2023 Orientation: Welcoming new students to FIFSW

She has also been involved in organizational change initiatives in the health care sector and has extensive experience developing and delivering professional education in the areas of anti-racism, cultural competence, mental health and addictions. Recent activities include serving on the expert panel for the Mental Health of Black Canadians Initiative at the Public Health Agency of Canada and serving on the Anti-Racism Advisory Panel that developed the Toronto Police Service’s race-based data collection policy.

Cynthia was inducted as a “Honourary Witness” by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2014 and is Chair of the Governing Circle for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba. She is a member and resident of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and has dedicated her life to building bridges of understanding. She sees endless merit in bringing people from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds together to engage in practical dialogue and applied research initiatives.

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.

Her research and clinical interests focus on mindfulness and contemplative practices as informed by Buddhist thought, family therapy, simulation, and the development of competence in both students and clinicians. The latter interest has led to her work with Professor Marion Bogo in developing novel approaches to assessment of student and practitioner competence.

Ellen was a Senior Investigator with the Mind and Life Summer Research Institute, the Dalai Lama’s initiative to bring science and contemplative practice together in developing interventions to ease human suffering and increase knowledge of how mindfulness can be used in that process. She was awarded the Larry Enkin Innovation in Teaching and Simulation Award from the Faculty in 2019.

Coming from a community organizing background, Lin takes pride in advancing social work while doing social work in the community. During the pandemic, Lin conceived and launched the Talk It Out Online Counseling Clinic, where supervised MSW students at FIFSW provide free short-term counseling services and wellbeing workshops to lower-income and Black communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). In its first year, the Clinic provided services to over 150 residents living in the GTA.

Marcie received her Honours Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work from Laurentian University and her Master of Social Work degree in Indigenous Trauma & Resiliency from University of Toronto. Marcie is a Sessional Lecturer at both University of Toronto (MSW-Indigenous Trauma & Resiliency) and Laurentian University (HBSW- Indigenous Social Work).

Marcie has an extensive background in both social work and business. She has a passion for research and collaboration. Marcie is motivated by challenges, creating change and developing new projects & initiatives. She enjoys designing and facilitating workshops that empower organizations, communities and schools to challenge the status quo, find creative and innovative ways to improve or build new systems, and improve outcomes for all stakeholders.

Dr. Quinn’s current research interests focus on Indigenous research methods and ethics protocols including further exploration of culturally engaged caregiving in the child welfare system, Indigenous Alternative Dispute Resolution programs for Indigenous families who have had their children apprehended by the child welfare system, the application of Indigenous historical, contextual and contemporary factors in criminal, family and child welfare law matters, and wholistic approaches and Indigenous perspectives in social work education.

Ashley provides students with wholistic approaches to social work practice utilizing a cultural interface and teaches from a relational perspective, which values authentic and genuine engagement with social work students.

Dr. Shier’s program of research helps to optimize social service delivery and improve social outcomes for vulnerable social groups, enhances the capacity of nonprofit leadership within our community, and supports local social welfare and community economic development.

Specifically, his research focuses on organizational development in human service organizations, with an aim to support outcomes and strategies that lead to 1) social innovation and social entrepreneurship (including development of leadership capacity, organizational, culture, positive partnerships dynamics, and for-profit market-based activities), 2) equity and inclusion, 3) workplace health and safety, and 4) trauma informed organizational environments. His current funded research is aimed at 1) developing socially innovative organizational strategies within the nonprofit and voluntary sector to promote equitable and inclusive human service organizational environments, and 2) understanding the mechanisms that promote social-purpose driven for-profit activities within and among non-profit and for-profit organizations across Canada. Dr. Shier also works extensively with nonprofit human service organizations to develop and implement models of evaluation that support the identification and implementation of social innovation efforts.

Currently, Clara is the Manager of Client and Family-Centred Care and Partnerships at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, leading their award-winning Family Leadership Program and corporate family engagement initiatives. Previously, Clara advanced the Patient and Family-Centred Care strategy and education program at North York General Hospital.

Clara is a registered Social Worker and a Lecturer at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto, teaching in the Human Services Leadership and Management stream. She is committed to creating an inclusive and generative learning environment where critical thinking and appreciative inquiry can flourish among students.

While completing her Master of Social Work at the University of Toronto, Clara was a recipient of the Gordon Cressy Leadership Award for her contributions to improving the social work student experience at the University of Toronto as co-president of her Graduate Students’ Association, and was also the recipient of the Hilary M. Weston Medal for academic excellence at the Faculty of Social Work.

Clara lives in Toronto with her family and Ripley, her English Springer Spaniel puppy. She is an avid vegetable gardener and dedicated reader of cookbooks.

Susan holds an academic appointment at the University of Toronto: Adjunct Professor in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She teaches a course on social work practice in palliative care each fall.

She is also appointed as a Lecturer (status only) is a Quality Co-Lead for the Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family and Community Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine.