Hannah Kia

Hannah Kia is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Social Work (Faculty of Arts), affiliated with the Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity. Her research focuses on sexual and gender minority (SGM) health, aging in SGM communities, and improving professional practice through intersectional frameworks. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and MSW/BSW degrees from UBC.

Her work bridges clinical practice and policy, addressing healthcare equity for transgender and gender-diverse populations. Key projects include studies on peer support networks, TGD older adults’ healthcare engagement, and LGBTQ2S+ poverty. She has secured over $3.5M in grants as PI/co-PI, including SSHRC and CIHR awards for studies on SGM resilience, healthcare access, and suicide prevention.

Teaching emphasizes critical social work practice with marginalized groups, using vignettes to enhance qualitative research skills. Her clinical background in healthcare hospice and acute care informs her advocacy for trans-affirming clinical practices.