Dr. Dianne Fierheller

Position: Assistant Scientist
Degrees: BSW, MSW, PhD, RSW
Keywords: Social justice and health equity; Community-based participatory research; Narrative Inquiry; Child, family and community health; Mothering, caregiver and family experiences
Publications: Social Work and Mothering: Mapping the Intersections of Social Work and Matricentric Feminism; https://familyandchildhealth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/PFSN-Needs-Assessment-Report_FINAL_v2.pdf, A Needs Assessment to Support Collective Action for COVID-19 Pandemic Support and Recovery with Families in the Peel Region; https://familyandchildhealth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Co-Designing-an-Equitable-and-Inclusive-Health-System-in-Peel_FINAL_8_2_2021-1-1.pdf, The Outcomes of Oppressive Systems and a Collective Call to Co-Design an Equitable and Inclusive Health System in Peel; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Dianne+Fierheller, PubMed
Other: Co-Lead, Family and Child Health Initiative; Co-Chair, Peel Anti-Black Racism & Systemic Discrimination Health Care Collective
Categories: Science, Scientific Staff

Dianne is the co-Lead of the Family and Child Health Initiative alongside Dr. Ian Zenlea– a multi-disciplinary focused research group supporting various community-focused projects.

Dianne has worked for many years with children, youth and families as an anti-oppressive paediatric healthcare Social Worker at SickKids Hospital and THP. Dianne recently completed her PhD in Social Work at McMaster University and has a passion for social justice and health equity, continuously advocating for the voices, knowledge, and experiences of service users to be central in the design and evaluation of healthcare systems and services. Dianne works closely alongside community leaders in the Peel region on various community response tables and serves as the Co-Chair of the Anti-Black Racism & Systemic Discrimination Health Care Collective. Dianne grew up in Mississauga and mothering experiences are central to her ways of knowing and thinking about child, family, and community health.

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