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Research Group

Lead Researchers

Dr. Bree Akesson, Associate Professor

Research Director

Bree Akesson Bree is an Associate Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Social Work. Her research program ranges from micro-level understandings of the experiences of children and families to macro-level projects to strengthen social welfare and mental health systems in crisis-affected countries. For more information, visit Bree’s faculty profile.

Karen Frensch, MSc

Research Manager

Karen Frensch Karen is the research manager for the Global Adversity and Wellbeing Research Group. Previously she was the research project manager for the Partnerships for Children and Families Project (2000-2019) in the Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is co-author of the recent book "Necessary but not sufficient: Improving community living for youth after residential mental health programs."

Associates/Affiliates

Nada Alnaji

MD, MPH, PhD Candidate, MSIA Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Research Project: Pregnant in Time of Conflict: Assessing Postpartum Depression Among Refugees in Low Resource Settings

Andrew R. Basso

Andrew Basso

PhD, University of Calgary
SSHRCC Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Transitional Justice and the Department of Political Science at the University of Western Ontario

Cindy Sousa

PhD, MPH, MSW
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA
Dr. Sousa's work focuses on the health implications of violence, particularly related to families; the protective effects of culture, place, and social support; and professional responsibility in the face of collective suffering.