Work Experience
Nov 2022-Present
Executive Director & Principal Investigator
Pairity
I founded Pairity with close friends and colleagues to address what we think are mutually-reinforcing social and policy challenges around refugee resettlement. We facilitate adoption and growth community sponsorship programs, which create richer mutual integration; help scale and optimize those programs by using data-driven tools to make high quality matches between sponsors and newcomers; and conduct rigorous monitoring and evaluation to inform better policy.
Sep 2020-Nov 2022
Senior Research Associate
Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration & Integration
Toronto Metropolitan University
I helped lead CERC's research programme on "Governance of Global Migration", with a focus on Canada's role in global migration governance, drivers and policy influences on irregular migration, and access to justice in the Canadian asylum system, as well as various short term research projects.
Sep 2017-Dec 2019
Associate Director, Global Migration Lab
Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto
The Global Migration Lab serves as a hub for the University of Toronto’s migration expertise. I was responsible for launching the lab upon completing my PhD. I coordinate research and financial development, partnerships, and student engagement. I also organized out Global Migration Challenges speaker series, and represent the lab at national and international fora.
Sep 2016-Aug 2020
Course Instructor, Department of Political Science & Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto
I taught graduate and fourth year undergrad seminars on International Relations, Migration Studies, and Refugee Studies.
Sep 2017 - Present
Research Affiliate, Centre for Refugee Studies, York University
CRS hosts my SSHRC-funded research on access to justice for refugee claimants, and previously hosted my SSHRC Insight Development Grant project on understanding the drivers of irregular migration to Canada.
Ongoing
Independent Consultant / Researcher
Consultancies for the UNHCR, UN Security Council; European Commission; Canadian Federal Government; UN Women; and several NGOs and civil society groups.
Sep 2016 - Nov 2017
Research Director, Together Project, Toronto
In 2016 I co-founded and was the Research Director of Together Project, which matches groups of volunteers to under-serviced Government-Assisted Refugees. From a research perspective, we sought to test hypotheses that access to social networks leads to better integration outcomes for refugees.
Sep 2009- Aug 2017
Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Political Science, University of Toronto
I taught over 1200 students during my PhD. TAs are responsible for running weekly small-group tutorials, grading, course logistics, and working with students to develop research and writing skills. See my Teaching page for more information.
Sep 2008 - Aug 2009
Policy Researcher, Innovation Policy Branch, Transport Canada, Ottawa
Primary responsibility was overseeing and conducting research on OECD country innovation policy.
Education
Sep 2009 - Aug 2017
PhD in Political Science, University of Toronto
Field Exams in International Relations & Development Studies. Thesis Committee: Professors Steven Bernstein, Randall Hansen, and Phil Tridafilopoulos.
Dissertation: “Malignant Europeanization: Schengen, Irregular Migration Governance, & Insecurity on Europe’s Peripheries.” Thesis successfully defended with no revisions. See my Research page for a detailed project description.
Sep 2007 - Aug 2008
MSc in Social Science, University of Amsterdam
Concentration in Global Governance & Conflict Resolution. Thesis: “Perpetual Impermanence: The Dual Separation of Palestinian Refugees from Refugee Studies and the Refugee Regime” under Reinoud Leenders.
Sep 2005 - Aug 2007
Hons BA, Peace & Conflict Studies / Political Science, Univ. of Toronto
Specialist degree in Peace & Conflict Studies, with additional major in Political Science. Thesis Topic: Historical/Philosophical Dialectics and Narratives of Middle Eastern Conflict
Sep 2001 - Aug 2005
BA, Philosophy & History, University of Ottawa
I enrolled as a mature student at the age of 22, having previously worked as a tradesperson. It was during this degree I learned to think and write.