Research Interests

Anti-oppressive practice, equity and inclusion in social service delivery; anti-racism and anti-oppression approaches to organizational change; 2SLGBTQ+ health; social work education

Spotlight

Lisa Barnoff is currently Interim Vice-Dean: Community, Culture and Belonging, in the School of Medicine and Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at TMU.

Lisa completed her PhD from the University of Toronto in 2002 and joined TMU in 2003 as assistant professor in the School of Social Work. After being awarded early tenure in 2006, she was appointed to an academic leadership position in Social Work as associate director of field education. Since that time, Lisa has continued to engage in academic leadership roles including a five-year term as director, School of Social Work (2011-2016) followed by a five-year term as dean, Faculty of Community Services (2016-2021). While serving as Dean, Lisa was part of the initial small group of leaders at TMU who began working on the School of Medicine project in 2020-2021. Lisa joined the TMU School of Medicine leadership team in September 2022.

Lisa is known for her collaborative and progressive approach to leadership and for her abilities to engage communities, build consensus among diverse teams, and implement systems that promote equity and inclusion. In 2015, Lisa was awarded the Usha George Faculty Recognition Award at TMU, and in 2020 her strengths as an academic leader were again recognized by TMU when she was awarded the prestigious Errol Aspevig Award for Outstanding Academic Leadership.

In the School of Social Work, her undergraduate teaching has focused in the areas of social work practice, anti-oppression, field practicum and family violence. In the graduate program she has taught the Major Research Paper Seminar and the field practicum courses.

Lisa's program of research and areas of scholarship include anti-oppressive practice, equity and inclusion in social service delivery; anti-racism and anti-oppression approaches to organizational change; 2SLGBTQ+ health; and social work education.  She has received significant research funding (internal and external) including from SSHRC (both as PI and as Co-Applicant) and has a strong record of scholarly publication including co-authoring a scholarly book as well as multiple peer reviewed journal papers and book chapters.

Selected Research Funding

• (2011). SSHRC Standard Research Grant.  Unsettling the Classroom: Social Work Education in the Context of New Managerialism.  (Principal Investigator, K.Moffatt; Co-applicants: S. Todd, L. Barnoff, H. Parada and M. Panitch).  Research. $136,482.

• (2011).  CERIS – The Ontario Metropolis Centre, Research Grant.  Citizenship and Social Service: Violence Against Women in South Asian Communities of the GTA. (Principal Investigator, A. Korteweg, University of Toronto. Co-applicant, L. Barnoff).Research.  $19,678.

• (2006). SSHRC Standard Research Grant. Anti-Oppressive Practice: Strategies for Community Based Social Work Agencies. (Principal Investigator, L. Barnoff; Co-Applicants, P. George, and K. Moffatt). Research. $64,634.