Lead Researchers

Dr. Bree Akesson, Associate Professor

Research Director

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 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

• 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.

Samia El Joueidi

Lebanon Research Liaison

• Master of Public Health
• COVID-19 Research Coordinator, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Alhasnaa Keftaro

Lebanon Field Researcher

• Educational Management and Leadership, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Ila Schoop Rutten

Digital Campaigns Manager

• Master of Human Rights and Humanitarian Action at Sciences Po, Paris

Students

Averi Augier

Undergraduate Research Assistant

• BSW Candidate, Wilfrid Laurier University

Ramy Barhouche

Senior Research Assistant

• PhD Candidate in Community Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Master of Nonprofit Management, MA in Conflict & Dispute Resolution

Christine Khalil

Research Assistant

• MA Community Psychology Candidate, Wilfrid Laurier University

Anahid Shirkhodaee

Senior Research Assistant

• PhD Candidate in Human Geography, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Master of Urban Design, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Paige Slight

Research Assistant

• MSW Candidate, Wilfrid Laurier University

Alumni

Dena Badawi

Research Assistant

• Master of Science in Global Health, McMaster University

Patrick Ciaschi

Senior Research Assistant

• PhD Candidate, Politics, New School for Social Research
• MA International Relations, McMaster University

Kearney Coupland

Senior Research Assistant

• PhD Candidate in Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Guelph

Ali Diebold

Senior Research Assistant

• PhD Candidate in Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University
• MSW, RSW, TITC-CT

Lauren Hawthorne

Research Assistant

• Master of Science in Global Health, MSW, Wilfrid Laurier University

Esther Herschberger

Research Assistant

• MSW Candidate, University of Toronto

Saranki Sivan

Research Assistant

• MSW Candidate, Wilfrid Laurier University