Amarens Matthiesen is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Early Childhood Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto, Canada. She is also a Sessional Instructor in the School of Child, Youth, Family and Community Studies at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.

Her research focuses on centering the needs, wishes, and preferences of children, youth, and families in the delivery of healthcare through a rights-based approach. This work reflects a broader interest in understanding how pediatric healthcare practices can critically attend to children’s voices in informing the delivery of care and development of organizational policies.

During her graduate school, Amarens practiced as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) in children’s hospitals across Canada. She holds a PhD and MA in Child and Youth Care from the University of Victoria and an undergraduate MA in Psychology from the University of Dundee in Scotland, United Kingdom.