Hey There!
I'M Dr. Joann Anokwuru 

Just a little bit about me...

Dr. Joann Anokwuru (She/Her) is a special and inclusive educator, advocate, and author with over 28 years of experience. She holds degrees in Special Education (B.Ed., M.Ed., University of Ibadan), Curriculum and Leadership (M.Ed., UBC), an Advanced Diploma in

Inclusive Education (Queen’s University Belfast), and a PhD in Curriculum Studies (UBC). She is also a Certified Educational Assessor (Real Training UK) and a member of the British Psychological Society.

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Joann has served as Coordinator and Teacher for the Gateway to Adulthood program at the Vancouver School Board. She is a District Resource Teacher supporting complex learners, and a Sessional Lecturer in Counselling Psychology and Special Education at UBC. Her work centres on creating school systems where learners with disabilities have full access to learning, belonging, and community.

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She is a 2022 CIBWE Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada awardee and a 2025 BCCampus Fellow. Joann serves on several boards, including Ritchie Place, OneWorldUv (New York), Swenam College (BC), PCHC-MoM (BC), and Kerridale Preparatory School

(Nigeria). She is the Coordinator for African Teachers Professional Development Network bringing African educators together to share best practices on inclusive education from a cultural responsive lens.

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Special Interests: Inclusive education, community service, youth empowerment, mentorship for Black girls, teaching, and professional development.

Community and Volunteer experience

• Teacher/Facilitator: Autism Associates, Lagos

• Facilitator: Special Olympics of Nigeria, Lagos.

• Facilitator: African Foundation for Elementary Education, Abuja.

• Volunteer teacher: Dubai Autism Centre, Dubai, UAE

• Volunteer: Origin Bread Project, Acadia Park, UBC

• Volunteer: Origin/Acadia Food Bank.

• Volunteer Host: African Vibes, Vancouver Cooperative Radio CFRO 100.5 FM