Gary D. Davies, MSW, MA, RSW
Manager, Social Work
gary.davies@brainworksrehab.com

Born and raised mostly in Montreal, Gary received his Master of Social Work from McGill University and a Masters in Social Welfare Policy from McMaster University. He worked in England and Quebec before settling in Ontario. For many years he held positions in the voluntary sector, including over eleven years at London’s brain injury association. He has also worked in children’s services and with other client populations. He joined Brainworks in 2005, where, in addition to managing the Social Work Service, he has had responsibilities in public relations and special projects.

Gary and his wife have three children and three grandchildren. From the age of eight, he has devoted countless hours to school, university, community and church choirs and is presently in his 20th year in the choir at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Gary has also served the Ontario Association of Social Workers in several leadership capacities at the local and provincial levels and was one of the founders of Camp Dawn.

Jackie Dorssers, BSW, RSW
Social Worker
jackie.dorssers@brainworksrehab.com

When Jackie received her Bachelor of Social Work from Kings University College, her classmates honoured her with the Advocacy Award. In her professional work as well as her voluntary efforts, advocacy has been a key component. Jackie has worked in social housing and for various disability organizations. She is a long-time member of special education advisory committees and has both volunteered and worked for poverty and AIDS groups. She is involved in MVA work at Brainworks, having joined the staff in 2007.

When not so busy, Jackie enjoys blues, jazz and rock and roll.

Terry Ellison, BA, BSW, RSW
Social Worker
terry.ellison@brainworksrehab.com

For Terry Ellison, always having a positive outlook and the ability to view each client’s situation from their unique perspective are very important to her work. But these are just a fraction of the qualities she brings to her therapy sessions. She is keenly aware of the serious challenges facing her clients and is passionate about helping them reach their own personal goals. Having earned a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Manitoba, she enjoys helping others. Her focus on the individual has found an excellent fit with Brainworks. She joined us in 2008.

Terry has over 10 years of experience assisting individuals with a variety of developmental and physical disabilities. She has formulated effective action plans for over a hundred families and clients of all ages, paying close attention to their own viewpoints. She is passionate about her work and continuously finds great inspiration in the strength and perseverance she sees in her clients. She knows that some have a long road ahead of them, and for them especially, encouragement, patience and having someone who understands their challenges are all very important.

Brain injury can be “such a traumatic experience for anyone to go through,” she says, “but you witness such strength from each person’s story. And you realize that your work really matters.”

And the success stories keep her energized. After brain injury, one of her clients began to gain such motivation and momentum, that Terry watched her proudly complete one academic course after another in her bid to further her education. Terry was there to encourage and coach her throughout her journey.

Terry loves the collaboration process of the treatment team, sharing and discussing the many ideas that are generated in group discussion. She feels that each team member enriches the group as a whole with their own unique perspective about the client and their care, and she knows that the primary part of her role is to advocate for her client to ensure that their wants and needs are centre-stage. With this client-centred perspective, Terry is a great ambassador for Brainworks.

Nina Sutton, BSW, RSW
Social Worker
nina.sutton@brainworksrehab.com

Nina Sutton fully understands the issues that arise from having a family member with a brain injury. When she was a young girl, her father was involved in a motor vehicle collision and had to work through a number of difficulties, including lingering aphasia. More recently, she has taken care of her brother, who was similarly involved in a collision and also sustained a brain injury. She learned early in life the many difficulties experienced by both those injured and their families, and she has developed tremendous patience and compassion for everyone involved.

In addition to her personal experiences, Nina has accumulated many years of experience working with different age groups. Among her many roles, she has worked as a support worker, activities coordinator, nursing home assistant, youth worker and health care aide. She earned an Honours Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Windsor, as well as a Human Service Certificate. She became registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers in 2006. She has been at Brainworks since 2005, working as both social worker and rehabilitation therapist.

Nina believes that the person who can best understand the issues surrounding someone living with brain injury is the person who has lived with similar circumstances first hand. Nina draws on the wealth of this knowledge to help her clients work through their own difficulties by educating them about their condition, suggesting coping strategies, and empowering them to get the most out of their rehabilitation. She knows that a tragedy like brain injury can tear a family apart, so she strives to teach each member of the family tools to not only cope, but to regain their strength as a cohesive support system. Nina knows that a client with the encouragement of family has the best chance for recovery, and supporting the family is a key part of what she does as social worker.

For Brainworks, it’s all about the client, as it is with Nina’s own client-centred philosophy. We are fortunate to have her as a valuable member of our therapy team.

Jola Szuwara, BA, BSW, RSW
Social Worker
jola.szuwara@brainworksrehab.com

For Jola Szuwara, it’s all about making a difference—especially in the lives of clients and their families. Fluent in Polish, she came to Canada when she was 7 years of age. She graduated with an Honours B.A. in Psychology and then went on to earn a second B.A. in Social Work, both from the University of Windsor. She decided on a career helping those suffering from brain injuries after conversations with friends who were doing similar work and who noted how rewarding their own experiences were. She has been a social worker and rehabilitation therapist at Brainworks covering the Windsor-Essex County area since 2008.

Jola has over six years of experience in client care and social services, and she has provided physical and emotional support to people of all ages with various challenges, from children with developmental problems to seniors with long-term care issues. She’s had exposure to a vast array of therapeutic environments, including counselling, palliative care, and stroke therapy.

Building a strong rapport with clients and treatment partners is very important to Jola. She strives to connect with clients through a genuine interest in their overall well-being, and then advocate for them when collaborating with other professionals. She knows that a client’s therapy is much more effective when they have a voice in the development of their own treatment plan.

Jola wants to continue to make a difference in the lives of clients as well as help strengthen their family ties. Rehabilitation can sometimes be a trying time, and she knows how important it is to support the whole family as they all work toward the common goal of enriching their loved one’s quality of life. This fits entirely with Brainworks’ own client and family-centred philosophy, and we are glad to have Jola in our family.