Climate change amplifies existing health inequalities and disproportionately affects marginalized communities, yet traditional health research often fails to meaningfully include the populations that are most impacted. This panel highlights community-led and participatory approaches that reposition lived experience, cultural knowledge, and reciprocal partnerships at the centre of climate and health research. The speakers will showcase research that elevates the voices of Indigenous communities, Indigenous peoples living in diaspora, and migrant agricultural workers. Together, these presentations demonstrate how collaborative approaches can produce more relevant evidence, strengthen community resilience, and inform equitable climate health policies and interventions.
Moderator
Nicholas Spence, PhD
Nicholas Spence is an Associate Professor & Chair at the University of Toronto, jointly appointed in Sociology, Health & Society, and Physical & Environmental Sciences. He is affiliated with the Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care, Centre for Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Engineering, and the UN SDGs at University of Toronto. Nicholas also serves as the co-director of the Consortium for Advanced Social Analytics. His interdisciplinary research focuses on social and psychosocial determinants of health and well-being, equity, and climate resilience. Nicholas bridges social science, medicine, public health, and environmental studies, advancing evidence-based solutions through community-engaged approaches and data-driven decision-making.
Panelists
Michael Brown, MEd
Michael Brown is of First Nation/settler ancestry, having been raised in the western culture, now decolonizing himself through Spirit and ceremony. He has achieved an honour’s undergraduate degree in Psychology at York University and a Master of Education degree at OISE. He is currently working on his PhD in Social and Behavioural Health Sciences at U of T for the improvement of mental health of Indigenous youth. As a research officer and cultural and spiritual events coordinator for Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health, he works with community and Elders to improve (Indigenize) academia.
Donald Cole, MSc, FRCP (C)
Donald Cole is an occupational, environmental, and public health medicine specialist and member of an Ontario family farm. An emeritus professor of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, he has over 40 years of human health practice emphasizing multi-stakeholder action research to address eco-social conditions.
Leanne Lacap, HBSc
Leanne Lacap is a research analyst at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, where she supports studies focused on health equity and the meaningful inclusion of lived experiences in research and knowledge mobilization. She also serves as a research coordinator at St. Michael’s Hospital, ensuring that health information is culturally responsive to the needs of the Filipino community. Additionally, she is involved in community organizing within the Filipino community in Toronto, advocating for issues that are important both in the Philippines and for Filipinos in Canada.
Gretchen Mangahas, PhD
Gretchen Mangahas an Indigenous Ibaloi and Kankana ey community leader whose work bridges scholarship, cultural practice, and community empowerment. Rooted in Benguet in the Cordillera Region, she brings deep knowledge of Indigenous values and community dynamics. With a PhD in Communication, she leads cultural initiatives in Toronto as co-founder of Likha Filipino Cultural Hub, Kabenguetan Dance Troupe, and Managing Director of Inabelution. Her work champions ethical cultural sharing, representation, and intergenerational co creation.
Sabina Mirza, PhD
Sabina Mirza holds a PhD in Education from York University, with her research interests focusing on youth homelessness, education, mental health, climate justice and community-based research. Sabina teaches courses with an interdisciplinary lens on topics related to Indigenous ethics, education, youth, mental health, climate health, social advocacy, and community engagement. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Sabina’s postdoctoral work uses an anti-racist and decolonial lens to focus on research that explores the impacts of the climate crisis on Indigenous youth mental health. Sabina loves to read, write, practice mindfulness and play basketball.