Meet the Team.

Anti-Racism Educators

Jodie Glean-Mitchell, M.A., PhD Student

Meet Jodie

Jodie Glean-Mitchell is an award winning anti-racism educator who has dedicated her career to developing programming in the field of anti-racism, equity and inclusion. In 2011, Jodie attained her Masters of Arts in Educational Studies from Concordia University. Her graduate thesis is entitled, ‘Where is my History?’ – An Examination of the Representation of African-Canadians in the Montreal high school history textbooks, Panoramas volumes 1 & 2. Presently, Jodie is completing her PhD degree in Education at York University focusing on the relationship of institutionalized equity, diversity and inclusion programming and anti-racism principles.

Jodie brings more than ten years of experience in the field of equity and inclusion and advancing education on anti-racism within organizations. Jodie established REACT – Race Equity Advisory Consulting & Training Inc. In September 2016. In 2017 and 2020, Jodie was the recipient of the Leadership in Learning Award from Canadian Association for the Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment in Higher Education and the Harry Jerome Diversity Award from the Black Business Professional Association respectively. Currently, Jodie holds the position of Director of the Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office at the University of Toronto.

Jodie Glean, recipient of the Harry Jerome Diversity Award.

Speaking Engagements

Jodie Glean – Mitchell continues to captivate audiences through community dialogue on topics of racial equity, diversity and inclusion.

Jodie delivers keynote presentation at Black History Month Event at the University of Toronto Mississauga

Developing resiliency through adversity

Keynote presenter at University of Toronto Communications Field Day Conference

2019 Conference

Jodie Glean’s REACT (Race Equity Advisory Consulting and Training) delivered anti-racism training sessions to GroupM and it’s sister agencies and it was phenomenal. Her level of engagement and the employees’ involvement was superb, especially delivering in a virtual environment. Jodie taught us that as People Leaders and HR staff collectively we can impact anti-black racism by looking at our practices, conversations and our overall decision-making in all facets. She amazed me and I was in awe of her facilitation, everyone needs Jodie Glean to pillar anti-racism, wherever you are in journey as an organization or individual.

Judy McLean, Sr Recruiter

GroupM

MEET THE REACT TEAM

(EdD Candidate), M.A., ADR

Nancy Simms

Education is the bridge to equity. This belief guides Nancy Simms and her work in the areas of anti-violence, antidiscrimination, literacy, human resources, and human rights. As the Director for Human Rights, Equity & Diversity at Humber College, Nancy’s principal task is to weave human rights and equity into the fabric of the college community at the individual and organizational levels. Having led Humber in identifying equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as strategic priorities, Nancy leads the President’s EDI Taskforce in developing and implementing an EDI Strategic Plan for the College. Nancy’s expertise includes conducting employment systems review and policy development utilizing a participatory policy making process. Nancy is also an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, where she teaches Critical Race Theory to first and upper year law students. Additionally, she provides training to human rights lawyers on centering race in human rights related investigations. Nancy is currently completing her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Nancy is a recipient of several awards including the 100 Black Canadian Women Award, 2016, the CAPDHHE Distinguished Administrator Award 2017, The Black Action Defence Committee Award, 2017; and Humber College’s Administrative Distinguished Service Award 2017 and the Unsung Heroes Award: Scholar’s Choice 2018. Born in Jamaica to a Guatemalan-Mayan mother and African-Jamaican father, Nancy is the proud mother of Dr. Christopher McLeish.

Dr. Janelle Joseph is an Assistant Professor of Critical Studies of Race & Indigeneity in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto. She researches and teaches in the areas of gender, race, multi-culturalism, sports, and leisure. She has a BSC in Kinesiology from Western University, and a MSc and PhD in Physical Cultural Studies from University of Toronto. She completed two post-doctoral research fellowships, including one at the University of Otago in New Zealand and a Banting SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Along with numerous articles, she also co-edited Race and Sport in Canada: Intersecting Inequalities (2012) with Simon Darnell and Yuka Nakamura. Her book Sport in the Black Atlantic: Cricket, Canada and the Caribbean Diaspora was released in January 2017.

PhD. (she/her)

Dr. Janelle Joseph

Martina Douglas

Martina Douglas is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) educator, trainer, facilitator and consultant. She currently works for World Vision Canada (WVC) in the inaugural role of DEI Specialist, the first role of its kind for WVC and previously worked for the University of Toronto’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office at their Mississauga campus. She has a Master of Professional Education in the field of Equity, Diversity & Social Justice from Western University where her capstone focused on the experiences of racialized women in the workplace, specifically in higher education, and an undergraduate honours degree from York University in Sociology. Martina is extremely passionate about the field of DEI, specifically concerning the themes of race, gender and culture. Martina has over several years of experience working in the field of antiracism, anti-oppression and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Equity, Diversity and Racism Blog