Global Leadership Program: 2024 Cohort

Al-Nashir Charania is a seasoned executive with a rich background in public service. With a Masterin Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, he has over eightyears of dedicated service with the Victoria Harbour Authority and extensive experience within theBC Public Service. Currently serving as Project Director in the BC Ministry of Water, Land andResource Stewardship, he provides strategic advice on Treaty 8 Nations Agreements, fosteringpartnerships and driving operational excellence. His previous roles include strategic advising at theBC Ministry of Housing and BC Ministry of Attorney General & Public Safety.​ Beyond the office, Al-Nashir contributes to the National Donor Services team for the Aga KhanFoundation and volunteers in disaster management and environmental committees.

Amaan currently works as the policy and partnerships advisor in the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat to Canada’s diplomatic office. Prior to his current role, Amaan worked for the Government of Ontario in a number of roles in the Office of International Relations and Protocol; as a Senior Policy Advisor in child and youth mental health policy; and as a Senior Procurement Consultant. Amaan has a master’s in international law from the University of Bristol, and a bachelor’s of science in foreign service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service​.

Informed largely by principles of relationships and respect, Athulya has developed a deep commitment to linking inner transformation with global and social change. Inspired by voices such as Arturo Escobar and Gustavo Esteva, she finds purpose in searching for creative and alternative solutions to address the barriers faced by those who have been systematically exploited by the dominant worldview. Athulya is grateful to hold a Bachelor of Social Sciences Honours in International Development and Globalization from the University of Ottawa as well as to have community supports that encourage to add, unlearn, and critically reflect on those teachings. Currently, Athulya serves as the program manager for the Northern Council for Global Cooperation located on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, otherwise known as Whitehorse, Yukon.

With nearly two decades of experience in educational leadership and teaching across diverse global contexts, including 15 years with the AKDN in Eastern and Southern Africa, Europe, and Central Asia, I am a dedicated Canadian educator committed to cultivating purposeful and responsible adolescents with a strong sense of service. Born in Mumbai and raised in Toronto, I received my formal education in both Canada and the United States. Throughout my career, I have assumed pivotal roles in school leadership, established IB and Boarding programs, and provided faculty training and mentorship. My passion for integrating systems leadership, indigenous worldviews, and pluralism into education has driven me to create transformative learning experiences for students. I am dedicated to nurturing student leaders and talent, and cultivating partnerships among schools, communities, governments, and the private sector to enrich the educational experience. 

As Executive Director, Ben is the senior advisor to the Academic Director and her leadership team at the School of Cities, while leading the business administration and strategic direction for the mission of the School. Ben was previously the Director, Office of Professional Development & Career Strategies at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. He has served on the boards of the Central Toronto Community Health Centres, Toronto Centre for Community Learning & Development, and Regent Park Community Health Centre; currently as director on the board of Arts Etobicoke. He was a 2022 CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow, and a member of the 2023 Maytree Policy School. 

An experienced communications leader, Brandon Meawasige has been with Indspire since November 2020. Before joining Indspire, he managed a web design and marketing agency, and has worked in a variety of leadership roles in the software, marketing, and post-secondary sectors. Since arriving at Indspire, he has been instrumental in expanding program development and delivery while realigning the organization’s marketing and communications strategy to serve internal and external stakeholders even more effectively. Born and raised in Toronto, Brandon is Anishinaabe, a member of Serpent River First Nation with family ties to Alderville First Nation. He is a graduate of McMaster University (BA, Indigenous Studies and Philosophy) and St. Lawrence College (Graduate Certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications). Brandon currently lives in Hamilton and is pursuing a Master of Design at OCAD U in Strategic Foresight and Innovation. After graduation, he plans to leverage his newfound knowledge to further contribute to Indspire’s mandate.

Celina Caesar-Chavannes is a multifaceted professional known for her contributions in business consultancy, politics, academia, and advocacy. A seasoned business consultant, coach, and international speaker, she currently holds a senior advisory role at Queen’s University, where she is also a part-time lecturer. Politically, she’s served as an MP for Whitby, and as Parliamentary Secretary to PM Justin Trudeau and to the Minister of International Development. Her advocacy work in mental health, equity, justice, and gender has been recognized by O Magazine and Chatelaine Magazine. Academically, she holds an Executive MBA, an MBA in Healthcare Management, and a BSc in Human Biology, and is pursuing a PhD at Queen’s University. Founder of Resolve Research Solutions, Inc., Celina’s prior endeavours focused on improving life for those with neurological conditions. She has authored the memoir “Can You Hear Me Now?” and speaks globally on leadership, diversity, and inclusion. Her achievements have earned her accolades like Chatelaine’s Woman of the Year. 

Charlene Bearhead, Vice President- Learning and Reconciliation at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, is an educator, Indigenous education advocate and author with over 35 years of regional, national and international experience.  Charlene is the co-author of a children’s book series and contributor to multiple anthologies and reconciliation focused resources. Most recently Charlene served as a member of the Indigenous Education Advisory Circle for the National Film Board of Canada and in an advisory capacity with Nelson Education. Previously Charlene served as education days coordinator for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, education coordinator for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, member of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Indigenous Education working group, the first education lead for both the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba and the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at UBC.  

One of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch, Chenai Kadungure has led  international economic and community development non-profit programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, The Caribbean and North America. She has a passion for leadership, transformation,strategy, and sustainable non-profits. Currently she  is the Executive Director of The Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario (BPAO) championing health equity, and prior to that headed up Black Youth Success(BYS) working in education equity. She is President of the Rotary International Global Partners in Peace and sits on several boards including the Meta Centre and the BORN Ontario Health Equity Advisory Group. She is a Globant Inspiring Leader nominee, Global News Hometown Hero.​ Chenai holds a BA degree in Media, Sociology and Gender Studies and an MPhil in Diversity Studies from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She completed her MA in Global Studies with certification in International Development at Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill’s Peace Center.

Cheryl Sheffield is a Program Officer with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, working within the International and Social Justice program. Working with a team, she oversees a number of development cooperation programs in the Global South and has much experience facilitating professional learning opportunities for educators, throughout the world. Cheryl draws upon her work as a Principal and Vice Principal in both elementary and secondary schools, along with her 27 years of teaching experience, to advocate for quality, publicly funded, public education. She is passionate about, and committed to professional and personal growth, and to making a lasting impact in the education system and in society as a whole, on a local, regional and global scale. Cheryl is also a National Geographic Certified Educator Mentor and Facilitator, and a distinguished Grosvenor Teacher Fellow. She has travelled and worked in numerous countries and views teaching, storytelling, and life experience as pathways to encourage others to become more engaged in global issues, environmental concerns, sustainability, and conservation efforts. She works to inspire and empower others, to “be the change” and to make a positive difference in our world.

Clifford Mushquash (he/him) is Anishinaabe from Pawgwasheeng (Pays Plat First Nation) on the northshore of Gichigami (Lake Superior). He is a dynamic leader with a proven ability to guide individuals and groups through difficult conversations in a safe and affirming way. He currently operates Bimijiwan Nibi Mental Wellness, a private practice offering mental health and addictions counseling, education, and community development consultation. Clifford has worked for over fifteen years in health and human services, focusing on homelessness, First Nations health, community mental health and addictions, and post-secondary education. He is a dedicated community volunteer with 20 years of experience in community development, governance, event planning, and fundraising. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Lakehead University.                  ​

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Clifford’s work and education locate him at the nexus of service provision and the realities of Indigenous people in Canada. He is committed to advancing social justice for Indigenous and LGBTQ2+ persons in Canada by facilitating opportunities for conversation, learning, relationship building, and service.  

Devon Fernandes catalyzes social and environmental action within organizations. Devon currently works as Definity Financial Corporation’s (one of Canada’s most innovative property and casualty insurance companies) Sustainability Integration Manager, enabling programs that improve environmental, social, and business outcomes. While completing his Master’s in Community Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University, Devon Co-Founded the KW Library of Things – a space where community members borrow infrequently used items, such as tools, that also provides opportunities for people with disabilities to earn a living wage while working in the library. Through his work in creating this social enterprise, Devon was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 30 under 30 Sustainability Leaders in 2018, according to Corporate Knights. Previously working as a lead for MP Mike Morrice’s 2021 election campaign, Devon co-created a canvassing strategy and managed 120 volunteers to knock on nearly 40,000 doors in 11 weeks, far outpacing our competition. While Mike was elected, I am committed to working in a non-partisan way that advances sustainability in business and society.​

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Devon is privileged to serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region, an organization serving people with disabilities.

Faizel Rawji is the Head of International Education for the Sea to Sky School District. He received several awards, including Canada’s Outstanding Principals Award and the Surrey Now Community Leaders Award. He has contributed to the British Columbia Education Plan and has been interviewed by the CBC on how this plan will be implemented in schools. He has co-authored a book published by Pacific Press at the University of British Columbia called “Insider’s Guide to K-12 Education in British Columbia”. Faizel has advised the Province in areas ranging from Technology Education to Healthy Living Standards, and he served as an advisor for the Premier’s Technology Council; he has been the keynote presenter for Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Education. Faizel travelled to Africa to present a weeklong workshop to the Headmasters of the Aga Khan Education Services. He served as the President of the Surrey Principals and Vice Principals Association. 

Farah is a public policy leader with over 15 years’ experience working with government and business on the issues at the crux of Canadian society’s long-term prosperity. She has shaped and led programs and initiatives to engage stakeholders on a range of societal issues for RBC and Deloitte. Previously Farah was a director and senior policy advisor in variety of ministries within the Government of Canada, including the Privy Council Office, and an economist at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Jason is a data scientist from Toronto who critically leverages data to showcase and highlight innovation from minority perspectives. He has previously led participatory mapping and GIS initiatives in Central Asia with a focus on equity and gender, and deployed to Tajikistan and Nepal to work in international development. He is currently involved in publishing tools and data visualizations on rural and Indigenous communities in Canada. Jason is also an entrepreneur focusing on the intersection of pluralism and alternate economies. ​

Hailing from Nova Scotia, Jeff Davis is an experienced technology executive and former journalist. He attended journalism school at Carleton University, then began his career covering foreign affairs and politics on Parliament Hill. He worked for four years Foreign Affairs Canada, and interned at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC. He was awarded AKDN’s Young Professionals in Media Fellowship in 2010, wherechar he worked for Nation Media Group in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2013, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year for Pictou County for his leather manufacturing startup StashBelt. After a decade in journalism, Jeff entered the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) industry. He is a shareholder in Saskatoon-based Vendasta Technologies, where he trains business development teams. Jeff stood as a candidate in the 2016 Nova Scotia provincial elections. He has visited over 65 countries and volunteers through Rotary International and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. 

Jennifer Elms (she/her/elle) is an international gender and development specialist with more than a decade of leadership experience across private, public, and social sectors throughout East Africa, Southeast Asia, Australasia, Europe, and North America. She is the Regional Gender Equality Advisor for AKFC and AKFUSA. Jennifer has provided strategic leadership for INGOs focusing on women’s social and economic empowerment, gender-responsive education and early childhood learning systems, and prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). She is passionate about intersectional, innovative, and sustainable gender-transformative approaches, with particular focus on climate. ​ Jennifer earned a Master of Human Rights and Democratization from University of Sydney (Australia) and a Bachelor of Arts (Joint Majors Psychology and English Literature) from Memorial University of Newfoundland. When not working, Jennifer can be found playing basketball, writing, or telling cheesy jokes. Jennifer shares her journey with her white water rafting and life partner, Hassan, and their two children.

Khalid Kurji joined Sustainability Development Technology Canada (SDTC) in July 2023 asDirector, Ecosystems. He landed there after six years at the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL),where he launched and led the Quantum Stream and then took on oversight of the Matter,AI, and Health streams before eventually directing all 8 streams at CDL-Toronto. Prior to CDL,he worked at Kepler Communications, a nano-satellite startup, Rogers, a Canadian telecommunications provider, and the University of Central Asia, a multi-campus, multi-national Liberal Arts college based in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. ​Khalid has an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, a Masters in History from JohnsHopkins, and his Bachelors in the same from Duke. In his spare time, he enjoys buying more books than he will ever be able to read, wanderingToronto’s East End, and unnecessarily obsessing over whichever prestige TV show happens to be hot at the moment. 

Lee-Anne Lavell is based in Kjipuktuk/ Halifax and works as the Program Director at the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC), a coalition of organizations and institutions working in the Atlantic region to build and model just, equitable and sustainable communities, locally and globally. Lee-Anne has worked in the non-profit sector for 10+ years at the intersection of international cooperation and youth engagement. She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from McGill. She speaks English, French and Spanish.​

Maiwand Rahyab is the founder and CEO of Resilient Societies, a new Canadian organization that enhances the voice, agency and power of democracy activists and human rights defenders in support of protecting civic space. Prior to moving to Canada, Maiwand served as the Resident Country Director for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Kyrgyzstan. Maiwand served as the inaugural Executive Director of the Afghanistan Civil Society Institute, one of the country’s most prominent umbrella organizations, and led Counterpart International’s Afghanistan Programs, supporting and collaborating with over 300 civil society and media organizations. Maiwand was a Fulbright Scholar at Middlebury College, where he received a Master of Public Administration and a Democracy and Rule of Law Chevening Fellow at the University of Birmingham, UK, where his research focused on human rights protections in Afghanistan. He served as Chairman of Focus Humanitarian Assistance, Afghanistan. He is an Asia Society Fellow.

Moez is an entrepreneur and community builder passionate about helping people and communities reach their potential. He most recently founded AMLB LLP, a CPA firm providing virtual finance services to growth-oriented businesses and non-profits across Canada. Moez currently serves as board director for State of Kindness, a local charity providing scholarships to underserved communities and has previously served as Chair, Treasurer and Head of Finance Committee for several non-profits. Prior to founding AMLB, Moez held leadership roles at TD and Deloitte and worked/lived in ten countries, including within Africa and the Middle East for AKDN-supported institutions.​

Nabeel Ahmed is a Management Consultant on the Connected Community team in the Technology Services Division at the City of Toronto. His work focuses on the City’s Digital Infrastructure Strategic Framework, which provides guidance on the use of data and technology in the City of Toronto. He formerly worked at Open North, providing support and guidance on open smart cities to communities across Canada. Nabeel has a Masters in Environmental Studies at York University, specializing in urban planning, where his research focused on big data and urban planning, as well as a certificate in public administration from Ryerson University, Toronto and a degree in business administration from the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi, Pakistan. Nabeel has a background in social enterprise, community engagement, social innovation, and international development. He is an Action Canada Fellow (’22) and was selected as an Aga Khan Foundation Canada Fellow in 2013, placed at the University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 

Natasha is a passionate advocate for youth development, with extensive experience working at the intersection of youth engagement and global citizenship education. She currently leads the Education and Youth Engagement team at the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, with a focus on supporting SDG programming across Canada. Having benefited from diverse educational experiences throughout her life, Natasha’s mission is to provide equitable access to quality education programming that equips young people with the tools, resources, and competencies to understand the connections between local and global issues. Her goal in doing so is to foster a culture of pluralism and capacity building within schools that inspires young people to act on the issues that matter most to them. Natasha holds degrees in Psychology and Clinical Social Work from the University of Cape Town. Beyond her day-to-day work, she provides strategic guidance as an advisor and board member of several South African organizations. ​

Ninoska Villegas is a business executive with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, with extensive experience in strategy, finance and business operations in Canada and Latin America. Ninoska has worked at Scotiabank for 17 years, as a Vice President of Strategy Execution and Portfolio Management, leading strategic and transformational projects and managing business investments; prior to that she worked at Colliers International conducting feasibility studies for the hospitality industry. Ninoska is passionate about influencing positive change and finding innovative ways to transform businesses to become more productive while serving their employees and customers. Based in Toronto, Ninoska is originally from Peru and holds a Masters of Business Administration from Queen’s University and a bachelor degree of Business and Hospitality Management from the University to San Ignacio de Loyola. Outside of work, Ninoska can be found reading, hiking, traveling, painting and practicing yoga. 

Dr. Ramchandani is an accomplished researcher, educator, business executive and implementation scientist. For almost two decades, Dr. Ramchandani’s research and practice have focused on the design, implementation, management, evaluation and scaling of health innovations with the potential for broad-scale population health impact. With a systems lens, and working at the intersections of multiple sectors, he has played key leadership roles across multiple life-saving intervention programs and projects. He was Public Health Advisor and Principal Investigator of the ColaLife initiative, improving access to co-packaged ORS and zinc for childhood diarrhea. He was an advisor to the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, assessing global systems for vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. He represented the Global Fund constituency of Canada, Germany and Switzerland on the  Affordable Medicines Facility for Malaria, co-Chairing the Equity Working Group. He helped lead the design and financing submissions for numerous multilateral tuberculosis programs funded by the Government of Canada, including the TB Reach Facility. As an Adjunct Professor, he teaches courses on Global Health Innovation, advises Masters and Doctoral students,  As a member of the Board of Directors of the Jane Goodall Institute, he focuses on improving the intersections between animals, people and the environment. Dr. Ramchandani is also an Alumnus of esteemed programs including the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership conference and SHAD Valley. With a current focus on mental health and wellbeing, he is currently Chief Innovation Officer at Huxley Health and recently established the Institute for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies & Healing (IPATH). Dr. Ramchandani regularly lectures and writes about global health & innovation. 

With an MBA from Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa and ten years of experience in Canada and overseas, Shane is a seasoned Management Consultant advising for-profit, non-profit, start-up, and social enterprise clients. Shane is a skilled communicator with experience managing projects, facilitating meetings, and workshops, and preparing communications materials for a wide variety of audiences. He has a strong capacity for stakeholder engagement, strategy, effective communications, and leading teams to improve organization-wide performance. Expertise includes inclusive leadership, change management, strategic planning and the circular economy. 

The Founder and CEO of QuakeLab, a full-stack equity and justice agency, Sharon Nyangweso specializes in a radical new approach to diversity and inclusion that is measurable, strategic, and based on a strong foundation of design thinking. A leader in empathetic community engagement and moving inclusivity from aspiration to action, Sharon is a regular contributor and panelist on CBC radio and television, Rabble.ca, Live 88.5, and CTV. An immigrant from Kenya who has lived and worked in Canada for nine years, Sharon has worked across sectors with organizations in 11 countries. QuakeLab is a full-stack equity and justice agency that provides the tools, expertise and methods to take your vision for inclusion from idea to action. We use proven design thinking frameworks and results-based management to position inclusion as a functional and integrated part of your business structure, and not as a flu piece hidden within your HR policy. This means that we support organizations to not only build inclusion into strategy, but to integrate it into processes, culture, and systems for real, measurable change. QuakeLab engages a team of functional experts in areas which include human resources, finance, webdevelopment, branding, user experience design, business management, and more. When you hire QuakeLab, your outcomes are founded in best practices established by leading practitioners and experts. 

Dr. Shezan Muhammedi currently works as an Assistant Director at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and was placed in the federal government as part of the recruitment of policy leaders campaign in 2021. Prior to working for IRCC, Dr. Muhammedi worked as a Program Officer with Focus Humanitarian Assistance for four years leading a team of case workers who worked one-on-one with refugees and asylum seekers in Europe supporting beneficiaries to secure legal status, find accommodations, mastering the national language, and entering pathways to employment. Dr. Muhammedi completed his PhD at Western University in 2017 focusing on the resettlement of Ugandan Asian refugees in Canada and recently published his manuscript with the University of Manitoba Press titled, Gifts from Amin – Ugandan Asian Refugees in Canada. Dr. Muhammedi also serves as an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University and Researcher in Residence and the MacOdrum Library.

Soulafa Al-Abbasi is a Syrian-born Canadian citizen. She is a dynamic visionary leader with a flair for networking and has more than sixteen years’ experience in capacity building, strategic planning, program development, and non-profit management. Al-Abbasi is a certified fund raising executive and holds a master of development economics from Dalhousie University. She is a published author of a learned treatise on micro-finance, institution-building and development. Her experience as a leader was developed in several roles: regional co-ordinator for the UN Association of Canada; board member of Credit Union Atlantic; and vice-chair of Fusion Halifax. She served as the Atlantic youth ambassador for Passages to Canada, and is an Aga Khan Foundation Canada fellow. Al-Abbasi is currently chief development officer at Immigrant Services Calgary. She is also a small business owner of PS Modern, a family-run business. Al-Abbasi has been featured in several publications, including The Globe and Mail, as one of the “Faces of Immigration,” in the national campaign of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and in the Canadian Immigrant Magazine. She was also recognized as a community leader, such as one of Halifax’s “Power People” in Halifax Magazine, a Canadian “Agent of Change” in the Bridges that Unite national exhibit – a partnership between Canada and AKDN.

Stephanie Nadeau (she/her), MFA, MBA, is the founder and director of Third Angle Projects, an open research initiative mobilizing professionals, artists, and researchers to collaborate on social and environmental innovation projects benefiting the Canadian arts and culture sector. Stephanie was previously Executive Director of the disability arts studio BEING (2019-2021), where she led the digital transformation of the organization and advanced its commitment to disability justice, leadership, and governance. As Head of Public, Educational, and Community Programs at the Ottawa Art Gallery (2015-2019), Stephanie successfully led a growing division through a demanding capital project that rebuilt the museum to five times its former size. She has a proven track record of developing socially engaged programs and leading transformational capacity-building initiatives in the arts, including at Bishops University Foreman Art Gallery and the Banff Centre for Arts. Stephanie is committed to shifting the cultural imagination toward a more just, equitable, sustainable, and inclusive world. 

Tom is the Director of Environment at Global Affairs Canada. Previously, he served as: ​

1. Director for Horizontal Policy and International Protection at Citizenship and Immigration Canada; ​
2. Director and Canadian Chief Negotiator for International Financial Institutions at CIDA; ​
3. Director for Vietnam, Indonesia and ASEAN development programs at Global Affairs Canada; and​
4. Canadian Member and Co-Chair (2023) of the Council of the Global Environment Facility; and ​
5. Member for Canada, Belgium and Poland on the Board of the Green Climate Fund. ​

Between 1997 and 2006, Tom occupied many positions with Finance Canada. He helped create the Canadian Debt Initiative as Canada’s contribution to the abolition of Third World Debt, and served as Canada’s G-7 expert on IMF issues, including quota reform.​ Tom has an MA in Economics and BBA in Economics and Business Administration from Simon Fraser University. He is a CFA charterholder.

Zahra Tejpar is the Director of Legal Affairs, supporting the Aga Khan Foundation Canada; the Aga Khan Museum; the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, Canada; and the Global Centre for Pluralism. Prior to joining AKFC, Zahra served as in-house counsel at Imperial Oil for 7 years, advising on COVID-19, employment and human resources, technology, intellectual property, commercial matters, contracting, and a wide variety of regulatory matters and processes. Previously, Zahra was an Associate at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP for six years with a strong general corporate/commercial practice. Zahra has extensive volunteer experience on legal and governance matters, having served as the Chair and Vice-Chair of FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance Canada, and as the Deputy Legal Member of the Ismaili Council for Canada and the Legal Member of the Ismaili Council for the Prairies. Zahra resides in Calgary with her husband and two young children.

Zainah Alsamman is the Senior Program Manager and Portfolio Lead at Grand Challenges Canada, where she provides leadership and support to Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge, Grand Challenges Canada’s flagship Humanitarian Innovation portfolio. Zainah brings expertise in portfolio and research management for the humanitarian sector, where she focuses on investments that improve the lives of people affected by conflict-induced humanitarian crises.

Zainah brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge from her previous work in conflict and fragile refugee settings across the Middle East region, where she has designed and managed services for vulnerable populations affected by conflict. These experiences have included providing refugee protection services at UNHCR at the onset of the Syria and Iraq refugee crises, leading in-country research studies to inform humanitarian response initiatives in northwest Syria at Integrity Research and Adam Smith International, managing a digital safety and security program in Syria at the Sec Dev Foundation.

Zainah completed her Masters of Arts in Media Research and Mass Communications at the University of Leicester (UK), where she focused her studies on the intersections of visual media and the politics of war reporting. She completed her Honour’s Bachelor of Arts in Visual Culture and Communication at the University of Toronto.