EDI Workshop facilitators

Thanks to U of T funding from the Vice-President and Provost to support Equity Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives, in the Fall of 2023, FIFSW launched a new EDI Workshop, completion of which is a degree requirement for all MSW students. While FIFSW has provided a Diversity & Equity Workshop for a number of years, the new funding allows the Faculty to bring in an impressive list of social work practitioners and researchers to facilitate the workshop, including FIFSW alumni, partners and PhD students who have a wealth of personal and professional knowledge and experience to share.

2025 EDI workshop facilitators

Keith Adamson

Keith Adamson joined the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work as an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in August 2017. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023. Keith holds more than 20 years of progressive senior management experience in clinical, management and professional practice leadership roles, as well as expertise in Clinical Governance at Mackenzie Health, Women’s College Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. His management roles have expanded from providing a professional practice lens for the Social Work profession to being responsible for the professional practice of other health disciplines, as well.

Keith’s professional appointments extend to being the past Chair of the Toronto Health Sciences Academic Network on Inter-professional Collaborative practice, a past Vice-President at the Parkdale Community Health Centre (Toronto), Co-Chair of the Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network’s Health Professionals Advisory Committee, and the President of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (2014-2018). As President of the OASW, he actively led the development of a provincial strategy that focused on: increasing evidence-based research about the contributions of social work to the broader health system; enhancing the public’s understanding of the value of social work through a marketing campaign; augmenting professional development initiatives for social workers, especially in emerging areas of clinical practice, and advocating for the inclusion of social work in the regulation of psychotherapy. Keith currently sits on the executive committee of the Board of the OASW, in the role of Past-President.

Dr. Adamson pursues research that seeks to explore innovative pedagogical approaches to interprofessional education and practice, research that explores new roles for social work within a changing healthcare system, as well as research that explores how compassionate care and empathy can be enhanced in social work education through collaboration with service users, clients and their families.

Jordanne Amos (she/her)

Jordanne Amos is a doctoral student at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Jordanne’s research focuses on exploring the impact of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in the provision of child welfare services for the Black and Inuit population residing in the Canadian Arctic. Jordanne’s doctoral research is rooted in feminist Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Indigenous epistemologies with a specific focus on the transnationalism and migration experience of the Black diaspora to the Canadian Arctic. Jordanne’s research explores how the Black experience is commoditized on majority Indigenous territories and impacts the provision of culturally relevant child welfare services.

Jordanne holds a Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Toronto and a Honours Bachelor of Science (H. BSc) degree in Neuroscience and Mental Health from the University of Toronto. She has had the opportunity to work as a Registered Social Worker for the ICU and Acute Medical Unit for Lakeridge Health Hospital and as a Crisis Intervention Counsellor for Herizon House (a domestic violence shelter for women and children). She also has over four years’ experience working alongside the Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic of Nunavut as a Child Protection Worker, Family Violence Project Officer, Correctional Caseworker, and COVID19 Isolation Hub Project Manager. Her most recent work experience was focused on managing a family wellness and counselling team for a Toronto non-profit whose aim was to provide free counselling services for the Black and racialized community in Toronto.

Jordanne’s areas of research interest are: child welfare, Black transnationalism, Afro-Indigenous epistemology, Afro-Caribbean feminist theories, Indigenous pedagogy, and the Canadian Arctic. Jordanne is currently engaged in academic research with the Youth Wellness Lab’s “Racial Disparities Mapping Project” and the Making Spaces Lab’s “African Caribbean and Black Families Family Group Conferencing Project”. Both research projects focus on supporting Black, Indigenous, and racialized families at risk or involved in the child welfare system.

Kaitrin Doll (they/them)

Kaitrin Doll (they/them) is a fifth-year doctoral candidate with a focused research interest in sexual and gender diverse (SGD) populations. Their work explores the complex relationships between community membership, social support, connectedness, and mental wellness. Kaitrin’s doctoral research delves into the impact of sport participation in affirming environments, with a particular emphasis on roller derby, to understand its role in stress-coping, identity affirmation, community building, joy, and mental wellness for SGD individuals.

With a diverse background in social work practice, Kaitrin brings hands-on experience in inner city social work, community development, social innovation, and 2SLGBTQIA+ health and policy.

They are currently a course instructor in social work and social policy at the University of Toronto, where they are dedicated in advancing social work knowledge, destabilizing the status quo, and actively supporting and uplifting student voices and learning experiences.

Kyle Ganson

Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, RSW, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. His research focuses on eating disorders, muscle dysmorphia, and muscle-building behaviours among adolescents and young adults, particularly boys and young men. Dr. Ganson has authored over 175 peer-reviewed academic papers in leading adolescent health, eating disorder, body image, and substance use journals. His research has been featured in national and international press, including the CBC, CTV News, U.S. News and World Report, Healthline, Fatherly, and Runner’s World, among others. Dr. Ganson teaches clinical social work courses to MSW students. He has over 10 years of direct clinical social work practice experience and currently has a small private practice in Ontario.

Jaemar Ivey (he/him)

Jaemar Ivey is a Ph.D. candidate at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work whose research explores organizational diversity management within Canada’s non-profit sector. His work centres the voices of racial and ethnic minorities often marginalized in mainstream scholarship and seeks to develop a comprehensive framework for equity and inclusion that moves beyond representation toward lasting systemic change.

With over a decade of frontline and leadership experience, Jaemar has worked extensively with Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2S+, newcomer, and low-income communities in Toronto. His professional background spans roles in both academia and public service. He is a Professor in the Faculty of Social and Community Services at Humber Polytechnic and the Manager of Strategic Services Partnerships & Compliance at Toronto Community Housing, the country’s largest social housing provider.

Jaemar’s academic interests include equity, diversity, and inclusion in human service organizations, systemic racism, the workplace experiences of marginalized professionals, and the application of Critical Race Theory and Institutional Theory to organizational change. His research is grounded in a commitment to translating knowledge into practice, offering evidence-based, business-oriented strategies to help organizations embed equity into their operations and cultures.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of the West Indies, Mona; a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Manitoba; and a Master of Social Work with a specialization in Human Services Management and Leadership from the University of Toronto.

Bryn King

Bryn King joined the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work in July 2015 as an Assistant Professor. Bryn is also an Affiliated Researcher at the Children’s Data Network, University of Southern California, and the California Child Welfare Indicators Project, University of California, Berkeley.

Her research examines the epidemiology, service involvement, and outcomes of children and youth who are maltreated and come to the attention of the child protective system in North America. More specifically, she has examined the likelihood, risk factors, and experiences of early childbirth and parenting among adolescents involved with the child protective system; assessed differences in clinical presentation, decision-making, and investigation outcomes across race/ethnicity, gender, and other key demographic and maltreatment characteristics; and measured the specific needs of adolescents investigated for maltreatment concerns.

Bryn has recently founded a research collaborative at the FIFSW called the Youth Wellness Lab, which intends to bring together researchers, practitioners, and youth towards the goal of improving services and outcomes for young people across service sectors. She is currently a PI on two external-funded grants related to this effort.

Her SSHRC Insight Grant (2018-2021) called “Promoting Attachment and Mitigating the Risk of Future Maltreatment among Young Expectant Mothers Involved in the Child Welfare System” examines service needs, trajectories, and experiences of young mothers in the child welfare system.

Carolyn Mak (she/her)

Dr. Carolyn Mak is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She has been a practicing social worker in the Toronto community for over twenty years working with children, youth and their caregivers, with the majority of that time in both public and independent schools. Carolyn is the 2023 recipient of the Ontario Association of Social Workers’ (OASW) School Social Work Achievement Award and the 2024 recipient of the International Coalition of Girls Schools (ICGS) H. William Christ Educator Prize.

Dr. Mak has taught both BSW and MSW students for a number of years at local post-secondary institutions and Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Since 2017, she has been one of the facilitators of an online seminar for doctoral students at Smith College who are completing their comprehensive examinations. Dr. Mak’s publications and presentations include topics such as social-emotional learning in girls schools, teaching and learning about anti-Black racism in social work spaces, and decolonizing social work practice.

Dr. Mak earned her MSW from the University of Toronto, and her doctorate (PhD) at Smith College. She has held positions as a social worker working in family service organizations, as well as a community children’s mental health agency. Carolyn has had past administrative leadership experience as Director, Knowledge Mobilization and Program Development at Kids Help Phone, a national non-profit organization providing counselling to youth, as well as a Director, Well-Being and School Counselling at a local independent girls school. Carolyn very much values the opportunity to be a social work educator at the FIFSW. Her professional interests lie in innovation in teaching methods, and especially to elevate the relationship between clinical direct practice theory and skills and the broader aims of social justice.

Micheal Shier

Dr. Micheal L. Shier is Associate Professor and Associate Dean, Academic at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. He is a Canada Research Chair holder in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship in the Human Services and serves as the coordinator for the Human Services Management and Leadership MSW Field of Study, and the faculty lead and developer of the Certificate in Human Services Management and Leadership (School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto). His research focuses on the broad study of contemporary social welfare systems, with a particular focus on the non-profit human service organization environment (both internally and externally). He has contributed to expanding knowledge on how to support human service organizational environments that promote equity and inclusion, are anti-oppressive and trauma-informed, and that enhance worker/workplace well-being. With an inter-disciplinary focus on social innovation and social entrepreneurship in and by nonprofit organizations, his research and program of study has supported the advancement of social welfare and community economic development, along with enhancing leadership capacity within the field through education, training, consultation, and support.

Tolu Taiwo-Hanna (she/her)

Tolulola Taiwo-Hanna is a registered social worker with clinical experience in gerontology, women’s mental health, and general psychiatry. Tolu is a course instructor, doctoral student and research coordinator at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She is also a research coordinator for the Black Health Equity Lab (BHEL) through the University of Toronto Scarborough.

Tolu’s research interests include social work practice with diverse populations, racism in human service organizations, mental health, racial trauma, organizational development, and social work leadership. She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) Degree from the University of Toronto with a concentration in Human Service Management and Leadership and is also a graduate of the University of Windsor, where she completed an Honours Bachelor of Social Work with a minor in Psychology. Currently, she is the recipient of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarships—Doctoral Program (CGS-D) award.

Shawnette Thompson (she/her)

Shawnette Thompson is the Supervisor of Clinical Affairs at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Social Work’s Talk It Out Clinic, where she supports the clinic’s day-to-day operations and supervises practicum students. With a deep understanding of trauma and complex trauma, Shawnette brings this expertise into all areas of her work, including her private practice and in facilitating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) workshops. Her approach is rooted in creating spaces that are inclusive, affirming, and trauma-informed, ensuring that her work is impactful across diverse settings.

Tin D. Vo

Tin’s interdisciplinary, equity-focused research centres on social climate and exclusion as determinants of health. Using a critical lens, his research evaluates policies and systems for diverse populations, and explores the intersectional lived experiences of historically marginalized communities to enhance their belonging and wellbeing in various contexts, including higher education, leisure spaces, and community settings.

Ruth White

Ruth C. White, PhD MPH MSW RSW is a writer, speaker and consultant in equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. She is currently the EDI Project Advisor at the Rotman School of Management, teaches in the Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work at U of T, and is a part-time therapist in private practice. Dr. White has written for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Tracy Anderson Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, and more. She has also authored several books including, The Stress Management Workbook. Dr White gained tenure in social work at Seattle University, then taught in the virtual MSW program at the University of Southern California for 7 years. She has also taught at UC – Berkeley, San Francisco State, Simmons & Fordham. As a subject matter expert in EDI, Ruth has appeared on the Today Show, BBC World Service, various podcasts, & radio, and was a mental health contributor on KRON4-TV (San Francisco) for 3 years. Dr. White is passionate about wandering the planet and being outdoors – especially with her adult daughter, Maya.

2024 EDI workshop facilitators

Kaitrin Doll

Kaitrin Doll (they/them) is a fifth-year doctoral candidate with a focused research interest in sexual and gender diverse (SGD) populations. Their work explores the complex relationships between community membership, social support, connectedness, and mental wellness. Kaitrin’s doctoral research delves into the impact of sport participation in affirming environments, with a particular emphasis on roller derby, to understand its role in stress-coping, identity affirmation, community building, joy, and mental wellness for SGD individuals.

With a diverse background in social work practice, Kaitrin brings hands-on experience in inner city social work, community development, social innovation, and 2SLGBTQIA+ health and policy. 

Joelleann Forbes

Joelleann (Joelle) Forbes, MSW, RSW is a registered social worker, a psychotherapist, and one of the co-founders and president of Hope Leads Mental Health Care. In addition, Joelle has provided program consultation to community health organizations to support mental health teams’ processes and team-based collaborations. Joelle provides counseling and psychotherapy to adults across the gender spectrum, 18 years and older. Her therapeutic approach highlights the importance of empowerment, healing generational wounds, and nurturing the authentic self. She has experience supporting clients with navigating grief and loss, depression, anxiety, trauma, burnout, self-esteem, life transitions, and various forms of oppression. Throughout her years of practice, she has worked with adults with many different cultural backgrounds and life experiences. Joelle’s practice informs her teaching style and this semester, she looks forward to teaching the following courses during the Fall: The Context of Mental Health & Health Practice (SWK 4412H) and Social Work Practice in Mental Health (SWK 4604H).

Kyle Ganson

Eunjung Lee

Eunjung Lee, PhD, MSW, RSW is a Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, which she joined in 2007. She has over 20 years clinical social work practice in various mental health fields serving marginalized populations with trauma and violence experiences. She has worked as a clinical supervisor, currently keeping a small clinical consultation.

Dr. Lee is a psychotherapy-process researcher focusing on cross-cultural clinical practice in community mental health. Using critical theories in language, discourse and power, her research focuses on everyday interactions in clinical practice and simulation-based learning in social work education. Analyzing social policy and media studies, her research also explores how policy and its underlying politics construct dominant discourses that impact immigrants and refugees in a global neoliberal era, and theorize Canadian multiculturalism and welfare state.

She teaches clinical courses in mental health in the MSW program and social work theory in the doctoral program at FIFSW. She is Factor-Inwentash Chair in Social Work in Mental Health & Health.

Vilmara Lucas

Vilmara Lucas is a registered social worker, mental health practitioner, Ph.D. student, and course instructor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Her research centers on the mental health experiences of Black immigrant professionals in Canada’s post-pandemic job market. She is also the recipient of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship.

Vilmara’s Social Work practice involves research, practice, and advocacy, all aimed at enhancing the well-being and opportunities of Black and immigrant communities. With extensive experience working within Toronto’s diverse communities—spanning government, non-profits, and private practice—she brings a holistic perspective to her work. In her private practice, Innerme Psychotherapy, she specializes in serving Portuguese-speaking immigrants, providing comprehensive support tailored to their unique needs.

Micheal Shier

Dr. Micheal L. Shier is Associate Professor and MSW Program Director at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. He is a Canada Research Chair holder in Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship in the Human Services and serves as the coordinator for the Human Services Management and Leadership MSW Field of Study, and the faculty lead and developer of the Certificate in Human Services Management and Leadership (School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto).  His research focuses on the broad study of contemporary social welfare systems, with a particular focus on the non-profit human service organization environment (both internally and externally). He has contributed to expanding knowledge on how to support human service organizational environments that promote equity and inclusion, are anti-oppressive and trauma-informed, and that enhance worker/workplace well-being. With an inter-disciplinary focus on social innovation and social entrepreneurship in and by nonprofit organizations, his research and program of study has supported the advancement of social welfare and community economic development, along with enhancing leadership capacity within the field through education, training, consultation, and support.

Shawnette Thompson

Tin D. Vo

Keri West

Keri West, MSW, RSW (she/her), is a PhD Candidate at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Her work within the Canadian healthcare system spans policy and practice, in the areas of knowledge mobilization, government relations, and medical social work. Keri’s doctoral research explores the structural relationship between childhood adversity and inflammatory diseases in mid- to late-life. Her pedagogical program of research is focused on neurodiversity and ableism in social work education, with a particular interest in the development of neurodiversity-affirming competency frameworks and evaluation methods, and the intersection of race and neurodiversity in the context of professional identity formation.