Jeffrey John Andrion

Background

About Jeffrey John Andrion

Born and raised in the Philippines, Jeffrey’s academic and research interests have been shaped by his identity as a former colonizee and the intergenerational effects of colonization. He is a physiotherapist, educator, and humanitarian worker. His experience working in Asia and Africa has allowed him to deeply appreciate culture, international development, and social justice. Believing in genuine engagement, he shares his career accomplishments with his colleagues who provide services in the most difficult situations so that others may live. At the young age of 12, the Jesuits educated him about social justice that served as the bedrock of his professional career. Whether in the classroom setting, at the bedside level, at the corporate boardroom, or out in the field, pursuing social justice for others has become his most important moral compass. Jeffrey's early physiotherapy career was humbly and quietly launched in a makeshift church garage in Davao City, Philippines (his hometown). This started his passion in serving children with disabilities and served as the launch pad to international development work. Within the social sciences, his primary research interests are critical physical therapy labour-migration studies, decolonization of education, global health, and critical disability studies. His teaching interests are in the fields of sociology of health, sociological theories, ethics, professionalism, determinants of health, & qualitative research. In recognition of his professional contributions, Jeffrey has been a recipient of many awards including the Canadian Physiotherapy Association’s Centennary Award, the University of Toronto’s Exceptional Achievement Award in Physical Therapy, the Sunnybrook Schulich Award for Clinical Excellence, and the Senator Envarga Medal of Excellence. “Fiat justitia ruat caelum” remains his favourite mantra: Let justice be done though the heavens fall.(And yes, that's Jeffrey proudly wearing the traditional Filipino costume called "barong"[buh-rong]- once called by the colonizers as the "poor man's clothing.")