LU selects first director of human rights and equity

Lakehead University has chosen Dreeni Geer as its first Director of Human Rights and Equity.

Geer comes to Lakehead University after working as War Child Canada’s Country Director in Uganda, where she provided key strategic leadership for the organization’s operations and programs. War Child provides justice, protection and human rights programs for diverse communities around the world.

She has also worked in Sweden with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Geer has lectured at Lund University on Refugee Women’s Rights and taught at Sheridan College. 

“Dreeni’s experience and knowledge in human rights and equity will make her an asset at Lakehead University,” said Kathy Pozihun, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Administration and Finance. “She will serve as Lakehead’s central source of information on all diversity and equity issues.”

Geer will stay up to date on equity and human rights issues in the education sector and in society.

“I am very excited to join Lakehead University in the role of Director of Human Rights and Equity. This new position demonstrates a strong commitment by the University towards ensuring an inclusive, diverse and accommodating environment that respects the human rights of all,” Geer said.

“I look forward to collaborating with students, faculty and staff to establish a human rights and equity office that speaks to the needs and rights of Lakehead’s communities.”

Geer will start at Lakehead University on August 2. Creating this position was one of the key recommendations made by Lakehead’s Sexual Assault Task Force.

For more information about the Task Force and its report, please click here.


Dreeni Geer

Dreeni Geer comes to Lakehead University with 18 years of human rights experience in Canada and internationally.
Dreeni’s experience in Canada includes working as Executive Advisor to the Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission where she provided expert advice on legal, policy, communications and public education activities during the transition of the provincial human rights system. 

She has also served the newcomer communities of Toronto as Executive Director of CultureLink Settlement Services and female survivors of violence as Community Safety Director at METRAC. 

Most recently, Dreeni was Country Director with War Child Canada where she led Access to Justice, Education and Peace-building programs for conflict-affected communities in Uganda.  Previously, she worked in Sweden with Lund University’s Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, developing human rights programs with Universities and Judicial Institutions in Belarus, the Middle East and North Africa, and Turkey. 

Other international experience has taken her to Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Congo, South Sudan and Afghanistan working with grass roots organizations, International NGO’s and the United Nations on the human rights of women, children, indigenous peoples, racialized minorities, refugees and other equity seeking groups. 

A lawyer by education, Dreeni received her Juris Doctor from Queen’s University (Law ’98) and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo.