Mohawk College employee wins 2026 Ontario College Counselling Leadership Award
Congratulations to Mohawk College Indigenous Counsellor, Elizabeth (Beth) Gray, who was recently honoured with the 2026 Ontario College Counsellors (OCC) Outstanding Contribution and Leadership Award!
The award recognizes outstanding contribution in leadership, advocacy, collegiality, dedication, quality excellence, originality and relevance. This year's award was announced at the OCC Annual Conference held virtually on May 25.
Beth has worked at Mohawk College for over 10 years, with the past nine years focused on counselling. She previously spent a decade running a small publishing company as administrator and managing editor, where books on Social Work Practice and Community Organizing were published.
A community leader, Beth is guided by an unwavering dedication to students. She actively seeks opportunities to learn, build meaningful connections and advocate for services that respond to the evolving realities faced by students.
Over the past few years, she has developed a strong working relationship with the Hamilton Police Service, which has helped raise awareness around student safety when encountering police and student understanding of grooming and sex trafficking. By working alongside police and advocacy organizations, Beth has championed initiatives that strengthen community supports and student safety.
Her advocacy has also led to transformative change beyond campus. A new ground-breaking housing project in Hamilton, Sacajawea Non-Profit Housing’s Indigenous Learners Apartments, is currently beginning construction and will provide affordable, culturally safe housing for 31 Indigenous post-secondary students. The project was inspired by Beth’s experience supporting an Indigenous student facing homelessness on a dangerously cold winter day. Determined to find a long-term solution to a systemic issue increasingly affecting Indigenous learners, Beth tirelessly championed the idea of culturally relevant, affordable housing, engaging community partners and leaders to help make the vision a reality. In the face of a national housing crisis that disproportionately impacts Indigenous youth, Beth’s persistence will create lasting change.
Outside of her work at the college, she mentors mental health professionals training in land-based focusing-oriented therapy, an approach that incorporates Indigenous wisdom into trauma recovery. This commitment reflects both her collegiality and her dedication to providing culturally responsive, high-quality care to students.
Beth’s passion for learning and commitment to student growth are evident in both large-scale initiatives and everyday acts of support. She regularly seeks opportunities to celebrate student achievements, ensuring students are nominated for special awards and recognized for their accomplishments. She continually adapts her approach to meet changing student needs, always prioritizing student well-being and success.
“It is a huge privilege to walk alongside our students through their educational journey. I get so inspired by their growth and courage. They make me excited for the future that will be in their hands,” says Beth. “I am proud to work with them and support them however I can as they move toward their vision for their future. I am deeply grateful for their trust. Our students are amazing.”
Beth’s leadership in counselling and community advocacy continues to make a profound impact, demonstrating that when she dreams big, those dreams often become reality.