2023 CDT EDI Scholarship Recipients
We are delighted to share the exciting news that we have chosen this year’s CDT EDI Scholarship recipients! Congratulations to Stephanie Dennis, Oluyemisi (Yemi) Faderin, Karlene Grant, Deep Grewal, Archana Medhekar, and Pulkit Sachdeva on this outstanding achievement!
This scholarship, worth up to $2,500, will support their studies in Levels 1 and 2 of Collaborative Practice Certification. Additionally, the first-year membership fee (valued at up to $365) to any collaborative practice group in Ontario will be waived for them. You may have noticed that there are six names instead of five — which is because we surpassed our fundraising goal and were able to add a sixth scholarship!
The CDT EDI Scholarship initiative was created this year to break down barriers and encourage diversity within Collaborative Practice. 2023’s recipients’ accomplishments are truly inspiring and we’re eager to see their contributions to the Collaborative Practice community.
Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients! We look forward to supporting your journey!
Stephanie Dennis, BAH, BSW, MSW, RSW
Stephanie Dennis is a Hamiltonian, born and raised. She attended Queen’s University, as well as McMaster University. As a Registered Social Worker with over ten years of experience working in acute care hospitals, she has ventured out into private practice, and is the proprietor of Dòchas Counseling Services. Stephanie’s training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Dialectical Therapy (among other areas) serves the focus of her practice: to support people as they prioritize their mental health and wellness.
Stephanie’s next goal is to achieve Accreditation with the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (anticipated to be completed this year).
Deep Grewel, CPA, CA
As a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Deep Grewel recently shifted his focus towards obtaining his Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) accreditation. He is thrilled to be joining the Collaborative Divorce Toronto chapter to learn and guide clients with family law needs through the collaborative practice, which provides a more harmonious process. In his free time, Deep enjoys playing basketball and hockey, as well as reading novels.
Karlene Grant, MSW., RSW
Karlene Grant is a registered social worker, in good standing with the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She has been working in the field for approximately 26 years and is owner of Ontario Enrichment Counselling Centre, a place that offers compassionate, professional, and effective supportive counselling using evidenced based therapies. Karlene has extensive experience working in the field of mental health and provides individual, family and couples counselling/psychotherapy services. Karlene is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, DBT, EMDR, Crisis Intervention and Trauma to name a few. She works as a Parenting Coordinator and helps divorcing parents with parenting plans. She also completes Section 112 assessments, Voice of the Child Reports for the courts and provides supervision to social workers and social work students.
Karlene is a mother and enjoys travelling. She also enjoys exploring healthy ways of living and making natural healthy body products, exercising and helping others. She also practices mindfulness and mediation.
Archana Medhekar, B.Sc., LL.B., LL.M. (DR), AccFM, CPMed
Archana Medhekar is a Certified Family Law specialist with over 25 years of international experience in the field of family dispute resolution. Her litigation, research and conflict resolution work focuses on the issues related to immigrants, refugees, children and people with intersectional vulnerabilities- who face barriers to access to justice. She is a co-author of two research based books Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies and Breaking the Silence: The Untold Journeys of Racialized Immigrant Youth through Family Violence Archana is a peacebuilder and works on the United Nations platform and is the recipient of the prestigious Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards winner of 2023.
Pulkit Sachdeva, B.com(Hons.), L.L.B.
Pulkit Sachdeva was called to the Ontario bar in 2020 and has since gained invaluable experience (including family law) with diverse law firms in the GTA. However, Pulkit’s legal experience significantly predates his 2020 call to the Ontario Bar. He had been a lawyer in India since the age of 23 and worked with very seasoned lawyers during those initial years. In India, Pulkit’s focus was on litigation; he practiced mostly in family, civil and criminal law. He was also one of the youngest first-generation lawyers in India to have his own court chamber and had a very refined, versatile, respected and growing independent practice there.
