| Nadia Bello Nadia Bello has been a community and peer-based educator in the city for Toronto for over ten years. She has trained youth and service providers across the province on anti-violence, equity, and diversity issues. Nadia currently works for Planned Parenthood of Toronto. |
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| Ian Boulton Dr. Boulton is a survivor of Anorexia Nervosa, and since his recovery has worked as an advocate and educator within the body-image / mental health fields. For these, and associated activities, Dr Boulton received the 2002 "Courage to Come Back" award from Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. |
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| Julie Charlebois Julie Charlebois, MHSc, RD, is a nutrition promotion consultant with Toronto Public Health. She is a registered dietitian and obtained her Master of Health Science in Community Nutrition at the University of Toronto. Currently, Julie's work focuses on chronic disease prevention. |
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| Mary Jane De Souza Dr. De Souza is currently an Associate Professor in the Graduate Department of Exercise Sciences at the University of Toronto and is the Director of the Centre for Girls’ and Women’s Health and Physical Activity at the University. She earned a B.S. degree in 1980 and a M.S. degree in exercise physiology in 1984 from Springfield College, and a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 1988. Thereafter, she completed postdoctoral work in Reproductive Physiology at the University of Connecticut Health Centre. Dr. De Souza’s research in the Women’s Exercise and Bone Health Laboratory at the University of Toronto has focused on the physiological basis of how exercise modulates reproductive function and bone health through alterations in energy balance. Dr De Souza has also considerable expertise in the characterization of menstrual cycles. Currently, Dr. De Souza is working on a large randomized clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of a 12-month re-feeding regime to reverse energy deficiency, resume menstrual function and improve bone health in physically active women with menstrual disturbances. |
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| Lise Denis Lise Denis has been project coordinator of the Social Inclusion Initiative for the Social Planning Council of Sudbury since its inception in 2003. Since that time, she has met over 800 young people 8 to 18 years of wisdom, asking them who they are, if/how they feel they belong, where/how they are challenged, where/how they feel successful. Building on that input, she is currently coordinating the implementation of a school-based program to strengthen self-esteem and peer-esteem. |
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| Kristine Drakich Entering her 15th year as full-time head coach of the women’s volleyball program at U of T, Kristine Drakich has developed the team to its highest level of competition both on and off the court. Since 1989, the Varsity Blues have consistently finished in the top three places in the province and ranked in the top ten nationally. Kristine was awarded the OUA Coach of the Year award in 1990, ‘92, ‘94, ‘97 and 2001 as well as being named the Canadian High Performance 3M Coach of the Year in 1998. Kristine has been Provincial Team coach for both indoor and beach volleyball and was a Canada Games head coach in 1993 and 2001. She was the 2000 recipient of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport (CAAWS) “Breakthrough Award - Individual Category”, for her leadership in the area of women and sport and, in 2001, was an assistant coach with the Junior National Team. Kristine is also an active volunteer in the sport. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) and is the president of Region Five of the OVA. |
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| Lorayne Dunlop-Robertson Dr. Lorayne Dunlop-Robertson is a former school superintendent for the Thames Valley District School Board. Her doctoral thesis focused on equity and school administration. She is currently co-ordinating Masters and Doctor of Education programs at OISE/UT in Educational Leadership. Lorayne has worked collaboratively for many years with the Elementary Teachers' Federation providing research support and leadership training. Her current research interest is Body Image. |
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| Jill Fraleigh Jill graduated from University of Toronto with degree in Nutrition in 1987 and graduated from a Clinical Internship in Dietetics at Toronto Western Hospital in 1988. In 1998, she obtained a Masters of Education in Applied Psychology/Child Development from UofT. Jill has worked at Southlake Regional Health Centre for eighteen years as an inpatient and outpatient dietitian doing nutrition assessments, education, and support for most hospital services. She has been working in the Adolescent Eating Disorders Program at SRHC since its inception in 1996. Jill was a member of the team who conceptualized and developed the current Eating Disorder program and has consulted to other programs in Ontario and Canada. Her responsibilities include nutrition education and therapy, assessments, and group work (including body image and multifamily groups) for inpatients and outpatients. Jill also developed a nutrition curriculum for grade nine and ten nutrition courses that is used in the Section 20 classroom at Southlake and participated in the development of a Psychoeducation Program for Teens and their families that is being used by eating disorder programs across Canada. Jill coordinates two networks for dietitians working in eating disorders and has also been invited to speak numerous times in the community, and at provincial and national conferences. |
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| Sandra Friedman Sandra Friedman, MA, is an educator, author, consultant and counsellor in eating disorder treatment and prevention, in the role of gender when working with girls, and in the promotion of Health at Every Size. Her publications are in use across Canada and the U.S. You can learn more about her on www.salal.com |
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| Glenn Gaesser Glenn Gaesser is a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Virginia. He is the author of Big Fat Lies: The Truth About Your Weight and Your Health (Gurze, 2002). In 1999 he received a public service award from the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders for his “dedication to and promotion of health and rationality concerning body weight and fitness.” |
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| Carl Georgevski Carl is a three-time Olympic jumps coach, representing Canada at the Seoul, Atlanta and Sydney games. He was also named as head coach to the World University Games team in 1999. Carl is a graduate of the Physical Education and Health program at the University of Toronto, where he was a very successful athlete. He has worked with numerous outstanding varsity and Olympic high jumpers. For many years, Carl was the Athletics Canada National Coordinator for all Jumps programs. In addition, Carl runs the Junior Development program in track and field at the University of Toronto. |
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| Girls Unlimited Girls Unlimited is a partnership that promotes and supports physical activity, leadership and life skills among adolescent girls. Our vision is that girls will have equal access and opportunity to participate in physical activities that are unique and responsive to their interests and needs, regardless of socio-economic status and/or geographic location within the City of Toronto. |
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| Juniper Glass |
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| Shari Graydon Author and long-time president of MediaWatch, Shari Graydon has written two award-winning media literacy books for young people: Made You Look and In Your Face:The Culture of Beauty and You. Her communications career has included stints as a newspaper columnist, TV producer, university instructor and political press secretary. She currently leads the Women’s Future Fund. |
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| Kate Hays Dr. Kate Hays, C. Psych, offers clinical, sport, and performance psychology through her consulting practice, The Performing Edge, in Toronto. She has taught and lectured widely throughout North America, having developed a specialized practice in Toronto following a twenty-five year career in psychology in the United States. Her areas of research interest involve sport psychology applications with athletes, performing artists, and businesspeople and the mental benefits of physical activity. Dr. Hays is the author of numerous articles and chapters, as well as four books on the intersections of psychology, sport psychology, exercise, and psychotherapy, including Move Your Body, Tone Your Mood and Working It Out: Using Exercise in Psychotherapy. She is past-president of the Division of Exercise & Sport Psychology of the American Psychological Association (APA) and currently serves as Ontario Representative to APA's legislative body. |
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| Josee Jarry Dr. Jarry obtained her Clinical Psychology Master’s degree from the University of Montréal in 1986 and since then has had a private practice in clinical psychology. She obtained her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychopathology at the University of Toronto in 1995. After graduating, she held a two-year Post Doctoral Fellowship at the Toronto General Hospital Eating Disorder Centre, where she did clinical work and conducted research on eating disorders and obsessive compulsive disorders. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Windsor where she teaches psychodynamic psychotherapy at the graduate level as well as undergraduate courses in clinical and abnormal psychology. She also is the head of the Eating Disorders and Anxiety Research Group. Her main research interests are body image and self-esteem and the factors affecting eating behaviour in dieters and non-dieters. |
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| Karin Jasper Karin Jasper, Ph.D., M.Ed. is a Clinical Specialist with the Day Program for Eating Disorders at the Hospital for Sick Children. She teaches a course on feminist issues in counselling and psychotherapy at O.I.S.E./UT and is co-editor with Catrina Brown of Consuming Passions: Feminist Approaches to Weight Preoccupation and Eating Disorders. Recently, Karin co-authored, with Pier Bryden, of a body image manual for therapists working with teens with eating disorders. She is also currently working on: multi-family group therapy, critiquing the increasing emphasis on genes as causal factors in the development of eating disorders, and negotiating the tensions between teens’ developing autonomy and the oppressive “authority” of eating disorders in their lives. |
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| Jay Johnson Jay holds a doctoral degree in education, sociology and equity studies, and is currently part of the University of Windsor’s Department of Human Kinetics. In his dissertation and other work, he has focused on issues regarding initiation and hazing practices in varsity sport; presently he is doing post-doctoral research examining the impact of bullying and harassment on parents in the sport environment. In addition to coaching a variety of sports and instructing high school and university students, Jay is also currently a competitive triathlon athlete, and was formerly a competitive wrestler, hockey player and baseball player. As such, his personal and professional experiences will be reflected in relation to the intersection of body image issues for individual athletes and within the sport culture. |
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| Joe Kelly Journalist, activist and father, Joe Kelly co-founded Dads & Daughters® (DADs), the first national advocacy nonprofit for fathers, stepfathers and daughters. DADs works to make the world safer and fairer for our daughters. DADs publishes the award-winning newsletter Daughters® and runs “See Jane,” a program founded by Oscar® winner Geena Davis to dramatically increase the percentage of female characters -- and to reduce gender stereotyping -- in media made for children 11 and under. Kelly’s leadership on girls’ issues, fathering, and media activism puts him in wide contact with families, teachers and other professionals who work with children. He speaks and teaches frequently on fathering, media and marketing’s impact on children, and successful strategies for raising girls and boys. Kelly has spoken before the National Association of Independent Schools, National Association of Science and Technology Centers, American Association of University Women, National Eating Disorders Association, and dozens of other conferences. He also has testified before the Congressional Children’s Caucus, President Bush’s blue ribbon Title IX commission, and the Food and Drug Administration. Joe Kelly is author of: Dads and Daughters: How to Inspire, Understand and Support Your Daughter (Broadway/Random House. 2003). The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Being an Expectant Father (Alpha, 2004) The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Being a New Dad (Alpha, 2004) The Body Myth: Adult Women and the Pressure to Be Perfect with Dr. Margo Maine (John Wiley & Sons, 2005) Clean: A New Generation in Recovery Speaks Out with Chris Beckman (Hazelden, 2005) The Dads & Daughters Playbook: 50 Fun Activities for Girls and Their Dads (Broadway/Random House, May 2007) |
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| Gretchen Kerr Dr. Gretchen is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean at the Faculty of Physical Education and Health, University of Toronto. Her research addresses the psychosocial health of girls and young women in elite sport, and the promotion of an athlete-centered approach to sport delivery. Recent publications include “The effects of athlete retirement on parents” and “Disordered eating patterns in elite, female gymnasts.” Dr. Kerr transfers this research knowledge to the field in her roles as a sport psychology consultant and chair of the Ethics Committee for Gymnastics Ontario |
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| Linda Kiefer Linda Kiefer was the first woman appointed by Swim Canada as a head coach for a major international games team (1999 FISU Games). She has also been coach for Canada’s 2003 World Championship team, 2002 Commonwealth Games team, and 2002 Pan Pacific team. She was awarded Swim Ontario coach of the year for 1998, CIAU (CIS) coach of the year in 1992, and Swim Canada Coach-of-the-Year for open-water / long distance swimming in1996, 1997 and 2001. Along with her expertise in “pool” swimming, Linda has become one of the leading authorities in open water swimming. Her swimmers have won numerous national titles over the 10, 15 and 25 km. This is Linda’s 15th year at U of T. She is an alumna of the university, having earned an undergraduate degree and a teachers certificate at Toronto. |
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| Donna Krasnow Donna Krasnow is a Professor in the Department of Dance at York University and heads the modern division at the Canadian Children's Dance Theatre. She is on the Board of Directors for the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. She specializes in dance science research, concentrating on dance kinesiology, injury prevention, conditioning for dancers, and motor learning and motor control, with a special emphasis on the young dancer. |
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| Alana Lowe Alana Lowe, 21, is the coordinator of ReAct. She began as a facilitator in 2003 and has facilitated over 50 workshops and presentations for youth and service providers. When not advocating for women's empowerment and youth rights, she co-hosts a weekly news show from a feminist perspective on CKLN 88.1 FM. |
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| Margaret MacNeill Margaret MacNeill is an Associate Professor of Physical and Health Education at the University of Toronto, where she is cross appointed between the Graduate Departments of Exercise Sciences, FPE&H, and Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine. Her research interests include health and media literacy, gender and health communication, cultural studies of fitness and sport media, and youth and physical activity. She is a former Editor-AL for Shape Magazine and past Director of the Centre for Girls' and Women's Health and Physical Activity. Currently she is involved in three international studies including: Youth Constructions of Health and Fitness (Australia, Canada, New Zealand); Olympic Productions of Gender (28 Nations); and Media and Health Scares (Australia and Canada). |
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| Lynda Mainwaring Lynda Mainwaring, M.H.K., Ph.D., C. Psych, is a Registered Psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. She teaches, practices and conducts research in the areas of sport, health, and rehabilitation psychology. Dr. Mainwaring has published and presented papers internationally on the psychological consequences of physical injuries in sport and dance. She is a member of the Ontario Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Academy for Neuropsychology and a member of the research committee for the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. |
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| Chantale McNairn, Girls' Club Coordinator chantale@powercampnational.ca Chantale joined the PCN team as a volunteer for Girls Club from 2004-2005. She loved POWER Camp National so much that she is now a Girls' Club Coordinator. Her job entails chillin with young girls and doing fascinating workshops. How amazing is that!!! When Chantale is not working on Girls' Club, she attends Concordia University in the Family Life Education program. |
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| Leila Monib Bio to come |
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| Jan Moxey Jan Moxey, is an executive staff officer in professional services at the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario. As an elementary educator she has had many roles in education including: elementary and secondary teacher, resource teacher, curriculum consultant, instructional consultant and additional qualifications course teacher for Brock and York University. As a member of the ETFO provincial office staff, she works with others to research, write and develop teacher resources and provide training and services to members at conferences and through federation projects and events.Part of her responsibility for the past three years has been the development and management of the ETFO Body Image Project. This has involved curriculum writing, teacher training and ongoing development with community partners to adapt resources and training using current research in the field. |
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| Ted Norman Ted Norman is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto in the Graduate Department of Exercise Sciences. Using a qualitative methodology, Ted is exploring the intersections of masculinity and fatness in young men (13-15 yrs). More specifically, he is interested in how broader bio-medical and popular cultural knowledges are taken up and deployed in the construction of a healthy sense of self. |
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| Nelson Parker Nelson Parker, M.S.W., is a gay man who is a counsellor at the David Kelley Services of Family Service Association. Nelson works in both the LGBT and the HIV/AIDS Counselling Programs providing individual, couple, family and group counselling to members of the LGBT communities and people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. |
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| Anna Penner Anna Penner has been involved in peer-based anti-homophobia education for over five years in Toronto and in Winnipeg. She currently works for Planned Parenthood of Toronto. |
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| LeAnne Petherick LeAnne Petherick is a PhD candidate in the Department of Exercise Sciences at the University of Toronto. Her interests are in physical and health education, health promotion, curriculum policy, gender studies, and women and sport. She has worked with the Ontario Physical Education and Health Association and has served as a graduate student representative on the Advisory Committee for the Centre for Girls' and Women's Health and Physical Activity at the University of Toronto. |
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| Carla Rice Carla Rice is Assistant Professor in Women’s Studies at Trent University where she lectures in culture, health, and psychology. A leader in the field of body image in Canada, she is a founder and former director of innovative initiatives, including the National Eating Disorder Information Centre, Eating Disorder Awareness Week and the Body Image Project at Women’s College Hospital. She also works as a clinical consultant, providing government, industry, and community organizations with supervision and training opportunities in body image issues. Her current research combines qualitative with creative, arts-based modalities to explore representations and narratives of body and identity across the life-span. |
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| Sari Simkins Sari Simkins , MPH, RD, is a Manager in Healthy Living, Chronic Disease Prevention with Toronto Public Health. She is a registered dietitian and obtained her Master of Public Health at the University of Michigan. Among Sari's current responsibilities is the management of Toronto Public Health's Healthy Weights strategy. |
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| Tomee Sojourner Tomee Sojourner is a Black-Canadian lesbian feminist academic, an educator, and a woman of colour learning to overcome a negative body image. Ms. Sojourner has an MA in Social Justice and Equity Studies from Brock University, and a BA Honours in Directed Interdisciplinary Studies, specializing in Discrimination and Resistance in Canadian Society, from Carleton University. Her areas of interest include women of colour and body- image, and barriers to adequate nutritional/health services and resources for marginalized women. |
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| Ashley Stirling Ashley is currently a Ph.D. student in Exercise Sciences at the University of Toronto. Her research addresses elite athletes’ experiences of emotional abuse, a neglected area in sport literature and coaching education. Her Masters thesis research found that the culture of elite sport contributes to the power imbalance between coaches and athletes, thus leaving athletes vulnerable to the experience of emotional abuse. Ashley has presented at numerous international conferences and is developing a strong publication record |
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| Dianne Thompson Dianne Thomson is a doctoral student in Educational Administration at OISE/UT. As a former secondary school principal, Dianne has had a longstanding commitment to at-risk student populations. Her current area of research is Body Image and how emergent themes in the literature intersect with current assumptions of Physical Education and Health curricula. |
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| Evelyn Vaccari Evelyn Vaccari, MHSc, RD, is a nutrition promotion consultant with Toronto Public Health. She is a registered dietitian and obtained her Master of Health Science in Community Nutrition at the University of Toronto. Currently, Evelyn's work focuses on nutrition promotion for children from birth to six years of age. |
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| Nancy Williams Bio to come |
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