Co-Facilitator: 2SLGBTQ+ Focused Peer Support Workshops
Peer Support Specialist

Christine Newman works with police services across Canada and overseas and has worked for over 20 years with the Toronto Police Service in a variety of community roles, including as an instructor for the Community Experiences Training Program for new recruits, and delivering training for the Neighbourhood Officer Program.

Having retired after 40 years of LGBTQ2S activism and advocacy work, she remains known for her extensive body of work nationally. Using her lived experience with her own mental health, she has been involved in mental health advocacy for 40 years. She continues to work with mental health organizations to bring inclusiveness into their programs and training.

Christine is a contributing writer on mental health for multiple publications, a contributing author to “Cuarenta y Nueve” (Pulse Nightclub tribute), “Brainstorm Revolution: true mental health stories of love, personal evolution, and cultural revolution”, and “Not Cancelled: Canadian Kindness in the Face of COVID-19”. She is currently preparing her memoirs for publication, has contributed her writing to new anthologies, and has a great appreciation for storytellers.

Widely known for her communication, listening, and empathic skills for many years now, Christine is a highly sought-after educator, storyteller, and public speaker. She has guest lectured at numerous post- secondary institutions, and for law enforcement from multiple countries. Her sense of humour is well- known at conferences, seminars, workshops, lectures, and in speeches, allowing her to cover significant topics in an easy to digest fashion. She has been featured in numerous news articles, and on radio and television shows in recent years.

Known to those dearest to her as a certified comical curmudgeon, when not involved in her many activities, Christine can be found indulging her musical side, playing a number of instruments for her own entertainment. She is also working toward her goal of obtaining a master’s degree in psychology.