Faculty of Health Professions
School of Social Work
1459 LeMarchant Street, Suite 3201, Halifax, NS, CANADA B3H 4R2 | +1 (902) 494-3760

Nancy MacDonald

Assistant Professor, School of Social Work

School of Social Work
Dalhousie University
6414 Coburg Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia 
Canada B3H 2A7

Telephone:  (902) 494-1189
Fax:  (902) 494-6709
E-mail:  nancy.macdonald@dal.ca

Areas of expertise

  • Aboriginal Women’s Health and Healing Issues
  • Cross Cultural Issues in Canada
  • Child Welfare with First Nations Populations
  • Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
  • Customary Care in First Nations Populations
  • Aboriginal Health Research Governance

Educational background

  • 2006 Ph.D. Candidate.  Interdisciplinary Studies in Health Professions, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University
  • 2000  Masters of Social Work.  Maritime School of Social Work, Dalhousie University
  • 1987 Bachelor of Social Work.  Maritime School of Social Work, Dalhousie University
  • 1986 Productivity and Performance Improvement Program, The Advanced Management Center of Dalhousie University, Continuing Education Units
  • 1979 Business Administration Diploma.  Miss Murphy’s Business College

Professional and educational responsibilities

  • Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University (2007-present)
  • BSW Committee, Member (2007-present)
  • Mi’kmaq/Maliseet Curriculum Committee, Member (2005-present
  • Ethics Committee, MSSW, Member (2004-present)
  • Promotion & Tenure Committee, Member (2001-02, 2004-present
  • Recruitment Committee, Member (2004-present)
  • Aboriginal Women’s Health and Healing Research Group (AWHHRG). Member (2003-present)
  • Native Women’s Caucus, Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work, Member (2002-present)
  • Lecturer, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University (2000-2006)
    Mi’kmaq Health Research Group, Member (2000-present)
  • Diversity and Equity Committee, Chair (2003-04)
  • Executive Committee, MSSW, Member (2003-04)
  • Orientation Committee, Chair and Member (2001-03)
  • Affirmative Action Review Committee, MSSW, Member (2001-03
  • Children in Care Committee, Nova Scotia Council of the Family, Faculty Representative (2000-02)
  • Nova Scotia Council of the Family

Recent funded projects

MacDonald, N., Dion Stout, M., Hanson, G., Tait, C., Anderson, K., Hughes, J., Edge, L. (Apr 2005-Mar 2006).  “Aboriginal Women’s Health and Healing Research Group (AWHHRG).”  Health Canada, $280,930.

Beagan, B., Loppie, C., Stadnyk, R., MacDonald, J. & MacDonald, N. (2003-05).  “Healthy balance research project: Phase IV caregiver portraits.”  CIHR Community Alliance for Health Research, $1,700,000.

Wien, F., McIntyre, L., Loppie, C., Moore C., MacDonald, N. (2002-05) “Establish the Atlantic Aboriginal Health Research Program, (on behalf of the Mi’kmaq Health Research Group). Canadian Institutes of Health Research, $1,437,000.

MacDonald N. with The Atlantic Center of Excellence in Women’s Health (2000-05).  “A Healthy Balance: A Community Alliance for Health Research on Women’s Unpaid Caregiving.”  Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), $5,000,000.

MacDonald N. with Mi’kmaq Health Research Group. (2003-04). “Cancer Care & Patient Navigation - A First Nation Experience.”  Cancer Care Nova Scotia.

MacDonald N. with Mi’kmaq Health Research Group. (2003-04). “Regional Health Survey of Mi’kmaq Communities in Nova Scotia.” Health Canada.

Thomas Bernard, W. & Mac Donald, N. (Jan 2003). “Stop, Look and Listen Project” Instructional Technology Innovation in Teaching, Dalhousie University, $1,000.

Karabanow, J., Ungar, M., MacDonald N. (2002-03). “Pathways to Resilience: A Study of High-Risk Youth and their Interactions with Human Service Providers.”  Dalhousie Research Development Grant, $5,000.

Karabanow, J., Thomas-Bernard, W., Harbison, J., Brown, C., Ungar, M., Campbell, C., MacDonald, N., MacDougall, G., MacDonald, J. (Jan 2002).  “Exploring the On-Line Education Revolution.”  Office of Instructional Development and Technology. Dalhousie University, $1,000.

MacDonald N. with Mi’kmaq Health Research Group (2001). “An Exploration of the Stress Experience of Mi’kmaq On-Reserve Female Youth in Nova Scotia.”  Maritime Center of Excellence in Women’s Health.

Wien, F., Thomas Bernard W., MacDonald, N. (2001)  “The Contributions of Education Strategies to Employment Equity: The Case of Social Work.” The Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

Recent publications

MacDonald, N. (2006 Accepted).  Affirmative Action Programs Create Diversity in Work Settings and in Educational Settings:  But They Fail to Address Racial and Systemic Discrimination.  Directions Journal:  Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Toronto, ON.

MacDonald, N., MacDonald, J. (2006 Accepted).   Reflections of a Mi’kmaq Social Worker on a Quarter of a Century Work in First Nations Child Welfare.  First Nations Child & Caring Society of Canada On-Line Journal.

MacDonald, N., Glode, J., Wien, F. (2005).  Respecting Aboriginal Families:  Pathways to Resilience in Custom Adoption and Family Group Conferencing, Handbook for WORKING with CHILDREN and YOUTH:  Pathways to Resilience Across Cultures and Contexts, Michael Ungar (Ed.), Sage Publications, Inc.

Campbell, C., Fay, J., MacDonald, J., MacDonald, N., Richard, B., Thomas Bernard, W. (2003). Managing Institutional Practices to Promote and Strengthen Diversity: One's Schools Journey. In W. Shera (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives on Anti-Oppressive Practice (pp. 467-487). Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press, Inc.