Sheila French, PhD
Professional Experience
Given my time facilitating workshops in the field, my experiences at the post-secondary level, and professional instructor certifications, I have developed advanced teaching skills. I am adept at structuring lectures that are dynamic and engaging. In the classroom, I can facilitate active learning, teach blended and flipped courses, and facilitate online learning.
I have worked in both Canadian federal and provincial correctional contexts. I have frontline experience in the facilitation of treatment programs and the development of risk management/risk reduction plans for a variety of justice-involved youth and adult populations, including those convicted of violence, sexual offences and domestic violence. In addition, I have trained corrections professionals in the areas of program facilitation, risk assessment, risk reduction and core correctional practices. Finally, I have direct experience in the development, training, implementation and evaluation of correctional policies and programs in a provincial government context.
My primary research interests lie in the area of What Works! to increase public and correctional institution safety. I have conducted three meta-analyses toward this end, two related to best practices in risk assessment for recidivism and one related to programming for the reduction of serious institutional infractions. I have also worked with industry as primary researcher and in various other team roles for project implementation in both community and institutional corrections contexts. Another area of interest is the evaluation of human service programs, including the development of program theory, creation of logic models, and subsequent evaluations of process, short-term, intermediate and long-term outcomes.
Education
I hold a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of New Brunswick, Saint John. In addition, I have several certifications for risk assessment tools and for teaching.
I have co-authored government research reports, book chapters, and publications in several peer-reviewed journals. I have also presented at local, national and international conferences.