Two members of King's community recognized with King Charles III Coronation Medal

Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Birnbaum, Distinguished University Professor Emerita of the School of Social Work and Childhood and Youth Studies, and Dan Mathieson, a former Chair of the King’s Board of Directors, who have been named as recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

Dr. Rachel Birnbaum, who will receive the medal at a later date, taught in the area of children and families and on the intersection between law and social work. An internationally recognized scholar, she has presented at numerous conferences and published extensively. She is the co-author of several influential books on topics such as separation and divorce, parenting plans, and diverse research methodologies within the social sciences.

A Member of The Royal Society of Canada, College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists, Dr. Birnbaum has held numerous leadership roles in the field of social work. She served as president of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) from 2005 to 2009, president of the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators (CCSWR) from 2012 to 2014, and president of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-Ontario (AFCC-O) from 2014 to 2015. She has also been a board member of the Canadian Research Institute for Law & The Family in Calgary.

In a letter congratulating Dr. Birnbaum, Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, expressed, “As a recipient of this medal, I thank you for your dedicated service to your peers, to your community, to Ontario, and to Canada. The contributions you have made to our province are highly commendable and deserve our praise. May you wear the Coronation Medal with pride of your own accomplishments and in commemoration of this significant milestone in the life of our country.”

Mathieson, who served as mayor of Stratford for 20 years, was also honoured with the medal. The presentation was made by Peter Fragiskatos ’04, MP for London North Centre. In a post on social media, Fragiskatos praised Mathieson for his unwavering commitment to his community and the region of southwestern Ontario. “Throughout (his time as Mayor), he proved to be a champion not only for his community but the region of southwestern Ontario as well. He has also contributed time to many causes from the arts to the economy,” Fragiskatos wrote in congratulating Mathieson for this recognition of his extraordinary public service.

The Coronation Medal was created to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, which took place on May 6, 2023. It is the first Canadian commemorative medal to mark a coronation. To be eligible for this honour, a person must have made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region of, or community in, Canada, or attained an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.