Our People

Kimberly Calderwood

Full Professor

BA (Waterloo), MSW (Wilfrid Laurier), PhD (Toronto), Certificate in Human Resource Management (Trent)

Durham, Rm. 185, 705-748-1011 ext. 5048, kcalderwood@trentu.ca

Scholarly Interests: Linking ways of knowing to knowledge creation; social work education; field education; student recruitment, support, and retention; anti-oppressive micro-level practice; bereavement

David Firang​

Associate Professor

BA (Ghana), MA (Saskatchewan), MSW, PhD (Toronto)

Peterborough, Lady Eaton College, Office S115, 705-748-1011 ext. 7701, davidfirang@trentu.ca

Research Interests: Child welfare policy and practice, immigrant transnationalism, housing and homelessness, social diversity and anti-oppression, Afro-Canadian issues

Laraine Hale

Lecturer - LTA

BSW (UWO), MSW (Wilfrid Laurier), IDSR PhD (student) (Trent)

Peterborough, LEC N125, larainehale@trentu.ca

Research Interests: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) with a focus on etuaptmunk: creating ethical space through de-colonizing curriculums and pedagogy. Indigenous Perspectives; Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI); Intersectionality; Etuaptmumk;

Sasan Issari

Assistant Professor

BSW (University of British Columbia), MSW (Dalhousie), PhD (York University)

Durham, Office TBA, sasanissari@trentu.ca

Research Interests: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI); Critical Clinical Social Work; Immigration, Employment, and Social Policy; Intersectionality; Decolonizing Mental Health; Social Work Education  

Else Marie Knudsen

Associate Professor and Director

BSc (U of T), MSW (U of T), MSc, PhD (London School of Economics)

elsemarieknudsen@trentu.ca 

Research Interests: Criminal justice policy; families of prisoners; critical criminology and punishment & society; sociology of childhood; children’s human rights; social work education; qualitative research methodologies

Read more about Else's research in the Trent Daily News. 

Donna Richards

Lecturer & Associate Chair (BIPOC students)

BA (University of Toronto), BSW-Hons. (Toronto Metropolitan University), MSW (University of Toronto), PhD (ABD- York University)

Durham, PLZ, Rm. 203, donnarichards@trentu.ca

Research Interests: Social justice and equity, mental health: Child, youth and young adults mental health, mental health and stigma, direct practice with diverse communities, social policies and social work practice, ABR, CRT, Discrit, decolonizing research methods

Laura Boyko

Sessional Faculty Member

BSW (York University), BA Sc. (University of Guelph) MSW (York University), M.Ed. (Yorkville University)

Durham, and Peterborough 

lauraboyko@trentu.ca

Research Interests: Women in leadership, high performing teams, equine assisted psychotherapy

Uzma Danish

Sessional Faculty Member

udanish@trentu.ca

Shane Joseph

Sessional Faculty Member

shanejoseph@trentu.ca

Nicola Koyanagi

Sessional Faculty Member

nkoyanagi@trentu.ca

Sandra McNeil-Marshall

Sessional Faculty Member

smcneilmarshall@trentu.ca

Ronda Monahan

Sessional Faculty Member

rondamonahan@trentu.ca

Alison Rodgers

Sessional Faculty Member

BA (Brock University), BSW (Toronto Metropolitan University), MSW (Memorial University)

alisonrodgers@trentu.ca

Scholarly Interests: Child welfare, anti-racism/anti-oppression, trauma and resiliency, engaging children & youth, and Indigenous-settler relations & reconciliation.

Lisa Trefzger Clarke

Sessional Faculty Member

lisatrefzgerclarke@trentu.ca

Carolyn Mallory

Academic Administrative Assistant

Peterborough, Lady Eaton College, Office N124.

705-748-1011 ext. 6397, socialwork@trentu.ca

Kennedie Close

Academic Coordinator

Admissions/ Student Advising/ Community Liaison​

Peterborough: Lady Eaton College, Office N126,

Durham: 850 King St. W, Oshawa. Office PLZ 104.

705-748-1011 ext. 7618, kclose@trentu.ca

Travis Peck

Field Education Coordinator - Peterborough

Peterborough, Lady Eaton College, Office N125 

705-748-1011 ext. 7425, travispeck@trentu.ca

Avery Comeau

Field Education Coordinator - Durham

Durham: 850 King St. W, Oshawa. Office PLZ 104.

705-748-1011, ext. 5163, acomeau@trentu.ca 

Linda Sweeting (on leave)

Academic Coordinator

Admissions/ Student Advising/ Community Liaison​

Peterborough, Lady Eaton College, Office N126,

705-748-1011 ext. 7618, socialwork@trentu.ca