About
The Knowledge Hub is a project of the Centre for Research & Education on Violence against Women & Children, Western University that connects innovative trauma-and violence-informed health promotion projects funded through investments from the Public Health Agency of Canada including:
- Supporting the health of victims of domestic violence and child abuse through community programs (2015-2022)
- Preventing and Addressing Family Violence: The Public Health Perspective (2022-2026)
- Preventing and Addressing Child Maltreatment (2026-2031)
The Knowledge Hub:
- Facilitates a national community of practice (CoP) for members of projects funded through these investments to share and enhance learning regarding trauma- and violence-informed research and practice through knowledge exchanges, virtual meetings, working groups, etc.
- Coordinates knowledge mobilization activities for projects and the broader community through bulletins, reports, social media, videos, infographics, conferences, webinars, etc.
Knowledge Hub Team
Katreena Scott, Centre Director, Professor
As the Academic Director of the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children, I lead a fantastic and dedicated team of students and research associates who are working to understand and prevent violence in relationships. I earned my BA in Psychology from Queen’s University and my MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Western. I have spent most of my career at the University of Toronto where I held a Canada Research Chair in Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention. I moved to Western University in 2021. The Caring Dads program that I helped develop is currently running across Canada as well as in the US, UK, Australia and a number of European countries.
Anna-Lee Straatman, Project Manager
Anna-Lee Straatman, MLIS, is project manager at Centre for Research & Education on Violence against Women & Children, Western University for the Knowledge Hub project. She has been a contributor to the Learning Network project. Previously, she was project manager for the Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations and an expert panel member of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability. Anna-Lee has conducted interviews with hundreds of survivors of child sexual abuse in institutions such as schools and religious institutions.
Jessica Webb, Implementation Coordinator
Jessica Webb joined the Knowledge Hub in September 2023 as an Implementation Coordinator. She is passionate about trauma-informed and accessible health services for individuals who experience violence and marginalizing conditions. Jessica loves working with community of practice members, learning from them and helping leverage the important findings from this investment. Jessica lives in a small town outside of London with her partner Braydon where she spends her time gardening, hiking, and either golfing or curling (depending on the season).
Sabry Adel Saadi, Implementation Coordinator - Francophone Liaison
Sabry Adel Saadi is a social worker, doctoral student and lecturer at the School of Social Work, Université du Québec à Montréal. He is the French-speaking implementation coordinator for the Knowledge Hub. He has participated in several research projects in Quebec and Canada, such as the Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative. His thesis uses secondary data from this pan-Canadian research and focuses on the psychosocial-judicial needs of women survivors and bereaved relatives of domestic homicide.
Nicole Jeffrey, Postdoctoral Associate
Nicole Jeffrey (PhD) is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children working with the Knowledge Hub team. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor (status only) at the University of Windsor. Her research focuses on men’s violence against women, particularly sexual violence, and social norms about consent, masculinity, and normative heterosexuality. In her spare time, she loves to travel and spend time with her family, friends, and dog.
Jade Vajna, Media Technician (on Parental Leave)
Jade Vajna is a Media Technician for The Knowledge Hub and has been with CREVAWC since May 2023. She has a background in tech support and live streaming, with her main focus being on virtual and hybrid event production/facilitation, video editing, and content management. In her spare time, she enjoys storm chasing, playing chess, going for bike rides, and spending time with her family.
Mara Di Persio, Media Technician
Mara Di Persio (MMJC) has stepped in as a Media Technician to cover Jade Vajna’s maternity leave. Before joining CREVAWC, she developed a strong foundation in digital communications, content creation and marketing. Mara is eager to apply this skillset in her new role to support the promotion and rollout of Knowledge Hub and Learning Network webinars. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and exploring new hobbies.
Linda Mavura, Implementation Coordinator
Linda Mavura is passionate about mental health and is well versed in equity-centered environments from her lived and work experience in three countries. She has a background in trauma and violence informed community programs through her work with a women’s mental health and homeless prevention program where she was involved in program development and fund development. She is a Steering Committee member of London’s All Our Sisters Committee, an advocacy group for women facing homelessness and housing insecurity.
