People - Institute for Canadian Citizenship

Board

Irfhan Rawji

Chair

Irfhan Rawji is the Founder & CEO of MobSquad. This innovative Canadian start-up ensures high-calibre software engineers with U.S. work visa challenges remain working with their current company but near-shored from Canada.

Martin Katz

Vice-Chair

Martin Katz is Founder and President of Prospero Pictures. One of the most prolific feature film producers in Canada, Katz’s credits include Hotel Rwanda, which was nominated for three Academy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards, and Bronwen Hughes’ Stander, which the London Observer called “the greatest heist film since Reservoir Dogs.”

Zai Mamdani

Board Director

A professional with a depth of corporate and non-profit experience, Zai Mamdani leverages her education and experience to provide strategic leadership and operational guidance.

Khalil Shariff

Board Director

Khalil Shariff has served as Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), a leading Canadian global development agency, since 2005.

Staff

Daniel Bernhard

Chief Executive Officer

Daniel is a first-generation Canadian who has dedicated his career to public benefit following a short stint in corporate consulting.

Salimah Dhalla

Chief People Officer

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Salimah is the ICC’s resident newcomer advocate, bringing the perspective of our beneficiaries into every program and decision. Since 2010 Salimah has worked on policy development and program implementation initiatives with the government, Indigenous communities, and newcomers. Salimah holds an undergraduate degree from Carleton University and a Master’s in Law from the University of Toronto.

Heather Barnabe

Chief Operating Officer

She/Her

An experienced, committed leader, Heather’s career has been built around improving the livelihoods of equity-deserving groups, both at home in Canada and around the world. She was the CEO of Fora: Network for Change, an organization dedicated to advancing the meaningful participation of young women and gender-diverse youth leaders in decision-making spaces. Prior to joining Fora, she managed complex, multi-country girls’ education and women’s health interventions across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America for Right To Play and CARE Canada. She also has the unique experience of having worked in corporate relations and strategic partnerships with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

hbarnabe@inclusion.ca

George Carothers

Senior Director, Ideas and Insights

George is a research professional with global experience spanning academia, consulting, and non-profit management.

Mona Afrouz

Senior Director, Partnerships

She/Her

Mona has over 15 years of experience as a tier one leader. She has led marketing, partnership and strategy teams across diverse industries, including retail, finance, travel and tech, achieving remarkable success in driving business development and customer acquisition goals. Her expertise spans brand management, loyalty and engagement strategies, and stakeholder collaboration. With a proven track record of developing innovative partnerships and identifying revenue opportunities, she is committed to driving transformative growth for the ICC.

mafrouz@inclusion.ca

Gaurav Vaz

Senior Director, Product & Marketing

Gaurav is a generalist and entrepreneur at heart. In the last 15 years, he has built multiple companies and has had varied professional experience in diverse industries including software engineering, web design and development, music and media.

Terri Heggum-Allen

Director, Finance

Terri Heggum-Allen spent the first part of her career with a special focus on small and family businesses. Then, in pursuit of a comprehensive grounding in tax planning, Terri took a position as Tax Manager in the Tax Department of a national CPA firm, where she completed her Tax In-Depth training.

Olga Nseya Nkuba

Director, Events

Born In the Democratic Republic of Congo and having lived in five countries through her childhood, Olga developed a love and appreciation for different cultures at an early age which has followed her throughout her career as a seasoned client service professional, primarily working with Government of Canada organizations. She has a love for learning, understanding, and helping which has aided her growth in leadership roles and event/program coordinating. During her spare time, she enjoys painting, discovering new music and cooking.

Roberto Esteban Alvarez

Director, Partnerships

Originally from Mexico, Roberto moved to Toronto at eighteen to pursue a Bachelor’s degree and ended up staying. He left momentarily to Spain to complete a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Prianka Gill

Director, Newcomer Serving Partnerships

With ten years of experience working in the settlement sector, Prianka has dedicated her time to mitigating the structural and systematic barriers newcomers face.

Tanya Hemley

People Success Manager

Tanya was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica. She immigrated to Canada at the age of 13. Tanya has over 20+ years’ experience in the administrative field and spent 6 years as a bookkeeper.

Kathryn Hawco

Partnerships Manager – Western Canada

Born in Victoria, BC, Kathryn has moved several times and landed the longest in Ottawa, ON. Kathryn completed her undergraduate degree at Carleton University in Global and International Studies, with a specialization in Global Development. Kathryn has always been a people person. Working with children on the Autism spectrum, volunteering with elderly folks, providing personal care services to physically disabled adults, and now, fostering belonging for newcomers to Canada have all been rewarding and fulfilling fields of work. Outside of work, Kathryn enjoys spending time in nature, reading, volunteering in her community, and travelling.

Arash Safavi

Digital Marketing and Communications Manager

Arash Safavi is digital media savvy and creative thinker. In addition to having 12+ years of experience in content creation, he also has 6+ years of experience in digital media and digital marketing. This is complemented by strong design skills and a multimedia background. His educational background includes an MFA in Art, Media, and Design as well as an engineering degree. His interest, research and practices lie around diaspora, photography and visual storytelling.

Emel Maqsood

Partnerships Manager – Alberta

She / Her

Emel’s professional journey is driven by a deep commitment to fostering community and belonging for everyone, especially within the immigrant sector. With a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Culture from the University of Calgary and an ACE TESOL Certificate, she has over seven years of experience in non-profit leadership, partnerships, marketing/communications, and ESL education. Excelling in engaging diverse groups and leading impactful social media campaigns, Emel is dedicated to empowering newcomers to Canada. Her work has been pivotal in creating an inclusive environment, advancing community development, significantly improving immigrants’ and their families’ experiences, and fostering a strong sense of belonging in their new environment.

emaqsood@inclusion.ca

Samantha Zimmerman

Finance Manager

She / Her

Sam is an accomplished digital strategist and nonprofit finance leader with over 15 years of experience. She specializes in financial management, change management, and technology implementation to realize improved operations using automation.

Tola Agunbiade

Partnerships Account Manager

She / Her

Tola is a client experience professional who has spent the last 8 years working with tech startups across industries such as digital media, cryptocurrency, and private lending.

Adiba Hasan

Research Lead

Adiba earned her Bachelor’s in Religion and Political Science from Augustana College in Illinois, United States and Master’s in Global Affairs at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, Canada.

Ayesha Mohammedy

Program Lead

Born in Pakistan, Ayesha is a first-generation Pakistani who immigrated to Canada at a young age. She spent her childhood in Toronto which exposed her to a multitude of cultures and peoples and that have inspired her studies into Political Science and English at the University of Toronto.

Farah Aqrabawi

Design Lead

Farah Aqrabawi is a graphic designer with 7 years of experience, specializing in designs that elevate brand narratives. Drawing inspiration from her background in architecture, she approaches design with a focus on functionality and user experience, allowing her to create designs that not only look great but also serve a purpose. Farah believes that thoughtful design has the power to inspire and drive change. Her work reflects a passion for community, culture, and the transformative power of effective design.

faqrabawi@inclusion.ca

Jayani Srigouranga

Program Lead

Jayani completed her undergraduate degree at Carleton University in Anthropology with minors in African Studies and American Sign Language. Additionally, during her undergrad, she was involved in many extracurricular activities that involved student support/engagement and research. With her parents immigrating to Canada from Sri Lanka, making her a first-generation Tamil Canadian, Jayani has and continues to explore the meaning and experience of being a part of a diaspora. She strongly believes in the power of community and will take any opportunity to learn something new. Working with and supporting newcomers’ sense of belonging is a role she holds near and dear to her heart. In her spare time, Jayani loves to cook, read, spend time with her friends/family, travel, and tend to her many plants.

Jenna Brownlow

Communications Lead

Jenna completed her Masters in Museum Studies at the University College Cork in Ireland. Having worked in a variety of museums and galleries in Canada and Ireland, she is passionate about building community connections through art and culture.

Mojoyin Adigun

Philanthropy Lead

Mojoyin was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and immigrated to Canada in her early teenage years. In her professional journey, she has extensive experience in volunteering and various associated programs. Mojoyin’s passion for inclusion and helping others has led her to actively create and participate in various initiatives to impact the community positively.

Nabil Fairbairn

Evaluation, Monitoring and Data Analytics Lead

Nabil is a recent graduate with a degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science. His interests lie at the crossroads of Artificial Intelligence and Language.

Natalia Garcia Basilio

Philanthropy Lead

Natalia holds a BA in International Relations and possesses a strong background in project management, event management, fundraising and research. She has worked in a variety of environments that include non-profits, as well as local and national governments and embassies.Natalia was born in Mexico, and after having first visited Canada as an exchange student, she has called Canada home since 2016. Before coming to Canada she lived and worked in Serbia and Montenegro. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Serbian.Natalia is passionate about languages and understanding how they reflect the cultural richness of the nations that speak them. She loves trying international cuisines and learning about the stories behind each dish.

Stuti Bindesri

Bilingual Events Lead

As a bilingual events lead, Stuti combines a strong background in Events Management with a Bachelor of Commerce in Hospitality & Tourism. With prior experience collaborating with settlement agencies, she brings expertise in fostering partnerships with diverse organizations. Fluent in English, French, Mauritian Creole, and Hindi, Stuti excels in communication and coordination, ensuring inclusive and impactful ceremonies.

sbindesri@inclusion.ca

Andrew Beer

Customer Support Specialist

Andrew Beer has worked with the ICC since 2011 and marveled at its change and growth into what it is today. Keen on streamlining processes, Andrew has a database background and is Canoo’s bilingual customer service guru.

Chloe Bray

Partnership Specialist

She/Her

Chloe has worked in a variety of non-profits, supporting a wide range of causes including literacy education, international press sector development, and economic inclusion for refugees in Canada. She is dedicated to advancing positive change by building strong community connections.

Jasmine Garland

Partnership Success Specialist

I grew up in a culturally diverse family and have been fortunate to travel to 24 countries. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Certificate in Sexual Health Rehabilitation, I do whatever I can to help people become more confident within themselves and their lives.

Vidah Reghat

Partnerships Specialist

Vidah is a first-generation Canadian, currently finishing her undergraduate degree at The University of Toronto, specializing in Bioethics and minoring in English studies. Growing up in a Filipino-Iranian household, she understands how empowering it can be when cultures collide. Using her multiple years of customer service experience, Vidah is adamant about providing the best bi-lingual assistance (in both English and French) to any inquiring Canoo members.

Elizabeth Shaw

Philanthropy Lead

Elizabeth holds an MSc in International Migration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and an Honours BA from the University of Toronto. She has previously worked at institutions including the International Labour Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the Migration Policy Institute.

Emelin Materano

Bilingual Events Assistant

Born and raised in Venezuela, she later moved to France, where she gained her initial professional experience in customer service and administrative assistance roles. She recently settled in Canada and is open to new challenges. A multicultural and creative individual with a deep passion for languages and a strong desire to help people. She loves spending time outdoors, walking her dog along scenic trails in her spare time.

Salomé Wysocki

Bilingual Events Assistant

Salomé believes in the power of travel to foster community and cultivate cross-cultural understanding. Salomé’s journey to Canada started in 2017 for a Bachelor’s in Hospitality & Tourism Management and a minor in Caribbean Studies.

Calista Nyembwe

Events Assistant

She / Her

Calista Nyembwe is a results-driven professional with a knack for vibrant storytelling, both through events and communication roles. She spent nearly a decade at the City of Ottawa as a 311 Agent, specializing in bridging the gap between residents and municipal departments to improve city services.

cnyembwe@inclusion.ca

Joyce Chan

Bookkeeper

Joyce has worked in serving profit and non-profit organizations. Her passion is volunteering at women’s shelters and practicing stand-up comedian routines.

Founders

The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson

Co-Founder

The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Canada’s 26th Governor General from 1999-2005, is universally acknowledged to have transformed the office during her six years at Rideau Hall and to have left an indelible mark on Canada’s history.

John Ralston Saul

Co-Founder

John Ralston Saul is an award-winning essayist and novelist. His 16 works, including Voltaire’s Bastards, A Fair Country and The Comeback, have been translated into 29 languages in 38 countries. Saul is the Co-Founder & Co-Chair of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, President Emeritus of PEN International, and Co-Founder & Honorary Chair of French for the Future. He is a Companion in the Order of Canada and a Member of the Order of Ontario.

Join our team!

Our team is the key to the successful delivery of the Institute’s programs. Our team members bring a diversity of perspectives to our work and reflect the lived experiences of Canadian society.

Our Supporters

We are constantly inspired by our community of passionate supporters. The unparalleled commitment of our donors and partners is what builds the strength of our programs.