Allison Smith Email & Phone Number

Halifax Regional Municipality, Ns, Ca

In addition to my role as Acadia's Sexualized Violence Response and Education Coordinator, I have recently been appointed as an Adjunct Professor in Acadia's Law and Society program. My research is dually focused on sexual violence awareness and 2SLGBTQIA+ human rights and inclusion. I am a frequent collaborator with the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia and am the author of various legal information publications on topics related to 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion, the democratic process, and human rights law. Research Interests:• Human rights law• 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion• Sexual violence, consent, and the law• Social justice• Dispute resolution

As Acadia's Sexualized Violence Response and Education Coordinator, my primary role is to provide support for all members of the Acadia community who have been affected by sexualized violence. This means providing compassionate, confidential support to survivors, helping them understand options under Acadia's Sexualized Violence Policy, supporting survivors no matter what choice they make, and helping them navigate services and supports such as counselling, medical services, academic or workplace accommodations, and legal aid. I'm also responsible for education and trainings across campus focused on consent, bystander intervention skills, best practices when responding to disclosures, and other topics related to violence prevention and gender equity.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Responsible for assessing potential human rights complaints under the NS Human Rights Act and documenting complainant's experiences as an impartial agent.• Responsible for investigating alleged rights violations and facilitating resolution conferences in order to resolve disputes.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Current project: as part of Nova Scotia's Sexual Violence Strategy, I am developing and writing training materials for service providers who work with survivors of sexual violence.• Responsible for answering inquiries about law and legal processes; public legal education; planning and delivering teaching sessions about human rights and other areas of law; writing plain language legal materials; coordinating and supervising volunteers.• Former projects: researching legal issues concerning domestic violence, sexual assault, cybersafety, and partner violence in queer and trans communities. Developing public outreach and education about these issues.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Researched and edited materials on immigration and refugee law, Aboriginal law, and end-of-life legislation and policy• Researched and prepared new materials for three courses: International Human Rights Law, Human Rights Law and Protection in Canada, and Critical Race and Legal Theory.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Responsible for monitoring 180 volunteer student placements with non-profit organizations in order to complete legal projects on a pro bono basis.• Developing projects and strategies for improving access to justice in Nova Scotia through student engagement.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Two volunteer positions: Chair of the Gender Mainstreaming Steering Committee, Amnesty International Canada. August 2012 – February 2014. Responsible for facilitating, promoting, and engaging in conversations with national staff and volunteers on how to better promote gender equality in Amnesty's human rights advocacy.Co-Chair, Halifax Action Circle, Amnesty International. September 2011 – February 2014.Hosted monthly meetings, arranged guest speakers, and organized events focused on human rights advocacy and public education.

Ontario, Canada

Department of English, Queen's University, September 2006 – May 2008; Department of English, The University of Western Ontario, September 2005 – May 2006• Responsible for developing and leading weekly tutorial classes for various first year English literature courses, as well as grading essays and working with students independently.

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Master’S Degree, English Language And Literature, General

Bachelor’S Degree, English Language And Literature, General