Hi! I’m Annalissa
I am an educator, artist, researcher and community consultant with 10+ years experience in Community Education and Engagement, and a passion for the transformative power of creativity and the arts to foster learning, leadership, and healing.
I am currently pursuing my PhD in Adult Education and Community Development at the University of Toronto (U of T) with a focus on radical imagination, healing justice and radical healing pedagogies in community learning spaces.
I’ve worked with a wide range of groups across sectors and fields including, but not limited to: Eastend Arts, Culture Days (National), Dancemakers, Toronto Alliance for Performing Arts (TAPA), FLOURISH collective, Northeastern University, Municipality of Kincardine and Business / Arts.
Professional Experience
Course Instructor
School of Community Studies, Sheridan College
Courses: Social Movements & Social Change | Community Arts-based Research & Advocacy | Sociological perspectives in Community Development
2023 - present
Community Consultant
Community Impact Consulting
2022 - present
Senior Research Advisor
Culture Days National | Business / Arts
2024 - present
Student Life Coordinator, Service Learning & Leadership
Seneca Polytechnic
2022-2023
Digital Content Manager
Voice of Purpose
2022
Student Success Coordinator
York University
2021
Leadership Education Coordinator
University of Toronto
2020-2021
Peer Leadership Facilitator
University of Toronto
2018-2019
Volunteer & Community Experience
Member, Board of Directors
Art + Feminism
2024
Cluster Facilitator, Chicago National Session
LeaderShape®
2024
Community Workshop Facilitator
Shall We Dream? Retreat, Healing While Healing
Workshop: Radical Imagination: Collective Dreaming through Critical Blanket Fort Making
2023
Co-founder & Community Educator
Healing While Healing
2020 - 2023
Volunteer Program Coordinator
Watching Over Women Empowerment Center
2022-2023
Participant & Cohort Facilitator
The Institute for Radical Permission. Berrett-Koehler Publishing, virtual online.
2022
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), Adult Education & Community Development
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
2023-present
Master of Education, Adult Education & Community Development
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
2018-2020
Honours Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy
York University
2011-2016
Memberships & Academic Activities
Research Fellowship
Mishritata Lab, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
2023-present
Graduate Coordinator
Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies, University of Toronto
2024
Peer Reviewer
Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) 24th Annual Conference, Oregon University
2024
Peer Reviewer
Graduate School Research Conference (GSRC), Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
2024
Member, Anti-Racism Working Group
Faculty of Health, York University
2021
Research Associate, Project Co-Lead
Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS)
2019-2022
Research Assistant, Special Projects
University of Toronto
2019
Co-organizer, Stop Shocking our Mothers and Grandmothers! Protest
Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
2019
Co-organizer, The Psychiatrization of Indigenous Peoples
Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
2018
Scorer, Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)
Education Quality and Accountability Office
2017 & 2019
Speaking Engagements
Invited Panelist
(2024, March 26). How I’ve Grown from LeaderShape® [Panel]. LeaderShape®, virtual online.
Webinar Speaker
Bernicky, S., & Crisostomo, A. (2024, February 22). Spiralling Outwardly For Equity in Public Arts [Webinar]. Culture Days National, virtual online.
Invited Panelist
Crisostomo, A., Coen-Sanchez, K., Daniel, C.A.,Gunaratne, D., Kanike, N., & Singleton, M. (2023, June 1). Navigating your career transition: Insight and advice for Black, Indigenous, and racialized graduate students searching for careers with purpose [Panel Discussion]. 2023 Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities, Toronto, Canada.