The BRIDGE Lab: Our Team
Project Lead
Dr. Tin D. Vo (he/they) leads the BRIDGE Lab. Dr. Vo’s interdisciplinary, community-engaged research centres on social climate and exclusion as determinants of health with an emphasis on belonging, resilience/resistance, and overall wellbeing. Using a critical, equity-focused lens, their 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. Their research program spans local, provincial, national, and international levels of engagement. Dr. Vo has worked in the public sector and with nonprofit organizations for more than ten years as a Credentialed Evaluator, program planner, researcher, and private consultant.
View Dr. Tin D. Vo’s Discover Research page.
Research and Project Assistants
Sam Bénard-Barry (they/them) is a 2-Spirit artist, academic, and activist based in N’Swakamok (Sudbury, ON). They are currently completing their Master of Social Work in the francophone program at Laurentian University. They work primarily in student leadership, harm reduction/sexual health education (particularly for 2S-LGBTQIA+ people), arts, and activism. They seek to create spaces that centralize direct action, care and support, with the hopes of collective liberation from oppressive systems.
Jevon Grant (he/him) is an Advanced Standing Master of Social Work student in the FIFSW, University of Toronto in the Social Justice and Diversity field of study. His academic and professional interests lie at the intersection of affordable housing, accessible public transportation, and homelessness. He is committed to policy-focused social work and help design systems that meet unmet health needs for marginalized groups.
Jefferson McHarg (he/they) is in the second year of the 2-year Master of Social Work program at FIFSW, University of Toronto, in the Human Services Management and Leadership field of study. He is particularly interested in approaching queer sexual health from a place of social policy and sexual health education reform. Jefferson hopes to use these avenues to discover and address the underlaying issues in queer spaces that cause many of problems that the BRIDGE Lab hopes to solve.
Chris Wang (he/they) is entering his second year of undergraduate study in the Public Health Program at University College, University of Toronto. He is passionate about youth-led strategies for community health promotion, as well as addressing health inequities through an intersectional lens. Other research interests include sexual health education, epidemiology, queer and transgender studies, and fan studies.
Youth Peer Researchers
Our youth engagement projects have the support of many youth who shape the direction of our work. They provide insight on projects, co-facilitate research activities, and contribute to data interpretation and research reporting. Some of these youth are profiled here.
Skye D. (they/them) is artsy and creative, and has a drive to help people.
Eva H.C. (she/her) is a wannabe musician and former member of the OK2BME Youth Leadership Team. She loves music and everything queer. She wants to help queer youth find their joy and make a difference in her community.
Tor L. (she/they) is a Grade 12 student, and for the past 3 years, she has dedicated herself to the world of activism, advocating for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. She is very passionate about music and helping others in the world.
Kyle N. (he/him) loves to support his community and work on tech in his spare time. He believes that this type of work is important and helpful for our community.