Jonathan, after working in the animal care industry (in various capacities, including as a zookeeper, animal handler, and educator) for nearly a decade, attended Oshawa’s Ontario Tech University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Forensic Psychology – with distinction. Further, Jonathan has earned a certificate of Negotiation Mastery from
Harvard Business School. During his time at Ontario Tech, Jonathan worked with Durham Family Court Clinic and was responsible for creation of literature review entitled “On a New Durham Youth Gang Strategy – A Literature Review and Assessment of Needs for Durham Family Court Clinic,” which included a plethora of research regarding youth in conflict with the law, anti-gang strategies, victimology, community safety and wellbeing, and criminogenic factors contributing to violent crime, to provide recommendations in service of the next Durham Youth Gang Strategy.
Jonathan is passionate about helping to teach others about the hardships faced by youth and youth in conflict with the law, and has been a guest lecturer at University of Toronto, lecturing on criminal gangs, anti-gang strategies, youth in conflict with the law, and gangs in the greater Toronto area and Durham Region. He believes in the importance of engaging and involving the community in discussions regarding social issues, and has been published in the Toronto Sun.
Currently Jonathan is studying applied neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London in England. His studies are multidisciplinary in nature, from molecular biology to the psychological study of the mind; with a strong focus on neuroscientific and psychological foundations of mental health.
Jonathan feels honoured to have been entrusted with the vast responsibility and privilege of holding a seat on DFCC’s board of directors and is committed to employing a person-centered, community-based, equitable approach through an
anti-racism/oppression lens/framework, in order to best serve the youth of Durham Region.
