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Police Officer

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Afghanistan

A Detective Constable with the Toronto Police Service’s Homicide Unit, Mustafa Popalzai was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. At the age of 14 years old, Popalzai and his family fled the Taliban and immigrated to Ottawa, Canada. Popalzai graduated from Carleton University with a bachelor of arts in law (honours) and a masters in legal studies. Popalzai speaks, reads and writes in five languages.

In 2014, Popalzai moved to Toronto to become a police officer with the Toronto Police Service. In 2021, when the world witnessed chaotic scenes of Afghans attempting to flee the Taliban from Afghanistan, Popalzai co-founded Project HOPE. The initiative was created to assist the influx of Afghan refugees arriving in Canada. It was a déjà vu for Popalzai as he was in a similar situation when his father (an artist) was forced to flee the Taliban due to receiving death threats in the year 2000. Popalzai chose the name Project Hope as he believes that as a refugee when one is forced to leave their native country – they have nothing but a HOPE.

In 2023, when the earthquake tragedy struck Turkey and Syria, Popalzai and his team raised and delivered more than $112,000 of donations for the survivors of the earthquake.

To date, Project Hope has assisted thousands of Afghan refugees in Canada and has delivered over half a million dollars’ worth of donations to the Afghan refugees as most of them arrived with nothing but the clothes on their back. In addition, Popalzai has provided lectures and information sessions to hundreds of refugees about the role of police and basic Canadian laws and has personally visited many of the refugees in their homes to assist them with their difficulties — ranging from providing them with blankets and clothes to stay warm to getting them wheelchairs for their elderly and disabled.

Popalzai has a deep passion and desire to get involved in the community and help others. He worked as a Neighborhood Community Officer in Regent Park for three years where he was heavily involved with the marginalized youth and led many programs (soccer, basketball, cricket and boxing) that encouraged the youth to give back and be leaders in their communities.

Popalzai has volunteered hundreds of hours with various organizations such as Special Olympics, Carleton University (Student Mentor), Correctional Service of Canada, Volunteer Ottawa, Crime Stoppers, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and is the co-founder of two youth sports teams. As a result of his contributions to the community, he was the recipient of the Humanitarian Award (Carleton University), Community Officer of the year (Maple Leafs Sports Entertainment), Young Police Officer Award (International Police Association), Best Volunteer (Volunteer Ottawa) and a Community Builder of the Year (United Way).

Community development coordinator; community builder

City: Winnipeg

Country of Origin: Chad

Originally from Chad, Africa, French-speaking Raymond Ngarboui became a Canadian citizen in 2011, and received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal this past November.

Ngarboui came to Winnipeg, Manitoba with no English proficiency and quickly learned English to complete language requirements for college and university studies. He has made tremendous contributions to his local communities and his new country. An outstanding volunteer known in Manitoba and across Canada, Ngarboui initiated programs that facilitate healthier living and successful integration for new immigrants and refugee families.

In 2009, he received the United Nations’ recognition, winning the UNICEF Canada National Volunteer Award. Ngarboui also received the Manitoba Golden Carrot Award, in Urban Food Champions’ Category, the same year. With a degree in agriculture/local development and specialization in business/cooperatives management in Chad and Cameroon, Ngarboui graduated from Red River College Polytechnic in Community Economic Development (CED) in Canada and took urban and inner-city studies at University of Winnipeg. He conducted community consultations for the $5.6 million investment for the Central Park Redevelopment Project in 2009.

Ngarboui has been working full-time as community development coordinator for Community Education Development Association (CEDA) since his graduation at RRC Polytechnic in 2009. He completed the advanced compassionate listening program in Washington Seattle (USA) and went back to University of Winnipeg to take a project management program. In 2009, he passed the National Interpretation Exam, organized by Interpreter Language and Skills Assessment Tool (ILSAT) from London, Ontario, and recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Then, he became Winnipeg Regional Health Authority accredited Health Interpreter (French/English) in 2012.

Ngarboui’s multiple professional and volunteer community initiatives with CEDA foster social network-building and skills development. He co-initiated Rainbow Community Gardens in 2008 in the University of Manitoba land, which became the largest community garden in Canada with 356 families from 44 different nationalities involved in 2022.

Ngarboui initiated and co-organized “Winnipeg Food 4 All” in midst of Covid-19 in 2020 which gathered more than 200 volunteers cooking, serving packed lunches and breakfasts to more than 20,000 community members:

He received many awards including: Premier’s Community Volunteer Service Award, 2017. Ngarboui is featured among 30 Provincial Historical Personalities in the Manitoba Museum Gallery since 2019 alongside those of fellow trailblazers such as Louis Riel and former Judge and Senator Murray Sinclair who led Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

CEO and executive director, Francophone Centre of Greater Toronto

City: Hamilton
Country of Origin: Burundi

Florence Ngenzebuhoro is the CEO & Executive Director of the Francophone Centre of Greater Toronto,commonly known as the “Centre Franco”, the GTA’s largest social service network for French-speaking immigrants and residents. Originally founded in 1976 as a downtown networking hub, the Centre Franco has seen exponential growth and today offers healthcare, legal aid, housing assistance, mental health resources, skills training, and resettlement support to over 41,000 GTA residents every year. Under Ngenzebuhoro’s leadership, the Centre Franco now employs over 180 staff, has an operating budget of over $15M, and operates service hubs in Scarborough, North York and Mississauga. In 2022, it unveiled the GTA’s first-ever airport welcome service for newcomers at Pearson International.

Before becoming one of Canada’s leading nonprofit CEOs, Ngenzebuhoro served in a high-profile role in the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Before that, she spent 13 years helping transform a small health services operation in Hamilton into Southwestern Ontario’s largest social service network.

Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Influential Black Women in 2019, Ngenzebuhoro’s community involvement extends far beyond her day job. She previously served on the Board of the University of French Ontario (UOF), and co-founded MOFIF, a NGO aimed at combating sexism and domestic violence. At the height of Covid-19, Minister Caroline Mulroney asked her to serve on the Post-Covid Francophone Economic Development Strategy Committee to develop and implement ideas to get Ontario’s Francophone community back on track. Last December, Ngenzebuhoro was part of Canada’s official delegation at the 19th Summit of La Francophonie in Djerba, Tunisia. In February, she hosted her 12th Francophone Black History Month Gala, bringing together over 800 community leaders and celebrating their contributions to Canada.

On why the Hamilton-based mother of six has dedicated her adult life to helping others, Ngenzebuhoro recalls her harrowing journey: in 1994, she escaped her native Burundi in the throes of a genocidal war, and came to Canada as a penniless refugee and single mother, discovering that there were no social services available to French-speakers. “I struggled but I survived. I resolved that I would spend my life making sure that Francophone newcomers could find help with kindness and dignity.” 

Ngenzebuhoro holds a law degree from the University of Burundi Faculty of Law, and a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from Laurentian University in Sudbury. Next stop: in May, she will be headed to Stanford Business School for the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders.

Football player

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo

Henoc Muamba, a football player with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts, was 2022’s Grey Cup MVP and Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian, the second player to ever earn both awards.

Born in Democratic Republic of Congo, he was selected first overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 2011 CFL Draft, from St. Francis Xavier University. He began his pro career playing three seasons with Winnipeg before joining the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He also played with the Montreal Alouettes.

This February, the linebacker re-signed with the Grey Cup-winning Argonauts.

Muamba has appeared in 135 career CFL regular-season games, registering 592 tackles, 78 special-teams tackles, 17 sacks, eight interceptions, 14 forced fumbles and one TD.

Muamba is a star both on and off the field. Crediting mentorship for much of his success, he wants to help and mentor others so is currently involved in several programs hoping to do the same for others. They range from a pair of MLSE initiatives, his mentorship program called Eagle Vision, and speaking engagements at schools, churches and prisons. Then there’s his podcast, “Muamba Moments,” and his work with the Red Door Family Shelter and Athletes in Action.

The husband and father of three is also now focused on creating the Muamba Foundation, inspired by kids from the Congo who have reached out to him. He hopes he can help bring football, mentorships, hospitals and schools to his homeland.

With files from Toronto Star

Community-engaged scholar

City: Vancouver

Country of Origin: Chile

Paola Ardiles Gamboa, BSc, MHSc, MBA, PhD, immigrated to Canada as a young child, along with her family fleeing the brutal military dictatorship in Chile in the 1970s. Ardiles Gamboa has dedicated her career to find collaborative and innovative approaches to advance policies, practices and research toward equity in health and education.

In 2012, Ardiles Gamboa received the Dr. Nancy Hall Public Policy Leadership Award of Distinction for her pioneering policy work in mental health promotion, including co-authoring Towards Flourishing for All, a policy paper supporting Canada’s first national mental health strategy. Through the engagement of partners in the settlement, social service, health and criminal justice sectors, Ardiles Gamboa led a provincial discussion paper over a decade ago, recommending five different action areas that resulted in funding the development of BC’s first health equity indicators.

Since 2015, Ardiles Gamboa has been a faculty member at the Faculty of Health Sciences, at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and was recently awarded SFU’s Warren Gill Award for Community Impact. In February 2023, Paola and her research partners released a community-engaged research report The Myth of Canada: The Exclusion of Internationally Trained Physicians.This work arose from a partnership with RADIUS SFU Refugee Livelihood Lab to gives voices to the experiences of this diverse and skilled professional group during the current healthcare crisis.

Ardiles Gamboa currently co-leads Art on the Go, an arts-based youth participatory research project working to improve road safety policies for newcomer youth, in partnership with her long-standing partner Public Health Association of BC and Bridge for Health, a cooperative she co-founded in 2017 to support social innovations to promote health and collective wellbeing.

Her commitment to the principles of anti-racism and decolonial practices is informed by both her scholarship, as well as her lived experiences as a mother, social justice advocate and as an immigrant woman living and working on unceded Coast Salish territories. Her teaching has been recognized as creating  an inclusive and safe learning environment that promotes student and community wellbeing. In 2022, she was honoured by the BC Teaching and Learning Council with the inaugural West Coast Teaching Excellence Award.

Comptroller General of Ontario

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: China

Beili Wong, FCPA, FCA, CIA, CISA, MBA, C. Dir, is the Comptroller General of Ontario, responsible for building strong financial management and accountability measures, implementing an enterprise risk management framework, and overseeing the internal audit function for the Province of Ontario.

A strategic and senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in the public sector, broader public sector and private sector, Wong joined the Ontario Public Service in 2019 as the Province’s Chief Internal Auditor and was responsible for modernizing the internal audit function that supports the delivery of excellence to Ontarians.

Prior to joining the Ontario Public Service, Wong held positions of chief financial officer and chief audit executive at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and had progressive roles with the Hudson’s Bay Company and Shoppers Drug Mart. Her global working experience includes consulting and audit projects in four continents and 18 countries, with experience in retail, wholesale, logistics, manufacturing operations and government.

Wong is passionate about giving back to her profession, including serving on the Canadian Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council and was the senior vice chairman for the Institute of Internal Auditors’ North American Board.

In 2019, Wong received her CPA Fellowship (FCPA, FCA) from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario), recognizing her achievements and leadership at work and community engagements.

Wong is an immigrant to this great nation and province, and a proud champion for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

CEO and co-founder, Chinova Bioworks

City: Fredericton, New Brunswick

Country of Origin: India

Natasha Dhayagude is the CEO and co-founder of Chinova Bioworks, a food biotechnology company founded in 2016 to develop natural, clean-label preservation ingredients extracted from white button mushrooms for the food and beverage industry. She earned her bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of New Brunswick. The early part of her career was spent immersing herself with entrepreneurs and start-ups at various incubators and accelerator centers. Since then, she has raised $10.5 million in capital investment from prominent food-technology venture capitalists and has formed strategic partnerships with major multinational brands within the food industry. She has acquired multiple entrepreneur awards and is a Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) board member.

A member of the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) board, her recognitions include:

• Startup Canada Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2017)
• Startup Canada’s Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (2019)
• Atlantic Business Top 30 under 30 (2019)
• Thrive Female Founder Award (2021)
• CANIE Entrepreneur of The Year Award (2022)
• RBC Women of Influence – Innovation Award (2022)

Director, vulnerable populations, Centre for Newcomers

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: Pakistan

Shamaila Akram is the director of vulnerable populations at the Centre for Newcomers. She oversees programs and projects designed to help the vulnerable population in Calgary. She is responsible for developing, delivering and the success of programs and services that address the needs of vulnerable newcomers through the agency’s mission, strategy, policies and commitments.

She has extensive experience working in the gender-based violence and mental health sector. She was a crisis response team member during the Covid period, providing the vulnerable population with case management, financial, mental health, health, addiction and domestic violence and gender-based violence support. She initiated several initiatives to enhance awareness of mental health, gender-based violence, and anti-harassment for immigrant and marginalized communities.

She strongly advocates culturally appropriate interventions and cultural humility practice in counselling. Canadian Mental Health Association recognized her outstanding achievements as a mental health leader, innovator and volunteer who advances the mental health of immigrants, refugees and marginalized communities and awarded her with a 2022 Alberta Mental Health Leaders’ Communications Award.

She is also the recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. She also received the Women of Distinction Award 2023 from the Alberta Legislative Assembly on International Women’s Day.

She has done master of counselling psychology from Werklund School of the Education University of Calgary. She is a registered counsellor with Canadian Counsellor and Psychotherapist Association and a provisional psychologist. She has also completed a career and academic advising certificate from the University of Calgary.

Being driven by altruistic compassion for the vulnerable, she volunteered with CUPS Calgary, Calgary Immigrant Women Association, Distress Centre Calgary, Senior Resource Society, Senior Connect, women’s shelters and transition homes, Islamic Circle of North America, University of Calgary Career Services, and more. She has a passion for serving the immigrant community. She has organized several mental health awareness sessions to encourage people to talk about their mental health and engage them in conversations.

Akram is first-generation Pakistani Canadian. She moved to Canada with her young family and has now called Canada home for almost 10 years.

President and CEO, Keyano College

City: Fort McMurray, Alberta

Country of Origin: Uganda

Jatinder (Jay) Notay was born in Uganda and left with his family in 1972 as a refugee, becoming a Canadian citizen in 1977. Notay is a proud Canadian but has not forgotten his roots and Sikh heritage, and follows his late father’s three guiding principles that have made him the person he is today: family, friends and community.

The Notay family ensures they are embedded within each community they call home. Notay’s extended family are founding, lifelong members and volunteers of the Canadian Ramgarhia Society, which began as a network for families who did not have a community to call home.

Notay is a changemaker and a strong advocate for equity, diversity and inclusivity, and he has been a key leader within the Canadian public post-secondary sector for more than 25 years. His leadership has helped thousands of students access educational opportunities that provide a foundation to launch their professional careers as college graduates. This included partnering with government and industry to provide millions of dollars of additional operational and capital funding to meet the needs of students and communities.

Notay is the president and CEO of Keyano College, and in less than two years, the College has successfully introduced 18 new programs, been nominated for several community awards, and reimplemented the Northern Living Allowance for its employees. Further, Northwest College won the “Best Employer Award” in Battleford, Saskatchewan, when Notay was their President & CEO. In addition, Notay recently received Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for his service and contributions to Alberta and is on Terry Fox Senior Secondary’s Wall of Fame

Notay’s leadership focuses on the students, their education and his ability to make a difference in their lives. He believes in the power of education and how it can be used to guide and lead people to contribute positively to society. As an advocate of lifelong learning, Notay holds a bachelor of commerce, master of education and is a doctor of education candidate with the University of Western Ontario.

Professor

City: Sherbrooke

Country of Origin: Tunisia

Born in the city of Sfax in Tunisia, Radhouane Masmoudi, PE., PhD., FCSCE arrived at Quebec City in 1984, with big dreams. He joined the Université Laval where he successfully completed his bachelor of sciences in civil engineering (1988). He joined the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS) as a master student, then PhD Student, where he successfully obtained his master (1991) and his PhD (1995).

His Phd’s work has impacted the design guidelines for concrete structures reinforced with fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) bars, where Canadian and U.S. Standards have adopted his design guideline’s philosophy. After six years in the professional and industrial engineering work-market, where he served as senior design-engineer of major projects in the Montreal’s region, he joined the UdeS as professor in 2001. He served as vice-dean for research (2005-2009), and president of Professors-Engineers’ Association of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Sherbrooke (2011-2017).

In 2013, he founded a community centre (president 2013-2017 and January 2023-present), where people from different cultural backgrounds can meet to practise their prayers and share social events and religious celebrations.

He is the author and co-author of more than 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. He has also trained more than 70 highly qualified personnel (PhD and master students, postdoctoral fellows, and research professionals).

He is the founder and director of the High-Performance Hybrid Structures & Materials Laboratory (HPHSML), and principal investigator of several R&D projects, generating more than $5 million CDN in research funds.

Masmoudi is serving as associate editor for several international peer-review journals and is the editor of the book: Development & Applications of FRP Reinforcements, (2022), American Concrete Institute.

Masmoudi is recognized as an expert by the Government of Quebec, in the field of high-performance materials and structures, and is the founder and president of a technological spin-off HPSH inc: (https://structures-hpsh.com/), where new high-performance hybrid structures (HPHS) with less CO2 footprint, are designed and manufactured. Elected a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering in 2022, Masmoudi is the inventor of the HPHS system (US/Canada-Patent no US20160258160)

Principal, Philopateer Christian College

City: Mississauga

Country of Origin: Egypt

Phoebe A. Wasfy is the principal of Philopateer Christian College, one of the fastest-growing private schools in Canada and a well-recognized member of ACSI. It is the recipient of the title “Best Private School” in the City of Mississauga for four consecutive years. Wasfy was born in Alexandria, Egypt and immigrated to North America at the age of nine. She is an active member of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).

Wasfy graduated with a bachelor of arts in history and religious studies (University of Toronto 2002). She completed her Professional Program in Education (D’Youville College, New York, USA 2004). She acquired additional qualifications in “Reading,” “History,” “Religious Studies” and “Teaching Kindergarten-Grade 12” as well as completed her Principal Qualification Courses (PQC) in 2011. She received her master of education (MEd) (University of Western, Ontario 2014) and completed a higher education teaching certificate from Harvard University, USA in 2019.

Wasfy is an active member of ACSI-Eastern Canada since 2017. She is an adjunct faculty for the Youth Ministry Certification Program (YMCP) offered by the Canadian Coptic Center in affiliation with YouthTrain, New Zealand. Wasfy was chosen to participate in the World Youth Forum 2018 in Sharm ElSheikh, Egypt.

Wasfy enjoys interacting with other educators, students and parents and is committed to fostering leadership and professional development amongst her staff. She heads many initiatives and is the responsible person for the school youth humanitarian trips globally while partnering with other governments, worldwide charity groups, and global aid organizations. She has initiated the first fundraising initiative led by a group of youth for the United Nations Sustainability project and Egyptian presidential initiative Decent Life. Because of her work in this global initiative, she has become a Decent Life Ambassador. In spring 2022, Wasfy led her students in planting 1,000 trees in the City of Mississauga as part of the City’s One Million Trees initiative.

She was a recipient of the Arab Women’s Award for Academic (Life Transformation Academy – Calgary)in 2019. Wasfy was inducted in the Marquis Who’s Who in 2020. In 2021Vision Builder Women of Inspiration Award (Universal Women’s Network- Calgary) in and the Woman of Inspiration Award (Oxygen Media Limited-Toronto) in 2022.

Medical student; youth representative, UN SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee

City: Mississauga

Country of Origin: India

As the Youth Representative on the United Nations SGD4 High Level Committee on Education, Kenisha Arora has a mandate regarding the global governance of education and youth engagement in the SDG framework. Arora recently launched a Youth Declaration at the United Nations headquarters that brought together the perspectives and recommendations of 500,000 youth from 170+ countries. This declaration shows her dedication to amplifying the voices of young people and advocating for their education.

In addition to her work at the United Nations, Arora is a student at Western University, studying medical science with aspirations of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. She has also served as a student senator, a student board of governors’ member and a student council board director at Western University. Through these leadership roles, Arora has been instrumental in influencing several educational policies in the interest of the students of the university. She has also pushed for the student voice for a sustainable future to be better reflected in student council’s policies and governance. One of the ways she has achieved this is by advocating for the divestment from companies and organizations that explore the use of and currently use fossil fuels.

Arora’s volunteer achievements are equally as impressive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-founded The HopeSisters, a non-profit organization focused on spreading hope to vulnerable communities. The organization began with Arora and her sister writing cards for seniors in long-term care homes and creating “HopeBags” for disadvantaged children. Since then, The HopeSisters has grown into a movement, with 5,000+ “HopeSpreaders” and many global school chapters.

One of the most remarkable things about The HopeSisters is its focus on giving young girls access to education in Malawi and Liberia, where many young girls do not have access to quality education. Through school chapters in these countries, The HopeSisters have been able to provide educational resources and support to girls who may not have had the opportunity to attend school otherwise.

Arora has received several awards and honours for her outstanding work in advocacy, humanitarian service, and entrepreneurship, including the Princess Diana Award, which recognizes young people who have made a positive impact in their communities. She also received the Ivey Business School Founder’s Award, which provides $20,000 in funding to student entrepreneurs who demonstrate innovative thinking and a commitment to entrepreneurship.  Arora has also been recognized for her work in education advocacy and humanitarian service, being selected as a Top 10 Finalist for the Global Student Prize out of tens of thousands of nominations from 150+ countries. 

Additionally, Arora has been named one of London’s Top 20 in their 20s and placed first in Western University’s Brain & Mind Competition.

Public health physician; associate professor, University of Saskatchewan

City: Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Country of Origin: Nigeria

As a public health physician, Nnamdi Ndubuka, MBBS, PhD, currently works with the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority where he leads the implementation of public health programs in 33 First Nation communities across Northern Saskatchewan. Through ongoing advocacy efforts focused on social determinants, anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion, Ndubuka continues to contribute towards the improvement of population health and wellbeing in Saskatchewan.

Ndubuka is an associate professor at the college of medicine, University of Saskatchewan with a cross appointment at the School of Public Health. He has a passion for research, teaching and impacting knowledge across generations. He is the national president of the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD). In 2020, he pioneered the establishment of the CANPAD Mentorship program aimed at fostering personal and professional development among international medical graduates in Canada.

Ndubuka believes in empowering people, giving back to society and celebrating excellence. He is actively engaged in the development of his local community through volunteer activities and continues to encourage the Black community to participate in civic engagement at the local, regional, and provincial levels. He has served as a board member in various professional and not-for-profit organizations.

As an avid sports lover and licensed soccer coach, he has been serving as president of the Prince Albert Youth Soccer Association since 2018. He has played a key role in promoting soccer as a tool for positive youth development and social empowerment.

He is the past president of the Rotary Club of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and a two-time recipient of the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award. In 2018, he received the Rotary International Presidential Citation Award for outstanding leadership and service above self. In 2023, Ndubuka was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Award for his contributions in community service, sports, education and volunteerism.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Ndubuka is the second of five siblings. He immigrated to Canada with his family as a permanent resident in September 2011 and became a Canadian citizen in December 2016.

Researcher; entrepreneur

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Ukraine

Natalia Mykhaylova, PhD. has moved to Canada from Ukraine and is proud to call Canada home. She always feels motivated to help people around her and contribute to her community. In Canada she graduated from the Etobicoke School of Arts, received a B.Sc. in pharmaceutical chemistry and a PhD degree in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto. Her PhD work involves the development of novel AI algorithms and adaptable wireless networks for air pollution monitoring and targets a major unmet need. The data generated by this technology is promoting more effective evidence-based public policy interventions.

Mykhaylova is passionate about the environmental sustainability field. She has been involved in teaching environmental chemistry and environmental engineering courses for more than six years. She provided consulting services to Canadian community organizations working with environmental data sources. She also developed a software solution, Ease, that makes use of traffic data to reduce city congestion and the associated carbon emissions. Ease was a first place winner at Climate Hack-To-Action sponsored by Brookfield Institute as well as a winner of Toronto Climathon. She also led the development of a modular solution to add more green space to the impermeable city core as well as manage storm water run-off in dense urban environments. The project was awarded at a municipally sponsored Green Infrastructure Hack-a-thon at Ryerson University.

More recently, she started a research initiative to develop technologies that would not only track air pollution but also purify the air we breathe. She co-founded Cleanopy Inc. and has developed a unique portable device for children that offers continuous indoor and outdoor protection from air pollution. She also founded WeavAir, which develops sensor modules which improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency of HVAC systems. The Canadian company has received global recognition across North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

She has been named Clean 50 Emerging Leader, Corporate Knights Top 30 Under 30 in Sustainability, IBM Champion for Analytics. Her ideas have been selected for Lieutenant Governor’s Visionaries Prize: Scientific and Technological Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Grant. Her research work has been featured in Financial Times, UofT Magazine, Phys.org, UofT News, Metro News, CTV News and Engineering News.

Author; writer

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: Singapore

Kelly Kaur grew up in Singapore and lives in Calgary. She teaches at Mount Royal University. Kaur believes that it’s never too late to live your dream of being a writer. Kaur’s writing centres on issues of displacement, race, colour and women’s experiences. Kaur believes that through writing, immigrants can foster connection, understanding and harmony.

Kaur’s first novel, Letters to Singapore, Stonehouse Publishing, came out May 2022. It chronicles the hilarious and challenging experiences of a newcomer to Canada. It was launched in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Vancouver and at the Ubud Writers Festival (October 2022) in Bali, Indonesia. It was on the Calgary, Edmonton and Alberta’s Bestsellers Fiction list nine times.

Kaur’s second book, Howdy, I’m Harnam Singh Hari, is a children’s book about the first Sikh rancher in Alberta. It’s an inspiring story of a Sikh immigrant and pioneer’s courage, perseverance and incredible success. It will be published by Red Barn Books Inc. in May 2024.

Spurred by possibilities and passion, in only three years, from 2020-2023, more than 50 of Kaur’s interviews, poems, fiction and nonfiction pieces have been published in Singapore, Canada, U.S.A., Malaysia, Qatar, United Kingdom, Prague, Berlin, Italy, Greece, New Zealand and Africa.

Kaur is a preliminary reader for IHRAF Publishes, International Human Rights Arts Festival. She was invited to edit an anthology for the International Human Rights Arts Festival, New York: From Africa with Love: Voices of a Creative Continent. Her poems are in a one-year travelling exhibition, going to museums and art galleries in six cities for the North Dakota International Human Rights Arts Festival 2023.

Kaur’s poem won Honorable Mention for the Creators of Justice Award, New York. Her story was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Letters to Singapore was also nominated for several awards. Her two poems and Letters to Singapore are on the Lunar Codex project and are going to the Moon on the Nova Mission One (2023) and on the Griffin Mission One (2024).

CEO, CivicAction

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Trinidad and Tobago

Leslie Woo CRE® is a respected city leader with more than 25 years of experience building sustainable communities and shaping urban development in Canada’s fastest-growing urban region, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. As CEO at CivicAction since 2020, Woo drives impactful solutions to address pressing urban challenges. CivicAction is a premier civic engagement organization that convenes established and rising leaders from all sectors, backgrounds and experiences.

Before joining CivicAction, Woo was chief planning and development officer at the regional transit authority, Metrolinx, for more than a decade. She is a tri-sector athlete with experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. A seasoned urban planner, architect and tireless community activator, she works to challenge others for the goal of inclusion in the city building arena. She is a board director at Women’s College Hospital (since 2017), Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care (since 2022), Waterfront Toronto (since 2021), ULI Curtis Infrastructure Global Advisory Board (since 2020).

An accomplished leader, Woo is a Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Bisnow’s 2019 Toronto Power Women in Commercial Real Estate, one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2017 by WXN, Spacing Toronto’s Transit Changemaker in 2016 and Canada’s Women’s Infrastructure Network’s 2015 Outstanding Leader.

Woo uses her voice to amplify and celebrate other women city builders. She is a 2012 Leadership Fellow of the International Womens Forum. She co-founded the Womens Leadership Initiative at Urban Land Institute Toronto, to increase the visibility of women in leadership roles in the land development industry. She currently hosts her blog shebuildscities.org.

Woo was raised in St. Augustine, Trinidad and first came to Canada as a university student. Her passion for cities is driven by her belief that community is what roots us all.

Registered nurse; academic and researcher

City: Windsor, Ontario

Country of Origin: Philippines

Edward Venzon Cruz is an internationally educated nurse (IEN) from the Philippines working as a tenure-track assistant professor at the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Nursing, one of the few Philippines-educated nurses holding such an appointment.

He is one of the foremost experts in the field of IENs and bridging education in Canada. He is co-chair of the Partners in Integration and Education of IENs, and has ongoing involvement with the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) initiatives involving IEN bridging and undergraduate nursing program accreditation. He is on the Project Steering Committee of CARE Centre for IENs. He was recently appointed chair of the National Nursing Assessment Service’s Education Review Advisory Committee, and co-chair for National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4) IEN Community of Practice Working Group. Cruz is also a research consultant for the Integrated Filipino Canadian Nurses Association, and a founding member and president-elect of the Philippine Nurses Association of Canada.

He has established critical partnerships for research, and have received local, provincial and national grants amounting to $618,715 CDN over the course of his career, including a Social Science and Humanities Research Council Grant to explore the employment trajectory of Filipino-Canadian nurses in Ontario. This project will shed light on the impact of gender, class and race in relation to their employment trajectory and labour market outcomes in Canadian society.

Since 2010, he has spearheaded Project SENT Philippines (Supporting the Education of Nurses in The Philippines) to send used nursing textbooks to different nursing programs and organizations across the Philippines. To date, he has facilitated the donation of an estimated 2,000 textbooks to more than 20 nursing schools, the Philippine Nurses’ Association (PNA) and some of its affiliate organizations.

Cruz holds a BSN, masters and PhD in education from the Philippines, and a PhD in dental science/microbiology from Japan. In addition, he completed a graduate certificate in bridging to university nursing at Centennial College (ON), a Bachelor of nursing from Athabasca University (AB), and a master of science in nursing from York University (ON). He is a PhD candidate at the OISE/University of Toronto (ON).

Associate vice president, equity, diversity & inclusion, Western University

City: London, Ontario

Country of Origin: Uganda

Opiyo Oloya, MED, PhD, LLD (honoris causa), was appointed Western University’s inaugural Associate Vice President, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in August 2021. His vision is to create a more inclusive and welcoming Western campus for all.

Oloya was born in Pamin-yai village, west of Gulu town in northern Uganda.  He attended Sir Samuel Baker Secondary School in Gulu. He attended advanced secondary education at St. Peter’s College, Tororo, Uganda.

He joined Makerere University in September 1979 to study political science. In July 1980, he was elected president of Makerere University Student Guild. A strong advocate for the rights of ethnic minorities, he was targeted by the government forces in February 1981. Opiyo and three colleagues fled into exile in Kenya on March 6, 1981.

Oloya was granted refugee status and arrived in Canada on June 7, 1981. He completed his undergraduate program at Queen’s University, Kingston, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in political science. He obtained a Bachelor of Education at Queen’s in June 1986 and Master of Education at the University of Ottawa in July 1988.

In the summer of 1988, he taught briefly at Eight Mile Rock Secondary School in Freeport, Grand Bahama before returning to Canada. From December 1988 to September 1999, Oloya worked as a teacher with the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB).

In October 1992, he founded and pioneered the Karibuni African music show at CIUT 89.5 FM in Toronto. His weekly column, Letter from Toronto has been published since July 1996 in the Uganda-based New Vision (www.newvision.co.ug), read throughout East and Central Africa.

He was appointed vice principal in September 1999 and school principal in the spring of 2001. He was an administrator at St. Vincent de Paul, Divine Mercy CES and All Saints CES. He was appointed Superintendent of Schools with YCDSB from November 2011 to April 2021. From April 2021 to June 2021, he worked as interim Associate Director of Education with YCDSB.

Oloya completed his PhD in 2010, and was acknowledged for his groundbreaking research on child soldiers. He published Child to Soldier in 2013. He has also worked alongside peacekeepers of the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in Somalia. His latest book, Black Hawks Rising, chronicles AMISOM’s successful peacekeeping efforts.

Oloya is recognized for his passion in advocating for social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. In 2012, York University awarded Oloya an honorary Doctorate of Law (LLD, honoris causa) for his humanitarian and social justice work in Africa.  In June 2016, he was awarded Uganda Heroes Medal by H.E. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.  He is married to Emily. They have two sons, Oceng and Ogaba.

Director, Institute of African Studies. Carleton University

City: Ottawa

Country of Origin: Nigeria

Nduka Otiono, PhD. is a writer, associate professor and Director of the Institute of African Studies, Carleton University. He is the author and co-editor of several books of creative writing and academic research. Prior to turning to academia, he was a journalist in Nigeria, general secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors, founding member of the Nigerian chapter of UNESCO’s Committee on Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage, and founding board member of the $100,000 annual Nigerian Prize for Literature.

A Fellow of the William Joiner Centre for War and Social Consequences, University of Massachusetts, Boston, his interdisciplinary research spans cultural studies, oral performance and literature, postcolonial studies, media and communication studies, globalization and popular culture.

His research has appeared in top-ranked journals such as the Journal of Folklore Research, African Literature Today, Journal of African Cinema, Transfers: Interdisciplinary Journal of Mobility Studies, etcetera. His co-edited scholarly works include the acclaimed volumes Oral Literary Performance in Africa: Beyond Genre (2021) and Polyvocal Bob Dylan: Music, Performance, Literature (2019).

His creative writing publications include DisPlace: The Poetry of Nduka Otiono, a finalist for the Archibald Lampman award for poetry; The Night Hides with a Knife (short stories), which won the ANA/Spectrum Prize; Voices in the Rainbow (poetry), a finalist for the ANA/Cadbury Poetry Prize; Love in a Time of Nightmares (poetry) for which he was awarded the James Patrick Folinsbee Memorial Scholarship in Creative Writing. He has co-edited Wreaths for a Wayfarer: An Anthology of Poems in Honor of Pius Adesanmi (2020); Camouflage: Best of Contemporary Writing from Nigeria (2006); and We-Men: An Anthology of Men Writing on Women (1998).

Otiono obtained his doctorate in English and film studies from the University of Alberta where he won numerous awards including the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship and was nominated for the Governor General’s Gold Medal for academic distinction. He has held postdoctoral fellowships at Brown University where he was also appointed a visiting assistant professor. He returned to Canada through a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at Carleton University.

His professional honours include a Capital Educator’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; Carleton University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Research Achievement Award; Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Research Early Career Award for Research Excellence; twice winner of the Carnegie Africa Diaspora Fellowship; and a 2018 Black History Ottawa Community Builder Award.

A passionate advocate for community service, Otiono has served as president of the Igbo Association, Ottawa-Gatineau Capital region of Canada, president of the Canadian Association of African Studies (CAAS) and member of the board of directors of the Canadian Authors Association.

Otiono lives in Ottawa with his family.

Engineer; academic leader
City: Victoria, B.C.
Country of Origin: Iran

Mina Hoorfar, PhD, is a nationally and internationally respected academic leader, engineer, researcher and passionate advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion — especially for promoting the achievements and possibilities of equity-seeking groups and women in STEM fields. As the first female Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Victoria (UVic) in British Columbia, and as a woman of colour in the traditionally male-dominated field of engineering, she has proven herself an accomplished trailblazer and innovator throughout her career.

As a founder and builder of the School of Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan, she led a team that doubled both the size of the faculty over five years, as well as the number of female and Indigenous students. Her leadership of the Advanced Thermo-Fluidic Laboratory (AFTL) at UBC has led to practical advancements in the areas of energy, health and the environment, pointing the way to achieving a low carbon future for all.

Her research interests are varied and her multidisciplinary research has resulted in wide and varied applications, such as easier and faster detection of pathogens in drinking water, and air quality monitors in collaboration with industrial partners in oil and gas, municipalities and life sciences sectors. She is particularly passionate about clean, alternative energy systems and the potential of the hydrogen economy.

Her research record is exemplary with a list of publications numbering over 200, including more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, 98 peer-reviewed conference proceedings and dozens of invitations to talk at conferences. She has supervised 18 undergraduates, seven master’s students and nine PhD candidates, consistently providing them with the tools to achieve excellence in their engineering careers.

Born in Iran, Hoorfar emigrated to Canada in 1998 and quickly established herself as a transformative force to be reckoned with in academia. She holds a master’s degree (2001) and doctorate (2005) in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto, and a bachelor’s degree (1998) in mechanical engineering from the University of Tehran.

Expert in gender-based violence and gender equality

City: Richmond Hill, Ontario

Country of Origin: Iran

Lily Pourzand’s dream of becoming a world-champion figure skater was taken away by the gender apartheid regime in Iran when she turned five. They could stop her from dancing on the ice but could not stop her from dreaming even bigger. Since then, Pourzand has been determined and wanted to be a voice and an advocate for girls and women. Indeed, she lives her dream every day!

Pourzand is an Iranian-Canadian expert in gender-based violence and gender equality with more than 10 years of leadership experience. She came to Canada as a refugee for political safety and personal freedom in 1999 after graduating from law school in Tehran.

Pourzand graduated from York University with a bachelor’s in women and gender studies in 2007. She continued her education and received a master’s in law (LL.M.) from the Osgoode Hall Law school in 2010, focusing on the intersection of feminism and law.

She started her professional journey from the frontline, but her “big dream” led her to many leadership positions in the violence against women sector in Canada. She is the director of programs at Sandgate Women’s Shelter of York Region Inc.

Pourzand’s op-eds are published in Toronto Star, Huffington Post and other mainstream media outlets. A short snapshot of her life narrative was featured in the Canadian Women’s Studies Journal titled “The Extraordinary Life of a Daughter of the Revolution.” The second narrative, “I am an Immigrant Woman with Big Leadership Dreams,” was published in the same journal in April 2023.

In July 2022, Pourzand received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Mayor of Richmond Hill. In August 2022, she was awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pin for her lifetime dedication to gender equality.

Women’s individual and collective narratives are the source of her inspiration. Pourzand tries to role model her leadership for other immigrant women by breaking glass ceilings.

Founder, Careers in Agriculture and Food; chair, Manitoba Women in Agriculture and Food

City: Winnipeg

Country of Origin: Argentina

Laura Lazo’s 40-year career in Canada began with a PhD in marine biology. She worked as a consultant, instructor and researcher and spearheaded projects in Canada and overseas. One such project involved collaboration between Canadian and Argentinean institutions, which culminated with $2 million funding and an exchange of students and researchers for five years. She also introduced innovations in all her posts and founded her company, Career in Agriculture and Food, to help people gain employment and recruit staff for companies.

She is genuinely committed to helping individuals, organizations and her community. At the University of Manitoba, she started new student employment programs. In the early 2000s, she was elected as vice president for recreation for the board of directors at her local community centre. As such, she introduced new programs and awarded $10,000 to further services for seniors and adults, both of which were lacking.

Lazo is passionate about the agriculture and food sector and its people. However, she noted that women, especially immigrant women, face barriers to employment opportunities. To narrow the gap, she co-founded the non-profit, Manitoba Women in Agriculture and Food (MWAF) in 2017.  Its mission is to empower women in the sector, with a strong focus on those who are under-represented, to achieve their career and business aspirations. MWAF promotes diversity, equity and inclusion to facilitate women’s employment, which helps companies attain their business goals. MWAF is the only organization in the sector led by immigrant women that work to realize equal opportunities for them and all women regardless of their background and demographic characteristics.

With her vast experience, MWAF was able to award a $12,000 sponsorship from Farm Credit and close to $10,000 from the Manitoba government to help women enrol in training programs and develop a strategic plan to advance MWAF’s mission. MWAF was further awarded $25,000 from the Digital Manitoba Initiative to develop its website.

Through Lazo’s vision, MWAF offers services to women across Canada such as networking, the Champions of Diversity award, and multiple professional and business development opportunities. Additionally, Lazo built MWAF’s network to advance women’s equality throughout the sector.

Physician, researcher, author, coach, entrepreneur

City: Halifax

Country of Origin: India

Born in India, Dr. Ketan Kulkarni has had the privilege to call Canada home for the last 15 years. He received the prestigious highest Indian diasporic Hind Rattan (Jewel of India) award and Brainz 500 global award in 2022; and Nav Rattan (9 Jewel) Award and Indian achievers award in 2023. He was recently awarded an Honorary PhD in Humanities.

As a pediatric-hematologist-oncologist and researcher, he has published more than 300 original studies and abstracts in high impact journals to improve care of oncology patients. For innovation, he has received more than 50 research grants and awards and has been invited to present his research globally.

As a certified coach, Kulkarni volunteers and provides pro-bono coaching at national and international levels. His coaching practice is focused on deep inner work to achieve excellence, authentic success, financial mastery and fulfilment. To battle the high rate of burnout in physicians, Kulkarni has developed multiple courses (offered free or at-cost).

His best-selling evidence-based book The Legendary Quest marries ancient wisdom with modern science. The book has been widely cited and has garnered great reviews from readers all across the globe. While he is writing his third book, his second book Soar: A Soul’s Quest is an inspirational fable and will be published in summer of 2023.

Kulkarni is a passionate entrepreneur and has launched several start-ups and businesses particularly with a focus on fairness, sustainability, longevity and contribution to the Canadian economy. His vision is to scale nationally to provide quality and affordable housing, especially to immigrants and underserved/vulnerable sectors of society. He is an advocate of equity, diversity, inclusion, social justice and change.

Kulkarni is a huge proponent of Canadian art and heritage. In Halifax, he runs Atlantic-Fine-Art gallery to preserve and promote Canadian and Atlantic art. He is also a tabla (Indian classical instrumental) player.

Kulkarni has completed more than 75 articles, podcasts and interviews on wellbeing, burnout and success nationally and internationally. He is on the cusp of launching a not-for-profit organization to serve under-privileged sections of the society and immigrants. His recently launched YouTube channel (SavvyPhysician) is focused on moral and financial awareness for children and youth.

Singer/songwriter

City: Carman, Manitoba

Country of Origin: Morocco

Named one of Variety’s “Artists to Watch for the 2022 Grammys,” Vogue’s “Style Stars Set to Make 2022 Exciting,” PEOPLE’s “Talented Emerging Artists Making Their Mark on the Musical Landscape,” and Entertainment Weekly’s “Artists to Watch in 2022,” Faouzia recently shared “RIP, Love (Acoustic Live),” a stripped-bare new version of her worldwide hit single, “RIP, Love,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services. Inspired by the Moroccan and Arabic music of Faouzia’s childhood, the original version of “RIP, Love” has proven a truly universal sensation, earning over 107M worldwide streams since its release earlier this year. Produced by T.I Jakke (Ava Max, Lady Gaga, RedOne) with additional production by Tor Eimon and co-written by T.I Jakke, Fransisca Hall (Lauren Spencer-Smith, Imagine Dragons, Illenium), and Faouzia, the track is joined by an official lyric video currently boasting over 48Mviews via YouTube. In addition, an official “RIP, Love” dance video has earned more than 5M views.

“RIP, Love” is among the many highpoints found on Faouzia’s acclaimed debut project, CITIZENS, available for streaming and download. The eight-song collection – which has been featured in over 1.8M TikTok creates, amassing more than 4B total views across the platform – also includes such international favourite as “Puppet,” “Anybody Else,” “Thick and Thin,” and Faouzia & John Legend’s smash “Minefields,” the latter of which is accompanied by an official music video that has already earned over 132M views via YouTube.

CITIZENS has been met by wide-ranging applause from media outlets including Ones To Watch, which declared it “a crystallization of everything (Faouzia’s) worked toward…Over the course of eight moving tracks, the future star carves out an impressive emotional depth, largely carried by jaw-dropping vocal feats.” Faouzia is “the pop star of the future,” raved Consequence in an exclusive Track By Track feature interview, adding, “CITIZENS seems like it could be the first grand hello of an artist primed to make a splash in the 2020.”

With over 1.1B global streams to date, Faouzia has a combined social reach of over 11M followers. Boasting over 2M YouTube subscribers, 2M Instagram followers and more than 3.4M Tik Tok followers, Faouzia has cemented herself as a surefire artist to watch. With collaborations with John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, David Guetta, and more, the landmark star has been praised in global publications spanning VOGUE, Harper’s Bazaar, PEOPLE, ELLE, Rolling Stone, Genius, Seventeen, Billboard, and Uproxx, to name but a few.

“My favourite thing is hearing that one of my songs helped someone feel motivated or empowered, or even helped them to have a good cry – which sometimes is all you need,” Faouzia says. “I really believe that immersing yourself in music can help you through the tough times in life, and I always hope that my songs can do that for everyone.”

Faouzia Ouihya was born in Casablanca, Morocco on July 5, 2000. About a year after being born, her family moved to Canada where they ended up settling in a small rural town, Carman. It was then that she started taking piano lessons at the age of 5. Her parents made sure to instill Moroccan traditions in her upbringing by teaching her Arabic, playing traditional music, and wearing traditional clothing for special occasions. These traditions inspire her craft as a musical artist today as she implements trills and Moroccan sounds in her songs.

Adjunct Lecturer, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; founder, Sinclair Consulting Services; Mentor and Coach

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Guyana

Born in Guyana to parents who were shopkeepers and believed that women’s role was in the home, Cindy Sinclair, PhD defied the odds and arrived in Canada as a teenager in search of freedom and opportunities. Completed a secretarial diploma, and freelanced as a typist to gain Canadian experience, she was hired as a Clerk Typist in the Business School, University of Toronto (UofT).

Over the years, Sinclair advanced to various administrative positions in postgraduate medical residency education. As first point of contact for newcomer international medical graduates (IMGs) in Family Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology for 20 years, she saw the fears and struggles IMGs experience in continuing their career. Sinclair vowed to make a difference in IMG’s lives using education as a tool.

A full-time staff with three young children, she was admitted to part-time studies at UofT in 2000. She achieved her BA (2005), MEd (2009), and PhD (2017), specializing in sociology and social justice education. Her doctoral thesis focused on life experiences of IMGs in Canada and their equitable inclusion in Canada’s workforce.

Sinclair is a Social Science Adjunct Lecturer, member of the Advisory Committee for Faculty Affairs, and Elected Executive on College of Electors of Governing Council, UofT. She founded Sinclair Consulting Services, co-founded the Immigrant Medical Doctors Forum, established an Immigrant Women Doctors of Color Circle, and co-designed an alternative career path program with the aim to mentor and empower newcomer IMGs to look beyond the status-quo, creatively think outside-the-box, uncover new integration possibilities, and become inspiring leaders of tomorrow.

As two of her mentees put it, “she exudes boundless positive attitude, support, enthusiasm, and optimism, that ignites flame for education in her mentees.” She is a ‘lighthouse’ of knowledge and a Good Samaritan, who excelled in her career and is inspiring countless others to do so.”

Sinclair serves on several boards and committees: the OISE Alumni, Ontario Public Health Association, and Toronto Sinfonia Orchestra. She received many awards in recognition of her accomplishments:  UofT Arbor award, OISE Mentor and Community Leaders award and the Ontario Government Graduate Scholarships.

Air quality scientist; community leader

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: Ghana

Known for his tireless dedication both as an accomplished scientist during the day and as a community volunteer at night, Charles Odame-Ankrah, PhD, has made significant contributions in multiple domains. With a first-class honours degree in chemistry from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, and a masters and doctoral degree earned on scholarships in the USA and Canada, his academic achievements are impressive.  As an air quality scientist, his innovative inventions have revolutionized his field, including the photolytic convertor, which received a United States patent in December 2022.

His passion for solving problems collaboratively is evident in his favourite question: “How can we solve it together?” During the COVID-19 pandemic, he demonstrated his commitment to this philosophy, playing an instrumental role in making Northeast Calgary the most vaccinated region in Canada.

He is a sought-after keynote speaker on air quality and has received numerous awards and accolades for his exceptional leadership qualities, including the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in January 2023, Community Builder of the Year 2023 award by Ruth’s House, Inclusive Leadership Award 2023 by Immigrant Champions of Canada, and Community Leader of the Year 2022 by Diversity Magazine.

Odame-Ankrah’s work toward systems change in the African community in Calgary has also been featured in the Calgary Foundation Spur Magazine Winter 2023 edition. As a co-founder of the Calgary African Community Collective, he was instrumental in securing a $1.1 million grant from the Calgary Foundation to undertake this transformative project.

His passion for working with youth is evident in his volunteer work, which includes running workshops for and speaking to at-risk youth. He is also the current president of the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Calgary and is a member of the Alberta Anti-Racism Advisory Council.

In 2022, he led efforts to demand justice for the Late Latjor Tuel of Calgary and raised funds to build a memorial headstone in his honour as a community leader.

Overall, Charles Odame-Ankrah’s remarkable contributions as a scientist, community leader, and advocate for diversity and inclusion are inspiring and have positively impacted the world.

Canadian Armed Forces Officer

City: Ottawa

Country of origin: Guatemala

Shining a new light on Canadian history, Captain Rey Garcia-Salas Vasquez has spearheaded the historical compilation and first-ever awareness campaign for the contributions of the Latin American community in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) during the First and Second World Wars.

His research has been featured in several media publications from the CBC to CAF/Government of Canada and will be included in the upcoming memoir Latin American Soldiers in Canada Remembrance Book Vol. 1, which will be published in April 2023. For the first time, and largely due to Captain Garcia-Salas’ efforts, Canadian high schools and universities will have the opportunity to include the Latin American war contributions in the Canadian school curriculum.

In September-October 2022, Captain Garcia-Salas organized with Giuseppe Marconi/Fabiola Yzeta-Vincent the “Fields of Sacrifice Graphical Exhibition” at Gallery 55 in Ottawa, where, for the first time in Canada’s history, pictures, and historical documents of Latin American Soldiers in the Canadian Armed Forces were exhibited.

In October 2022, Captain Garcia-Salas also organized and executed with Nick McCarthy the first ever Latin American Remembrance Ceremony at Beechwood National Cemetery in Ottawa and supported by supported by Danilo Velasquez/Mexican Consul Gabriel Morales/General-Frias/Giuseppe Marconi/Terry Hunter/Tito-Medina/Morley-Verdier. Organized a second ceremony at Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery in Toronto in honour of Private Rafael Rodriguez (1894-1919) with the support of Amy Profenna/RosarioArce/Betsy Monterosa.

Captain Garcia-Salas was awarded a plaque from the Guatemalan “Cultural Centre Jaguar Ix Balam” and the Dominican Human Rights Organization “Escalando Montañas” honouring his research, and efforts to raise awareness for a subject that has, until now, remained largely uncelebrated.

Although, the public attention has been recent, Captain Garcia-Salas has been championing the causes of diversity, inclusion and cultural awareness since 2010. He has led with Captain Milton Hoyos Latin American Heritage activities both in the CAF and externally such as Latin American Gala Dinners and participating in Latin American cultural parades in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto.

In addition, Captain Garcia-Salas has delivered addresses on topics such as diversity, multiculturalism and Canadian values. His audiences include newcomers from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and underrepresented and underserved communities on behalf of CAF.

Chief Operating Officer, Surrey Hospitals Foundation

City: Surrey, B.C.

Country of Origin: India

Azra Hussain, chief operating officer of Surrey Hospitals Foundation, was recognized in the 2021 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, presented by Women’s Executive Network. She also received the KPMG C-Suite Executive Award and was the 2020 winner of the Surrey Women in Business Not-for-Profit Leader award. Azra was also awarded the Ruby award in 2022 by the Soroptomist International Society of Surrey/Delta BC.

Hussain is a gifted leader, bringing more than 23 years of executive experience to her current position with Surrey Hospitals Foundation, which is the largest non-government funder of health care for families in Surrey, B.C., one the fastest-growing cities in Canada. As a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Hussain brings a unique skill set to the strategy, fundraising, governance, financial oversight and operations of the Foundation. Forward focused on giving back, she has been recognized as a valued educator, mentor and leader in the not-for-profit sector.

Hussain believes in advancing the power of collaboration that allows for innovation and advancement at both an individual and team level. She lives “leadership by example” through her root passion in volunteer work. She sits on the board of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver and Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) of Vancouver, volunteers with the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy’s (AHP) Convene Canada Conference Committee, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Task Force and Surrey Board of Trade’s Women In Business team.

Being fluent in five languages helps her bridge language barriers by facilitating stronger connections in the communities. Hussain believes that giving back is a legacy we can be proud to leave our children and is honoured to serve her community.

Immigrating to Canada meant starting life over, again, experiencing a new country, new culture and new challenges. These pivotal moments in life are what she says were her training ground for the work she does today. Hussain has called Canada home for almost 23 years and lives in Surrey with her husband and children.

Family lawyer and Mediator

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: India

Archana Medhekar, BSc, LLB, LLM, AccFM is an internationally trained lawyer, certified family law specialist and family mediator with more than 20 years of international experience in the field of conflict resolution. Medhekar immigrated to Canada from India in 2001 and was called to the Bar in Ontario in 2004.

Medhekar has been devoted to community service through her legal services to low-income Ontarians and people from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds including the immigrants, refugees and children who face barriers to access to justice.

Medhekar is a co-author of the book Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies, a freely accessible online educational resource based on real cases of immigrant and refugee women experiencing domestic violence. Medhekar speaks six languages and believes in culturally and linguistically appropriate services while navigating the justice system. Her current research team project is on “Impacts of experiencing or witnessing domestic violence in childhood: Perspectives of racialized immigrant youth,” with a book forthcoming.

Medhekar works on the United Nation’s platform and is a co-chair of Women in Mediation Action of an international NGO Mediators Beyond Borders International and co-led their NGO delegation for the Commission on Status of Women (CSW67) at UNHQ in New York. She trains the Young Diplomats of Canada for Y7, Y20 and CSW on negotiation, dialogue and consensus building.

Medhekar believes in serving the community through volunteering and is currently a member of the board of directors of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC-O), Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM) and Admin Committee member of Marathi Bhashik Mandal Toronto.

Her past awards and distinctions include the Volunteer Service Award from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration; Champion for Social Justice Award presented by Indus Community Services of Peel; and Trailblazer in Social Justice presented by South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO).

Medhekar lives in Toronto with her husband, their son and family puppy Ellie. She had represented her University Cricket team in India and now enjoys playing softball with her teammates at Bloordale Ladies Slo-pitch recreational league in Toronto.

Social entrepreneur

City: Saint John, New Brunswick

Country of Origin: Nigeria

Agunbiade Seun Richards is a social entrepreneur, researcher and community volunteer originally from Nigeria, who lived in Dubai before immigrating to Canada in 2018. Richards’ professional achievements include establishing businesses in Nigeria, UAE and Canada, and currently pursuing a PhD in immigrant entrepreneurship at the University of New Brunswick.

Richards is the co-founder of the Black Business Professional Networks in Atlantic Canada, a co-founding member of UBUNTU Founders Network, and a founding board member of the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) New Brunswick chapter. His most notable achievement is establishing Door2Door Pickup Couriers in Saint John, which provided free delivery services during COVID-19 pandemic and launched the first multi-purpose delivery mobile app in Atlantic Canada. The company which has partnerships with Amazon and DHL, operates zero-emission delivery services promoting United Nations SDG 13 – Climate Action.

Richards has served on the Strategic Economic Planning Steering Committee of the City of Saint John and volunteers as an entrepreneurial advisor at University of Calgary, facilitates at PRUDE’s Newcomers Women’s Leadership Programs, while mentoring students and immigrants in Atlantic Canada. He also volunteered at the Canada Revenue Agency’s free tax clinic in Saint John from 2018-2020.

His contributions to various community initiatives have earned him numerous awards, including the 2020 New Brunswick’s Multicultural Council Immigrant Entrepreneur Award, the 2021 Greater Saint John/PRUDE Immigrant Entrepreneur Award, the 2021 Business Personality of the Year Award by CanadaVendors, Canada’s Black Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 and Social Entrepreneur of the Year. He is a winner of Desjardins GoodSpark Award and named Canada’s Top 150 SME owners in 2022. He represented Canada at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance 2022 Summit in Germany, and serves as an Ambassador for the Global Entrepreneurship Network in Canada.

His most recent awards include the Most Inspiring Immigrant in Atlantic Canada for 2023 sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada, and a Global Social Impact House (GSIH) Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania, USA as one of 20 changemakers around the world. He is also an 2023 Harry Jerome Awards honoree for young entrepreneur and a Top 100 Most Influential Person of African Descent (MIPAD) Under 40 nominee.

Associate professor; social activist

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: Pakistan

Aamir Jamal, PhD, is an award-winning scholar, practitioner and activist of gender justice, girls’ education and women’s rights. He is an associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary where he serves as director, global engagement and international partnerships and program team lead of the International Community Development graduate program. He has a PhD in international social development and more than 25 years’ experience in the international development sector.

His research on engaging men in gender justice and preventing violence against women spans multiple countries and regions, particularly in the global south. He is best known for his book The Gatekeepers: Engaging Pashtun men for gender justice and girls’ education in Pakistan (2018), which has been translated into local languages and integrated into the education policies of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Jamal’s commitment to advancing girls’ rights to education catalyzed a movement across conflict-affected regions for positive policy change and community practices. His community work entails consciousness raising and training of local leaders. He promotes understanding of the relationship between human rights and social and economic marginalization in a region impacted by decades of war — this makes him an influential leader in many communities in Canada and across South Asia.

His most recent SSHRC-funded national study tackles the Canadian Muslim youth identity crisis in Canada and across the globe. He facilitates critical dialogues and uses his empirical evidence to impact policies, practices and programs for positive youth development. Jamal is also a board member and chair of the International Affairs committee of the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE), where he promotes strong partnerships and collaboration between social workers in Canada and the global south.

Born in Peshawar, Pakistan, Jamal moved to Canada in 2004 and has been living here with his wife and three children for almost 15 years, making it his beloved home. His service to the profession and community is recognized with prestigious awards, including the City of Calgary International Achievement Award (2021), the Arch Award for International Career Achievement (2022) and the Sustainability Award for Faculty Research, University of Calgary (2022).

Advocate for multiculturalism and community building

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: India

Tasneem Bandukwala is a highly creative, driven and accomplished advocate for multiculturalism and community building with a passion for main streets and small businesses, the backbone of the Canadian economy. As an executive director of two of 82 Toronto Business Improvement Areas, Bandukwala has made a significant impact on Canada’s small business and cultural landscape by consistently demonstrating her ability to create engaging and creative solutions that bring communities together through innovative marketing and promotional campaigns, streetscape improvements, street events and membership engagement and policy development.

As a liaison between Canada’s small businesses and the City of Toronto, city councillors, members of the government, community agencies, media and residents, Bandukwala acts as unified voice and helps member businesses navigate through opportunities and challenges to grow sustainably. Bandukwala defied the challenge of revitalizing of one of Toronto’s main streets popularly known as ‘’Little India’’ and to bring back the legacy of the Gerrard India Bazaar BIA in the midst of neighbourhood gentrification and increased alternate choices for South Asian diaspora in the GTA.

She has been instrumental in developing strategies for community economic development and placemaking initiatives and events, including North America’s largest south Asian street festival, Festival of South Asia, the Frozen Heritage Ice Sculpture Festival, Diwali Mela, Bazaar Beats, which have become hallmark events in Toronto’s cultural calendar. Her contribution to the Uptown Yonge BIA has been instrumental in providing efficient and effective leadership to implement strategic initiatives that reflects the changing needs and priorities of the community and local businesses.

From creating first-time events like Halloween Haunt UP, CelUPbrate Winter, CelUPbrate Mom to launching a mobile app to drive foot traffic to the members businesses and create dynamic and engaging content, Uptown Yonge BIA has successfully set a benchmark and has become a sought-after destination to live, shop and dine. Her ability to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions has earned her numerous awards from the TABIA (Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas). Some of these awards include:

• “Creative Solutions Awards” for ‘’Glow in the Dark outdoor exhibits’’ in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA
• “Events Awards” for the “Festival of South Asia 2022” in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA
• “Mural Award 2022” for “3 Gratitude Murals, in UPtown Yonge BIA”
• “Events Awards” for the “Festival of South Asia 2017” in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA.
• “Environmental Initiative Awards 2016” for environmental protection through reduction in street lighting expenditure, in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA.

Bandukwala also serves as a marketing & event consultant to clients in Canada as well as the United States of America and has been invaluable in helping businesses grow and succeed.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Bandukwala has served on the City of Toronto’s Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) for several years and has advocated for building a safe community. She also serves on the board of DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion).

Born in Mumbai and now a Canadian resident for seven years, she holds a Bachelor of Management Studies and a Postgraduate Master of Commerce degree with International Marketing Honours from the University of Mumbai. Additionally, she has earned the Local Economic Development (LED) certification from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Actor; advocate

City: Markham, Ontario

Country of Origin: Egypt

Mena Massoud is an Egyptian-born Canadian actor best known for starring as the title character in the Disney live action film Aladdin (2019). For his performance, he received a Teen Choice Award nomination, and two National Film & TV Award nominations.

Born in Cairo, his parents decided to move to Canada when he was a child, looking for a safer environment to raise their family.

Massoud grew up in Markham, Ontario, where he attended St. Brother André Catholic High School. There he was the head of the improv team. After high school, he attended the University of Toronto and majored in neuroscience. But he decided acting was his true calling and transferred to Ryerson University for their theatre performance program.

By 2011, he was acting in guest television roles, leading to bigger roles including as Jared Malik in the Canadian drama series Open Heart (2015) Tarek Kassar in the Amazon Prime series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (2018) and Ethan Hart in the Hulu series Reprisal (2019).

In 2022, he starred as Prince Thomas in the Netflix original film The Royal Treatment (2022).

Strongly connected to his Egyptian culture, Massoud was appointed an ambassador by Egypt’s Ministry of Migration for new “Speak Egyptian” initiative in 2019, with the goal of preserving the Egyptian identity of those living abroad.

Massoud also launched the not-for-profit Ethnically Diverse Artists Foundation to help Canadian artists from underrepresented groups jumpstart their careers through mentorship, training and other supports.

Massoud is also working on a passion project as host and executive producer of CTV’s new vegan travelogue show, Evolving Vegan, based on his 2020 book of the same name. The six-part series explores the vegan food scenes in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Austin, Vancouver, Portland, and Toronto.

Next up will be a return to films in the boxing drama Giant, as Naseem “Naz” Hamed, the British-Yemeni boxer.

Co-founder and chief operating officer

City: Vancouver

Country of Origin: Iran

Named 2022 Woman of the Year in Canada by Bay Street Bull and Forty under 40 by Business in Vancouver, Mehrsa Raeiszadeh, PhD, is the co-founder and COO of MintList Technologies Inc.

Raeiszadeh grew up overcoming challenges: growing up in Iran as a woman, mastering her ADHD, breaking national swimming records in Iran and completing her PhD at Georgia Tech in three years with more than 20 publications and patents. Problem solving, adaptability and diversity became her best friends.

She co-founded MintList to change the way cars are bought and sold by empowering people with data to make better decisions. Partnering with key industry players including Industrial Alliance, Carfax and RBC, Raeiszadeh’s goal is to bridge the gap between the auto industry and technology.

Her community contributions and volunteering include:

• Judge and mentor for New Ventures BC
• Mentor for Futurpreneur
• Consultant for entrepreneurship@UBC
• Judge at YELL Canada
• Board of Advisors, Plugzio, Divisin and Silver Homes
• Multidisciplinary Mentor for Opportunity Research Scholars Program
• Advisor for SURE International Undergraduate Researchers
• Selection Committee for PURA Research Award.

Recent awards include:

• 2023 The Forum National Awards – Finalist
• 2022 Gold International Business Stevie Award – Women in Business, Startup of the Year
• 2022 Women of the Year – Bay Street Bull
• 2022 AutoTech Breakthrough Award – Best Car Buying App (next to BMW and Lyft)
• 2022 Silver International Business Stevie Award, Startup – Software
• 2022 BIV Forty under 40
• 2022 BC Tech Technology Impact Award – Top 4 Finalist for Startup of the Year
• 2022 Google for Startups Accelerator
• 2021 1st Place Award Winner – New Ventures BC Significant Contributions to Science Field:

Outreach settlement staff; business owner

City: Hebbville, Nova Scotia

Country of Origin: India

Samir Upadhyay emigrated to Canada in 2010 from India, as an international student. He currently works as the YREACH Coordinator for the South Shore, providing information and settlement support to immigrants and temporary foreign workers. He is also the owner of Ultramar gas station and a convenience store. Prior to this, he was a school bus driver and a part-time Town of Bridgewater transit driver.

Upadhyay gives back to his community in a big way. He is a volunteer firefighter with the Hebbville Fire Department and the vice president of the South Shore Multicultural Association. The association’s executive director describes Upadhyay as follows: “He brings his passion for promoting cultural diversity and for welcoming newcomers to everything he does — always willing to lend a hand, collaborate on projects and be involved in a multitude of community-minded endeavours. Samir is a true leader.”

Upadhyay was also nominated for a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee pin and commemorative medallion. This award is given to those in our community who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of others.

President and chief executive officer, The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: China

Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023 and Diversity Award from the Diversity Magazine in 2019, Sally Zhao, PhD, dedicates herself to going above and beyond in her role as president and chief executive officer with the Calgary-based, not-forprofit organization, The Immigrant Education Society (TIES), a position she has held since November 2014. Having obtained her PhD in ESL (English as a Second Language) testing and assessment, and an MA in language and communication from Cardiff University, U.K., as well as an MEd in teaching English for specific purposes from the University of Exeter, U.K., and a BA in English language and literature from Lanzhou University, China,

Zhao has always had a passion for education. Upon immigrating to Canada in 2005 with her family, Zhao quickly applied this passion by taking on a volunteer position as an ESL teacher with TIES, a role that swiftly evolved into her accepting more responsibilities within the society.

She has since held positions such as LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) instructor, ELT (Enhanced Language Training) instructor, LINC manager, executive director designate, and ultimately, president and CEO.

On top of her work for the society, Zhao is also a dedicated volunteer within the community. She serves on boards such as the Alberta Mental Health and Addictions Council, the Centre for Newcomers’ Indigenous Education for Newcomers Advisory Committee and the Bow Valley College Research Ethics board, as well as dedicating her time in numerous capacities for organizations such as Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC), Alberta Association for Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA) and the Alberta Teachers of English as a Second Language (ATESL). As an immigrant to Canada herself, Zhao feels honoured to lead a charitable not-for-profit organization with a team of 160+ dedicated staff and hundreds of committed volunteers, all working toward the shared goal of building a more welcoming, diverse, inclusive and pluralistic society for fellow newcomers looking to call Canada home.

Co-CEO, Nuwelcom

City: Stratford, P.E.I.

Country of Origin: Saudi Arabia

In a world where technology is constantly evolving and impacting our daily lives, it’s more important than ever to seize opportunities and work hard to eliminate challenges. This is exactly what Khalid Shami, an experienced professional with 25 years of experience in information technology and communications, has been doing throughout his career. Born in Saudi Arabia, Shami’s journey in IT began there after completing his studies in India and continued when he moved to Canada in 2016.

As co-CEO of Nuwelcom, a cutting-edge platform based in Charlottetown, P.E.I., Shami is passionate about building a meaningful future through good technology. The app delivers important information from trusted sources, such as weather updates, school closures, events, meetings, wellbeing services, job postings, waste management info and volunteering opportunities, in 13 languages where you can access the information in your preferred language in a safe and secure environment for free.

With his deep understanding of cybersecurity and the importance of data privacy, Shami has conducted many presentations and workshops to raise awareness and educate individuals and organizations about online safety, protecting their data, and avoiding scams and fraud.

But Shami’s dedication to his community doesn’t stop there. He strongly believes in contributing to his community and making a positive impact on people’s lives through volunteering. As he once said, “Volunteering is not only about giving back but also about learning, sharing, and growing with the community.” Shami has been actively involved with multiple organizations, including serving on the Finance and Technology Committee of the Town of Stratford, and as a board member of the Charlottetown Airport Authority. His outstanding volunteer work has been recognized with several awards, including the 2019 Outstanding Volunteer Award by the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada (Now, IRSAPEI) and the 2022 Gail and Neil MacDonald Volunteer of the Year award for the Town of Stratford.

When he’s not working or volunteering, Shami enjoys playing pickleball. He lives in Stratford with his wife and three kids.

National project coordinator, IDEAS4 Gender Equality Project

City: Kingston, Ontario

Country of Origin: Trinidad and Tobago

V. Ophelia Rigault is a passionate advocate for diversity and equity. As an immigrant child coming to Canada, Rigault had to deal with systemic racism from a very young age. She recalls being told at the age of six that she couldn’t play Snow White because she was Black, which weighed heavily on her mind and propelled her toward a career in equity and diversity.

Rigault has worked extensively in community programming, with a focus on empowering women and creating more inclusive environments for marginalized communities. She started out volunteering with Urban Alliance on Race Relations and then working Davenport-Perth Community Health Centre in Toronto. In these roles, she helped to develop programs and initiatives aimed at promoting equity and social justice. In 2022, she was nominated for the Inspirational Woman Award in Kingston, Ontario for her work in the field of equity and inclusion.

Currently, Rigault is the National Project Coordinator for the IDEAS4 Gender Equality Project, an initiative funded by WAGE Canada, and managed by CCEW & BPW Canada to provide an impactful hiring solution response to the barriers faced by Canadian women. She is a member of the City of Kingston Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the host of her own TV show on YourTV Kingston. In these roles, Rigault works toward creating a more inclusive community where people feel like they belong.

One of Rigault’s proudest achievements is the creation of the SHINE program, which she developed for a local school. The program focuses on building resiliency in young BIPOC children and helping them to feel included and empowered in their school environments. Through this program, Rigault hopes to make a real difference in the lives of many young people, by helping them to overcome the same kinds of challenges that she faced as a child.

Rigault holds a master’s degree in education and has an unwavering commitment to supporting inclusive leaders to create equitable and inclusive communities of belonging. Rigault lives in Kingston, Ontario where she loves spending time with her niece.

Founder, Pizza Nova

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Italy

Sam Primucci grew up on a working farm in the small town of Palazzo San Gervasio in the Basilicata region of Italy. With new tax reforms passed by the Italian government in 1951, it became difficult for the family to make ends meet and they made the difficult decision to leave Italy in search of a better life. In 1951, an agricultural opportunity on a farm outside of Montreal brought the family to Canada, but the stay was short-lived. After three weeks of ill treatment and being forced to sleep in the barn, Domenico (Sam’s father) packed up the family and moved to Toronto where they boarded with fellow immigrants and worked with an asphalt-mixing company. Seven months later, he was able to put a down payment on a house for his family.

For 12-year-old Sam Primucci, coming to Canada was exciting. However, he was bullied at school for his stutter. This shattered his confidence until he met Bill Dennison, former Mayor of Toronto, who helped him improve his speech which was life-changing for Sam.

At age 14, Primucci started working in a toy company plant, then a clothing manufacturer, where he worked his way up to manager of more than 150 sewers! His brother Michael was delivering pizzas and noticed a trend for delivery and soon convinced his other brothers, including Sam, to open a take-out pizza restaurant.

The first Pizza Nova location opened on May 12, 1963 — 11 years to the day after Primucci and his family immigrated to Canada. One year later, Primucci married his dream girl Gemma. The family expanded the business, creating thousands of jobs and numerous franchise business opportunities. During this time, Primucci and his team have fostered relationships with longstanding charitable partners such as Variety Ontario, Villa Charities and Student Nutrition of Ontario — raising millions for important causes in his adopted homeland. Today, with more than 150 locations, Primucci — and Pizza Nova — celebrate a huge milestone as the company he founded in 1963 as a young immigrant turns 60.

After 71 years of being in Canada, Primucci is grateful for the opportunities this country has afforded him and people like him from all walks of life. Though far from his native land, his Italian heritage continues to be present in everything he does. Today, Primucci continues the brand’s promise of true Italian quality and freshness, ensuring each customer can Taste the Pizza Nova Difference. Grazie a tutti

Social entrepreneur, youth leader and founder of BAM Collective

City: Toronto
Country of Origin: Syria

Hanen Nanaa is one of the youngest social entrepreneurs in Canada. She is a war survivor and refugee from Syria who made Toronto her home in 2016. As the founder of the Books Art Music (BAM) Collective, Nanaa has created a powerful community hub to empower youth and equity-deserving people through policy, art, innovation and community engagement. Her commitment to social innovation was recognized when BAM Collective was awarded as the top finalist for the Toronto Arts for Youth Award in 2021.

Throughout her career, Nanaa has demonstrated her passion for bridging gender gaps and increasing youth and women’s political power. She is currently serving as a regional advisor for the Minister’s Regional Office – Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and has previously served as a regional advisor for the caucus at the House of Commons. She co-founded an international study on child and early forced marriages in internally displaced settings in Syria, which she delivered at the 66th Commission on the Status of Women’s NGO forum in New York.

Nanaa is also a founding member of Waard Ward Collective, a social enterprise that creates floral arrangements, builds community gardens, and invites newcomers to train as florists and imagine social-entrepreneurial futures. Nanaa has a major in politics and governance with a minor in law from Toronto Metropolitan University, where she served as the president of the Politics and Governance Association in 2021 and the managing editor of the Refugee Experience cluster at the Migration Initiative. She is an expert in various areas related to social justice, and has led several events and research studies focused on bridging gaps between refugees and Indigenous peoples, promoting community safety, advocating for youth and women in decision-making, advancing women, peace, and security, elections and promoting democratic participation, global governance and human rights, as well as social entrepreneurship.

Nanaa has also worked for various local and international organizations. She is a recipient of the Alterna Prize for Women’s Social Leaders in 2022, recognizing her leadership in civic, environmental and community-based initiatives as well as social enterprises. She was named the UN Women – Woman of the Year at UofT in 2019, and in 2021, Hanen was also featured on CBC’s The Dream Team and received mentorship from Manjit Minhas, the famous venture capitalist from Dragons’ Den.

CEO and scientific director

City: Vancouver

Country of Origin: France

Sylvain Moreno, PhD, is a neuroscientist, a global innovation leader and a tech entrepreneur. He is a neuroscience professor at Simon Fraser University, adjunct professor at York University and Auvergne University. He has collaborated in numerous studies researching cognition, neuroscience, and interactive digital media with particular emphasis on how interactive digital technologies can impact communities such as children and senior population; his contributions to the field are extensive.

In 2016, Moreno founded British Columbia AGE-WELL National Innovation Hub: Circle Innovation, a non-profit facilitator of digital health care solutions in Vancouver, of which he is CEO and scientific director. Circle supports technology co-creation using a collaborative community model called Circle Innovation created by Moreno.

Moreno is also a special advisor in digital health to the Vice-President Office at Simon Fraser University. His work has been covered by The Globe and Mail and The Wall Street Journal and over the last decade, he has authored several scientific publications and patents, making an impact in educational and clinical environments.

Moreno has worked in academia since 2003 and held faculty positions with the University of Toronto, York University, Simon Fraser University and Université d’Aix-Marseille. He was the chairman of Brain Power Initiative between 2011 and 2014 and he has been a member of the New York Academy of Science since 2006.

Since 2020, Moreno has been leading the Agtech Innovation Sandbox (AGIS) to support and develop the agtech sector in British Columbia. Recently, he was appointed scientific director of the British Columbia Centre for Agritech Innovation and invited to give a keynote lecture about this initiative by the Honourable Lana Popham, Ministry of Agriculture, at the ReGen Conference.

Human rights education and cooperation advisor

City: Montreal

Place of Origin: Guadeloupe – French West Indies

Sabine Monpierre is an education and cooperation advisor at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse. Her files touch on the issues of the rights of racialized people: racism, discriminatory profiling, discrimination in housing and hateful acts. She raises awareness of human rights in Quebec by developing tools, promoting and popularizing the rights contained in the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.

This community-sector professional has worked for 12 years on professional integration among recent immigrants. She graduated in community development and intercultural relations, she mobilizes for the fight against all forms of exclusion and contributes to the reflections within the Education and Awareness Committee of the Coalition Against Hate and the advisory committee of the Week of Action against Racism. Her skills are sought in personal identity, stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination and identity formation among racial minorities and majority groups.

Outgoing first vice-president of the Intercultural Council of the City of Montreal in 2019, she is a member of one of Correctional Services Canada’s Regional Ethnocultural Advisory Committees. Since 2020, she has been making recommendations so that the needs of ethnocultural and racialized inmates are identified and met through the provision of effective services and interventions that will contribute to the success of their social reintegration and the improvement of public safety.

Former city councillor candidate for the 2021 municipal elections, she is dedicated to the socio-economic development of Afro-Caribbean communities. She is also the founding president of Arbre du voyageur – Insertion and Integration Services for West Indians in Canada for four years, which provides West Indians with services to integrate in Canada. The members are equipped with free educational workshops on cultural codes, Quebec and Canadian values.

The commitment to the preservation of Black history and the achievements of Monpierre have often been highlighted, whose most recent recognitions are being the winner of the 32nd edition of the Black History Month calendar. Being founding director of Femmes & traditions, she was recently accredited as a member of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Activist; academic

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Mexico

Alejandro Mayoral Baños, PhD, is a highly accomplished technologist, researcher, educator, activist, leader and mentor who has dedicated his career to improving the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples and their communities. With a PhD in Communication & Culture from York University and Toronto Metropolitan University, he specializes in the intersections between Indigeneity, decolonization and digital technologies. He is the founder and executive director of the Indigenous Friends Association (IFA), an Indigenous-led tech not-for-profit in Canada that promotes digital pathways grounded in Indigenous ways of being through education, software solutions and research, driving positive change for current and future generations.  His work and commitment are a reminder of the role of newcomers and immigrants in reconciliation with Indigenous nations and communities across Canada.

Under Mayoral Baños’ exemplary leadership, the IFA has seen tremendous growth and continuously impacted Indigenous peoples’ lives across Canada. His vision for incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing and doing into the design of digital technologies has led to safer and more sustainable virtual spaces for Indigenous Peoples, creating lasting change in support of Indigenous communities entering the tech labour market and transitioning to sustainable career pathways. In March 2023, the IFA had more than 25 staff members.

Over the years, Mayoral Baños has participated in several initiatives in Canada, Latin America, and the United Nations, connecting digital education initiatives to the self-determination of Indigenous peoples. In 2007, he founded the non-profit organization Magtayaní in Mexico, which promotes the wellbeing and sustainability of Indigenous communities by reconstructing the social fabric. Currently, he serves as their board president. He has also been an active member of various organizations, including Youth Action Net (International Youth Foundation), Ibero-American Network of Young Leaders (RJLI), EPIC Leadership Canada, and Tierra Comun (a collective focused on decolonizing data).

Mayoral Baños has received numerous awards, including the CBC Toronto Community Champion Award in 2020 and the Mexican National Award: CEMEFI’s Reconocimiento al Compromiso por los Demás 2020, which recognized his remarkable contributions to society across Turtle Island (North America). He has also presented at various national and international forums, such as 4S Conference, Creative Commons Global Summit, UN Climate Forum Adaption Week, the IAVE World Volunteer Conference, RightsCon 2018-2022, etc.

Mayoral Baños moved to Canada in August 2014, and his achievements and contributions have  already earned him the respect and admiration of his peers and colleagues because he is truly a visionary leader for Indigenous rights, tech equity and digital sovereignty.

Environmental conservationist

City: Richmond, B.C.

Country of Origin: Hong Kong

Arriving in Canada at age nine, Maggie Lee not only learned English and French but also embraced the country’s environmental values and respect for First Nations’ stewardship. Driven by her “intrapreneurial” spirit, she pursued a career in environmental work.

Lee became the founding leader of the first-ever sustainability team in the multinational conglomerate Procter & Gamble before proceeding onto working for World Wildlife Fund (WWF). She also amplified Canada’s presence at the United Nations Environment Programme, leading regional marine litter and circular economy programs. Her Canadian education instilled Indigenous rights awareness, prompting her to advocate for global standards addressing these issues.

Lee now serves as WWF-International’s regional head of impact, monitoring and reporting for four continents. She is also a commentator for Canadian broadcast networks, Fairchild TV, Fairchild Radio and Barangay Canada. In Cantonese, Mandarin and English, Lee continues to advocate for group and individual actions for our environment, as well as provides international insights on environmental problems such as global warming and plastic pollution for Canadian communities.

In her spare time, Lee is an avid environmental writer with published and cited academic journal articles, grey literature issued by the United Nations, as well as a series of children’s books on eco-ethics and environmental stewardship, soon to be on shelves. Lee serves as a board member for several international non-profits and journal article reviewer for scholarly journals. She is also a non-executive director for a wildlife conservation game that leverages blockchain to connect game-world conservation and real-life environmental work.

For the past four years, Lee has been an alumna mentor at her alma mater, the University of British Columbia, helping to embark students on their journeys of sustainability. She is also the founding leader of Mensans for Sustainability, a group with more than 1,000 members within the international organization Mensa. She has spoken to youth and the public in a Tedx talk and many panel discussions about environmental topics in more than 100 events across the globe.

Community volunteer; retired

City: Winnipeg

Country of Origin: China

Anita Lee was born in Canton, China, and attended school in Hong Kong. She came to Canada in 1968 to attend school at the Success College in downtown Winnipeg for computer training. She and her husband decided to settle in Winnipeg permanently and together they bought a restaurant in downtown Winnipeg in 1972 and operated it as a restaurant serving Chinese cuisine.

Then in 1975, they opened up a new restaurant in Unicity Mall and became the first operator of a fast food Chinese restaurant in the City of Winnipeg. Their volume of sales was the highest among all other restaurants in the entire food fair of the shopping mall. Between 1972 and 2007, they bought and sold a total of eight Chinese restaurants.

Between 1968 and 2007, Lee and her husband volunteered a great deal of time in the Chinese Canadian community of Winnipeg helping the poor and the immigrants to settle in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1982, she assisted community leaders to rebuild the Chinatown of Winnipeg. With the assistance of the Core Area initiatives program supported by the three levels of governments, they were able to establish a new Winnipeg Chinese Cultural and Community Centre in downtown Winnipeg and affordable housing units in Chinatown.

Lee was appointed a board member of the Appeal Board of Social Service in the Province of Manitoba and the Motion Picture Screening Board between 1987 and 1992.

In 2009, her husband, the Honourable Philip S. Lee, was appointed the 24th Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Manitoba. They moved to Government House, and she assisted her husband in coordinating functions at Government House as hosts to visiting dignitaries including the touring of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles (now King Charles III).

They are retired now but still continue to volunteer in the Chinese Canadian community and the community at large in Winnipeg and Manitoba.

Chief Marketing Strategist; diversity advocate

City: Markham, Ontario

Country of Origin: Malaysia

Loretta Lam is a highly recognized marketing industry leader known for her foresight and passion for marketing, multiculturalism, and diversity and inclusion. With three decades of professional experience, Lam held management and consultant positions at leading multinational firms Hill & Knowlton Canada and Ogilvy Asia before she founded Focus Communications Inc., an award-winning Canadian agency, offering strategic counsel and services on multicultural marketing, diversity communications, brand building and cross-cultural training to client corporations in North America.

She pioneered 360 multicultural marketing and instigated Canada’s first multicultural marketing annual report, awards and conference, setting the scene for today’s industry success and companies taking multicultural marketing to mainstream levels. As a thought leader and advocate, Lam is a sought-after speaker, media interviewee, article contributor, awards jury and mentor. She has contributed her marketing expertise and diversity lens through her volunteer roles, including Governor of York University’s Board of Governors; advisor, TRIEC Professional Immigrant Networks; founding advisor of the Diversity & Inclusion Council at Canadian Marketing Association and launching industry’s first DEI Survey & Report; advisor, North American Association of Asian Professionals (NAAAP); and founding president and director of Multicultural Marketing Alliance of Canada (MMAC).

During the COVID pandemic and the rise of racism against Asians in 2020, Lam proactively connected with various non-profit and community organizations, politicians, and industry associations to offer her views and strategic recommendations on advocating the issue of racism and unconscious bias in Canada, including her support for the launch of #HealthNotHate campaign. As a role model and mentor for immigrants, Lam strives to make positive and lasting impact in the area of multiculturalism and DEI while achieving excellence in her field of work.

She has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the field, receiving numerous awards and accolades, including the Blue Ribbon Jury of International Association of Business Communicators Gold Quill Int’l Awards, co-chair of 2022 Marketing Awards, Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneur Awards, Province of Ontario Volunteer Service Awards (15 years), Marketing Awards, IABC Gold Quill Awards, IABC Silver Leaf Awards, and a certificate of recognition from the Canadian House of Commons for promoting diverse cultures.

Associate vice president, external relations, Simon Fraser University

City: Burnaby

Country of Origin: India

When she’s not connecting the academy to community as associate vice president of external relations at Simon Fraser University (SFU) or teaching graduate students at SFU’s School of Public Policy, Sobhana Jaya-Madhavan dedicates her life to community service.

Born in Malaysia, Jaya-Madhavan went to boarding school in India at age five and found her calling in community service at the age of 16, when she became the youngest president of the Rotaract club in Kerala, India. Since then, she has never stopped volunteering, whether in a professional capacity sitting on various boards and leading the BC-India Business Network as president, or in her personal capacity, serving as a global youth mentor and supporting National Federation of the Blind (Maharashtra, India) and HashHackCode (Tamil Nadu, India) as chief impact officer.

Her commitment to community service has remained constant. As a graduate social work student in Mumbai’s Tata Institute of Social Sciences, she worked with the children and women of Film City slum. She then travelled to Malaysia, working to build cross-national connections as part of Third World Network, a research and advocacy agency.

Upon immigrating to Canada in 1995, however, she ran into the many barriers that immigrants still face today. After hundreds of unsuccessful job applications, and doing a minimum wage job, she finally joined the Government of British Columbia. She served in front-line child welfare positions before moving into senior policy and management roles. Jaya-Madhavan has been a champion for public service, working with the BC government for nearly two decades and during her service, got nominated for the BC Medal of Good Citizenship.

After working in India as global head of HR, she returned to BC and joined SFU in 2017. Her inclusive leadership and contributions have received international recognition. She received the global Inclusion Champion Award from NFBM in 2022 and prior to that, the Women’s Economic Forum awarded Jaya-Madhavan with the Women of the Decade (Education) and Iconic Women awards. Always looking to build bridges between people and ideas, Jaya-Madhavan does extensive public speaking, moderates dialogues internationally and continues to be in love — with volunteering!

Youth activist

City: London, Ontario

Country of Origin: China

Chuying Huo is a 16-year-old activist with a passion for gender equality, public health and data science from London, Ontario. She collaborates with policymakers, non-profits and community members across North America to drive change on various issues. Witnessing her community struggle during the pandemic without access to help sparked her interest in education and public health

As a research intern at Harvard’s Center for Geographic Analysis (CGA), Chuying uses data science to identify geographic disparities in access to health care. Her research on the spatial accessibility of eating disorder treatment centres in Massachusetts earned her a speaker role at the UNESCO’s “Women and girls: Innovation and higher education” Fireside Chat on International Women’s Day 2023.

She is also the executive director of CoVisualize, an education non-profit that teaches underprivileged youth how to use data science to solve the world’s most pressing issues. As the organizational representative of CoVisualize, Chuying is a key member of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative’s Transform Education campaign, advocating for gender representation in higher education.

Beyond her work in education and data science, Chuying is a passionate eating disorder prevention advocate working to pass legislation that protects children from being targeted by the diet industry. She champions legislation in various United States legislatures to ban the sale of weight loss and muscle-building supplements to minors, working with the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders (STRIPED), a research incubator at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  Some significant milestones of her work with STRIPED include getting bills introduced in Massachusetts, New York, California, New Jersey and Missouri.

Chuying’s other notable accomplishments include serving as Vice President of the Young Adult and Teen Advisory Board at the Eating Disorders Coalition, Youth Advisor at Yale TEEN Power, board member of the Steering Committee and Power Within Task Force at Plan Canada International, and founding member of the National Initiative for Eating Disorders Youth Council.

CEO, Technology North Corp

City: Edmonton, Alberta

Country of Origin: China

Ling Huang co-founded Technology North Corporation in 1998 and is an entrepreneur, senior consultant and visionary with more than 30 years of experience in the security and ICT industries, with clients ranging from the oil and gas industry, health care, public sector, to the Government of Alberta.

Ling’s son, Brian, who is on the autism spectrum, inspired him to create Technology North Digital Services, a digital economy-focused employment program that enables individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to thrive in the modern digital world. His sustainable autism employment program plays to the strengths of autistic employees and offers document digitization as a service to public and private sectors. Since December 2019, the autistic team at Technology North has completed over two million pages of document digitization with zero errors, earning a reputation for the highest quality service in the market.

Ling is the co-lead for the Canadian National Autism CanTech! Project, sponsored by the Economic and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The project aims to create a holistic approach to hundreds of digital economy jobs for autistic youth and adults across Canada. His long-term vision is to create a live-work community for individuals like his son, providing them with quality of life and independence.

Ling received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 special citation: Societal Impact award; Alberta Newcomer Recognition award in the category of Inclusive Workplace and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal.

Ling Huang’s achievements have been recognized by national and international media, including CBC, Global TV, CityNews, CTV Prime Time News, PM Time, Toronto Star, Toggle, Research Money and http://Cliff20.ca documentary film. He is a true inspiration to social entrepreneurs who wish to make a difference in the society.

Entrepreneur

City: Ottawa

Country of Origin: India

Indian-born Gipsy Ghosh is an entrepreneur and a community builder. She is currently the director of an export-import company, Silhouette Asia and 1st Avenue Immigration Consultancy Inc.

In her capacity as the director of export-import company, Silhouette Asia, she has displayed leadership and time management skills which benefited employees and customers, clients from diverse communities in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal.

As the Director, 1st Avenue Immigration Consultancy Inc., she has been a guiding force to Indian entrepreneurs and skilled immigrants, facilitating investments in small businesses and real estate.

Her interactions with diverse cultures across Canada have inspired her to address the need to uplift the multicultural ethos of different communities; to build bridges to promote intercultural understanding; to promote equal opportunities for individuals of all origins;  to promote civic engagement and a healthy democracy through her dream projects under World Multicultural Festival Inc. and India Canada Consortium Inc.

Ghosh’s work in her capacity as the president of the World Multicultural Festival  and India Canada Consortium has contributed to Ottawa’s diversity and multiculturalism scene, adding to the array of events celebrating diverse cultures. During the pandemic, Ghosh has organized and led various mental health programs with youths, seniors, parents, children and artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and ages. Currently, she is working on dissemination of knowledge through anti-racism, diversity and inclusion programs for newcomers in public schools.

Ghosh is currently a jury panel member of Ottawa Distinguished Women, an organization which recognizes local women whose achievements and contributions have enriched the quality of life for citizens of Ottawa.

She is the recipient of the prestigious Order of Ottawa, 2022 Ottawa, Orleans Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee, 2022, and the Orleans Distinguished Women, 2020. She received a Certificate of Recognition by High Commissioner of India to Canada, Ottawa for exemplary service to the Indian community in Canada in 2022.

Business Person; community builder

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: Mexico

Miguel Cortines immigrated to Canada in July 2002 with his wife and three kids from Mexico City where he worked in a variety of different organizations including a national bank and a subsidiary of the accounting firm Ernst and Young and a GM dealership.

At an early age, with some close friends, Cortines co-founded the social youth organization called “Club Ocio” “Time to Create.” Later, he created his own companies: Classic Jeans and Digital Communications Group that were commercial distributors of international brands such as Levi’s and Telefonica Movistar respectively. In Canada, Cortines started CAN-MEX, an international trade consulting company dedicated to helping Canadian companies enter the Mexican market.

In 2008, Cortines joined the Consulate of Mexico in Calgary, where he was responsible for the Economic Affairs and Community Relations portfolio. After the Consulate, he joined DMG Events, organizers of the Global Energy Show, where he was responsible for promoting international tradeshows and conferences focused on Latin America. He has also been developing the accelerator “Tu Espacio: A Space to Create, Connect and Collaborate” to support creators and entrepreneurs of the Latino community.

Cortines holds a master’s degree in administration of organizations, and a bachelor’s degree in accounting by the National University of Mexico. In 2013, Cortines completed the management accountant program with CMA Alberta.

Cortines is a community builder and business catalyzer working in a medley of diverse business ventures and community initiatives and has been a very active contributor to the non-profit sector. For many years, he has been involved with the Canadian Council for the Americas Alberta creating business linkages and opportunities for Canadian companies interested in doing business in Latin America. He is currently the managing director of Innova International Corporation, president and executive director of the Canadian Council for the Americas Alberta, and founder of Casa Mexico Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to promoting the best of Mexico abroad. In 2022, Casa Mexico was proudly awarded the Sandstone City Builder Award by the City of Calgary.

Scholar; activist

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Rhonelle Bruder is a scholar-activist with more than a decade of experience as a community leader advocating for women who have been impacted by sexual and physical violence, including human trafficking, child abuse and intimate partner violence. A PhD candidate in social and behavioural sciences at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, Bruder’s research will explore the experiences and health care interactions among women who have been sex trafficked in Ontario, Canada.

Born in the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Bruder immigrated to Canada age three when she was adopted by a Canadian family. Growing up in London, Ontario, Bruder also spent some of her teen years in British Columbia but now calls Toronto home where holds the position of the human anti-trafficking response team research trainee position at Women’s College Research Institute (WCRI) and a member of the Addressing Sex Trafficking Through Education and Research (ASTER) team.

Prior to joining WCRI, Bruder founded and served as the executive director of Project iRISE, an anti-trafficking agency in Toronto. While leading Project iRISE, she designed and implemented the first comprehensive leadership training program for women impacted by trafficking within Canada’s largest and most diverse city. Before launching the survivor leadership program, Bruder successfully led a community-driven fundraiser to support survivors of human trafficking by removing branding tattoos.

In addition to her anti-trafficking experience, Bruder regularly provides commentary and analysis on TV networks, including CBC, Global News, CP24, and others. Her appearances include podcasts, radio shows, and print media on issues that examine human trafficking and gender violence. She is the recipient of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women designation for her contributions to the field of gender equity, the 2021 recipient of the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Honouree, and the 2020 recipient of CSPN’s Millennial Leader Award and 2020 Top 100 Black Women to Watch recipient.

Pediatrician; infectious and tropical disease specialist; human rights advocate

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: India

Dr. Anna Banerji’s story spans from the tropics to the Arctic, rising from very humble beginnings as a poor immigrant family living in social housing. At the impressionable age of 11 on return to Kolkata, she found her calling to become a physician and work with the most disenfranchised populations. All of her training to be a physician, pediatrician, infectious and tropical disease specialist had given her tools for the populations that she serves.

Most of Dr. Banerji’s career was working with refugee populations. She has been consulting with COSTI for nine years, creating the COSTI pediatric clinic where she screens newly arrived refugee children arriving in Toronto. This included the large surge of Syrians that came in 2016, and currently the Afghan children where she assesses them at the hotels. She founded and chairs the North American Refugee Health Conference which occurs in Canada on alternative years and is the largest health conference on refugee health in the world.

Her work with Indigenous populations has spanned almost three decades where she has been a vocal advocate for improving the social determinants of health such as clean water, nutritious food and safe housing. In 2014 Dr. Banerji created the Indigenous Health Conference, the largest conference of its kind in Canada, to educate healthcare providers to be more culturally safe. Even through the tragic loss of her adopted Inuit son Nathan, she created two scholarships for medical students in his name. She has done ground-breaking research documenting the extremely high rates of admission in Inuit babies with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). Her research demonstrated that Inuit babies had higher rates than other populations that were eligible for RSV antibody, while the Inuit remained excluded. This resulted in a petition on change.org/fairmedicine with almost a quarter of a million signatures. Another petition was successful where an extra $305 million were given to Indigenous communities to combat COVID-19. Nishnawabe Aski Nation asked Dr. Banerji to be part of their COVID-19 task force and she spent five separate weeks vaccinating children in remote First Nations communities.

At the peak of Covid-19, Dr. Banerji was a trusted voice in the media, regularly informing the public with her experience and candid opinions. She continuously advocated for underserviced populations; racialized, Indigenous, newcomers, frontline workers, and for issues such as paid sick leave. She has been a mentor and example for many racialized women, who see her as a role model. Her advocacy has resulted in numerous awards, such as 2022 Arbor Award the highest award at University of Toronto for her volunteerism, 2022 Ontario Pediatrician of the year, the 2019 Peter Henderson Bryce Award for her advocacy for Indigenous children.

In 2012, Dr. Banerji was inaugurated in the Order of Ontario.

Advocate for multiculturalism and community building

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: India

Tasneem Bandukwala is a highly creative, driven and accomplished advocate for multiculturalism and community building with a passion for main streets and small businesses, the backbone of the Canadian economy. As an executive director of two of 82 Toronto Business Improvement Areas, Bandukwala has made a significant impact on Canada’s small business and cultural landscape by consistently demonstrating her ability to create engaging and creative solutions that bring communities together through innovative marketing and promotional campaigns, streetscape improvements, street events and membership engagement and policy development.

As a liaison between Canada’s small businesses and the City of Toronto, city councillors, members of the government, community agencies, media and residents, Bandukwala acts as unified voice and helps member businesses navigate through opportunities and challenges to grow sustainably. Bandukwala defied the challenge of revitalizing of one of Toronto’s main streets popularly known as ‘’Little India’’ and to bring back the legacy of the Gerrard India Bazaar BIA in the midst of neighbourhood gentrification and increased alternate choices for South Asian diaspora in the GTA.

She has been instrumental in developing strategies for community economic development and placemaking initiatives and events, including North America’s largest south Asian street festival, Festival of South Asia, the Frozen Heritage Ice Sculpture Festival, Diwali Mela, Bazaar Beats, which have become hallmark events in Toronto’s cultural calendar. Her contribution to the Uptown Yonge BIA has been instrumental in providing efficient and effective leadership to implement strategic initiatives that reflects the changing needs and priorities of the community and local businesses.

From creating first-time events like Halloween Haunt UP, CelUPbrate Winter, CelUPbrate Mom to launching a mobile app to drive foot traffic to the members businesses and create dynamic and engaging content, Uptown Yonge BIA has successfully set a benchmark and has become a sought-after destination to live, shop and dine. Her ability to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions has earned her numerous awards from the TABIA (Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas). Some of these awards include:

• “Creative Solutions Awards” for ‘’Glow in the Dark outdoor exhibits’’ in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA
• “Events Awards” for the “Festival of South Asia 2022” in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA
• “Mural Award 2022” for “3 Gratitude Murals, in UPtown Yonge BIA”
• “Events Awards” for the “Festival of South Asia 2017” in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA.
• “Environmental Initiative Awards 2016” for environmental protection through reduction in street lighting expenditure, in Gerrard India Bazaar BIA.

Bandukwala also serves as a marketing & event consultant to clients in Canada as well as the United States of America and has been invaluable in helping businesses grow and succeed.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Bandukwala has served on the City of Toronto’s Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) for several years and has advocated for building a safe community. She also serves on the board of DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion).

Born in Mumbai and now a Canadian resident for seven years, she holds a bachelor of management studies and a postgraduate master of commerce degree with international marketing honours from the University of Mumbai. Additionally, she has earned the local economic development (LED) certification from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Chief executive officer, Saskatoon Open Door Society

City: Saskatoon

Country of Origin: Somalia

Ali Abukar moved to Saskatoon from Kitchener to join Saskatoon Open Door Society (SODS) in November 2013 as a settlement worker in schools (SWIS). He was promoted to program team leader just four months later. After leading SODS’s SWIS and youth programs for a little over a year and half, Abukar was entrusted to lead SODS and he stepped up to become its chief executive officer in November 2015. He has been leading SODS, one of the largest newcomer serving agencies in the Prairies with more than 220 employees serving more than 8,000 newcomers annually since.

Born in Somalia, he fled at the age of 18 to live, study and work as a refugee in Cairo, Egypt. Since a young age, Abukar has been a community leader and refugee advocate. His personal experience as a former refugee along with his education and work experience serve him well in the various roles he plays working with and for refugees and immigrants both in Canada and abroad. Serving on multiple community organizations boards and advisory committees, Abukar ensures the voices of immigrants and refugees as well as Black and people of colour are included in discussions and decision-making processes.

Being a bridge builder, Abukar has fostered relationships between newcomers to Saskatoon and employers, community partners and members of the Indigenous community. He is passionate about social justice, addressing inequity through engagement in courageous conversations, collective action and support for social justice movements. The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission recognized Abukar for his advocacy for equity, inclusion and social justice as a Champion for Human Rights in 2020.

Abukar is a lifelong learner with a master of social work degree, two postgraduate degrees in migration and refugee studies and psychosocial interventions for forced migrants and refugees as well as business administration undergraduate degree. In addition, Abukar has completed various leadership trainings and professional certificates both here in Canada and overseas.

Founder and director, Canadian Latin Heritage Association

City: Mississauga

Country of Origin: Colombia

Isabel Cuellar, the founder and director of the Canadian Latin Heritage Association (CLHA), was born in Colombia and is a lawyer in Columbia. She is a well-known community leader who has spent the largest part of her life as an immigrant building bridges of opportunity and inclusion for the people in the Latin American community. She helps those, like her, encountered the need to integrate and participate fully as citizens in a new and foreign environment where language, education, political knowledge and lack of Canadian skills were barriers in their road to success.

She has tirelessly promoted participation by inviting her community to showcase its cultural, business, professional and dynamic values for all to see and enjoy. The CLHA, a non-profit organization, funded and created by Cuellar in 2014, holds the largest festival of Latin American culture ever held in Mississauga. It’s a three-day extravaganza featuring Latin America’s best cultural contributions to the Canada’s heritage. The Mississauga Latin Festival entertains upwards of 45,000 visitors every year.

During the pandemic, Cuellar participated in the Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), being one of those chosen with the creation of the “VACCUNATE V-TOGUETER” campaign to raise awareness among the community of the importance of the vaccine, where she designed, developed and implemented a community communication campaign to promote confidence in vaccination against COVID-19 and continued compliance with public health measures in underserved communities, and/or communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CLHA was officially incorporated in 2014, however, the founder Cuellar had been actively working for over 15 years in the promotion and development of festivals, community Christmas celebrations, fundraisers to support various needs within the community, collaborating with a number of community based organizations in the development of their own programs, working closely with consular offices and facilitating community engagements at various levels. With limited resources and a mountain of determination, Cuellar has patiently gained the respect and support of government officials, of organizations and institutions, of commercial concerns either established or starting, of the many stakeholders that participate in the arts and of her own community and by carefully planning and executing significant activities and events she has made it possible for newcomers to feel a part of the greater family.

This year is a special year for Cuellar and her team, because it is the 15th anniversary of Mississauga Latin Festival, where many artists and a very large number of volunteers, entrepreneurs and officials have participated actively in the promotion and delivery of the Latin American Festival in the city of Mississauga. It is considered to be the largest of its kind in Ontario and attracts people from many other ethnic cultures from within Peel and from the GTA and other cities.

A brief list of events that Cuellar has promoted and celebrated Latin heritage in Mississauga:

• Mississauga Latin Festival – a truly Latin American Celebration (2015 to present)
• Colombian Floods – Fundraiser Event (2017)
• Jordan deserves a home – Fundraiser Event (2016)
• PanAm/Para-PanAm Games – Member of the Latin Pavilion Committee (2015)
• Help Us Help Patty Fundraiser – Fundraiser Event (2015)
• Latin America Pavilion – Carassauga Festival of Cultures (2014–2016)
• Colombian Floods Fundraising Drive (2014)
• Colombia en Mississauga Festival, designed to celebrate the Colombian Independence (2009–2014)
• Compartir Navideño countries, a celebration of Christmas in the traditions of various Latin American countries (2008–2011, 2013, 2022)

For her love to her Latin roots, she has won several awards as:

• Heritage Mississauga Award
• Transformation Award in the Heritage Category
• Canada 150 Community Awards

Senior manager, equity, diversity and inclusion, City of Burnaby

City: Coquitlam, B.C.

Country of Origin: South Africa

Vishad Deeplaul (he/him/his), the first senior manager for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), for the City of Burnaby is a true advocate for change; lending his voice to support many marginalized groups in South Africa, the country where he was born, raised and immigrated from almost six years ago together with his husband and son.

His focus is primarily on fostering respect and understanding in the workplace and driving towards fair, equitable treatment for all. His first-hand experience in driving change has contributed to his passion for EDI. Together with his husband, they sparked constitutional change in South Africa in support of equal treatment for all fathers, changing South African history and one if his proudest accomplishments as he explains in a Tri-City News article.

Deeplaul draws his inspiration from the life and teachings of Nelson Mandela, playing a pivotal role in getting the Nelson Mandela Capture Site sculpture project implemented in his hometown in KwaZuluNatal. This capture site and work of art now holds deep significance for all South Africans, reminding us of the importance of respecting and appreciating EDI in all that we do.

Deeplaul’s experience with non-profit organizations includes his work and volunteerism at United Way, Backpack Buddies, The Peoples Pantry and Tri-Cities United; celebrating the communities that we live, work and play in. His contagious enthusiasm and zest for life has been widely recognized as the recipient of the City of Coquitlam Spirit Award 2020, Port Coquitlam Volunteer of the Year 2020 and 2021; as well as nominations for British Columbia Medal of Good Citizenship Award 2020 and the Tri-Cities ChamberAwards for both Community Spirit and Business Excellence in 2020 and again in 2021.

Deeplaul also plays a role in bringing both the Diwali Fest and Colour Fest to the province, traditional celebrations that are celebrated across the globe in the South Asian community. A celebration that encompasses art, culture and community. Deeplaul is very proud to be Canadian, not forgetting his South African roots and community that have all played such an important role and equipped him with the life tools to continue the meaningful work that he loves doing

Chief executive officer, CGEn

City: Ottawa/Toronto

Country of Origin: Pakistan

Named as one of Canada’s Top 20 Dynamic CEOs by the international “The CEO Publication” in 2021, Naveed Aziz, PhD, serves as the chief executive officer of CGEn, a national research facility with a mandate to make cost-effective high-quality research technologies a reality for Canadian researchers and enable Canadian leadership in fundamental and applied life science research.

Aziz’s leadership has helped fuel Canadian research and innovation, playing a key role in the advancement of technological developments within the field of genomics, providing solutions to pressing global challenges related to health and wellbeing of all Canadians. Aziz has been recognized as a leader in his field, with a reputation for visionary thinking, strategic planning and exceptional execution. In 2018, Aziz was also named as one of Canada’s Emerging Executive Leaders as a member of the adMare Academy Executive Institute.

In April 2020, Aziz was trusted by the federal government to lead the national Human Genome Sequencing Initiative (HostSeq) project, with the aim to help understand the impact of COVID-19 on the human body. The HostSeq project was recognized as a model of exemplary execution and best practices in times of crises by the Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA), winning the 2022 Research Partnership Award in recognition of significant contributions to the research profession. Aziz has represented Canada at several national and international committees, including Ministry of Science & Innovation, U.K. and workshops organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where Aziz shared his expertise, insights and best practices with peers from around the world.

Born and raised in Pakistan, Aziz immigrated to Canada in 2011. Aziz, a molecular geneticist by training, holds an MPhil in Biotechnology and a PhD in genetics from U.K. After completing his Research Fellowship at the Noble Research Institute, USA, in 2014, Aziz pursued an Executive MBA from U.K. and is a graduate of the leadership training program from Harvard Business School, USA.

Senior manager, community health and specialized programs, MOSAIC
City: Vancouver
Country of Origin: Philippines

Joy Abasta (she/her) is an internationally educated nurse from the Philippines. In 2014, she started her Canadian migrant experience as a care aide in Vancouver, B.C.

As a migrant worker, she experienced barriers in attaining quality of life and work-life balance because of the many intersecting factors of social determinants of health such as income, social safety net and immigration status including foreign credentials.

She learned that many immigrants like her have had challenges navigating the Canadian health care system simply because we are inundated by surviving the daily grind. As a new immigrant, she slowly learned the basics of Canadian living by the help of public libraries and health organizations she was employed in.

Bringing her skills from the Philippines including public health and health promotion, combined with the B.C. health care knowledge she learned over the years, she was able to reach out to both immigrant and Canadian communities. She presented “Navigating the Health care BC System” in partnerships with Philippine Consulate General Office, SUCCESS BC, Neighbourhood Houses and MOSAIC BC. This initiative has also awarded her the “Community Engagement” award from Simon Fraser University in February 2022.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Abasta went home to serve her fellow Filipinos as a nurse specialist through WHO’s global COVID-19 Solidarity Vaccine Trial. This initiative aimed to provide education in reducing vaccine hesitancy, as well as provide the capacity in building immunity by going to the communities.

While she was doing community work, she was also virtually partnering with organizations in Vancouver, providing interviews for OMNI TV and virtual community presentations about COVID-19 vaccine confidence and combatting social media misinformation.

Currently, though still not an RN in Canada, Abasta is proudly MOSAIC’s senior manager of community health and specialized programs where their vision is that each newcomer, refugee and migrant in Canada is empowered to make informed and culturally safe choices about their health and safety by bridging the knowledge and service gaps in our health care system.

When she is not working, she and her husband are lifelong learners including decolonization and actively taking the responsibility of living in the unceded Coast Salish Territories; the traditional lands of kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō (Sto:lo), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Retired Crown Counsel; community volunteer

City: Richmond, B.C.

Country of Origin: Philippines

Winston Sayson and his family immigrated from the Philippines in 1981. He served with excellence as a trial Crown Counsel with the BC Prosecution Service and in his community work. He developed expertise in the prosecution of crimes against children and vulnerable victims and trained others. Sayson helped develop the innovative use of accredited facility dogs to help children and vulnerable witnesses testify in court. He supported the use and advancement of forensic nursing within the criminal justice system.

He mentored countless students and professionals both in and out of work. His work dealt with death, serious injuries and violence. This included cases of vehicular homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. This took a toll on him. He advocates for bringing mental wellness to the forefront of the legal profession. While a full-time Crown Counsel, he completed part-time studies to be a counsellor and mentor to others.

Sayson also volunteers as an emergency support services worker with the Canadian Red Cross. He is an adviser for the BC Federation of Asian-Canadian Lawyers. He serves on the board of directors of the Christian Legal Fellowship. He provides mentorship to law students, articling students and new lawyers.

Sayson gives free presentations on mental health and wellness to members of the legal profession as well as to university students. He is a Life Group leader for his church and a facilitator for a ministry helping children from broken families. He is committed to greater service for his community.

Sayson is a distinguished Filipino-Chinese Canadian who personifies the virtues of the Medal of Good Citizenship (BC’s second highest award) as demonstrated through his three-decade-long legal career, steadfast service to victims of crime, dedication to the rule of law and volunteer work.

He has been recognized with many awards including:

• 2010 Police Victim Services Criminal Justice System Leadership Award, in recognition of compassionate work with victims of crimes and families
• 2011 Appointed Queen’s Counsel by the BC Attorney General to recognize exceptional merit, contribution, professional integrity, and good character
• 2014 Recognizing Excellence Award, BC Prosecution Service, Ministry of Attorney General for the leading role as trial Crown Counsel
• 2015 Vision Award, International Association of Forensic Nursing, for assisting the advancement and use of Forensic Nursing within the Criminal Justice System
• 2018 Leadership Award, BC Prosecution Service, Ministry of Attorney General
• 2018 Thirty-year long Service Award with the BC Public Service
• 2019 Award of Excellence, Surrey Women’s Centre, for excellence and commitment to justice for women, girls and victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
• 2019 Lawyer of Distinction, BC Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers, for excellence and leadership within the Pan-Asian legal community
• 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, for demonstrating lifetime accomplishments in professional work, service to the community, and exemplifying resilience in the face of adversity
• 2022 Outstanding Contribution Award from the Forensic Nursing Services of the Fraser Health Authority for advocating the development and use of Forensic Nursing in criminal courts
• 2022 British Columbia Medal of Good Citizenship recognition for generous, kind, or selfless service for the common good without expectation of reward and for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the community’s wellbeing.

Founder and CEO, HRx

City: Vancouver

Country of Origin: Yemen

Wyle Baoween is originally from Yemen and came to Canada in 2011 to study for his MBA. Since then, he has become a successful entrepreneur, recognized thought leader, and highly sought-after speaker on social equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

While working for 10 years as a civil engineer in marine, construction and transportation industries around the globe, Baoween was witness to many workplace inequities. With his inherent entrepreneurial spirit, he jumped at the opportunity to create a positive impact and in 2016 he founded HRx.

At the time, equity, diversity and inclusion were far from mainstream. Leaving a secure job to start HRx was a big risk, especially for a newcomer to Canada with a young family. But his mission was for all workplaces to be fair and to offer a sense of belonging, regardless of a person’s identity.

In its early days, HRx was recognized as “one of Vancouver’s startups to watch.” It has grown to become Canada’s leading provider of practical, data-informed solutions for equity, diversity and inclusion. Baoween is now a trusted advisor to senior leaders at some of Canada’s largest organizations, and year after year HRx has proven to increase the diversity of workplaces, leadership teams, and boards and improve employees’ sense of fairness and belonging.

Baoween is the founder and former president of the Yemeni Canadian Society, which he started to build connections and help people from Yemen settle and adapt. He is also a board member of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, vice chair of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, volunteer mentor at the Urban Native Youth Association, and a past board member at Mosaic.

Baoween is a contributing author to research publications with the University of Toronto, the University of Victoria and the Conference Board of Canada. He often reflects on his own journey: “Coming to Canada was a huge achievement and one of the things I am most fortunate for in my life.” He lives by a philosophy of inclusivity and seeks always to bring more people into the conversation.

Executive chef

City: Richmond, B.C.

Country of Origin: Thailand

Born in Isaan, Thailand, Nutcha Phanthoupheng was raised living the farm-to-table experience, growing rice, vegetables and fruit, and raising buffalo, pigs and chickens. As a child, she would fish and forage for fresh food. Family meals were prepared using the natural, organic ingredients she had collected. It’s here that her love of traditional Thai food was born — at her mother’s elbow, where Phanthoupheng assumed the role of sous chef.

Her first career was as a registered nurse. She quickly recognized the impact of food on our health, inspiring her to obtain her MBA and became a cancer researcher at Princess Chulaborn Hospital in Bangkok.

Upon immigrating to Vancouver in 2014 with her husband, she longed for the taste of the authentic food she grew up with, and sought a way to express her love of traditional Thai cooking and her commitment to wellness.

Determined to become a chef, Phanthoupheng returned to Thailand, studying with renowned Michelin-starred Thai chefs, Chef Chumpol Jangprai and Chef Vichit Mukura, who served the Thai Royal family.

She opened Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine in Steveston, B.C., in February 2021, and in two short years has racked up an impressive roster of awards.

On the national stage, Baan Lao was named one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants in addition to landing on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list in 2022.

Baan Lao was also recognized with the Thai Select Signature certification, the most prestigious designation awarded by the Ministry of Commerce for the Royal Thai Government.

In November 2022, Chef Nutcha became the first Thai chef in Canada to be named Maître Rôtisseur with La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

Locally, she was voted Best Chef in Vancouver for two consecutive years in Vancouver Golden Plates, and Baan Lao landed six awards each year, including Best Restaurant Overall, Best Fine Dining, Best Hidden Gem, Most Romantic and Best Thai.

Vancouver Magazine named Baan Lao Best Thai Restaurant in 2022, and the City of Richmond presented Chef Nutcha with their Epic Award for Passion, celebrating her significant contribution to Steveston’s profile as a culinary destination.

CEO, Mamy Kaya Inc & Mamy Kaya World

City: Montreal
Country of Origin: Senegal

Ndiallo Aw Badji is a social entrepreneur, with expertise in strategy and governance. She is a passionate, inclusive business professional and international speaker who is committed to her African and Canadian communities. She is a business development coach and consultant, with more than 20 years of experience, including 15 years in market finance, fund management and information technology. She holds a master’s degree in economic and social administration – business management and a master’s degree in finance and capital markets from the Ecole Supérieure de Gestion, ESG Paris.

A champion of sustainable development, in 2017 she founded the Mamy Kaya Group, a sustainable social economic development company with several entities. Leadership, experience sharing, entrepreneurship support, financing, investment and business development between Senegal and Canada play a key role in the company’s approach. The Mamy Kaya Group is inspired by the story of her mother, Rokhaya Mother Kaya, a woman who financed and supported women in agriculture, livestock, trade, leadership and much more.

Mamy Kaya “The Best of Nature” democratizes agri-food products, natural and organic cosmetics to support healthy eating and the empowerment of women. She initiated a network of diverse women sales representatives for Mamy Kaya Products.

Social and human commitment is at the centre of its work. Mamy Kaya wants to be a model of economic, social, community and sustainable development through active involvement in various impact and inclusive projects including agriculture with its NPO-NGO Mamy Kaya World and Mamy Kaya Farms by donating seeds and installing motorized pumps and solar energy to women’s groups.

Mamy Kaya Connect Consulting is a business network offering various services that promote the development of the entrepreneur and the investor.

Following the Agri-Femme research mission with the MRIF and CEED Concordia, she has just launched Fund Mamy Kaya in Senegal, an investment, financing and development fund to provide micro-credit, financial education to women and in rural areas.

Aw Badji is a member of several boards of directors and advisory committees, including that of the CEGEP de Valleyfield since 2018, where she is a member of the strategic plan committee. She is a consultant and volunteer member of the Advisory Committee of the Initiative Supporting Black Communities in Canada (IACNC) of Groupe 3737. She is currently the president of the board of directors of the Senegalese Business Network of Canada.

Aw Badji is the recipient of several prizes and distinctions: finalist for the Montreal Tech Prize Category Champion of Diversity 2022 – Jury and Leadership WARABA Prize; finalist for the Afropolitan Canada Entrepreneurship Awards in 2022; winner of the 20 startups with high growth potential and innovative university incubators and accelerators in the PME Montréal 2021 scholarship competition; current ambassador and finalist of the 2020 Quebec Businesswomen’s Network Prize; exceptional prize and coup de coeur of the Excellence Prize of the World Summit of women 4.0 in women’s 2019. She has been an ambassador for the Centre for Studies and International Cooperation (CECI) for women’s entrepreneurship around the world since 2018.

Founder and CEO, ExecutiveSpeak Coaching International

City: Vancouver

Country of Origin: India

Narges Nirumvala is the founder and CEO of ExecutiveSpeak Coaching International. She is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, world-renowned communication skills expert, official TEDx speaker coach, international keynote speaker, wife and mom.

Born in India, Nirumvala got an honours degree in psychology and completed her Graduate studies in international political economy from the United Kingdom before immigrating to Canada.

Like other immigrants she struggled for many years to find her place and be taken seriously; bouncing from one minimum wage job to another. This was a very humbling experience. Now considered a trailblazer in her field, Nirumvala is one of the few women in a male-dominated industry.

Nirumvala is the author of the Amazon bestselling book Capture the Spotlight: Improve Your Presentation Skills and Make Public Speaking Your Competitive Edge.  She is also the co-author of the new book Women of the 21st Century: Women Transforming the World, which just became a #1 bestseller in four countries.

Her writing on public speaking and presentation skills has been published and circulated to 106 countries worldwide (verified magazine circulation).

Nirumvala is also a humanitarian and community leader. She has served on numerous boards over the years including the BC Chapter of Women in Communications & Technology, Dixon Transition Society, the Canadian Women Voters Congress and until recently the BC India Business Network. Nirumvala has also been a volunteer presentation skills trainer and startup mentor for the past 12 years for the TiE Young Entrepreneurs Program that fosters entrepreneurship in youth in grades 10, 11 and 12.

Narges won the 2018 Shakti Award for Entrepreneurship. In 2021, she was featured on the cover of Business In Vancouver‘s prestigious annual Women In Business magazine. Nirumvala was also selected as one of the Top 15 Coaches in Vancouver for 2022 by Influence Digest.

Electrical engineer; technology investor

City: Vancouver

Country of origin: India

Named as Canada’s top influencers in innovation, Maninder Dhaliwal is a professional engineer, a venture capital investor and a global super-connector, driven to help others succeed. She was born and raised in India in a middle-class family that believed in the power of education to better your circumstances, and the principle of being a responsible citizen and giving back.

Throughout her career, Dhaliwal has consistently broken new ground, abolished stereotypes and created change towards leadership for women and people of colour. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with a masters degree in applied science (focused on electrical engineering). Her education includes Executive Education from Harvard Business School and Directors Education Program, from Institute of Corporate Directors Canada.

Her background in artificial intelligence (AI) and electrical engineering steered her toward the high-tech industry, building Lions Gate International, a venture capital and business advisory firm specializing in international technology M&A, venture capital toward technology start-ups in Silicon Valley and the emerging markets of South-East Asia, and technology development and commercialization in Canada and the United States.

With Lions Gate International, she is leading a global team of super-achievers with more than $2 billion USD in successful exits. She has successfully built a network of networks of angel investors, venture funds, accelerators/incubators, and C-Suite executives of Fortune500 and Global2000 firms in the USA, Canada, and South-East Asia — all in support of and advancement of Canada’s innovation economy.

Dhaliwal has received many prestigious awards for her contribution to Canada’s innovation economy. In 2021 and 2022, Dhaliwal was recognized as one of the Top 500 Most Influential People in BC by Business in Vancouver. She’s also been lauded as one of Canada’s Top 40 Influencers in Innovation, Finance and Risk Management by Thomson Reuters. She was included in Diversity 50 by the Canadian Board Diversity Council and lauded as Canada’s most diverse and eligible board candidates. Her other awards include BC’s 30 Most Influential People in Tech by Daily Hive, 24 People of Asian Descent to Watch, Vancouver Economic Commission and Forty Under 40 by Business in Vancouver.

Whitby Regional Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Whitby

City: Whitby, Ontario

Country of Origin: Pakistan

Women like Maleeha Shahid are rare and exceptional. Since immigration, she has worked very hard toward making Canada, specifically the Town of Whitby in the Durham region, more diverse, inclusive and equitable. By discussing core and critical socio-political issues in the world of municipal politics, she provides a robust voice to racialized communities and makes a world of difference. Voted in 2022 and 2023, respectively, as Whitby Regional Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Whitby, Shahid became one of the first Muslim Pakistani Woman to hold these prominent and prestigious titles in the Durham Region.

Shahid, mother of three, with her husband, have called Whitby home for more than 15 years. Her journey commenced in 2018, when she was first elected East Ward 4 Councillor. Her visibility and dedication to service in the political landscape speaks volumes. Whether advocating for a new Whitby hospital, a modern sports complex or the removal of tolls on Highways 412 and 418 or being active on diversity and inclusion and anti-racism taskforce or committees, Maleeha brings a diverse and unique conversation to the municipal space.

Shahid proactively conducts workshops on important social issues like Islamophobia or human trafficking or domestic violence or mental health and creates awareness among the Whitby community. She also is engaged in holiday food drives, Ramadan campaigns, food banks, earthquake relief, pandemic or youth development initiatives.

Her tenacious personality, charisma and infectious sense of humor as a political leader has the best interests of Whitby residents. As a young, racialized immigrant woman, her presence at any committee or event does not go unnoticed. Her unique political leadership brings inclusivity, intersectionality, equity and diversification. Not only is she a great role model for racialized youth, but a great leader for the Town of Whitby and the South Asian community.

Co-CEO, Nuwelcom

City: Stratford, P.E.I.

Country of Origin: Saudi Arabia

In a world where technology is constantly evolving and impacting our daily lives, it’s more important than ever to seize opportunities and work hard to eliminate challenges. This is exactly what Khalid Shami, an experienced professional with 25 years of experience in information technology and communications, has been doing throughout his career. Born in Saudi Arabia, Shami’s journey in IT began there after completing his studies in India and continued when he moved to Canada in 2016.

As co-CEO of Nuwelcom, a cutting-edge platform based in Charlottetown, P.E.I., Shami is passionate about building a meaningful future through good technology. The app delivers important information from trusted sources, such as weather updates, school closures, events, meetings, wellbeing services, job postings, waste management info and volunteering opportunities, in 13 languages where you can access the information in your preferred language in a safe and secure environment for free.

With his deep understanding of cybersecurity and the importance of data privacy, Shami has conducted many presentations and workshops to raise awareness and educate individuals and organizations about online safety, protecting their data, and avoiding scams and fraud.

But Shami’s dedication to his community doesn’t stop there. He strongly believes in contributing to his community and making a positive impact on people’s lives through volunteering. As he once said, “Volunteering is not only about giving back but also about learning, sharing, and growing with the community.” Shami has been actively involved with multiple organizations, including serving on the Finance and Technology Committee of the Town of Stratford, and as a board member of the Charlottetown Airport Authority. His outstanding volunteer work has been recognized with several awards, including the 2019 Outstanding Volunteer Award by the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada (Now, IRSAPEI) and the 2022 Gail and Neil MacDonald Volunteer of the Year award for the Town of Stratford.

When he’s not working or volunteering, Shami enjoys playing pickleball. He lives in Stratford with his wife and three kids.

Lawyer; professor of artificial intelligence and law

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: Nigeria

Gideon Christian is a lawyer and professor of artificial intelligence and law (AI and law) at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on racial bias from the use of AI on racial minorities in Canada.

Christian came to Canada in 2006 as an international student from Nigeria. With limited savings and no institutional funding, he overcame difficult economic hardship that almost made him homeless and dependent on food banks. He went on to graduate from his master’s program, to winning over $135,000 grant for his PhD, and eventually becoming the first person to graduate with a PhD in Law from the University of Ottawa. His story of resilience was published in the CBC First Person.

Christian worked as a lawyer at the federal Department of Justice where he was involved in high-profile litigation involving the Government of Canada. In 2019, he left the Department of Justice to become a law professor at the University of Calgary. In 2022, he was awarded the University of Calgary Faculty of Law most prestigious teaching award — The Howard Tidswell Award for Teaching Excellence.

Christian is the founder of the Canadian charity, the African Scholars Initiative (ASI-Canada), which seeks to attract and mentor international students of African descent who intend to pursue graduate studies in Canada. Christian is a strong advocate for fair study visa policies. On three different occasions he has appeared before the Canadian Parliament as an expert to speak against the high study visa refusal rates for international students from Africa.

Christian volunteers with the Calgary Police Technology Ethics Steering Committee where he uses his expertise in artificial intelligence and law to assist the committee in developing guidelines for the use of AI technologies in community policing to reduce its risks to racial minorities.

Christian also volunteers as a lawyer with the Calgary Legal Guidance, a non-profit charity that provides free legal services to indigent members of the community. In April 2023, he was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta as an Appeals Commissioner for Alberta Workers’ Compensation.

Academic; entrepreneur, researcher

City: Northside East Bay, Nova Scotia

Country of Origin: Greece

As an academic dean, educator, entrepreneur, researcher and philanthropist, George Karaphillis has always strived to make a difference.

Serving in the university sector for more than 37 years, Karaphillis helped thousands of students in their education journey. Starting as a business professor at Cape Breton University (CBU) in Sydney, Nova Scotia, he has taught a variety of courses including finance, IT and entrepreneurship. As director of the MBA in Community Economic Development program for more than 10 years, he grew it into a national program with accreditation in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Yukon, besides Nova Scotia; with more than 300 students taking the program in six locations across Canada. Students of this community-focused program include newcomers, immigrants and Indigenous people, and many graduates have had a transformative impact on their communities.

As Dean, he led school growth with four new programs that met student and industry needs; increasing university enrolment by more than 2,000 students. Karaphillis has collaborated on applied research projects that have a focus on community development; including studies on the economic impact of co-operatives and social enterprises in Canada.

Born in Greece, Karaphillis immigrated to Canada right after high school and he has called Canada home for 48 years. After graduating from McGill and Virginia Tech with degrees in chemical engineering and business, he started his professional career as an engineer with Atomic Energy of Canada. Besides his academic career with CBU, he also co-founded an IT solutions company and he assisted many companies in implementing information systems and computerized accounting.

Karaphillis has served on community boards, including Invest Nova Scotia, BCA Investment Co-Operative and Laurentian Energy. He volunteers as the president of the Cape Breton Greek community church council and has also volunteered with the Connector program for newcomers, Junior Achievement and with CBU’s student scholarship fundraising. He personally funded, through payroll deductions over 20 years, an endowment that generates one annual $5,000 entrance student scholarship, in perpetuity.

Karaphillis was honoured with CBU’s Charles MacDonald Award for Exceptional Service to the Academy in 2015, and with the Service to the Atlantic Schools of Business Award in 2021.

CEO, One37 ID

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Lebanon

Fadwa Mohanna, the CEO and founder of One37 ID, is a trailblazing entrepreneur and a 2022 recipient of the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur “Ones to Watch” Award. Her educational background in computer and communications engineering has paved the way for her to establish One37 ID, an organization focused on developing digital trust in Canada, supporting data privacy and ownership, and fostering women’s progress in the technology industry.

Mohanna’s vision for a solution to the constant demand for identity credentials during her travels led her to develop a digital wallet on a phone that could store personal credentials and complete identity verification. She strongly believes that providing digital trust and tools for privacy, security, and data ownership is crucial in addressing critical issues in modern societies and preserving democracies, as trust is a fundamental aspect of secure and efficient digital interactions.

As a woman in technology, Mohanna has personally experienced the underrepresentation of women in the industry. She was one of only five female students in a program of 95 students during her university studies. Later, while working as a leader in the telecommunications industry, she was often the sole woman on her team while setting up five greenfield telecom mobile networks in different countries. Her experiences have instilled in her a passion for advocating for greater diversity and inclusion in the industry.

As the CEO of One37 ID, Mohanna is leading a team of professionals developing innovative solutions and promoting greater diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Despite the ongoing obstacles, she remains a source of inspiration for women in technology and an influential voice for gender equity in Canada. Mohanna’s dedication to her work and her commitment to promoting greater diversity and inclusion in the tech industry make her a woman to watch as she continues to grow her business and advance her mission.

Raised in Beirut, Mohanna is the youngest of four sisters born in Lebanon to Lebanese parents and has called Canada home since 2019. She holds a BE with Distinction in computer and communications engineering from AUB and a master’s in business administration from ESA.

Business consultant; coach and mentor

City: Calgary

Country of Origin: Nigeria

Eno Eka is a highly accomplished business analyst and consultant based in Calgary, Alberta, who has made significant contributions in helping professionals and immigrants kick-start their careers. With more than 100,000 professionals from over 90 countries benefiting from her career coaching and keynote speaking, she is widely recognized as an award-winning career coach and mentor.

Eka’s expertise in business analysis extends to her role as a content developer and course instructor at the University of Manitoba, where she develops and teaches courses on the subject. Her passion for business analysis led her to establish the Business Analysis School, where she helps professionals harness their skills in the field to secure lucrative jobs. Additionally, Eka is the CEO of Eny Consulting Inc., where she helps businesses optimize their performance and achieve their revenue goals through the effective use of digital technology. Her dedication to the field of business analysis and her commitment to helping professionals and businesses succeed have established her as a respected leader and authority in the industry.

In just five years since arriving in Canada, Eka has touched the lives of thousands of immigrants, curating mentorship and coaching programs that have earned her global recognition and awards. She is a dedicated volunteer and sits on the Board of the IIBA Calgary Chapter as director of education, and also volunteers at several non-profit organizations such as the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC), Calgary Dream Centre and the Calgary Drop-in Centre.

Eka is also the host of the Fireside Chat with Eno Livestream Podcast, where she shares valuable insights on job search tips and strategies for new immigrants. She is a Giving Back Sponsor for the Women in Need Society (WINS), and a Campaign Ambassador for the United Nations and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Her remarkable awards and achievements speak for themselves, including Alberta Top 30 under 30 recipients 2021; Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award Winner 2022; RBC Women of Influence 2020 Award Recipient; and Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada 2020 Award Recipient, among others. She was also a Finalist for Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Nominee 2021, and a Women Empowerment Awards and Women of Impact Awards Nominee in 2022. Additionally, she was a Tällberg/Eliasson Global Leadership Prize Nominee in 2020 and a Black Entrepreneur of the year Finalist in 2022.

Eka’s exceptional contributions to the industry have earned her recognition as one of the Top 8 Female Business Analysis Influencers to Watch in 2021, and she is also an IIBA Global Corporate Member and an IIBA Endorsed Education Provider for all IIBA certifications. Her dedication to her profession and to helping others is evident in her numerous achievements, and she continues to inspire and impact the lives of professionals and immigrants alike.

Social enterprise leader; community builder

City: Vancouver / Hope

Country of Origin: Taiwan

Taiwan-born Dean Lin, MBA, has found a way to use his business expertise to support his passion in helping newcomers and the underemployed to find the resources they need to thrive in Canada. After a varied career in logistics and international development work with Colleges and Institutes Canada, Lin now runs a social enterprise in Surrey, B.C. called DIVERSEcity Skills Training Centre. It offers affordable, short-term computer and customer service training that prepares people to enter or re-enter the labour market.

The Buy Social-certified social enterprise uses its profits back to support the charitable work of DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society.

When the pandemic hit, Lin recognized that DIVERSEcity Skills Training Centre and its in-person classes were at a crossroads. Instead of shutting things down temporarily, he grew and expanded the centre by pivoting to offer online courses. This opened the centre up to a whole new base of learners from across the province. Today, courses are offered both in person in Surrey, online, as well as at partner sites around B.C., primarily WorkBC locations, other non-profit agencies and even Indigenous communities. He credits collaboration and relationship building with the centre’s partners for its exponential growth over the last few years, in addition to the curriculum’s focus on accessibility and the needs of individual learners, many of whom have multiple barriers.

Leading this social enterprise is just one part of Lin’s busy schedule. He is an entrepreneur,  community builder and volunteer. He not only manages residential properties for his family business, but runs a rental website for landlords and renters in Hope, B.C., where he lives part time. As a board member of the Hope Business and Development Society (a.k.a. AdvantageHope), he helps promote growth and investment into the beautiful but small community, with the goal of making it more welcoming to business, immigrants and younger residents.

He is also on the board of a small non-profit in Metro Vancouver that focuses on welcoming newcomers and encouraging self-development. There you’ll often see him leading a yoga class or book club discussion, and making sure that everyone feels welcomed and included.

When he visits his homeland of Taiwan, he also takes the time there to volunteer and support local groups with English translation and providing information to would-be immigrants who are looking to come to Canada.

Founder, The Varanda Network

City: Saint John, New Brunswick

Country of Origin: Portugal

Bernadette Fernandes immigrated to Canada as a child, returning to Portugal for middle school and later to Spain for university. She speaks five languages and worked in Guatemala, El Salvador, Portugal, Paris, Ireland, New York and Trinidad and Tobago, before returning home and founding The Varanda Network.

Fernandes is CEO of a private economic and social development agency focused on trade and investment. Adopting a quadruple helix model of innovation, she leverages her extensive global network to simultaneously interact with governments, industry, academia and community. Currently, she works with the University of New Brunswick as the innovation unit principal, and with Emergence, a biosciences incubator in Atlantic Canada, as advisor on sales and exporting.

As an advocate for immigrants, Fernandes helped settle five Syrian families in 2016 before embarking on a humanitarian project in Africa in 2017, leading to her meeting the great-grandson of Nelson Mandela in Washington, DC, the following year. In 2019, Fernandes hosted Dr. Mandela on his first visit to Canada for an eight-day humanitarian visit, subsequently leading to an introduction to Journalists for Human Rights. On her company’s 10th anniversary, Fernandes officially launched her social impact arm, One World, founded on the principles of human rights, equity and inclusion.

In late 2021, Fernandes, alongside other seasoned professionals, formed ThriveNB, a services company transforming the HR industry in New Brunswick. With knowledge of navigating the ecosystem she assists organizations in retaining internationally educated professionals.

Last year, Fernandes was named to Atlantic Canada’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business. This year, she was named to Atlantic Canada’s 10 Most Inspiring Immigrants. Fernandes serves on several boards across municipal, regional, national, and international non-profit organizations, including the New Brunswick Business Immigrant Association, the Federation of Portuguese Canadian Business & Professionals, the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce, the Heart & Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick, NB Medical Education Foundation, Saint John Learning Exchange and L’Arche Saint John. She is a featured speaker at local programs like ConnexionWorks’ Business Immigrant Essentials and PRUDE Inc’s Newcomer Women’s Leadership, and is a featured contributor to FDI Alliance International, a publication in London promoting Foreign Direct Investment.

CEO, Anima Leadership; author

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Iran

Annahid Dashtgard is an author, co-founder and CEO of Anima Leadership, a global-reaching, award-winning boutique firm that has continued to revolutionize EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion) work in organizations and communities since 2006. Over the last 25 years, Dashtgard has inspired, educated and coached thousands of individuals and hundreds of organizations toward more profound experiences of belonging.

She moved to Alberta from Iran because of the Iranian revolution, the loss of her community in exile as well as social rejection in Canada, becoming parallel forces in her life growing up.  She courageously documents this journey in her best-selling memoir, Breaking the Ocean: Race, Rebellion and Reconciliation (Anansi Press, 2019), which Ms. Magazine prophesied “may change you.”  Her just-released second book, Bones of Belonging: Finding Wholeness in a White World (Dundurn Press, 2023), is a collection of sharp, funny and poignant stories of what it’s like to be a brown woman working for change in a white world. Active in the Writer’s Union of Canada, she is a regular advocate for the world of Canadian publishing to become more representative and inclusive of a wider array of voices and stories.

A leading voice on race, trauma and immigration, she is also the founder and host of the podcast Soundwaves of Belonging, featuring intimate and irreverent conversations with fellow bridge-builders. Having grown up in three different countries — Iran, England and Canada — on three different continents, Dashtgard is a citizen of the world, a lover of stories and a truth-speaker for a more just future.

Comedian and actor

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Philippines

Described by The Globe and Mail as “a right hot blast of funny,” Ann Pornel is a comedian and actor based out of Toronto. She’s an alumnus of the venerated Second City Toronto Main Stage where she wrote three critically acclaimed shows. She would move on to join the cast of She The People, which has toured at Just for Laughs in Montreal, Edmonton Fringe, as well as a limited engagement with Mirvish Productions.

Pornel is a Canadian Comedy Award winner and winner of the 2017 Entertainer of the Year award from My Entertainment World. Her unique perspectives on diversity, body image and inclusion have garnered her spots at NBC’s Break Out Comedy Festival and JFL 42. She’s appeared and written on award-winning shows such as The Baroness Von Sketch Show, The Beaverton and This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Pornel (as well as her wonderful co-host) was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition in 2022 and 2023 for The Great Canadian Baking Show.

When she and her family moved to Toronto from the Philippines in 1989, she never ever dreamed she would have the life she has now.

Design engineer; champion for women in STEM

City: Vancouver
Country of Origin: Germany

Anja Lanz is an immigrant from Germany having come to Canada as a foreign domestic worker. Her professional journey began at Vancouver Community College where she graduated with an electronics technician certification. After earning her engineering transfer certificate at Langara College, she went on to pursue her undergraduate degree in engineering physics at UBC. Now, Lanz is a proud design engineer in electrical engineering and a passionate advocate for human rights and gender equality in her profession.

An exemplary champion for women in engineering for the past 20 years, Lanz has been an incredible advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion, and for the advancement of women in STEM. Her exceptional service to the local, provincial, national and international communities can be seen in her outstanding community engagement, her professional contributions and her incredible mentorship efforts with numerous organizations. She leads by example and has encouraged and guided countless underrepresented individuals to succeed in gender-dominated professions. Through advancing awareness of inequalities, building respect among her engineering peers and understanding the ecosystem of surviving a male-dominated profession, she helps remove barriers for many women to excel in STEM and similar technical fields.

Lanz is a dedicated volunteer and has given back a tremendous amount of her time and expertise to the educational system and the professional community. Utilizing her extensive professional network to create opportunities and bridge gaps, Lanz has supported and uplifted many others, especially new immigrants, to grow within and connect to the STEM community.

Anja received the UBC Faculty of Science Achievement Award for Service for her incredible dedication in making a positive impact in gender advocacy. She is an award-winning professional engineer, a Fellow of Engineers Canada, and ultimately received the inaugural 2022 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award from Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia for her advocacy of underrepresented groups in STEM. In addition, she received the 2023 Vancouver Community College Outstanding Alumna Award for her significant contribution to her profession and the larger community, and the 2022 UBC Health R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award for her support of student learning beyond traditional professional boundaries.

Activist; academic

City: Toronto

Country of Origin: Mexico

Alejandro Mayoral Baños, PhD, is a highly accomplished technologist, researcher, educator, activist, leader and mentor who has dedicated his career to improving the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples and their communities. With a PhD in Communication & Culture from York University and Toronto Metropolitan University, he specializes in the intersections between Indigeneity, decolonization and digital technologies. He is the founder and executive director of the Indigenous Friends Association (IFA), an Indigenous-led tech not-for-profit in Canada that promotes digital pathways grounded in Indigenous ways of being through education, software solutions and research, driving positive change for current and future generations.  His work and commitment are a reminder of the role of newcomers and immigrants in reconciliation with Indigenous nations and communities across Canada.

Under Mayoral Baños’ exemplary leadership, the IFA has seen tremendous growth and continuously impacted Indigenous peoples’ lives across Canada. His vision for incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing and doing into the design of digital technologies has led to safer and more sustainable virtual spaces for Indigenous Peoples, creating lasting change in support of Indigenous communities entering the tech labour market and transitioning to sustainable career pathways. In March 2023, the IFA had more than 25 staff members.

Over the years, Mayoral Baños has participated in several initiatives in Canada, Latin America, and the United Nations, connecting digital education initiatives to the self-determination of Indigenous peoples. In 2007, he founded the non-profit organization Magtayaní in Mexico, which promotes the wellbeing and sustainability of Indigenous communities by reconstructing the social fabric. Currently, he serves as their board president. He has also been an active member of various organizations, including Youth Action Net (International Youth Foundation), Ibero-American Network of Young Leaders (RJLI), EPIC Leadership Canada, and Tierra Comun (a collective focused on decolonizing data).

Mayoral Baños has received numerous awards, including the CBC Toronto Community Champion Award in 2020 and the Mexican National Award: CEMEFI’s Reconocimiento al Compromiso por los Demás 2020, which recognized his remarkable contributions to society across Turtle Island (North America). He has also presented at various national and international forums, such as 4S Conference, Creative Commons Global Summit, UN Climate Forum Adaption Week, the IAVE World Volunteer Conference, RightsCon 2018-2022, etc.

Mayoral Baños moved to Canada in August 2014, and his achievements and contributions have  already earned him the respect and admiration of his peers and colleagues because he is truly a visionary leader for Indigenous rights, tech equity and digital sovereignty.

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Founder, Love with Humanity Association; account manager

City: Calgary

Country of origin: Pakistan

Syed Najam Hassan and his family immigrated to Canada from Pakistan – first to Toronto and then to their present home in Calgary in 2009. In Canada, he upgraded his skills to an MBA from the University of Fredericton, and is currently working in his profession as an account manager.

Having faced some challenges during settlement, he decided to help others who were facing similar issues and developed a passion to give back to his community. So he launched his first project, which included job searching skills, resumé writing and interviewing skills for other newcomers.

Hassan realized the isolation new immigrants face and came up with an idea of providing books for them in their own language. He designated his front lawn as a venue for place to sit, read and socialize with others. For that reason, he introduced a multicultural outdoor free public library and placed tables and chairs in his front yard, built a mini library, and filled it with books in various languages. So far, he has built and donated 22 libraries in various neighbourhoods in Alberta as community gifts.

During the pandemic, unemployment became an issue for many. Hassan responded to the situation with the idea of community outdoor food banks with the motto, “Take a blessing / leave a blessing.” So far, Hassan and his volunteers have set up eight community outdoor food banks in different communities.

Hassan says his aim is to reach out with love to all in need, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. He is the founder and president of the non-profit organization, Love with Humanity Association. In addition to the libraries and food banks, he and his team have accomplished numerous projects: seminars for immigrants, food deliveries for those in isolation, holiday celebrations, winter gear for the homeless, “Coffee with Seniors” and free tax filing. The aim of his projects is to strengthen the community.

Hassan has received many awards and medals for his community services, the most recent being the Alberta Service Award.

Entrepreneur and PhD candidate
City: Montreal
Country of origin: Egypt

Mohamed Khalil is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, CEO of Pyrocycle and Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Polytechnique de Montréal. Holding a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering, he started his career based on his patent-pending technology for recycling end-of-life electronics waste.

His Ph.D. project focused on developing a new thermochemical process for recycling end-of-life electronics waste, which could greatly facilitate moving forward to produce clean and high-quality products including the recovery of precious metals. In April 2017, he was selected among the Top 25 emerging entrepreneurs in Quebec by the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation and C2 Montréal.

He won the province-wide Forces Avenir 2017 Award for the best university project in the Entrepreneurship, Business and Economy category. He was the National Finalist of Startup Canada Awards 2017 (Category: Newcomer Entrepreneur). He was selected among the six young innovators supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) as part of the entrepreneurial contest Adopte inc. 2018.

In September 2018, he was honoured as a Clean50 – Emerging Leader, for demonstrated leadership in sustainability through the development of his innovative solution for recycling electronic waste, and his project was named as one of Canada’s Clean50 Top Project Award winners. He was selected as a Canadian delegate for the G20 – Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance 2019 that was held in Japan.

He received the 2019 Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec “Recognition for outstanding contribution” and was selected among the Top 20 Personality of Diversity by Deloitte Canada and Media Mosaïque. His technology was selected among the top 10 inventions of Quebec in 2019 by the magazine Quebec Science.

Strategic partnerships and project manager, Global Institute for Water Security

City: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Country of origin: Bangladesh

A recipient of numerous awards for youth leadership, Palash Sanyal, PMP, certified EQ coach, is committed to creating space to listen and learn together while addressing global water security, one of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Sanyal currently acts as the strategic partnership and project manager at the Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan (USask). Previously, he worked for the USask’s School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), WaterAid and other international agencies. He has worked in remote and vulnerable communities, including the urban poor in Bangladesh and Indigenous communities in Canada, focusing on water issues.

A multidisciplinarian by training and experience, Sanyal builds meaningful partnerships with organizations to promote water sustainability and stewardship. He is passionate about climate change and water’s economic and human dimensions, the food-water nexus and community engagement in water governance. Under the leadership of world-renowned hydrologist Jay Famiglietti, Sanyal recently managed the preparation of Valuing Water Global Assessment Report, which will inform investors and companies worldwide about industry impact on freshwater.

Promoting new ideas that can support and enhance local culture, diversity and talents have been a significant objective of Sanyal’s engagements in Canada. He is the founding curator for the TEDx at USask and the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Saskatoon hub. In addition, he serves as a board member for SaskGalleries, International Association for Public Participation Canada and WaterAid Canada. He is also a part of the City of Saskatoon’s Environment Committee and Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) group.

Sanyal has been recognized for his work through awards like USask’s Alumni Achievement Award (2022), SYPE Young Professional of the Year (2019), EECOM Outstanding Youth Action Leader (2019), Water Canada’s Young Professional of the Year (2019), and Corporate Knights Top 30-Under-30 Sustainability Leader in Canada (2018).

Born and raised in Bangladesh, Sanyal came to Canada in 2017 and calls Saskatoon his home. He finds inspiration from his mother, who raised him and his sister against all odds and ensured that they grew up as educated and self-driven individuals. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering and three master’s degrees, all related to water. A lifelong learner, Sanyal is currently pursuing a CPA accreditation. You can find him riding his motorbike around Saskatoon in his spare time.

Associate Professor (nursing), lactation consultant and advocate of baby-friendly initiatives, University of Regina

City: Regina, Saskatchewan

Country of origin: Pakistan

Born and raised in Pakistan, Shela Hirani is a neonatal and child health nursing professional, academician, researcher, lactation consultant and an advocate of baby-friendly initiatives. She earned her PhD in nursing in 2019 from the University of Alberta. Her professional goal is to make a difference in the lives of marginalized women and children through her research work, leadership and community services.

Hirani is recognized as one of 100 outstanding women nurse and midwife leaders from around the world by Women in Global Health in partnership with the World Health Organization, International Council of Nurses, International Confederation of Midwives, United Nations Population Fund and Nursing Now. She is also the recipient of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing’s Emerging Nurse Researcher award 2020, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Award and the Honorary Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship Award for her outstanding academic excellence, community services, leadership and contribution for knowledge development in nursing.

She is actively involved in breastfeeding advocacy in diverse care settings and health promotion of vulnerable women and young children who are refugees, immigrants, internally displaced and homeless. In Canada, she is actively involved in advocating for safe spaces to remove breastfeeding barriers in a variety of public places like airports, shopping malls, restaurants, mothers’ workplace settings, child daycare centres, hospitals and post-secondary institutions.

She is actively involved in work surrounding the improvement of health equity, health systems, programs and policies that often negatively affect the health and wellbeing of marginalized and vulnerable groups of women and young children, especially those affected by disaster and displacement. She has established her program of research entitled Breastfeeding Advocacy Research: Program, Practices and Policies (BARPPP). The key goal of BARPPP is to contribute in improving breastfeeding rates in Canada, especially among women who are Indigenous, refugee, immigrant, homeless, displaced after natural disaster, and/or negatively affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Another goal of BARPPP is to facilitate implementation of baby-friendly initiatives in hospitals and community-based settings of Canada.

Hirani is hopeful that her breastfeeding advocacy movement through her research will develop knowledge, guide future research and improve the wellbeing of breastfeeding mothers and young children in Canada and beyond.

Advertising and media professional

City: Toronto

Country of origin: India

Canada afforded Milena Marques-Zachariah the perfect platform to combine her creativity with compassion when she landed here in 1999, armed with years of advertising experience in Mumbai and Dubai. She started volunteering her time and expertise as soon as she arrived at the Scarborough Women’s Centre and the Breastfeeding Association of Canada.

Understanding that the emerging multicultural landscape of Canada needed professionals to help advertisers connect effectively with diverse ethnic groups, she started her successful creative consultancy, Out of my Mind. She was one of the pioneers in multicultural marketing, helping national and multinational companies understand the importance of cultural connect.

Marques-Zachariah is also a published short story writer, blogger and columnist. Her observations on life for new immigrants led her to create the column ‘Confessions of an Immigrant Housewife’ for the Weekly Voice newspaper. Her blog, ‘Canadian Chronicles,’ records the journey of ordinary folk who’ve overcome extraordinary challenges to settle in their new home. Her other blog, ‘Chasing the Perfect Curry,’ introduced foodies to the yet unexplored part of India’s incredibly varied cuisine on the Konkan coast, now extended to curry chases in and around Toronto.

Marques-Zachariah created waves by creating, producing and hosting the first radio program in Konkani in North America, providing a platform for Canada’s Konkani speaking diaspora. Now a not-for-profit, this podcast is available to listeners across the globe.

Currently she’s the senior editor at Liisbeth, an online magazine for enterprising feminists looking to connect, grow and flourish. She is president of the board of directors of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peel-Halton, empowering and providing coping strategies and opportunities to women who are at risk, or in conflict with the law. She also mentors new immigrants at the Dixie-Bloor Neighbourhood Centre.

She’s been recognized for her commitment to the community by the Mangalorean Association of Canada, Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre and Absolutely Fabulous Women.

When she’s not travelling, Marques-Zachariah loves reading and doing yoga sun salutations.

Entrepreneurial artist, Calgary Party 50 Corp.

City: Calgary

Country of origin: Philippines

Maria Dina Galura was featured in the inaugural list of “Calgarians We Love” by Avenue magazine in 2021. This was a nod to her large-scale balloon art installations for the community.

Back home, she was the lone female warehouseman in the raw materials department of a paper mill. Later on, she moved to be part of the key startup team for Texas Instruments Clark. In Calgary, she expanded her career in oil and gas as a planner/scheduler.

In 2015, she started a side party business, Calgary Party 50 because she had leftover party supplies from one of her daughter’s birthday parties. She later focused on her childhood love of balloons and started to create large-scale art installations — all from balloons.

Her first installation was for 2017 Beakerhead, an art, science and engineering festival, was along the Calgary Transit line where 5,000 white balloons spilled out of Canada Legion No. 1 heritage building. For Mother’s Day 2018, her giant confetti balloon graced a magazine’s front cover.

“Dreams Never Die” was presented in fall 2018, a version of the animated movie UP house that went viral, seen in HuffPost Canada and Calgary Herald. She has continued to create balloon art in Edmonton, Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise.  Thousands of balloons were seen at winter festivals, corporate events, charity galas and shopping mall offerings, even at TEDx as an artist in residence. Her passion project is an annual community gift at the architectural maven Calgary Central Library, one of Times 100 Places to Visit in 2019.

Galura names her installations with Tagalog words as a tribute to her roots. In CBC’s Kapitbahay (neighbour in Tagalog) Series, she was featured for her Iskrambol (Ice Scramble) winter installation in 2021.

Her balloon work has been repeatedly shared by Qualatex, the leading balloon manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada.

Along with her husband and three daughters, they love day trips to the Rockies. Galura calls Calgary home for 10 years and wants to do continuing education to complement her certificate of project management from University of Calgary, Bachelor of science in industrial engineering and masters in management from the University of the Philippines.

Program manager

City: Ottawa

Country of origin: India

Jatinder Chadha has been recognized numerous times for his work in the community. Hon. Governor General David Johnson awarded him the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteer in 2016. He received Ottawa Mayor’s City Builder Award, United Way’s Community Builder Award, Minister (MPP) Lisa Macleod’s Canada 150, and MP Chandra Arya’s Canada 150 medal. Chadha has also been recently appointed to Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Grant review committee.

Chadha migrated to Canada with his parents and younger brother at a young age of 16 with a big dream. For a young teenager arriving in a complete foreign county in late ’90s, Chadha faced many challenges. Usually at that age, teenagers get to experience life’s most cherish moments with their childhood friends and high school colleagues, but life had different plans for him at that time. Shortly after arrival, he was faced with survival challenge as both his parents didn’t speak English and couldn’t get any jobs. Chadha took upon the challenge to start his first job as a dishwasher at local restaurant while attending high school. Gradually, he moved to other positions such as baker, cashier, salesman while attending night school to complete his graduation.

Upon graduation, he got a position at JDS Uniphase and ended his career as a trainer prior to the tech meltdown in early 2000s. Thereon, Chadha started driving a cab overnight for 12 hours to support his family. He continued his quest for higher education while working night shifts. He took HR management courses at Algonquin College and Carleton University to continually develop his skillset. Shortly afterward, Chadha got a position as a bus operator at OC Transpo in 2003 and gradually moved up the ladder.

Chadha is currently working a program manager with City of Ottawa overseeing rail operations with annual budget of over $70 million. Chadha is a highly motivated, ambitious and passionate community leader. Since early 2000, he has been instrumental in building strong community presence over the years. He has served on many non-profit organization’s boards including India Canada Association, Barrhaven Foodbank, East Barrhaven community association and Punjabi Community Health Services

Doctor in speech-language pathology; community advocate; health leader

City: Markham, Ontario

Country of Origin: Hong Kong

Anna Victoria Wong is a journalist and doctor in speech-language pathology by training, and health executive and community advocate by profession. She spent years in communications in corporate, public, academic, health and social service sectors. Dr. Wong is the executive director of Community Family Services of Ontario (CFSO), which provides East-Asian Ontarians with mental health, newcomer settlement, disabilities and special needs services. Wong and CFSO are known for serving socio-politically oppressed Hongkongers through IRCC’s Hong Kong Pathway.

Aside from her full-time role, Wong practises clinically to serve communicatively impaired population and their caregivers, and mentors talents from local colleges and universities, as well as newcomers who were trained internationally, to increase capacity and diversity for the sector. By leveraging for clinical capacity, Wong also started the disabilities and special needs services at CFSO, the first and only service available for East-Asian Ontarians, that is professionally run, and in a publicly funded community setting.

After years of multi-sector exposure, Wong devoted her focus to the non-profit sector. After joining CFSO, Wong found solace from her traumatic past as a child abuse survivor, in her work for families affected by abuse and violence. She uses her past trauma and present efforts to encourage the affected, and to inspire systemic changes among the influencers. Wong is one of eight Allies in Accessibility across Canada, and the Chair of Ontario Chinese Health Coalition. She is a board director of Family Services Ontario, and the chair of Communications for Scarborough-Ontario Health Team, and the East Asian Ambassador for vaccination and public health measures for Toronto Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wong received the Communicative Access Award from in 2013, Communitas Award for Excellence in Community Service in 2010, and Platinum Hermes Creative Awards – Special Event and Pro Bono categories in 2007. Her doctoral research focused on access equity to health services for populations with invisible communicative disability. Her work is also published in Canadian Journal of Speech-Language and Audiology: Volume 44, No. 2, 2020.

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