Dr. Spassiani is a scientist with the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Dr. Spassiani earned her PhD in Disability Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and has held academic appointments in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, including positions at Trinity College Dublin and Edinburgh Napier University. She holds an Honorary Research Consultant position in Intellectual Disabilities within the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland, where she contributed to advancing the delivery of both unscheduled and unscheduled care for adults with IDD.
Areas of Research
Dr. Spassiani’s research focuses on advancing health equity, inclusion and quality of life for adults with IDD. Her work explores how to make health care systems more accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of people with IDD, while also supporting their rights to full community participation and self-determined living. She is particularly known for her use of inclusive and participatory research methods that actively involve people with IDD in shaping the research that impacts them. Dr. Spassiani’s areas of expertise include inclusive research, knowledge translation, community-based participatory research, and improving health care access and education for adults with IDD. She has a strong commitment to advancing research through rights-based approached and community inclusion. Her work bridges research, policy and practice across international contexts.
Publications