Minaa B. is a licensed social worker, writer, and author of Owning Our Struggles. She is also the founder of Minaa B. Consulting, a mental health consulting practice that helps organizations develop psychological safety and promote mental health inclusivity. Minaa is an expert in her field, serving on the Mental Health Advisory Committee for Wondermind, a mental fitness company co-founded by Selena Gomez. She has been featured in various media outlets, such as Red Table Talk, Peace of Mind With Taraji, BBC, and Essence. Minaa resides in New York City, and you can learn more about her by visiting www.minaab.com.
Shenelle Bernier has been a member of the OASW School Social Work Advisory Group since 2019. She has been a school social worker for over fifteen years and is currently the Acting Mental Health Liaison at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. Shenelle approaches her work from an anti-oppressive and anti-racist framework. She is pursuing a Master’s in Immigration and Settlement Studies, and enjoys reading and crochet as self-care practices.
Jacqueline Davis started working as a school social worker at Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board in September 2001. In 2012, Jacqueline became the Senior Social Worker in the Dufferin-Peel Board. She then went on to work at Halton District School Board as the first black Senior Manager for five years. Jacqueline currently works at Halton Catholic District School Board as one of their lead elementary social workers. Jacqueline is passionate about being a change agent in the lives of each student and family she comes in contact with.
In 2021, Jacqueline was awarded the OASW School Social Work Achievement Award.
Jacqueline has made outstanding contribution and provided extraordinary leadership in the area of school social work in many facets, with a particular focus in race relations, equity and diversity and culture sensitivity.
Tracey Grose holds an MSW degree from the University of Georgia and a certificate in School Social Work from Wayne State University. She has worked in children’s community mental health in Detroit, Michigan and Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. After returning home to Ontario, Tracey obtained a permanent position as the first Black social worker, with the Durham District School Board of Education. Tracey enjoys teaching and mentoring students. She is known as the connector, facilitating connections with community organization such as the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies’ “One Vision, One Voice” study, community representative on the African Canadian adaptation of Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) and she is currently the Chair of the Ontario Association of Social Workers School Social Work Advisory Group. Most recently, Tracey has assumed the role of Culturally Responsive School Mental Health Practices Lead and Implementation Coach with School Mental Health Ontario.
Toni Lauzon is of mixed ancestry, with Mi'kmaw roots from Eskinuopitijk First Nation and Black roots directly tied to freedom fighters who settled in North Buxton, Ontario, where she was raised. She is a Registered Social Worker with an MA in Sociology and MSW from the University of Windsor. Her career work has been in Indigenous community and family support in mainstream child welfare and Indigenous social work in K-12 public education. She recently started with School Mental Health Ontario and has assumed the role of Implementation Coach and Identity-Affirming Mental Health Consultant. She is a social justice advocate, life-long learner, avid reader but most importantly a mother and partner.
Karine Silverwoman is an experienced Social Worker (MSW, RSW), therapist, consultant, educator, and personal trainer. Her work is informed by lived experience of over 20 years of working in the social work field and engagement in social-justice activism. Karine has extensive training in trauma-informed therapeutic approaches, clinical supervision and leadership. She is particularly passionate about working with front line workers, managers, first responders, and community activists to deepen their skills, align with their values and find meaningful strategies to support them in the work that they do.
She has worked in a wide variety of settings and roles including Director of Counselling at Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, street outreach worker, mental health counsellor on an LGBTQ+ health team, youth worker, creative writing facilitator and an owner of a LGBTQ+ trauma informed body positive gym.
Karine is a consultant to a variety of agencies such as Victim Services Toronto, Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood house, COSTI, Crisis and Trauma Resources Institute, Fred Victor, and others. She is known and valued as a consultant who is well-versed in supporting high-risk and complex situations. She is able to identify and address the nuances and subtleties of transference and countertransference and also consider and explore with participants how their own lived experiences and vicarious trauma affect the work. She is also known for supporting practitioners to find innovative and creative strategies and fostering group critical reflection.
As an educator, she has taught at Ryerson University School of Social Work and George Brown College Social Service and Assaulted and Women’s children program. She also offers workshops and educational sessions as a faculty member through the Ontario Social Workers Association and has done presentations for Sick Kids Hospital, Planned Parenthood, Osgoode Law, Sistering and more.
She is a Queer parent, a deep listener and comes from an intersectional feminist, disability affirming, and anti-colonial approach. Karine’s work and life reflect her strong belief that we must approach the world and one another with compassion, care, attention to justice and reflection.
Pujita Verma is an Indo-Canadian poet and illustrator. Her work embraces themes of resilience, connection, culture, and memory, all while “taking care of the audience.” In 2023, she won the League of Canadian Poets’ Broadsheet Contest, a Mississauga Arts Council Award, and was Runner-Up for the Janice Colbert Poetry Award. Pujita was also formerly Mississauga’s Youth Poet Laureate and a Poetry in Voice National Finalist. She works for the humanitarian organization War Child Canada.