Global Leadership Program: 2026 Facilitators and Guest Speakers

Carolyn supports the Centre’s Knowledge to Action portfolio, guiding organizations and leaders to apply pluralism in their work. Prior to joining the Centre she worked to expand durable solutions for refugees and engage youth as global citizens. Carolyn has also worked on women’s rights and youth employment projects in Ghana and Tanzania. She holds an MA in Political Science from Carleton University.

Celina Caesar-Chavannes is a visionary leader at the intersection of neuroscience, leadership, and social transformation. Currently a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at Queen’s University, her research explores how cognitive and emotional processes influence leadership, decision-making, and self-actualization. She applies these insights through The Awakened Leadership Institute (TALI), which she founded in 2024 to equip individuals and organizations with neuroscience-backed strategies for authentic leadership, fostering self-awareness, well-being, and transformation. A trailblazer in politics, Celina served as the Member of Parliament for Whitby, where she held key roles, including Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Minister of International Development. Her fearless advocacy for mental health, equity, and social justice earned recognition from O (Oprah) Magazine, Chatelaine, and numerous national and international platforms.

Celina’s academic credentials include an Executive MBA from the Rotman School of Management, an MBA in Healthcare Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology. She is also a certified health and meditation coach. Before entering politics, she founded Resolve Research Solutions Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with neurological conditions. Her best-selling memoir, Can You Hear Me Now? (Random House Canada), and her contributions to various publications cement her expertise in leadership, diversity, and social change. A sought-after speaker, she has delivered talks at the United Nations, Harvard University, and other global forums, sharing insights on neuroscience, leadership, and social justice. Celina has received numerous accolades, including Chatelaine Woman of the Year and the Mental Health Parliamentarian Award. Through her work, she remains committed to transforming lives, fostering inclusivity, and restoring our collective humanity with joy.

Clifford Mushquash (he/him) is a Two Spirit Anishinaabe professional from Pawgwasheeng (Pays Plat First Nation) on the north shore of Gichigami (Lake Superior). He has over fifteen years of experience in health and human services, with a focus on Indigenous health, mental wellness and addictions, homelessness, and social justice. 

Clifford operates Bimijiwan Nibi Mental Wellness, a private practice offering mental health and addictions counselling, education, and community development consultation. His work supports individuals, organizations, and communities through culturally grounded and relationship‑centred approaches that emphasize safety, respect, and accountability. 

He holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Lakehead University. Clifford is a committed educator and facilitator widely recognized for his ability to facilitate difficult conversations in ways that are affirming and accessible, particularly on topics related to Indigenous rights, equity, decolonization, and LGBTQ2+ inclusion.  He is deeply committed to advancing health equity and inclusive systems through education, reflection, and relationship‑building. 

Fatema Z. Sumar is the Executive Director of the Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University. Housed at Harvard Kennedy School, CID works across Harvard University and a global network of researchers and practitioners to build, convene, and deploy talent to build a thriving world for all. Fatema has a distinguished career as a practitioner in the US government and civil society.  

She most recently served as a presidential appointee in the Biden-Harris administration as the Vice President of Compact Operations at the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) where she worked to reduce poverty through economic growth. She managed MCC’s technical and regional divisions working on infrastructure, environment, private sector, gender and social inclusion, human and community development, agriculture, procurement, financial management, strategic partnerships, and contracts and grant management.  

She was previously MCC’s Deputy Vice President for Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America. Fatema also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia at the US Department of State where she led efforts to expand regional economic and energy connectivity and as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF). Fatema is the author of the book, The Development Diplomat: Working Across Borders, Boardrooms, and Bureaucracies to End Poverty. She sits on Advisory Boards for Princeton and Cornell universities, Muslim Americans in Public Service (MAPS), and Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D); the Board of Directors of Blumont; and on Harvard Kennedy School’s Sustainability Leadership Council. She has been published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, The New Republic, The Hill, Devex, and other outlets.  

Rohinton P. Medhora is Professor of Practice at the Institute for the Study of International Development at McGill University, Montreal, Canada and former president of the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Canada where he remains a Distinguished Fellow. He is also Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University, Beijing. Previously, he was vice president of programs at Canada’s International Development Research Centre. His fields of expertise are international economic relations, innovation policy, and development economics. 

Rohinton sits on the board of several non-profit organizations.  He was a member of the Commission on Global Economic Transformation and The Lancet and Financial Times Commission on Governing Health Futures 2030, and is a founding member of its successor the Digital Transformations for Health Lab at the University of Geneva.  In 2021-22 he chaired the Ontario Workplace Recovery Advisory Committee. 

Rohinton received his doctorate in economics in 1988 from the University of Toronto, where he subsequently taught. He has published extensively in professional and non-technical journals and has produced several books including co-editing International Development: Ideas, Experience, and Prospects (Oxford University Press). In May 2025 he produced a three-part video series on the governance of new technologies with the Institute for New Economic Thinking in New York. 

Shakeel Bharmal is a leadership coach, facilitator, and instructor with Ivey Executive Education. He specializes in strategy development and alignment, leading high-performance teams, strategic selling and customer engagement, and leading change initiatives. His extensive leadership experience includes roles in start-ups, organizational transformations, product launches, and turnarounds. 

From his early career as a sales manager, management consultant, director of marketing & sales effectiveness and general manager across industries to his more recent roles as a chief operating officer and director of development with a global NGO, Shakeel has demonstrated his adeptness at navigating strategic change and developing capacity in his teams. 

Shakeel is deeply committed to his professional development. He holds an advanced coaching certification from Ivey Executive Education, is an accredited coach with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and a Certified Professional Facilitator with the International Association of Facilitators. Additionally, he earned an MBA from Ivey Business School, where he was honored as Class Valedictorian, and a BBA from Simon Fraser University. 

Originally from Tanzania and raised in Vancouver, Shakeel now resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where he continues to impact leaders and teams through insightful coaching and leadership.