Notisha Massaquoi

New & Evolving Academic Leaders Program

Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC)
Founder & Director, The Black Health Equity Lab (The BHEL)

Dr. Notisha Massaquoi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Society at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, with a graduate appointment in the Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She is also the founder and director of the Black Health Equity Lab (The BHEL) which conducts rigorous community based health research and works with Black communities to develop advocacy tools, strategies and programs to improve health outcomes, wellbeing and success in Canadian systems.  She holds a BA in Psychology from Western University, an MSW, and a PhD in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto. Her early career established several health service organizations which serve Black communities in Canada, including Africans in Partnership Against AIDS, and TAIBU Community Health Centre. She developed and served for two decades as the Executive Director of Women's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Centre in Toronto – the only Community Health Centre in North America which provides specialized primary healthcare for Black and racialized women. She has consulted globally with the United Nations Social Development Forum on racism and its impact on workforces and with UNAIDS on organizational responses to HIV and migration. She is considered one of Canada's leading experts in developing equity responsive organizations and her research and advocacy have pushed Canadian institutions to address anti-Black racism and the collection of race-based data.