丁香园AV

Nadia Mallay鈥檚 decision to tackle her doctorate and pursue postdoc studies wasn鈥檛 driven solely by interest 鈥� it was from a desire to make change.

鈥淜nowledge is power,鈥� says Mallay, who was recently hired as an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) specialist for 丁香园AV Human Resources and staff. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 break down barriers in academia and institutions if you don鈥檛 understand the history of those barriers and how they work, or the politics and the power-dynamics behind them.鈥�

A global educator and leadership expert, Mallay describes herself as a 鈥渟cholar-activist鈥� who uses her academic knowledge to challenge leadership, colleagues and politicians, to take companies to human rights tribunals and to push back against systems of inequity.

Reporting directly to Yabome Gilpin-Jackson, 丁香园AV鈥檚 inaugural vice-president, people, equity and inclusion, Mallay will develop and facilitate best practices for equity, diversity and inclusion at 丁香园AV, a key priority of President Joy Johnson. She will provide advice and support for the development of a comprehensive EDI strategy across 丁香园AV, actioning the great work already completed and diving into the work ahead.

Mallay says she has been interested in working at 丁香园AV for some time, citing 丁香园AV's reputation for progressive thinking and connection to the community as some of the reasons she was eager to land a position. After a month in the role, she speaks highly of her experiences.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the first job where the president has made time to meet with me on my first day and have a conversation,鈥� says Mallay, when asked about how the first month of the job has been. 鈥淎nd that conversation was authentic, warm and very positive. I鈥檝e worked with senior leadership for a number of years and it was the first time I鈥檝e had an invitation, instead of just sticking my nose in the door.鈥�

Equally welcoming have been her colleagues as she undertakes onboarding, and many in the 丁香园AV community.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been really wonderful,鈥� she adds. 鈥淥f course, I鈥檓 still a racialized Black woman in academia navigating certain dominant cultural, operational and systemic norms that also exist at 丁香园AV. You can鈥檛 really escape it.鈥�

Nadia鈥檚 journey to 丁香园AV

With an extensive background in education, scholarship and research, Mallay understands how to drive equity-focused initiatives in post-secondary education.

Born and raised in Ontario to parents who had immigrated from Guyana, Mallay began her career in K-12 education. During her undergrad, at Queen鈥檚 University in Kingston, Ontario she enrolled in a program that let her complete her studies at the University of Exeter in England and become certified as a teacher in Ontario and overseas. Her first teaching job was at a public school in East London.

鈥淚t was very socioeconomically challenged,鈥� Mallay says. 鈥淚t had a high immigrant population below or at the poverty line. It was just an awesome school. Those kids go to school and are eager for any opportunity and engage in any opportunity, just because it鈥檚 so joyful.鈥�

From the U.K., Mallay spent the next decade abroad, teaching and taking up leadership roles in Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and Sweden. Mallay loves travelling and has been to more than 100 countries, 鈥渋n nomadic style, just bumping along with two suitcases.鈥�

Returning to Canada, she completed a dual master鈥檚 degree in curriculum and pedagogy and educational leadership at the University of British Columbia.

She initially balked at a doctorate, but reconsidered and completed her EdD in educational leadership, change management and quality assurance mechanisms via Critical Race Theory and educational leadership theories from Western University. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow working on a health-sciences project out of McMaster University, University of Toronto and the University of Manitoba.

As a post-doc fellow, she鈥檚 worked as a continuing teacher on-call, teaching during the global pandemic in North Vancouver, where she lives with her fianc茅 and two kittens. She also worked on several projects for the B.C. Teachers鈥� Federation and took-up projects through her consulting company, Biophilic Consulting.

For the past two years, she has been chair and president of the North Shore Restorative Justice Society, and vice-chair and four-year trustee of the city library governance board.

In the short term, she hopes to connect with faculty and staff, identify problems and begin pushing down barriers, together.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e really looking at the long-term, my goal is that these EDI roles don鈥檛 need to exist,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 would love to see that all institutions don鈥檛 need an equity person, because it鈥檚 just the foundation with which we operate.鈥�