Carolyn Mak

Dr. Carolyn Mak (she/her) 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.