Lwin is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Windsor, and has social work practice, child welfare research and program evaluation, and knowledge mobilization experience over the past 20 years.
Prior to her current academic position, Kristen served as the Executive Director of a national non-profit child welfare knowledge mobilization organization for six years.
Kristen’s teaching and research focuses on Evidence-based/informed Practice and examining whether child welfare worker characteristics play a role in their decisions and practice.
Naomi Nichols
Canada Research Chair (Tier II)
Community-Partnered Social Justice
Associate Professor, Sociology
Trent University
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Naomi Nichols is an Associate Professor (Sociology) and the Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Community-Partnered Social Justice at Trent University.
Until August 2020, she was an Associate Professor (Education) at McGill University.
Naomi is the Principal Investigator for a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada Grant called, Data Justice: Fostering equitable data-led strategies to prevent, reduce and end youth homelessness, and another called, Building from Experience: Youth-led strategies for homelessness prevention and housing stabilization.
She is also a research theme lead (knowledge mobilization) for the SSHRC partnership grant: the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and a research theme lead (prevention) for the Networks of Centres of Excellence: Making the Shift: Youth Homelessness Solutions Impacts Accelerator.
Naomi's research activities and publications span the areas of social inequality; poverty; youth homelessness; youth justice; child welfare; education; “youth at risk;” youth mental health; higher education, research impact and community-academic research collaborations.
Olufunke Oba
Assistant Professor
Toronto Metropolitan University
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Olufunke Oba, BSc, MSc, MSW, PhD, obtained her bachelor's and master’s degrees in sociology from Nigeria, followed by her MSW and PhD degrees in social work from Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU). Funke received the Ontario Graduate Scholar and outstanding dissertation awards, as well as the WLU Teaching Excellence Award.
She founded the Community Academic Reciprocal Engagement (CARE) incubator space for Black youth in 2016.
She is a fellow of the Carnegie Foundation, associate fellow of the Tshepo Institute for the study of contemporary Africa at WLU, and the university of Regina’s Social Policy Research Centre.
Funke's community-based research on child welfare, liberatory youth engagement, field education, domestic violence, and the scholarship of teaching and learning are funded by Social Sciences Humanities and Research Council (SSHRC). Current projects include Investigation of the Schooling Experiences of Black Youth in Saskatoon, a pan-Canadian study on access to post-secondary education among Black youth with refugee backgrounds, a study on the experiences of racialized students in professional helping disciplines, and a SSHRC study through a Partner Engage Grant with Waterloo Region High Schools and WLU. Her CARE project was funded by the Women’s College Hospital and supported by YouthREX. Her scholarship, including those funded by the Ontario government, Saskatchewan Centre for Patient Oriented Research, University of Regina’s Teaching and Learning Scholar fund, and internal grants are framed by anti-Black racism and Afrocentric theories in the pursuit of equitable outcomes for Black youth particularly.
Funke is a reviewer for SSHRC, varied academic journals, and academic publishers, and serves on the board of The Working Center, the African Community Wellness Initiative (ACWI). She is also an elder/adviser with Black Lives Matter Waterloo and other Black-led initiatives in the region. Funke has served on the Kitchener Record Community Editorial Board, Waterloo Region District School Board’s Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group, KW Counselling Services Board, and as president of the African Canadian Association of Waterloo Region.
Internationally, Funke facilitated field instructor training, student seminars, research, and curriculum development during a 90-day fellowship funded by Carnegie Foundation to professionalize social work in Nigeria.
Vivian Oystrick
Assistant Professor
Social Service Work, Cambrian College
PhD Candidate, Laurentian University
Neil Price
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Neil Price is an educator, writer, and editor.
Neil is Executive Director at LogicalOutcomes, a not-for-profit consultancy that works to improve human services and social policy.
His writing has appeared in NOW Magazine, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Hazlitt, Studio Magazine, Canadian Art and The Conversation, among other publications. He was previously Reviews Editor at Humber Literary Review.
Neil’s doctoral research is focused on the experiences of Black people in colleges and universities.
Donna Richards
Faculty, Social Work
Trent University
PhD Social Work Candidate
School of Social Work, York University
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Donna Richards is a faculty in the Social Work department at Trent University. She is also a PhD candidate at the School of Social Work, York University. She received her MSW from the University of Toronto.
Her current research explores the impact of mental health stigma on the service-seeking behaviour of young Black women (18-25 years) living with mental health concerns in Toronto. She also has extensive experience working with youth 16-29 years of age, and youth-related engagement projects within governmental, non-profit, and private practice.
Donna's research interests include youth mental health, racialized women's health, and health equity with a specific focus on the associations between intersectional forms of stigma, access to care, and health outcomes.
Akin Taiwo
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
King's University College
Joey-Lynn Wabie
Assistant Professor
School of Indigenous Relations
Laurentian University
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Joey-Lynn Wabie is an Algonquin Anicinabe ikwe from Wolf Lake First Nation in Quebec. She is an assistant professor in Indigenous Social Work at Laurentian University located on Atikameksheng Anishnawbek territory (Sudbury, Ontario). Joey-Lynn works in communities at the grassroots level focusing on wellness, culture, and bringing people together. Her research interests are Indigenous youth's perspectives on Truth & Reconciliation, spiritual wellness/healing, and land-based teaching/learning.
Joey-Lynn takes the role of sister, auntie, cousin seriously and is dedicated to ensuring her culture and traditions are passed on through storytelling, ceremony, and the occasional latte.
Carol Wade
Sessional Instructor
School of Social Work, York University
School of Social Work, University of Windsor
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Carol Wade has over 20 years of experience in the child welfare sector and in social work education. She is currently a sessional instructor at the Schools of Social Work at the University of Windsor and York University.
Her educational background includes a PhD from the University of Toronto and a Master’s of Social Work and a Bachelor’s of Social Work from York University. Her PhD dissertation focused on understanding the impact of historical trauma on current-day parenting. She draws on this work in using critical theories and pedagogies to deconstruct and challenge oppressive practices to families and young people.
Carol has developed and facilitated workshops and other training opportunities for youth workers across Ontario as part of the Academic Network of YouthREX. Carol has served on a variety of boards and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Durham Family & Cultural Centre.