About Me

Oh hi! I'm Alison, a third generation settler of primarily Ukrainian, British and Scottish decent. Cis, queer, partnered Mom of two (14 & 8). A little nerdy. Proud Hufflepuff. Overpriced coffee lover. Swiftie. Easily distracted by animals. Chicken enthusiast. I am a Social Worker by trade, but also consultant, trainer, therapist, leader, clinical supervisor, and educator (what can I say... I like to be busy!).

I am a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, and a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers and the Canadian Association of Social Workers. I have over 18 years experience, over 10 of those in social work leadership and clinical supervision in a complex and demanding environment. I have extensive experience in child welfare, intimate partner violence, child abuse/neglect, addictions, mental health, trauma, homelessness, brain injury, those living with HIV/AIDS, and those engaged in sex work.

When I am not being a social worker, I love teaching the next generation of social workers! The opportunity to support the growth and development of the field's newest helping professionals is incredibly exciting and rewarding. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have had to teach at Trent University and Fleming College in addition to facilitating the learning of child welfare professionals across the province of Ontario.

I completed a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology at Brock University in 2005. After learning about the brain and behaviour, I wanted to understand how to apply this knowledge into a helping profession, subsequently pursuing a Social Service Worker diploma at Fleming College which I completed in 2006. After gaining experience in the field, I returned to academia and received my Bachelor of Social Work from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in 2013, and later my Masters of Social Work from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2022. My hunger for learning and continuous growth and development led me to doctoral studies, pursuing a PhD in Interdisciplinary Social Research at Trent University, a journey I started in the Fall 2024.

I am dynamic and engaging, with strong inter-personal and critical thinking skills. I bring a strong foundation in policy, both at the micro (organizational) and macro (structural, social, legislative) level. I pride myself on being a creative mind with a keen interest in best practices through evolving research and being a life-long learner. With this comes a strong focus on personal growth and critical self reflection/reflexivity.

My social work, leadership, and educator values are grounded in what matters most to me - equity, critical thinking, reflection/reflexivity, adaptability, and person/student-centered care and collaboration.