Dr Kevin Runions holds PhD (2004) and Masters (2000) degrees in Human Development and Education, from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education; University of Toronto), as well as a Bachelor of Education. He currently leads the Research, Evaluation & Monitoring team at School Mental Health Ontario, the implementation partner of the Ontario Ministry of Education in supporting multi-tiered, identity-affirming student mental health programming for Ontario’s two million elementary and secondary students. He also holds an appointment as Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) with McMaster University, in Hamilton Ontario. Prior to this, he was Head of the Schools and Community Wellbeing team at Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Australia and a Research Fellow with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (aka, the Life Course Centre), and has held lecturer/ assistant professor roles at Edith Cowan and Curtin Universities (Western Australia) and the University of Victoria (British Columbia).
Dr Runions is an internationally recognised researcher of child social and emotional development, with over 60 peer-reviewed publications addressing biopsychosocial aspects of child and adolescent development and how school practices contribute to mental health and well-being. He holds particular expertise in bullying, aggression and dysregulated behaviours, their motivational and affective processes, and intervention and prevention development, implementation and testing. His most cited publication is a meta-analysis of bullying and cyberbullying prevalence, with over 900 citations. He has consulted with governments in Australia and Canada, providing expert advice and strategic planning, including the Australian Department of Education, Independent Schools Australia, the Association of Independent Schools of NSW and the Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan. He serves on the editorial board of the journals Aggressive Behavior, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and the Journal of Psychologist and Counsellors in Schools, and on the Council of the International Society for Research on Aggression.
