Tanya Sharpe

Tanya Sharpe is an Associate Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, and holds the Endowed Chair in Social Work in the Global Community. She previously served as an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work (2007–2018). Her research focuses on sociocultural factors influencing coping strategies of Black family members and friends of homicide victims, emphasizing culturally responsive approaches. She founded The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB), a multidisciplinary initiative advancing research, policy, and practice for global Black communities affected by homicide.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Social Work, Boston College (United States)
• MSW, University of Connecticut (United States)
• BA, Hampton University (United States)

Research Interests: Dr. Sharpe’s work centers on homicide grief, racial trauma, police violence, and community-based interventions. She has published extensively on topics such as trauma among Black survivors of homicide, mental health consequences of police victimization, and systemic racism in criminal justice systems.

Articles Overview: Her recent publications address homicide grief, police accountability, and racialized trauma. Notable works include studies on fatal police encounters in Canada and the mental health impacts of gun violence in urban U.S. settings.

Awards:

• Recipient of the Boston College Distinguished Alumni Award
• 2016 NASW Maryland Chapter’s Social Work Educator of the Year
• Dr. Martin Luther King Diversity Recognition Award
• Multiple grants, including projects on tracking homicide in Toronto and supporting Black survivors.

Grants & Leadership: Dr. Sharpe leads initiatives funded by grants such as Invisible Wounds: Exploring the Experiences of African, Caribbean, and Black Survivors of Homicide Victims. She advises Toronto Police Services and Safe Streets-Baltimore, and serves on boards for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Labs/Teams: Director of The CRIB, a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration on homicide-related trauma and advocacy.