Meet Our Team

Akela Peoples, MEd

Chief Executive Officer

Michael Cooper, VP Development, in black jacket, side profile

Michael Cooper

Vice-President, Data & Partnerships

Suzanne Porcellato, CPA, CA

Vice-President, Finance & Administration

Katherine Blake, Director of Philantropy, in front of a blurred background.

Katherine Blake

Director, Philanthropy

Shauna Major, Data Set Manager & Knowledge Mobilization, black jacket, smiling, side profile.

Shauna Major, BA, RAPP

Data Set Manager & Knowledge Mobilization

Ishtar Yakhnis, Administrative and Data Support Coordinator, smiling at the camera

Ishtar Yakhnis

Administrative and Data support

Sheldon Mellis, Director od Strategic Partnerships and Engagement, wearing a grey jacket and black shirt in front of a white background.

Sheldon Mellis

Director, Strategic Partnerships and Engagement

Brittany Saab, Senior Manager of Communications, wearing a white cardigan and a white shirt, in front of a nature background.

Brittany Saab, MA

Senior Manager, Communications (bilingual)

Barani Ganapathi, Grants and Studentships Manager, in black jacket with folded arms.

Barani Ganapathi, M.Sc.

Senior Manager, Research Grants and Organizational Impact (bilingual)

Headshot of Claire Hlavacek standing in front of a brick wall.

Rhiann Sweeney

Executive Assistant to the CEO

Gustavo Betini, Senior Manager of Data Analytics, wearing a light blue shirt in front of a blurry background.

Gustavo Betini, PhD

Senior Manager, Data Analytics

Claire Hlavacek

Manager, Bilingual Data Partnerships (bilingual)

Headshot of Francisca Garate, Communications Coordinator, smiling and staring at the camera, standing outside.

Francisca Garate

Coordinator, Communications

Mira Persaud, Senior Advisor for Talent, smiling in a black and fuchsia top

Mira Persaud

Senior Advisor, Talent

Kelly Turkstra

Bookkeeping

Karolina Kaminska, PhD

Data Analyst

Neil Sutherland

IT Services

Special thank you to all our volunteers, placement students - past and present - and partner academic institutions:

  • Headshot of Abigail Reynolds.

    Abigail Reynolds

    Research Analyst, Summer 2025

  • Headshot of Lucas Quadros Azevedo smiling at the camera, wearing a yellow shirt in front of a plain wall.

    Lucas Quadros Azevedo

    Translation Intern (EN/FR), Summer 2025

  • Picture of Vanessa Spadafora with a gray wall and white door in the background.

    Vanessa Spadafora

    Research Volunteer (Bilingual), Summer 2025

  • Portrait of Sarala Kallepalli against a plain white background.

    Sarala Kallepalli

    Research Analyst, Winter 2025

  • Picture of Barbara Craig standing outdoors with green foliage in the background.

    Barbara Craig

    Translation Intern (EN/FR), Fall 2024

  • A wooden bookshelf with a collection of books and a pair of reading glasses resting on the middle shelf

    Chloe Sincerbox

    Communications Intern, Fall 2024

  • Close-up portrait of Ishtar Yakhnis, standing indoors with a blurred background.

    Ishtar Yakhnis

    Research Analyst, Summer 2024

  • Sharmeen Rangwala wearing a black blazer over a beige top, with green foliage in the background.

    Sharmeen Rangwala

    Communications Intern, Summer 2024

  • Jaya Raghavan, wearing a black blazer and white shirt, smiling, with a red backpack and a name tag that says 'Jaya' and 'Hello'.

    Jaya Raghavan

    Research Analyst, Winter 2023

  • Nancy Bajwa wearing a black blazer, standing outdoors near a body of water with trees in the distance during daytime.

    Nancy Bajwa

    Research Analyst, Fall 2023

  • Victor Agboola in a black office chair, wearing a gray blazer over a gray sweater and a striped collared shirt, against a plain white wall.

    Victor Agboola

    Research Analyst, Fall 2023

  • Janice Man, wearing a white top, silver jewelry, and earrings.

    Janice Man

    Research Support Officer, Summer 2023

  • Francisca Garate standing outdoors with a cityscape in the background.

    Francisca Garate

    Communications Intern, Fall 2023

  • Akeisha Benjamin smiling in front of a light gray background.

    Akeisha Benjamin

    Communications Officer, Summer 2023

  • Alisha Batra wearing a black dress with white floral pattern, standing on a bridge at night, with blurred people and lights in the background.

    Alisha Batra

    Research Analyst, Summer 2023

  • Andrea Parajeles wearing a royal blue top, a pendant necklace, and earrings, standing against a plain light-colored background.

    Andrea Parajeles Reyes

    Research Analyst, Summer 2023

  • Hafsa Siddiqui smiling, wearing a turquoise top against a black background.

    Hafsa Siddiqui

    Communications Officer, Summer 2022

  • Shauna Major smiling against a black background.

    Shauna Major

    Research Analyst, Summer 2022

  • Swathi Kodaikal wearing a blue striped shirt, smiling against a stone wall background.

    Swathi Kodaikal

    Communications Officer, Fall 2021

  • Portrait of Zaynab Ajani, indoors with a gray wall and air conditioner in the background.

    Zaynab Ajani

    Research Analyst, Fall 2021

  • Portrait ofGurleen Cheema wearing a white top, standing against a plain light-colored wall.

    Gurleen Cheema

    Research Analyst, Summer 2021

  • Angelika Aziz, wearing a striped button-up shirt, standing in front of a plain wall.

    Angelika Aziz

    Research Support Officer, Summer 2021

  • Amy Ladouceur against a green background.

    Amy Ladouceur

    Communications Specialist, Summer 2021

  • Picture of Salma Ahmad in front of a white background.

    Salma Ahmad

    Research Associate, Fall 2020

  • A wooden bookshelf filled with old books, with a pair of eyeglasses and eyeglass case resting on the middle shelf.

    Mangesh Angdembe

    Research Analyst, Summer 2020