About the joy lab

Dr. Casey Burkholder is a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Social Justice in Youth and Child Studies and an Associate Professor at Concordia University. Casey's research centers justice and equity. Part of this work mobilizes research funding from external bodies and invests these funds in her community through the redistribution of resources. In choosing a research path at the intersection of resistance and activism, gender, sexuality, DIY media-making, art production, queer joy, and participatory archiving, Casey engages in research for social change through participatory visual approaches to local issues with 2SLGBTQ+ youth, adults, elders, and teachers. She is the primary investigator of SSHRC-funded projects, including: Pride/Swell+, SexualityNB, and her CRC funded project, the JOYLab. 

Megan Hill is a PhD candidate in Education at Concordia University. Her doctoral research is about intergenerational knowledge exchange between elders and children within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. She recently completed her master’s at Trent University, where she wrote a SSHRC-supported thesis titled “Queer Crip Generativity”. Megan is an active member of the Aging Activisms collective as well as a research assistant on Pride/Swell+. In her spare time, Megan works at a queer youth summer camp developing accessible and joyful programming.

Marbella Carlos (she/her) is an artist, art therapist, and Ph.D. student in the INDI program at Concordia University who works at the intersections of identity, art, and healing. She holds an MA in Creative Arts Therapies and her graduate research (funded by SSHRC-GSM, SSHRC Storytellers Finalist), introduced a critical framework for evaluating the therapeutic experiences of BIPOC art therapy clients. As an artist, Marbella’s work has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and her artistic practice includes using neo-burlesque to challenge societal notions of femininity, and reclaim sexual agency.

Loaneen Palmer‑Carroll is a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Studies at the University of New Brunswick, where she investigates how art production can surface the voices and experiences of students often labeled “disruptive” in rural Jamaican secondary schools. With over two decades of experience as an educator and curriculum specialist—most recently serving as an Education Officer in Jamaica’s Ministry of Education—Loaneen blends her deep knowledge of art pedagogy with participatory research methods. Her current study, “Exploring Disruption through Art Production: Participatory Visual Research with ‘Disruptive’ Secondary Students in Rural Jamaica,” adopts a desire‑based approach (Tuck, 2009) that centers students’ creative expressions and lived experiences. By collaborating with students to build a visual archive—and ultimately produce a “Community Manifesto”—her work aims to shift conversations and practices away from punitive discipline toward equitable, student‑centered policies, fostering inclusivity, respect, and genuine student‑driven change. 

Adela Czyzewska is a PhD Student in Education at Concordia University. She recently completed a master's thesis about the impacts of parental rights legislation and religious doctrine in Alberta’s Catholic schools on 2SLGBTQ and allied students and educators (McGill, 2025). She hopes to explore the effects of anti-gender movements and conservative policies on advocacy and inclusivity in the classroom. Previously, Adela worked as a high school English teacher in Alberta. In her spare time she loves to binge read, eat ice cream, and hang out with her dog, Mazzy. 

Nirujah Muthukumaru is a master’s student in Child Studies, who is passionate about supporting the wellbeing of minoritized communities and children. She is particularly drawn to connecting physical and mental health to promote more holistic care. When she is not studying, you can find her dancing or skating and enjoying her free time.

Melissa Cohen (she/her) is a master’s student in Child Studies, passionate about inclusivity and creating a classroom environment where everyone can thrive and be unapologetically themselves. She strives to research the intersection of neurodiversity and queerness in curriculum and pedagogy. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, writing, reading, listening to music and watching sports!

Natalia Vallejo (she/her) is a master’s student in Child Studies with a double degree in journalism and philosophy from the University of Navarra. Her interests include media literacy, storytelling, and how young people engage with information, political identity, and moral development. Outside of her academic work, she enjoys dancing, live music, and spending time with animals. 

Angela Ponio is a Master's student in the Educational Technology Program at Concordia University. She is passionate about leveraging technology to create inclusive and accessible learning environments for neurodiverse learners and marginalized communities. With a background in Psychology and Health Studies from Queen's University, Angela has contributed to impactful research in the Queen's Sexual Health Research Lab, developing expertise in data analysis, research methodologies, and academic writing. Angela is thrilled to join the research team for the project Pride/Swell+ Petit Research under the supervision of Dr. Casey Burkholder.

Emma Corosky (she/her) is a Master's student in Educational Studies at Concordia University. Her research interests involve exploring how systems and institutions function to either support or suppress agency, well-being, and flourishing in the contexts of education and health. 

Alix de Supervielle-Rageau is majoring in Psychology and Child Studies. She enjoys all types of crafting, plants, and her cat Cilantro. Lately she has been sewing a lot of little felt ornaments and crocheting too.

Atousa Saghafi (she/her) is finishing her Bachelor in Child Studies at Concordia University. She holds a previous Bachelor in Psychology, and is particularly drawn to exploring the mental health of neurodivergent children from diverse backgrounds, with the goal of contributing to more inclusive and supportive practices. Her academic journey has fueled her passion for bridging these fields, which continues to shape her research interests. In her free time, she enjoys dancing salsa, bachata, and Kurdish, as well as listening to psychological and political podcasts while doing chores. She also loves outings, especially when they are paired with deep conversations.

Hazel Robinson is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Concordia, majoring in Child Studies and Human Environment. She enjoys embroidery, knitting, and spending time outside. 

Alisha Viau is an undergraduate student in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Program at Concordia University. She graduated from Vanier College's Early Childhood Education Program. She enjoys music, art, sewing, dancing, and collecting trinkets.