Perspectives: A Breakfast Symposium
in Support of Sheena's Place
In the fall of 2023, Sheena’s Place hosted a successful breakfast symposium, Perspectives, in downtown Toronto. More than 50 guests gathered to hear from our speakers, Saroya Tinker, Dr. Kyle Ganson, and Wendy Preskow, who shed light on the impacts of eating disorders and the immense value of community spaces like Sheena’s Place. It was a morning full of meaningful conversations and appreciation. Once again, we thank you for your unwavering support, and we hope to see you again at our future fundraising events!
Saroya Tinker, Professional Hocker Player
Saroya Tinker is a professional hockey player who is sparking change, pushing limits, breaking barriers, and creating a more equitable future in hockey. Saroya was a member of the Yale University Women’s Hockey Team prior to graduating with a degree in History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health. She was drafted fourth overall to the Metropolitan Riveters in 2020 before joining the Toronto Six in 2021. In the 2022-23 PHF season, Saroya was named a PHF All-Star and the Toronto Six won the 2023 Isobel Cup. Tinker runs Saroya Strong, a mentorship program for young Black women in sports. Saroya is an outspoken advocate working to reduce racism in sport, and she is candid about her own experience with an Eating Disorder. She is also the Executive Director of Black Girl Hockey Club Canada, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Black women in ice hockey. In 2022, Saroya was part of Front Office Sports’ Rising 25 Class, named one of Sportsnet’s Top-25 Women in Hockey, and won the PHF’s Denna Laing Award, awarded to “the player most actively applying the core values of hockey to her community as well as growing and improving hockey culture.” She also won the TIFF People’s Choice Award for Uninterrupted Canada’s Black Ice. Saroya is one of the faces of diversity and inclusion in hockey – she is continuously pushing the boundaries of the sport and improving it for the next generation of players.
Wendy Preskow, Founder/President of NIED
Wendy is a devoted wife, mom and grandmother. She is the passionate voice and driving force behind the National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED) which she founded in 2012. Wendy was driven by the severe nature of her own daughter’s illness to create an organization that is focused on Education, Understanding and Action to counter the desperate situation facing individuals with Eating Disorders and their families in Canada. Wendy was honoured as a CAMH Difference Maker – one of 150 Leading Canadians in Mental Health.
Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, MSW
Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, MSW, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. His research focuses on eating disorders, muscle dysmorphia, and muscle-building behaviours among adolescents and young adults, particularly boys and young men. Dr. Ganson is the principal investigator of the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors, a national, longitudinal study of health behaviours, including eating disorders and muscle-building behaviours, among Canadian adolescents and young adults across all 13 provinces and territories in Canada. Dr. Ganson has published over 100 peer-reviewed academic papers in leading adolescent health, eating disorder, body image, and substance use journals. His research has been featured on the CBC, CTV News, U.S. News and World Report, Healthline, Fatherly, and Runner’s World, among others. Dr. Ganson has over 8 years of direct clinical social work practice experience and teaches clinical social work courses to MSW students. He currently facilitates an eating disorders support group at Sheena’s Place.
Big shout out to our Gold Sponsor Conam Charitable Foundation, and our Bronze Sponsor Bell Media for partnering with us!
