Dr. Carrie Anne Marshall is an Associate Professor and Director of the Social Justice in Mental Health Research Lab in the School of Occupational Therapy at Western University. She holds a 5-year Advancing Research Chair in Homelessness Prevention and Mental Health Equity at Western University. Her research focuses on intersections between poverty and mental health, with a particular focus on homelessness among persons living with mental illness including substance use disorders. 

Having worked as a nurse with people experiencing homelessness, Dr. Oudshoorn’s research focuses on health equity through housing stability. 

Dr. Kerman is a Psychologist, and researcher affiliated with University Health Network and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. His research focuses on homelessness and housing interventions, the social determinants of mental health, community-based service safety and risk management, and healthcare experiences by marginalized and underserved groups.

Dr. Dej is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University. She has been studying homelessness for the past 15 years, guided by the lived experts she works with. Erin's research focuses on the social exclusion of unhoused people, including the criminalization of homelessness. She is the author of A Complex Exile: Homelessness and Social Exclusion in Canada (UBC Press). More recently, Erin has conducted research on NIMBYism in mid-size Canadian cities. She is the co-lead on the documentary, Bridging Divides: Voices & Visions about Homelessness in Mid-Size Cities.

Dr. Rebecca Gewurtz is an Occupational Therapist and Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. Her research is focused on work disability policy, income insecurity and poverty, and employment among people living with disabilities. As part of her program of research, she conducts studies about accessibility and inclusiveness in different types of workplaces, housing and homelessness, and income replacement benefits.

Dr. Barbic is an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia and Canada Research Chair in Integrated Youth Services. Her research focuses on learning health systems, equity, and mental health across the lifespan, with particular attention to early intervention and prevention strategies that promote health and wellbeing for individuals experiencing mental illness and substance use disorders. 

Dr. C. Nadine Wathen, PhD, FCAHS is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Mobilizing Knowledge on Gender-Based Violence in the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at Western University, and Academic Director of Western’s Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion. 

Nadine’s research examines the health and social service sector response to gender-based violence, interventions to reduce health inequities, and the science of knowledge mobilization.

Dr. Cheryl Forchuk is a Distinguished University Professor at the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing (Western University) with a cross appointment to the Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. She is a Scientist with Lawson Research Institute, the research arm of St. Joseph’s Health Care – London, Ontario, Canada. Her work consistently uses Participatory Action Research approaches to identify problems and then co-develop and test solutions. She has published on many topics including transitional discharge, therapeutic relationships, technology in mental health care, harm reduction, poverty, housing and homelessness.

Victoria Smye, RN, PhD, FCAN is a full professor and director of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at Western University (2017-present). Victoria’s research is located at the intersections of mental wellness and health equity with a primary focus in the domains of Indigenous health and women and violence. Through community-based, partnership research, Victoria has contributed to the uptake of equity-oriented approaches in nursing and health care that include a focus on the concepts of cultural safety, trauma- and violence-informed care, harm reduction/substance use health, and intersectionality.

Mr. Todd is an advocate, public speaker and writer who is a survivor of homelessness -  a person with lived experience working for a better tomorrow so that others don't have to go through the same trials and tribulations that he did. 

Sarah is the Program Director for The Salvation Army London Centre of Hope and a Professor at Fanshawe College in the Lawrence Kinlin School of Business.  Sarah graduated from King’s University College at Western University with a degree in Psychology and Philosophy in 2007. Sarah has spent the last 16 years working within the Homelessness Sector in multiple positions and is a member of the Steering Committee for the London Homeless Coalition. Through her involvement with many research projects Sarah continues to work towards a better understanding and ways that systems can be improved to ensure that we can see change in our communities so that everyone has a safe space to call home.  

Kate Burns Gallagher is the Executive Director of the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, where she leads regional advocacy and strategic initiatives on infrastructure, housing, workforce, economic development and mental health supports across 15 counties in Southwestern Ontario. She previously spent over a decade with the County of Elgin in roles spanning economic development, tourism, and administration, where she launched award-winning community improvement and culinary tourism programs. Kate holds a BA in Communications and Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University and a postgraduate certificate in Corporate Communications and Public Relations from Fanshawe College. She is also an active community volunteer, serving as Board Chair of the Elgin Business Resource Centre and a long-time host with Rogers TV.

Tom Regehr is an adjunct professor in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. His contributions focus on understanding and sharing the experience of trauma, addiction and homelessness by interacting directly with the people living with, or in early recovery related to these issues. Tom collaborates with people with lived experience in all of his work which includes workshops and lectures. His work is informed by his own experience with trauma, addiction and homelessness.