Comings and Goings
Tim Stainton, Professor Emeritus at the UBC School of Social Work and Emeritus Director of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, retired this year after a distinguished career. Stainton has held faculty appointments at the University of Wales, McGill University, and served as a tutor at the London School of Economics. He is the author of numerous works on services and supports for people with intellectual disabilities, disability rights, individualized funding, history, ethics, and theory. A leading advocate for the disability rights and community living movements, he has served as a board member for several advocacy organizations and participated in numerous government panels, task forces, and reviews.
Tim Stainton’s retirement marks a significant milestone in a career defined by impactful contributions to both academia and the disability rights movement, and his work will continue to inspire and shape the field in the years to come.
Jac Nobiss, Assistant Professor, joined the UBC School of Social Work in the summer of 2024. Jac is a Metis scholar and Social Worker with recognized family membership in the homeland of the Manitoba Red River Metis. Jac’s experience ranges from executive-level positions in health, education, social work, and political governance bridging complex systemic understandings with grassroots meaningfulness. As a community social worker, Jac has worked with many Indigenous peoples in the areas of addictions, mental health, homelessness, policy analysis and development, and community-based wellness initiatives.
Jac completed a PhD at Wilfrid Laurier University. Jac has been a sessional instructor and contract teaching faculty with two universities. As a sessional instructor at the University of Manitoba Master of Social Work program, Jac’s foundation was based in Indigenous Knowledges teaching alongside Indigenous Knowledge Holders. Jac also taught at Wilfrid Laurier University in the Master of Social Work program and in the Centre for Indigegogy. Jac’s research interests are Indigenous theory, methodology, social policy, self-determination, decolonization, and Indigenous identity with a particular lens on multiple gender expressions and ways of being, Métis identity and Indigenous-Nation specificity.
Karun Karki, Associate Professor – Karun was born and raised in a rural community in eastern Nepal – profusely laden with spectacular landscapes of Mt. Kanchenjunga and a wide range of flora and fauna. The diverse topography and people with multilingual, multireligious, and multiethnic identities shape his ways of knowing and being. He embodies a rustic life of Indigenous Nepali that contours his inner ‘self,’ and this has been the main source of his new knowledge production. He believes that our epistemology or understanding of and interaction with the world (how do we know that we know what we know) comes through what we experience, observe, witness, and perceive in our everyday lives.
Karun joined the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia in July 2024. Prior to joining UBC, he was an Assistant Professor with the School of Social Work at the University of the Fraser Valley (2020-2024) and the Memorial University of Newfoundland (2019-2020), and an instructor in the Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University (2016-2018).
Jack York, Coordinator for Continuing Education and Certificate Programs. Jack York, MSW, RSW, is an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Social Work, and clinical coordinator of a community mental health team. He has extensive experience working in mental health and substance use services, both in community and inpatient settings. Jack completed the BCCSU Social Work Addictions Fellowship, and is currently involved in research into concurrent mental health and substance use challenges.
In the summer of 2024, Jack assumed a part-time position as Coordinator for Continuing Education and Certificate Programs (CECP). The CECP launched successfully on November 6, 2024, with a one-day training on Single Session Therapy, led by Dr. Monica Sesma.
Daira Kruljac joined the School of Social Work on April 8, 2024 as an Administrative Assistant. She is a trilingual professional with a background in education, administration, project management, and diplomacy.
Angelika Niemann joined the School of Social Work on November 20, 2024 as a Senior Administrative Assistant. She has held a variety of administrative positions in Germany, Canada, and Australia. She enjoys learning foreign languages, experiencing new cultures, and spending time in nature.
Promotions
Effective July 1, 2024, Marie Nightbird was promoted to Associate Professor of Teaching and Hannah Kia was promoted to Associate Professor.
Social Work Administrative Team
Over the past year, the administrative team have transitioned over to the temporary swing space while our Jack Bell building is undergoing a building renewal. During this time, our dedicated administrative team have come together to collaboratively engage with faculty, staff and students.
One event highlight of the year for our administrative team was when we ventured over to the newly renovated UBC Museum of Anthropology and enjoyed the remarkable collection of global artifacts and First Nations art. We also used this time to strengthen our connection in such a beautiful space.
