Meet the 2024 Planning Committee
Primary Investigator
Shaunasea Brown
Shaunasea Brown (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Communication Studies Department at Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. As a co-founder of the SSHRC funded BRSO network, she is passionate about Pan-Africanist ways of community-building across and beyond academic institutions.
Her research collaborates with artists in Toronto to delineate a specifically second-generation understanding of Black women’s arts practices. She is interested in how Black Canadian women artists of Caribbean descent offer blueprints for living relationally and suggest methods for radical community care. She also sings and plays piano and guitar. Her current playlist includes Chronixx, Bob Marley, Koffee, Shenseea, Adria Kain and Mustafa the Poet.
Primary Investigator
Maurita Harris
Dr. Maurita T. Harris is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts at the Wilfrid Laurier University, holding appointments in User Experience Design and Social Justice & Community Engagement. She earned her B.A. from North Carolina State University in Psychology, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Community Health from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Harris’ research explores the way technology can support the well-being of people as they age from a Human Factors perspective focusing on design for aging; digital health; health and racial equity; and the technology lifecycle. As the director of the Well-Tech Research & Design Laboratory, she leads a team who collaborates with researchers across the world to ensure the integration of interdisciplinary approaches and thinking from diverse fields (e.g., community health, design, engineering, gerontology, leisure, psychology, and social justice).
Research Assistant
Mila Mendez
Mila Natasha Mendez (they/them) is a parent, cultural worker and learner and educator committed to transformative relationships, spaces and ideas. They find joy and grounding in the capaciousness of Black feminisms to show us what care can do. They are currently a doctoral candidate in Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies at York University; a research fellow at Ingenium Centre in the Black and African Scientific and Technological Innovations Fellowship program; and Managing Director of RAW Taiko.
Research Assistant
Audrey Iteka
Audrey Iteka is an incoming fourth-year Health Sciences student at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo Campus, where she is dedicated to advancing her knowledge and skills in health research and advocacy. As a member of the Laurier Black Students' Association and the Social Media Coordinator for the Well-Tech Lab led by Dr. Maurita Harris, Audrey has demonstrated her commitment to fostering inclusive and innovative academic environments.
Audrey's research interests focus on the intersection of technology, health disparities, and the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities. She is passionate about using her platform to amplify underrepresented voices and create spaces for meaningful dialogue and collaboration. Creative by nature, Audrey loves to sing, draw, and cook in her free time, as well as exercise to stay active. With a keen eye for detail and a drive for excellence, she hopes that the BRSO conference will be an impactful and memorable event for all participants.
Research Assistant
M'Kai McLachlan
.jpg)
M'Kai McLachlan is a dedicated professional, and a third-year User Experience Design student at Wilfrid Laurier University in Brantford, Ontario. He is a growth-oriented learner with a passion for research, design, and people, with hopes to use his passions to benefit his local communities and society at large. He hopes to do this by supporting non-profits and collaborating to create products/intiatives that aim to support and highlight the communities that require it.
M'Kai McLachlan's academic application of design thinking has been recognized by his peers and faculty, bolstering his confidence and ambition to excel as a researcher and designer. Committed to furthering his expertise, M'Kai plans to pursue graduate studies with the goal of making a significant impact in his field and community.
.png)
