Meet the team the put together Fathers in Focus! Throughout the your participation in this project, you will be interacting with the members of the team. If you wish to reach out to a coordinator or a researcher, please use this form.
Researchers
Rita Dhungel
Reseracher
Rita with Nepali heritage is an assistant professor with the School of Social Work at MacEwan University. Rita meaningfully engages with communities in uncovering socio-political contexts and its impacts on their lives through community -based studies teaching and practices. By using photovoice as a transformative tool, Rita has made significant contributions to promote personal and social transformation both in local and international contexts.
Dr. Aamir Jamal, PhD
Researcher
Aamir is an Associate Professor of International Social Development and Social Policy and Director of Global Engagement and International Partnerships at the University of Calgary. He is a leader in the spheres of gender justice, prevention of domestic violence, girls’ education and women’s rights in the global south. He is most recognized for his book “The Gatekeepers: Engaging Pashtun men for gender justice and girl’s education in Pakistan”. Dr. Jamal has created a strong foundation of a new dialogue on “Men as Allies in Gender Justice” in the Pashtun region of Pakistan and has made significant contributions in shifting local attitudes and cultural perspectives in addressing gender-based violence. Dr. Jamal is one of the main researchers of this study.
Liza Lorenzetti
Researcher
Liza is a community activist and an educator/researcher with the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary in in Mokhinistsis (Calgary). She has been involved in social justice human rights movements for over three decades.
Research Coordinating Team
Nellie Alcaraz
Lead Research Coordinator
Nellie came to Canada as a live-in caregiver under the federal TFW program. She is an appointed member of the Anti-racism Action Committe by the City of Calgary. She was awarded the Clarice Chodak Social Action and Justice Award by the University of Calgary (2019) and the ACSW’s John Hutton Memorial Award (2021). As an active organizer with Migrante Alberta and Alberta Assembly of Social Workers, Nellie is a staunch migrant’s rights and women’s rights advocate. Nellie is the coordinator of this study. Nellie monitors and coordinates all activities related to this study including the recruitment and meaningful engagement of the participants.
Nwel Saturay
Photovoice & Lead Artist
Nwel is a photographer and a migrant’s rights activist from the Philippines. He uses photography as an active tool for community organizing. As lead artist for Fathers in Focus, Nwel will be creating tools (like this website!) and providing collective or individual guidance on effective storytelling through images.
Claudia Ewing-Maine
Practicum Student
Claudia a white settler on Treaty 7 land and she calls Mohkinstsis (Calgary) her home. She is a 4th year Social Work Student at the University of Calgary completing her final practicum with Migrante Alberta. She is passionate about and excited for the community engagement and storytelling through art that the Fathers in Focus project is all about. She will be looking forward to hearing all the unique experiences of fatherhood that come out of this study and will be here for any assistance participants may need along the way.
Badrinath Karki
Practicum Student
Badri Karki (he/ him) came from Nepal to Canada in 2013. He is a father of two beautiful daughters and has a lot of insightful stories to offer regarding Canadian and Nepalese cultures. Badri is a Registered Social Worker and a community activist. He is currently doing his practicum placement with Migrante Alberta as part of his requirements towards an MSW degree with Wilfried Laurier University (Ontario). Badri will be primarily involved in assisting the research team in data collection.
Community Partners
The University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work
The University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work is the largest faculty of social work in Canada, consistently ranked among the top 15 schools in research across North America. The Faculty of Social Work is involved in the training of future social workers as well as active participation in programs that helps individuals, families, groups, and communities to improve their individual and collective well-being; much like this one.
Alberta Men’s Network
The Alberta Men’s Network (AMN) was formed out of the collaborative, community-based research of the Alberta Men’s Survey (AMS). The AMS was created by over 70 men and women and over 18 organizations committed to enhancing men’s roles in violence prevention. AMN has produced numerous research briefs and actionable toolkits to help support service providers looking to organize and engage men for personal and social change regarding these focus areas. The Father’s in Focus Research project is another opportunity for the Alberta Men’s Network to provide positive change among men and the people in their community.
Alberta Network of Immigrant Women
Since 1986 the Alberta Network of Immigrant Women has connected and empowered immigrant women across the province, leading and supporting initiatives that foster equality, justice, and learning. The Network has shared its innovative research on issues that impact the integration of immigrant women and their families within our society, and has worked effectively with other partners and stakeholders to bring our recommendations to reality. The ANIW values collaborative partnerships like the Fathers in Focus project because fostering equality and justice for immigrant women requires an inclusive community effort and it is a shared responsibility.
We and the World Centre
We and the World Centre, a non-profit organization, runs programs and services for families including seniors, adults, youth, and children through various initiatives in individual and community levels. It explores and promotes both inherent and emerging realms of intercultural learning, heritage education, and everyday wellness. Along with the practice of yoga and meditation for inner well-being, the Centre works on literary work, art, and music.
Islamic Centre of North America (ICNA)
Established on September 1, 1968, ICNA’s aim is to adhere to Islamic values amongst a religious diverse community. Similar to the goal of the Fathers in Focus project, which is to strengthen healthy masculinities and family relationships, one of ICNA’s goals is to oppose immorality and oppression in all forms and support efforts for socio-economic justice and civil liberties in the society.
MacEwan University
The MacEwan University was established in 2009 as a public undergraduate university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Their Faculty of Social Work provides training to future social workers and help them become active participants in programs that help individuals, families, groups, and communities to improve their individual and collective well-being; much like this project.
Calgary Pakhtun Association (CPA)
Calgary Pakhtun Association (CPA) is a community-based agency governing under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. CPA will provide assistance in the recruitment of participants for this study.
Migrante Alberta
Migrante Alberta was founded in August 2013 in Edmonton. Migrante is a non-profit advocacy and self-help organization. In Alberta, the agency addresses the immediate issues facing migrants and our compatriots. The agency servs through referrals, advocate, and campaign on migrants’ issues. In 2019, Migrante Alberta has implemented a similar project called “Kwento’t Litrato” (Stories and Photographs) that employed a photovoice method about the Filipino community’s story of migration.
Central Alberta Refugee Effort
The Central Alberta Refugee Effort was formed in 1979 by a group of concerned citizens who wanted to assist with the settlement of Indo-Chinese refugees fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The mission of this agency is to assist in the settlement and integration of immigrants and refugees in the community. CARE will provide assistance in the recruitment of participants for this study.
