Abigail Lash-Ballew

I am a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto and a Registered Social Worker in Ontario seeking to advance anti-racist macro social work practice through research, education, and community engagement. My doctoral research explores how social work practicum students within child welfare settings experience and navigate their professional socialization in relation to institutional racism.

As a migrant from the United States with a background in child welfare, social work education, and nonprofit management, I have facilitated cross-cultural learning and peacebuilding processes—including workshops, dialogues, and healing circles—for non-governmental organizations transnationally. I hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from George Mason University. Guided by commitments to justice, prevention, and systemic transformation, my scholarship and practice aim to reimagine social work education and field practicums as pathways toward equity, liberation, and better outcomes for children, families, and communities.

Learn more about my work by reviewing my curriculum vitae below.