Dr. Gillespie is currently the Acting Director of the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. Prior to obtaining her PhD, she worked for many years in children’s services in northwestern Alberta. Her research interests encompass the role of communities in the welfare of children with a particular focus on policy frameworks that strengthen the community level social, physical, and political infrastructures that support children and families. She is also interested in the development of knowledge to support interprofessional practice in child welfare.