Heather Aldersey

Dr. Heather Aldersey is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University, holding the Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Disability-Inclusive Development and serving as Scientific Director of the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR). Her work focuses on disability inclusion, family quality of life, and policy development in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Bangladesh.

Education: PhD in Education (Interdisciplinary Studies) from the University of Kansas; Graduate Certificate in African Studies; M.S. in Special Education; B.A. Honours in International Studies/French from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Research Interests: Disability studies, global health equity, family social dynamics, public policy, and community-based rehabilitation. Her research employs participatory action research (PAR) to empower marginalized communities and address systemic barriers.

Key Contributions: Dr. Aldersey’s studies explore disability inclusion in Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, and Bangladesh, emphasizing culturally relevant solutions. She has published extensively on family support systems, inclusive education, and healthcare access for persons with disabilities.

Awards: Canada Research Chair (Tier II), Queen’s National Scholar.

Affiliations: Co-Founder of the A Research Collaborative for Global Health Equity (ARCH); member of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada’s Disability-Inclusive Development initiative.