Teresa Avvampato – FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Teresa Avvampato is an avid learner.  She views problems as opportunities - that, through appropriate investigation can lead to growth, innovation, and strategic solutions.  Her interest in applied research is grounded in these beliefs.

As an occupational therapist (OT), Teresa has clinical experience working across the lifespan in the areas of mental health, forensics, acute care, orthopedics, rehabilitation, palliative care, and school health.  Inspired by her passion for teaching and learning - Teresa began teaching at Durham College (DC) in 2011 while working full-time in clinical practice.

In 2013, Teresa joined DC as a full-time faculty member in the new occupational therapist assistant and physiotherapist assistant (OTA & PTA) program and was a program co- co-ordinator from 2014-2021. Teresa joined the research coordinator team in 2022, representing the Faculty of Health Sciences. Teresa holds a Master of Science (OT) and an Honours Bachelor of Health Science – and is a candidate in the Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation and Health Leadership program at Queen’s University.

With a multitude of applied research interests, Teresa collaborates with and promotes working with interprofessional partners to discover unique, mutually beneficial solutions to complex issues.  She values participatory action and coproduction as strategies to create new knowledge and to drive and support meaningful, purposeful, sustained change.

E: teresa.avvampato@durhamcollege.ca

AMANDA CAPPON - Faculty of Social and Community Services

Amanda has been Durham College employee since 2010. She began in a support staff role working in the Campus Health Centre as a Mental Health Worker supporting students. In 2013, Amanda transitioned into a full-time faculty role as a member of the Social Service Work team.

Amanda holds a Master of Education (MEd) in Counselling and Psychotherapy and she is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) in the Province of Ontario. Throughout her career, Amanda has gained invaluable experience working directly with vulnerable populations and educating others about vulnerable populations in a variety of settings ranging from not-for-profit, hospital and a post-secondary wellness facility. Amanda will often describe her own, best teachers are the clients she has worked with in these various settings. She values learning through observing the resilience of those that face some unimaginable adversities.

In 2019, Amanda received a Seed Grant from Durham College to conduct a literature review exploring the topic of parents with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities while supervising a team of 3 students from the Social Service Worker program.  Amanda subsequently partnered with a colleague, Kay Corbier, to submit the proposal to be considered for a College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) grant.

In spring 2021, Amanda and Kay received notice of award that their project would be funded by NSERC for a CCSIF grant. The project began officially in June 2021 and is funded at over $300, 000 over the course of three phases. The title of the project is Raising Resilient Families: Empowering Parents with Cognitive Challenge. The overall objective is to develop a model of support that is proactive and addresses the social issues that impact parents with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (ID/D) and/or Cognitive Challenges (CC), including trauma, institutionalization, and violation of human rights based on best practices identified and input from parents with ID/DD/CC and key stakeholders.

Amanda has a life-long passion for learning about human behaviour, health and psychological wellness. Research is viewed as an extension of this passion as it allows Amanda to investigate social determinants of health and wellness while also exploring gaps in services, barriers to change and addressing social injustices.

E: amanda.cappon@durhamcollege.ca

Wendy is a proud Durham College Alumni of the first graduating class of the Food and Drug Technology program which launched an exciting career in Research and Development and Product Development, first with General Foods (now Kraft), then with Nestle and her own consulting business.

Throughout her six years with Durham College, she’s had the pleasure of working with a highly talented team of outstanding leaders, industry partners, expert faculty and curriculum developers focused on designing, developing and introducing the Food and Farming program.  As a professor, she continues to build and teach the program’s Food Science and Technology courses while enhancing the student experience.  Wendy values the next generation of Food Science and Technology and maintains a focus in research and product development. She is committed to the continued advancement of the DC student experience, the Food and Farming program, and the implementation of ever evolving industry trends.

Wendy is also enthusiastically involved in the Vietnamese Skills for Employment Project as a subject matter expert in Food Science and Technology. She contributes her program development expertise to the design, development and introduction of a Pharmaceutical and Food Science program for Hau Giang Community College in Vietnam. Her education and career experiences give her a unique edge, allowing her to implement the elements necessary to provide the best educational experience for the students.

Finally, Wendy is a member of the College’s Academic Council and is research co-ordinator, working with a cross section of colleagues to advance the research agenda.  This is a dynamic time for applied research at Durham College and in her new research co-ordinator role, Wendy engages with students, industry, the community, and faculty to build and develop applied research projects within the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food and the School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship and Renewable Technology.

Prior to joining Durham College, Wendy had the opportunity to work on many research projects including the identification of a gold standard for orange juice, improved flavour and texture profiles in crystal beverages, the effect on and maintenance of flavour profiles in roast and ground coffee during vacuum packaging, and new product development of chocolate and ice cream while with Kraft and Nestle and identification of carcinogens in environmental sources of dioxins while completing a B.Sc. in Honours Applied Chemistry at the University of Waterloo.

E: wendy.smith@durhamcollege.ca