Professional Development Workshops

Dr. Deena Kara Shaffer (she/her) is the founder of Awakened Learning, designing compelling learning experiences for students of all ages, their parents, and professional leaders keen to experience more self-defined success. After 11 joyful years at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), where she served as Manager of Thriving Innovations in Student Wellbeing, Adjunct Faculty in the Sociology Department, and Lecturer in the Psychology Department, Deena recently moved to York University to serve as Director, Office of Student and Academic Services. Deena is the President of the Learning Specialists Association of Canada (2nd term), a former learning strategist for students with disabilities, and a skilled certified high school teacher. Deena is co-founder of the now international Thriving in Action resilience intervention, and co-author of Thriving in Action Online and Thriving in the Classroom. Deena holds a doctorate in nature-based pedagogy and learning strategies, and has gone back to school this past fall for a second masters, this time in Design, Strategic Foresight and Innovation. Deena is an author; a trained yoga and restorative yoga teacher; a mindfulness meditation teacher; a published poet; and, and public speaker on learning and well-becoming. At present, Deena is working on an "awakening learning" book to share her holistic learning strategies more broadly, hosts "Whole Learners" parent circles to support families in filling in those "pandemic learning gaps", and recently launched the #LearnThat initiative as a positive contribution to social media which can viewed on Instagram @awakenedlearning. Deena's ideal day is spent outdoors getting muddy with her two kids.