Dr. Taymy J. Caso, PhD, (they/she) is an Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Alberta and Director of the Intersectional Research, Empowerment, Advocacy, and Community Health Promotion (IREACH) Lab. Dr. Caso is the Vice-Director of Inclusion and Accessibility for the Institute of Smart Augmentative and Restorative Technologies and Health Innovations (iSMART) and Co-Chair of The Landing Society for 2SLGBTQ Community Supports and Services. Prior to working at the UofA, Dr. Caso completed the Randi and Fred Ettner Postdoctoral Fellowship in Transgender Health in the Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health and maintains a research affiliation at the National Center for Gender Health. Dr. Caso holds degrees in counseling and clinical psychology from New York University and Columbia University, Teachers College. Their research focuses on minority health disparities, intersectionality, identity-based marginalization within LGBTQ+ BIPOC communities, gender and sexual fluidity, social determinants of health and legislative and public policy advocacy. They hold several leadership roles including Chair for American Psychological Association’s Division 17: Society for Counseling Psychology’s Section for the Advocacy of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (SASOGD) and Co-Chair of the APA Task Force on Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults. Their advocacy work utilizes anti-oppressive and decolonizing pedagogies to deconstruct structural and systemic barriers to health equity and develop community-based interventions for underserved communities. They have been the recipient of several grants and awards, including: the Steven J. Schochet Endowment Course Development and Enhancement, Postdoctoral Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Samuel Eshborn Award, Outstanding Research Contribution Award, Research and Scholarship Showcase Award, César Chávez/Clara Hale Community Outreach Award, Ronald McNair/Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Academic Excellence Award, and the Arthur B. Zankel Urban Fellowship. These awards recognize scholarship, service, advocacy, and activism that support and empower marginalized and underrepresented communities.

K.D. Burton (she/they) earned her Ph.D. in Transatlantic History in 2015 from the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Burton is a historian of cultural and social history, specializing in the history of alcohol production and drinking cultures across the early modern Atlantic World. She has taught history courses at the university level at the University of Texas at Arlington, Louisiana Tech University, and Loyola University New Orleans. From 2018-2021, she joined the staff at The National WWII Museum to create original classroom curriculum on the history of WWII, lead professional development workshops for teachers, and host the museum’s podcast, To the Best of My Ability. In the fall of 2021, Dr. Burton joined the faculty in the Department of History, Classics, and Religion at The University of Alberta to teach courses on US History, the history of gender and sexuality, the history of intoxicants, the history of race and slavery, as well as the history of food and drink.

Kailey Peckford, (she/her) began research in the field of gender based violence in 2017 and has been working in sexual violence prevention education since 2023. Kailey has worked in multiple post-secondary institutions facilitating training and workshops for students, staff, and faculty on topics ranging from supporting survivors of sexual violence to taking accountability for harm. Kailey’s background is in sociology, with an MA from the University of British Columbia where her SSHRC funded research focused on straight women’s motivations for patronizing gay bars. Complementing her experience in sexual violence prevention, Kailey also has expertise in adult learning through her experience as a literacy tutor for adults and co-facilitation of volunteer training programs.

Zainish Hashmi (she/her) works as a Student Care Coordinator at the University of Alberta with extensive experience in the nonprofit, addictions, and housing support sectors. She is deeply committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and accessibility within her professional and community work. Coming from a Pakistani-Canadian background and identifying as queer, Zainish strives to foster inclusive, accessible communities where all feel welcome and have the opportunity to thrive. In addition to her role at the University, Zainish also serves on the Social Advocacy Committee of her community league, the Political Action and Education Committee of her union, and works as a mentor to BIPOC students