Dr. Oyedeji (Deji) Ayonrinde is an Associate Professor, in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He is also the Chair of the Commission on Black Medical Students at Queen’s University.
He is the Clinical Director of Community Psychiatry Programs at Providence Care and works in an Assertive Community Treatment Team with certification in both general and addiction psychiatry.
His specialist training was at the Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK with an MSc in Research in Psychiatry ( University College London – UCL) an Executive MBA from Imperial College London, and a Diploma in the History of Medicine.
Dr. Ayonrinde plays an active role in cannabis education and the understanding of its impact on mental health across the lifespan. This includes initiatives with educational institutions, youth and family groups, Health Canada, parliament, and the Canadian Armed Forces.
Dr. Ayonrinde has research and advocacy interests in Global Mental Health, with particular reference to marginalized and equity-seeking populations such as individuals with severe mental illness, racialized groups, and people living in poverty with local, national, and international collaborations.
Alongside research and publications in these areas of interest, he has received several education and knowledge translation awards. Health innovation includes the design of game-based learning in the understanding of complex health behavior and diversity issues.
He has also supported physician and occupational wellness programs for nearly 20 years advocating stigma reduction, mental health awareness, and compassion.
Dr. Ayonrinde is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), an International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Member of the Society of Apothecaries. He is a recipient of the Freedom of the City of London, England.
