Dr. Wendy A. Stewart is a pediatric neurologist with a diverse educational background. Originally from Dundee, Scotland, she now lives in New Brunswick, Canada. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, where her thesis focused on proton spin relaxation in multiple sclerosis. She earned a Doctor of Medicine from the…
Zeda Ali is a music educator at Sunnyview Middle School in Brampton, Ontario, celebrated for her culturally responsive and student-centered approach to music education. A 2024 nominee for the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, she has been nationally recognized for building inclusive music programs that reflect and celebrate the diverse identities of her students….
Dr. Shimi Kang is an award-winning psychiatrist, bestselling author, keynote speaker, and internationally recognized expert on mental health, innovation, and resilience. With over two decades of clinical experience working with people from all walks of life, Dr Kang has dedicated her career to understanding and promoting emotional well-being through innovative, holistic approaches that integrate neuroscience,…
Since 2015, Dr. Forrester has taught undergraduate music education courses at the University of Massachusetts Boston. In addition, Forrester conducted the UMass Boston Orchestra and held leadership positions including Program Coordinator of Music and Music Education. In 2018, she was awarded the Community Engaged Innovation Teaching Award by UMass Boston. As a scholar of music…
Steve Happi, also known as Vidou H, is an activist, music producer, sound engineer, and filmmaker whose life and work are deeply rooted in music. His career began at 16 as a DJ, later expanding into beat-making while pursuing a B.A. in Casablanca, Morocco, where he continued touring with his sets. In 2013, he returned…
Dr. Sue Bennett is a full professor in Pediatrics and Lead, Community Service Learning at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. Sue is a pediatrician and mental health professional by training and Director of Social Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa. She was formerly the Director of the Child &…
Ndondo Mutua Mulli is the fourth-born of Dr. Charles and Esther Mulli. She grew up in an affluent family before witnessing a profound transformation when her father gave up all his businesses to dedicate his life to helping children experiencing homelessness, like he had himself. Adjusting to this new way of life was not without…
Nick Godsoe is the Director of Programs & Education with MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with the JUNO Awards. For the past seven years, Nick has led the strategic development and delivery of all MusiCounts programming, including national grant programs, research partnerships, artist development programs, awards, and educational resources, all aimed at making music…
Over the past several years, Nick Skinner has become a prominent music educator and arts administrator in Baltimore. Nick currently serves as Vice President of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids program, where he is also a founding team member. In this role, Nick oversees all aspects of the OrchKids Program. Nick began his career teaching…
Peter Gouzouasis is a Professor in the Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy at The University of British Columbia where he leads courses in teaching and learning of music education, contemporary qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, creative pedagogies, and curriculum theory through an arts lens. Since 1990, he has published over 90 refereed papers and book…