Melanie Panitch has been an activist, advocate, researcher, and educator with strong roots in the disability rights movement and broad international experience. In November of 2015, I was appointed the John C. Eaton Chair in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Melanie was the founding director of Ryerson’s School of Disability Studies from 1999-2011. Melanie has been central to embedding social innovation in the Faculty of Community Service's curriculum and fostering international student engagement for social innovation at Ryerson University. Melanie has a BA from the University of Manitoba, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of London, and an MSW from Carleton University. Melanie completed graduate work at the Hunter College School of Social Work, receiving a Doctorate in Social Welfare from the City University of New York Graduate Centre.
