NEVR 2nd Edition Project Team

Balbir Gurm, RN, BSN, MA, EdD., fellow Canadian Academy of Nursing is a seasoned nurse educator at KPU, a consultant on cultural safety (diversity & inclusion) and community leader. As founding member and facilitator for the Network to Eliminate Violence (NEVR) she continues to work with frontline service providers to create resources and facilitate workshops to create a violence free society. She advocates for system change to governments and works with media to bring academic knowledge to the community. She is driven by her passion to create a just society by influencing others to change systemic oppressive practices to more culturally safe ones and her strong belief that academics are in privileged positions and need to use their positions to improve communities. Because of this ingrained philosophy, she has served and helped create policy and strategic plans for many organizations and served on BC’s justice review panel.

She has organized, facilitated and presented at conferences across disciplines (Union of BC Municipalities Annual Convention, Canadian Nursing Association Conference, International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and International Nursing Conference) and been a keynote speaker both internationally (Iberian Congress on Higher Education Change: Tensions and Possibilities (Ensino Superior em Mudança: Tensões e Possibilidades Congresso Ibérico) Braga, Portugal) and locally (BC Police Chiefs annual meeting) ). Dr. Gurm has written articles both for academic and community audiences. She is a known leader in the  Surrey and South Asian community due to her frequent appearances on television and radio, rallies and community gatherings where she brings forward issues of social justice.

For her equity work, she has been honoured with many awards including two YWCA awards. As an educator and community leader she is the recipient of several awards including the: Award of Excellence in Nursing Education, NISODS Teaching Excellence Award, Canadian Cancer Society Volunteer Leadership, Shakti Education Award, Times of Canada Award for Education and Soroptimist Ruby Awards for lifetime commitment to improving the lives of women.

Dr. Gurm has a strong work and volunteer ethic that she contributes to her upbringing. She has lived most of her life in the Vancouver area. She currently lives in Surrey with her husband and three adult children.  She believes in healthy lifestyles, thus finds time to hike, jog and meditate.

Dr. Jennifer Marchbank (BA (Hons), MA, PhD, FHEA) is a Professor of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University where she teaches on interpersonal and gendered violence and resistance, masculinity, feminist theory amongst other topics. Her academic background is in history and politics and she is a Fellow of the Higher Education Association (UK). She is an interdisciplinary scholar who works closely with the community on issues of social justice including LGBTQ2SIA+ youth and elders; LGBTQ2SIA+ refugees and immigrants; refugee settlement; childcare and ‘mail order’ brides. She is a community activist and co-founded and co-facilitates the award winning activist group Youth for A Change. She is the recipient of the SFU Excellence in Teaching Award, 2019 and of the Shakti Award of Academic Excellence, 2020 and the Surrey Pride Community Service Award, 2017. She is the author of Women, Power and Politics (2000), co-author of Introduction to Gender: Social Science Perspectives (2014), and co-editor of States of Conflict: Gender, Violence and Resistance (2000) and Basically Queer: An intergenerational guide to LGBTQ2SIA+ lives (2017). She is also author of 38 other publications including book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and has written reports for DIVERSEcity, Immigrant Services Society of BC, The Children’s Society (UK) and Clackmannan District Women & Girls’ Resource Project (UK). She is the former Co-Chair of the Feminist and Women’s Studies Association of UK and Ireland.

Balbir Gurm, RN, BSN, MA, EdD., fellow Canadian Academy of Nursing is a seasoned nurse educator at KPU, a consultant on cultural safety (diversity & inclusion) and community leader. As founding member and facilitator for the Network to Eliminate Violence (NEVR) she continues to work with frontline service providers to create resources and facilitate workshops to create a violence free society. She advocates for system change to governments and works with media to bring academic knowledge to the community. She is driven by her passion to create a just society by influencing others to change systemic oppressive practices to more culturally safe ones and her strong belief that academics are in privileged positions and need to use their positions to improve communities. Because of this ingrained philosophy, she has served and helped create policy and strategic plans for many organizations and served on BC’s justice review panel.

She has organized, facilitated and presented at conferences across disciplines (Union of BC Municipalities Annual Convention, Canadian Nursing Association Conference, International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and International Nursing Conference) and been a keynote speaker both internationally (Iberian Congress on Higher Education Change: Tensions and Possibilities (Ensino Superior em Mudança: Tensões e Possibilidades Congresso Ibérico) Braga, Portugal) and locally (BC Police Chiefs annual meeting) ). Dr. Gurm has written articles both for academic and community audiences. She is a known leader in the  Surrey and South Asian community due to her frequent appearances on television and radio, rallies and community gatherings where she brings forward issues of social justice.

For her equity work, she has been honoured with many awards including two YWCA awards. As an educator and community leader she is the recipient of several awards including the: Award of Excellence in Nursing Education, NISODS Teaching Excellence Award, Canadian Cancer Society Volunteer Leadership, Shakti Education Award, Times of Canada Award for Education and Soroptimist Ruby Awards for lifetime commitment to improving the lives of women.

Dr. Gurm has a strong work and volunteer ethic that she contributes to her upbringing. She has lived most of her life in the Vancouver area. She currently lives in Surrey with her husband and three adult children.  She believes in healthy lifestyles, thus finds time to hike, jog and meditate.

Dr. Jennifer Marchbank (BA (Hons), MA, PhD, FHEA) is a Professor of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University where she teaches on interpersonal and gendered violence and resistance, masculinity, feminist theory amongst other topics. Her academic background is in history and politics and she is a Fellow of the Higher Education Association (UK). She is an interdisciplinary scholar who works closely with the community on issues of social justice including LGBTQ2SIA+ youth and elders; LGBTQ2SIA+ refugees and immigrants; refugee settlement; childcare and ‘mail order’ brides. She is a community activist and co-founded and co-facilitates the award winning activist group Youth for A Change. She is the recipient of the SFU Excellence in Teaching Award, 2019 and of the Shakti Award of Academic Excellence, 2020 and the Surrey Pride Community Service Award, 2017. She is the author of Women, Power and Politics (2000), co-author of Introduction to Gender: Social Science Perspectives (2014), and co-editor of States of Conflict: Gender, Violence and Resistance (2000) and Basically Queer: An intergenerational guide to LGBTQ2SIA+ lives (2017). She is also author of 38 other publications including book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and has written reports for DIVERSEcity, Immigrant Services Society of BC, The Children’s Society (UK) and Clackmannan District Women & Girls’ Resource Project (UK). She is the former Co-Chair of the Feminist and Women’s Studies Association of UK and Ireland.

Glaucia Salgado has a Master of Science from Duke University Institute of Global Health and a Master of Arts in Gerontology from Simon Fraser University. She also earned a post-baccalaureate diploma in Gerontology from SFU and has worked extensively with community-based senior services. Salgado has received six awards for academic excellence, including recognition for her work with ethnic minority immigrant communities. She has published fourteen articles and book chapters in Brazil, Canada and USA, with notable works including an eBook on relationship violence and a study on ageism in media. Her previous projects include the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, the Older Adults Digital Storytelling project, and research on digital games for older adults. Currently, she is involved in research projects on well-being of clergy members, transgender and nonbinary individuals who live in the south of USA.

Sheila Early, RN, BScN. has served in health care for decades, spanning roles in Clinical, Administrative and Education. She graduated with Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan in 1969. Currently she is owner of SDE Consulting Forensic Nursing Education Services having recently retired as Coordinator Forensic Health Sciences Program British Columbia Institute of Technology ( BCIT) Some of her accomplishments include:

• Co founder (1993) First Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program in B.C at Surrey Memorial Hospital . First nurse to perform a medical forensic examination in sexual assault in BC.
• Developed (2005-6) first Canadian Certificate in Forensic Health Sciences (FHS) at BCIT. Co developer first Canadian Graduate Certificate in FHS at BCIT (2018)
• Co founder (2007) Canadian Forensic Nurses Association. Currently, President Elect.
• The first non USA member to be elected President of the International Association of Forensic Nurses ( 2014)
• National Emergency Nurses Association Director ( 2000)
• Author and co author of book chapters and articles on Emergency Nursing and Forensic Nursing
• Presenter provincially, nationally, internationally
• NEVR member
• Recipient of Awards in Nursing, Emergency Nursing, Forensic Nursing and Education
• Attendee at WHO Violence Prevention Alliance Milestone meetings (Geneva 2015 and Ottawa 2017)

Dianne Symonds, PhD (Simon Fraser University), until recently taught at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, in the Faculty of Health (Nursing). In her retirement, she has written a book on gangs (Stop Gangs Now: Your Part) and is currently writing one on the fentanyl crisis. It will be published on Amazon next year (2025).  She adds the expertise of a former public health nurse, community health organizer, and family therapist to all her work including this chapter. While at Kwantlen, she conducted research on the impact of gangs in several hospital and community settings for which she was awarded by BC Children’s Hospital. She also surveyed Kwantlen students about their street drug use and examined some of the factors responsible for and possible solutions to resolving the fentanyl crisis from a student’s perspective. Her research on family, specifically the relationship between the client and health care provider, has been published in numerous academic journals.

Haley Hrymak is currently pursuing her PhD at the UBC, Allard School of Law. Her PhD focuses on the experiences of survivors of family violence within family law proceedings. In 2018, she graduated from UBC with her Master of Laws and was called to the bar in 2015. Haley is a lawyer with Rise Women’s Legal Centre in Vancouver where she primarily conducts research on family violence and the family legal system. She also has a consulting practice where she delivers education and assists with designing and conducting research. Haley is the recipient of the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Doctoral Fellowship, the SSHRC Doctoral Award, and the UBC Four Year Fellowship award.

With experience in research, writing, databases, exhibitions, and archival procedures, Carson Adams (he/him/his) is working towards a Masters of Library and Information Studies while he undergoes a Bachelors of Journalism with a Minor in Geography from
Kwantlen Polytechnic University. He is also completing a Diploma of Fine Arts partially completed at Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
An emphasis is placed on 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC advocacy, food security, and environmental issues in his work. This is reflected in his lived experience of structural, family, and gender based violence, and work at the Central Okanagan Food Bank, Surrey Urban Farmers Market, ECU Library + Archives, and the Open Education Resource Grant program at KPU. Carson is the recipient of the Kelowna Pride Society Youth Award 2022, BC Achievement Scholarship 2022, KPU Pride Advocacy Award 2024, and the Katie Warfield Memorial Award in Communication Studies 2024. Carson will continue writing for The Runner student newspaper at KPU, and advocating against injustice.

Simmi K. Sandhu is currently a Judge on the United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT). In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly appointed her as Judge, one of seven judges from around the globe. UNAT is the second level of appeal of the United Nations Internal Justice System and the UN common system. She previously served as President of UNAT in 2023 and as Vice President of UNAT in 2022.

She previously served as Chair of the Civil Resolution Tribunal of BC (CRT) from 2022-2023 during the launch of the CRT’s new jurisdiction under the Intimate Image Protection Act.

Prior to that, she was Chair & CEO of the Property Assessment Appeal Board of (the second level of property assessment appeals throughout the province) from 2015-2022 and Vice Chair from 2001-2015. She was also Vice Chair of the Surface Rights Board of BC and Chairperson of the Board of Referees for employment insurance appeals.

Simmi received her Bachelor of Laws degree from U.B.C. and was called to the B.C. Bar in 1990.

As a lawyer, she worked in-house for I.C.B.C., the Public Guardian & Trustee, and in private practice. Her areas of practice included administrative law, civil litigation, corporate/commercial law, and real estate transactions, appearing before the Provincial Court of BC, BC Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeal, IRB, HRT, and others. She has training in mediation and alternative dispute resolution, including online dispute resolution.

With the BC Council of Administrative Tribunals of BC (BCCAT), Simmi also has taught many adjudicators on administrative law, hearing skills and decision writing, including the Benchers of the Law Societies of B.C. and Alberta, members of the Civil Resolution Tribunal, BC Utilities Commission, Human Rights Tribunal, etc. Recently, she assisted in developing a workshop for adjudicators on Intercultural Competency and Implicit Bias.

Simmi was President, Secretary, and Director of BCCAT from 2001 to 2015.

In 2014, the BC Council of Administrative Tribunals awarded her with its Award for Exceptional Service to the Administrative Justice Community.

Born in India and raised in England from an early age, Amarjit has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work.

He emigrated to Canada in 1991 and worked for the Government of British Columbia in various positions from front line to senior leadership. His past roles include Director of Practice for the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and Vice President of Sophie’s Place Child and Youth Advocacy Centre.

Throughout his career with the Provincial Government, he has played a key role in service transformation initiatives; the development and delivery of related training and leading a team of Consultants to support Ministry staff in responding to the most complex child protection cases. In recent years, he was instrumental in shaping the Ministry’s approach to intimate partner violence (IPV) both at a local and provincial level. This included the establishment of the Surrey Domestic Violence Unit and the creation of the only child protection program in BC focused on engaging male perpetrators of IPV. He was also the Ministry lead in the creation of Sophie’s Place which was one of the first Child and Youth Advocacy Centres established in BC and was short listed as a finalist for the Premier’s Award in 2017.

Amarjit is a strong proponent of culturally responsive services and collaborative practice across sectors.

Dr. Harjit Kaur is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Approved Clinical Supervisor and the Executive Director, Vancouver and Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society.

She believes that information sharing is key to improving the lives of families and communities locally and globally. Her understanding of the anti-violence work is informed by her past frontline experience in the social services sector. She strives to work collaboratively to attain equity and inclusiveness across sectors.

Her work in community participatory research has been grounded in the effort to address inequities and vulnerabilities for racialized immigrant children and families. She recognizes that intersectionality in policies and practices is critical in achieving violence free and safe societies globally. The work continues and the vision to create and achieve these goals remains a passion for her. She is determined that technology can be applied to assist the development and improvement of our communities and collective efforts and commitment towards this goal is achievable.

Dr. Rebecca Shaw is a lecturer in law and an impact-focused researcher at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. Her research lies at the nexus of law and narrative, with particular interests in the socio-legal, historical and cultural narratives which frame and underpin the law, especially those concerning VAWG and Domestic Abuse. She has just concluded a one-year Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded project which investigated domestic abuse service providers and their stories, and was dedicated to better understanding and contributing – ultimately – to changing the dominant narratives around domestic abuse. She has just secured further funding from the ESRC to support follow-on work from this project, including the creation of a ‘Changing the Narrative of Domestic Abuse’ working group and the production of an educational resource for secondary school children.

Shahnaz has over 32 years of combined experience as an educator, author, counsellor, facilitator, provincial coordinator of children’s services, and a lead in qualitative research on issues related to family violence, family law and women’s equality right.

In her current role as the Executive Director at the Surrey Women’s Centre, Shahnaz is responsible for determining the over all management, direction and fundraising strategy of the organization. Shahnaz’s late mother Rukhsana Sultan continues to be her inspiration in advancing women’s empowerment. Her two adult children are her hope for a future free of violence and oppression.

Shahnaz has been the recipient of 2017 Women of the Decade Award and 2020 Shakti Award of Power of Resiliance Award.