Kenta is an Assistant Professor at the Carleton University School of Social Work. As a licensed/registered clinical social worker, Kenta spent over 15 years working with queer and trans* youth and their families, queer parents, newcomers, and youth and families involved in the child welfare system. His practice took place in New York City, Seattle, and Toronto across various settings, including youth centres, outpatient counselling, residential treatment, settlement services, and private practice. As a full-time academic, Kenta continues to provide consultation and support to community-based practitioners.

He is an elected councillor (2019-2022) for the Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), a provincial regulatory body for registered social workers. Kenta received the GADE Social Work Teaching Award in 2015 and the Carleton University New Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award in 2018.

Kenta’s PhD studies at the University of Toronto focused on resilience, marginalities and trauma among queer and trans* youth. This led to two community-based research projects focused on queer and trans* youth: (1) Theorizing pathways to resilience among queer and trans* youth: A grounded theory study (2013-2015, conducted in partnership with 5 youth-serving agencies in Toronto), and (2) Expanding trans* representation: An arts-based participatory action research project with trans* youth (2016-2019, conducted in partnership with Youth Services Bureau). In addition, Kenta has conducted a number of studies focused on clinical social work education and practice. Kenta is the Director of SIM Social Work Research Lab, Canada’s first and only social work simulation research lab. Through his work with the Lab, Kenta seeks to advance research-informed approaches to preparing students and graduates for ethically responsible, social justice-seeking practice within marginalized communities. Kenta’s scholarly work has been supported by SSHRC, CFI, and other research grant programs.

Kenta Asakura, MSW, LICSW, RSW, PhD Assistant Professor Carleton University School of Social Work kenta.asakura@carleton.ca ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kenta_Asakura