2010 Fellows
Meet the 2010 DiverseCity Fellows:
You can also read about the Fellows in this Toronto Star article, ‘Rising city-builders’ strive to make their mark (February 18, 2010)
- Suhail Abualsameed, Newcomer Community Engagement Coordinator, Sherbourne Health Centre
- Wendell Adjetey, Case Manager/Employment Counsellor, JVS Toronto
- Gelek Badheytsang, Creative Director, Drebu
- Inka Bari, Manager, Advisory Services, KPMG
- Fabio Crespin, Host Program Supervisor, Woodgreen Community Services
- Saumya Gautam, Senior Consultant, Employer Branding & Talent Acquisition, CBC
- Bilal Khan, Legal Counsel, Russell Investments
- Farheen Khan, Operations Manager, Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centre of Peel
- Karen Kun, Publisher, Corporate Knights & Founder, Waterlution
- Colin Lacey, Development Associate, Corporate Partnerships, Evergreen
- Tinashe Mafukidze, Relationship Developer, Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services
- Nishanthini Nagaratnam, Community Grants Developer, Youth Challenge Fund
- Jasvir Nijjar, Major Gifts Officer, United Way of Toronto
- Julius Nyarko, Senior Advisor, Sector Competitiveness Branch, Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
- Adaoma Patterson, Specialist, Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee, Region of Peel
- Hena Prasanna, Program Manager, Cisco Canada
- Katie Rabinowicz, Environment Program Officer, Metcalf Foundation
- Salima Rawji, Project Manager, SmartCentres
- Tanya Rumble, Health Promoter, Halton Region Health Department
- Melanie Smith, Senior Human Resources Consultant – Employment Equity, City of Toronto
- Raj Sohi, Interim Deputy Administrative Director – Addiction, Child, Youth and Family Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, General Manager, Native Earth Performing Arts
- Sharaf Sultan, Associate, Rubin Thomlinson LLP
- Melissa Tapper, Health Planner, South Riverdale Community Health Centre
- Jasmine Tehara, Associate Vice President, Wealth Management, TD Bank Financial Group
- Niranjan Vivekanandan, Vice President, Commercial Banking, RBC Royal Bank
Hear from the Fellows
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The Fellows program has been a huge opportunity to get to know others who are really passionate about improving Toronto. Listening to speakers from various sectors investigating so many facets of city-building has opened up my mind. I have gained the most from interacting with my peer Fellows. With my project, which focuses on creating new opportunities for young people, I am learning so much more about issues in Toronto, especially from team members working in the non-profit sector. I’m really excited to bring our city-building project to Cisco, which will be a partner in our project and open its doors to youth. - Hena Prasanna, Manager, Cisco Canada |
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It’s hard not to be enthusiastic and positive about the program. The opportunities made available through DiverseCity Fellows have been unimaginable. Everything from the 360-degree leadership assessment and support from Allen Hirsh to having lunch with the Governor-General and networking with established leaders in all aspects of city building – not all within my comfort zone but an opportunity like this doesn’t happen every year. Might as well dive in! - Colin Lacey, Development Associate, Corporate Partnerships, Evergreen |
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DiverseCity Fellows provides a platform to take risks, access new networks, and capitalize on the collective wisdom of a truly diverse group of leaders. In this program, I have had the exciting opportunity to advance culturally competent mental health programming and services in one of Toronto’s priority neighbourhoods. In addition, I have been privileged to join the DiverseCity Steering Committee and have also been paired with an insightful mentor to help guide me in my leadership journey. The opportunity to become a Fellow came at a time when I was equipped to build upon my existing expertise and network, and I look forward to future opportunities to city-build with the new knowledge and wider network I have acquired. - Tanya Rumble, Health Promoter, Halton Region Health Department |
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I am dramatically improving my knowledge about the city and also radically expanding my network. Presentations and discussions with leaders who are so involved with the development of the city such as the CEO of the United Way contribute a lot to my understanding of the social/economic dynamics in our city, points for improvement, gaps, and actions that are currently taking place. - Fabio Crespin, Host Program Supervisor, Woodgreen Community Services |
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My colleagues in the 2010 Fellows program are extremely intelligent, passionate and committed individuals from the private, public, and non-profit sectors. I am honoured to be part of such a dedicated group. The program will provide me with new skills to help tackle complex issues such as poverty in our community and ways to better collaborate with our partners and other stakeholders. - Adaoma Patterson, Specialist, Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee, Region of Peel |
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The Fellows program has provided me with a forum in which to engage with individuals heavily involved in building the GTA. As a result, I have been able to learn how to leverage relationships and find common denominators in order to maximize opportunities for improving the city. - Sharaf Sultan, Associate, Rubin Thomlinson LLP |
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I have had the opportunity to hear from experts on the issues facing the city and as a result of my peers’ experience in different sectors, we have engaged in challenging and thought-provoking discussions. Being part of conversations across sectors, I realized how critical it is to break through your personal context and assumptions so that regardless of the lens you view issues through – social justice and/or economic prosperity – you start with a common fact base and work from there. - Jasmine Tehara, Associate Vice President, Wealth Management, TD Bank Financial Group |
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For me, the Fellows program has opened the door to a world of possibilities and new perceptions. This has changed my own understanding of the role I play as a city-building leader and the difference each one of us can make in the city. The Fellows program has enabled me to gain a firmer grasp of diversity-related city-building issues, and further understand the potential each Fellow holds by bringing to the table his/her unique experiences and insight. It has also provided me with an invaluable network of perspectives and people to engage with and draw from. By building these relationships and increasing my knowledge, I am becoming a more open, well-informed and pro-active urban change-maker with each passing day. - Saumya Gautam, Senior Consultant, Employer Branding & Talent Acquisition, CBC |
Photos and Schedule
Three Fellows at 2010 DiverseCity Fellows Session - The Collective Leadership Model at Metro Hall. (January 2010)
Project teams were created at 2010 DiverseCity Fellows Session - Forming the City-Building Teams & Building Partnerships, hosted by OliverWyman. (March 2010)
2010 DiverseCity Fellows met with Frances Lankin, CEO of United Way Toronto and discussed how institutions are strengthened by diversity in leadership. (July 2010)
