Nomination is now closed!

It’s the month of May. It’s the time of the year where looking good is inferior to actually being good. It’s that special time that we give a pad on the shoulder to Albertans who have worked hard to move forward diversity and inclusion in their communities, municipalities, organizations, and at an individual level.

After its launched in the fantastic city of Edmonton in 2016, the great city of Calgary in 2017, and the lovely city of Red Deer in 2018, we are back this year in Edmonton, sponsored by NorQuest College and the City of Edmonton, we will host hundreds of Diversity and Inclusion Champions from across Alberta at the welcoming atrium of NorQuest College on Friday, May 17, at 5 PM, at 10215 108 St. Edmonton.

In addition to handing out 12 beautifully designed awards to CEOs, EDs, politicians, professionals, community builders, organizations, and many more Diversity and Inclusion Champions from 10 cities across Alberta, there will be a keynote presentation from the exciting Dr. Wanda Costen, the Dean of the School of Business, MacEwan University, on the recognition of foreign credentials, hiring, respecting foreign-trained professionals.

New this year, there will be a panel discussion on recognition of foreign credentials and the respect and hiring of foreign-trained professionals into the Albertan industry, municipalities, communities, and universities. Panel participants have been drawn from different industries to educate participants and share a summary document with those who cannot attend.

The panellist will include; the exciting Dr. Wanda Costen; the dynamic Doug Piquette, Executive Director of EREIC; the new fantastic Hyder Hassan, Chief Executive Officer of Immigrant Services Calgary; and the nice Dr. Sally Zhao, Chief Executive Officer of Calgary Immigrant Educational Society; the corporate change maker Mia Talavera, Equity Specialist-Senior Consultant, Global Talent Engagement at Stantec; and the hardworking Mazhar Butt, a CPA, CGA, PMP MBA, who arrived many years ago from Pakistan and spent his first couple of years doing contract work with Robert Half before he joined SPAR Aerospace. They started to go down the tubes and closed. He then went to Flint and the economy hit and he went back overseas to work for 5 years and when he came back it was like his whole Canadian work history went out of the door and he went back to being a new immigrant. He now has his own business. He has one of the most interesting stories.

The panel will be facilitated by the supportive Tonya Holowitski a Career Advisor working with foreign trained Accountants at the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Alberta. Diversity Awards 2019 will be hosted by the wonderful Debra Kasowski, speaker, certified executive coach, and author.

You are honoured. Join us at the welcoming atrium of NorQuest College in Edmonton, at 5 PM on May 17, 2019. The address is 10215 108 St. Edmonton. Oops! Did I say it’s FREE ENTRY? Well, yes it is!

The Categories

Organizational Diversity: An Alberta organization that has made a significant improvement in diversity and inclusion with support documents, references, programs, hiring, policy, or implementation.

Friends of Diversity: An Albertan that has made significant strides in fostering diversity and inclusion in any sector in Alberta.

The Peace and Friendship Awards, (Individual or Organization): Canada is a nation that has been built upon the foundation of Peace and Friendship treaties between Indigenous Nations and the Crown of Canada. These living treaties bind our country from sea to sea to sea and have contributed to the very nature of the Canadian identity. The spirit of these treaties is to ensure that Indigenous nations and newcomers endeavour to live peacefully, build and maintain good relations, mutually benefit from the land and her bounty, respect each other, share and learn from each other’s gifts, and to prosper. It¹s all about relationships.

Criteria: This annual award is given by the Indigenous community to a non-Indigenous person and an organization. It recognizes outstanding community work, volunteerism, relationship development, shared programming, and consistent efforts of support to build and maintain good relations with the Indigenous community.

New this year on Diversity Awards is a panel discussion. In addition to handing out awards and a keynote presentation, this year, Diversity Awards will be adding a panel discussion on recognition of foreign credentials and the respect and hiring of foreign-trained professionals into the Albertan industry, municipalities, communities, and universities. Facilitated by a facilitator, five Panel participants will be drawn from government, industry, community, and education to educate participants, and a summary document and the recorded video will be put together to share with those who can not attend. Each participant will have 5 minutes to share their experiences and best practice, and the facilitator will take questions from the audience in an hour session. Questions will be collected from those who cannot attend and online to ask panellists. Any organization can be involved in sponsoring the panel discussion and taking part. For more information on Diversity Awards 2019, please go to https://diversitymag.ca/staging/diversity-awards-2019/

Keynote on recognition and hiring of foreign-trained professionals in Alberta.  

Wanda Costen, PhD, MBA

Dean, School of Business, MacEwan University, Edmonton

Dr. Wanda Costen brings a depth of experience and expertise to her role as Dean, School of Business, MacEwan University, Edmonton. Her teaching expertise extends to areas including strategy, human resources, organizational behaviour, law and diversity. Her research interests encompass racial and gender inequality in organizations, women and leadership, strategic human resources, managing diversity, and ethnic minority student experiences. Dr. Costen earned her PhD from Washington State University and an Executive MBA from Pepperdine University. She completed her undergraduate degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point. During the 2013/14 academic year, she served as a Fulbright Scholar with the University of the West Indies – Mona, in Kingston, Jamaica.

The Hosts

Debra Kasowski

BScN, CECSpeaker – Certified Executive Coach – Author

Debra Kasowski, the charismatic host of the thought-provoking podcast, The Millionaire Woman Show, is committed to enriching the leadership potential of her countless clients, essentially guiding them to go within to capitalize on their true personal power, so they can achieve the measurable success they desire in business, and in life. After graduating with distinction, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, this award-winning, three-time bestselling author, speaker and Certified Executive Coach spent many years as a clinical manager excelling in leadership development, before founding Debra Kasowski International, a world-class training and consulting venture focused on helping aspiring business owners and solopreneurs develop the winning “success habits” that transform human potential into sustainable profits. Clearly, if you’re motivated to move beyond the mediocre, inspired to forge on to the forefront with a proven plan of action, there’s no doubt that the indomitable Debra Kasowski is your solution.

Tonya Holowitski, Panel Host

Tonya Holowitski holds three designations in the Talent Management Field.

She is an RPR (Registered Professional Recruiter), RPT (Registered Professional Trainer) and a CMP (Canadian Management Professional).  She has worked for 15 years in Talent Management, mainly focused on working with accountant and all the various professions within the accounting profession.  She currently is a Career Advisor with CPA Alberta, based out of the Edmonton office.  She supports all levels of membership from the newly enrolled student to the retiring professional. This means she provides counselling on job search strategies, offer letter evaluations, career path mapping, support in building business cases for salary increases and promotions to preparing to wind down your career and  retire. Tonya is an active advocate for diversity and inclusion and is really excited to be here today and present to each of you.

Panelists

Mia Talavera, Panelist

Equity Specialist-Senior Consultant, Global Talent Engagement.

Mia concentrates on driving positive corporate culture including the design and delivery of Stantec’s Global Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) strategic portfolio- she is also commissioned as an active council member on  Stantec’s Inclusion & Diversity Council for both the US council and Canada Council.  She believes that inclusion is a fundamental human right and that the equitable treatment and dignity of all human beings should be exercised and valued. Mia is also responsible for Stantec’s Regulatory Equity Compliance portfolios: Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action (US Federal legislation)  and Employment Equity (Canada Federal jurisdiction). Stantec is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is also committed to implementing Employment Equity to represent a  workforce that truthfully embodies North American diversity. Mia collaborates with key internal & external stakeholders to ensure Stantec complies with the laws and regulations requiring the promotion of equity and non-discrimination in business practices.

Mia is passionate about creating real inclusion and to further understand how society can improve our inclusivity efforts despite barriers. “Diversity and inclusion isn’t a solitary achievement. It’s a continuum that constantly improves and directly contributes to the sustainability of our society.” She’s always looking to learn more. This dedication to expanding her knowledge translates easily to Mia’s free time. Outside of work, she’s an active member of the Edmonton Business Diversity Network (EBDN), a network of companies and organizations who share a vested interest in advancing and shaping D&I in the local Edmonton region.

Hyder Hassan

Hyder Hassan moved from Pakistan to Canada with his family in 1999. Hyder has been involved with the non-profit sector, both in Calgary and abroad, and is currently taking the role of Chief Executive Officer with Immigrant Services Calgary since February of this year. He was the Head of Wealth at First Calgary Financial, responsible for leading the institution’s wealth management strategy and managing a portfolio worth approximately half a billion dollars. Hyder was recognized by the highly competitive PlanPlus Global Financial Planning Americas Region Award as the joint runner-up in 2016 and as a recognized strong community leader, Hyder received an Immigrants of Distinction Award in 2018.

Along with his wife, Christina, Hyder co-founded a non-profit charity, FullSoul Canada, an organization supporting maternal health in Uganda. Hyder is passionate about promoting the health and safety of mothers, babies and medical practitioners in the developing world, including Uganda. Since 2013, this organization has outfitted hospitals with over 65,000 medical supply kits for the safe delivery of children. He presently lectures at Bow Valley College and mentors individuals on financial planning and investment. Hyder is also involved in the local community, including Rotary, Junior Achievement, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Alberta Health Services.

Doug Piquette (Edmonton)

Doug is the Executive Director of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council. Doug has been with ERIEC for 10 years and in that time has worked to establish, manage and advance the strategic priorities and direction of this Edmonton based organization.

Doug brings a breadth of diverse experience to ERIEC previously working for over 26 years in project design and management in the community economic development field. Doug also spent several years of project managing community economic development projects in South America assisting to facilitate community processes for diverse community stakeholders groups.

Dr Sally Shifeng Zhao (Calgary)

Chief Executive Officer, Calgary Immigrant Educational Society Dr Sally Zhao joined the Calgary Immigrant Educational Society (CIES) in November 2005 as a volunteer tutor in the Drop-In ESL Program. Since then, she has served in different roles within the organization as a LINC instructor, ELT instructor, LINC Program Manager and Executive Director Designate. On November 1, 2014, Sally became the Executive Director of CIES, a title that later changed to Chief Executive Officer.

Under Sally’s leadership, CIES has thrived. People are her priority, and her commitment to building relationships has created a forward-thinking environment of optimism and inclusion. CIES programming, which is offered under Language, Employment and Settlement streams, has expanded in recent years to include innovative projects addressing adult literacy, mental health research, Indigenous perspectives, and online learning. More than 30 unique program options are now available at CIES for newcomers and economically disadvantaged individuals. Services are offered from three different locations, including buildings in Forest Lawn and Whitehorn, and an office in the Westwinds community, which opened during the summer of 2018.

Sally obtained her PhD in ESL (English as a Second Language) Testing and Assessment and an MA in Language and Communication from Cardiff University, UK, an MEd in Teaching English for Specific Purposes from University of Exeter, UK, and a BA in English Language and Literature from Lanzhou University, China.

Wanda Costen, PhD, MBA, Panelist

Dean, School of Business, MacEwan University, Edmonton

Dr. Wanda Costen brings a depth of experience and expertise to her role as Dean, School of Business, MacEwan University, Edmonton. Her teaching expertise extends to areas including strategy, human resources, organizational behaviour, law and diversity. Her research interests encompass racial and gender inequality in organizations, women and leadership, strategic human resources, managing diversity, and ethnic minority student experiences. Dr. Costen earned her PhD from Washington State University and an Executive MBA from Pepperdine University. She completed her undergraduate degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point. During the 2013/14 academic year, she served as a Fulbright Scholar with the University of the West Indies – Mona, in Kingston, Jamaica.

Mazhar Butt, a CPA, CGA, PMP MBA 

Mazhar Butt is a CPA, CGA, MBA and PMP. He has accrued more than 20 years of experience in management, operation and financial accounting across the globe in countries like Pakistan, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, USA and Canada. His knowledge extends across many areas of finance, including project accounting and management, cost controlling, process improvement, system implementation, policy and procedures writing, auditing, budgeting, change management, risk control, and forecasting. Moreover, he is a devoted member of the Edmonton community, serving as part of ERIEC and CPA mentorship programs to help new immigrants and future CPA’s in their quest to establish a finance career.  Nowadays, you can find him at NAIT, serving as an instructor for J.R. Shaw business school and its partner Edmonton Mennonite Center, training the next generation of accountants by teaching continuing education and CPA courses.

Diversity Awards 2019 Nominees

Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG)

Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG), headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, owns the 5-time Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers and operates Rogers Place, North America’s premier and most technologically advanced sports and entertainment venue. OEG’s growing staff of over 1,600 full- and part-time employees help to deliver exceptional sports, entertainment and other special event programming to fans and patrons in Canada and the United States. It also owns the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, and the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

Oilers Entertainment Group is dedicated to supporting diversity and inclusion within our organization and is a leader in this area within our larger community of Edmonton and the sports and entertainment industry. OEG is committed to maintaining a vibrant working environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and unique talents and perspectives are valued. Our hiring policies reflect this sentiment. We pride ourselves on having an inclusive culture and hiring employees of diverse backgrounds and abilities. We recognize that diversity makes our business stronger and we work with a variety of local organizations to promote and grow our diverse workforce, including the Bredin Centre for Learning, Bissell Centre, Gateway Association, EmployAbilities, the Pride Centre of Edmonton, the Accessibility Advisory Committee and the University of Alberta On Campus Program.

OEG is also invested in promoting diversity in our community and in the sport of hockey. The Edmonton Oilers and Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) participates in the NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone (HIFE) initiative, which is a year-round program that uses the game of hockey – and the League’s global influence – to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities. In 2018 and 2019 the Edmonton Oilers hosted Hockey Is For Everyone nights to proudly celebrate diversity and inclusion in hockey and our wider community. This year, the Oilers invited 450 special guests from various local organizations, community groups and non-profits that support diversity and inclusion to come and enjoy the game. These organizations were also recognized with a special on-ice presentation. They included amiskwaciy Academy (an indigenous-based public school) and the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, as well as the Alberta Sports and Recreation Association for the Blind, Edmonton Adaptive Sports Association, Pride Tape and the Pride Centre of Edmonton.

This year, as part of HIFE the Edmonton Oilers hosted an Introduction to Hockey session. Thirty participants from the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers were invited to the Downtown Community Arena attached to Rogers Place for the chance to try hockey with Oilers/NHL Alumni members Shawn Belle, Mark Fistric and Rob Brown. For a few participants, it was even their first time on skates. The Edmonton Oilers also invited 80 students from the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers SKY Club to attend a practice viewing to become more familiar with the game. This partnership created a great opportunity to introduce the children to new recreation opportunities and a sport that is so culturally significant in Canada. It is our goal to make the sport of hockey accessible and welcoming to all those who want to play.

Accessibility is also at the heart of OEG operations. Rogers Place design and operation far exceed barrier-free guidelines for the province. This success came through extensive partnership and collaboration with the accessibility community in Edmonton to seek input and take action on suggestions to improve design and operation. OEG has also built accessibility training into our employee onboarding and education programs to ensure continuous commitment and improvement.

The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation also has a long history of supporting charities and community groups that foster diversity and inclusion in our community. This past year the Foundation provided a donation to the Intercultural Child and Family Centre in support of their Oilers Literacy Backpack program, which encourages young children to learn through creativity and hands-on discovery with the support of their families.

The EOCF also provides ongoing support to Inner City High School, one of the Foundation’s legacy projects. This alternative high school is accredited by Alberta Learning and supports Edmonton’s inner- city youth with a stable and consistent path that goes beyond the classroom. The school focuses on offering youth both an academic and arts-based alternative to a high school diploma. Youth are given guidance regarding accommodation, counselling, nutrition and medical care. Its strong sense of community has created a safe haven offering many at-risk youth a solution and promising future. In December 2010, the EOCF purchased the former Native Friendship Centre on 101 St to serve as Inner City High School’s new home. The new facility, spearheaded by the EOCF, accommodates 150 students marking a 125 per cent increase from the previous school building’s capacity. Inner City High School’s goal to help youth achieve their full potential both academically and personally is a perfect complement to the EOCF’s mandate to support programs that focus on health and wellness, education and minor hockey programming for youth. Through this initiative, the EOCF continues to leave a lasting legacy for the City of Edmonton and its downtown core.

Oilers Entertainment Group will continue to celebrate diversity and inclusion in our workplace and in the community, recognizing that diversity makes our company and our community stronger.

MP Ziad Aboultaif (Edmonton)

Ziad Aboultaif moved to Canada from Lebanon in 1990 and has lived in Edmonton ever since. Mr. Aboultaif has been active in a variety of different community organizations that are tailored to both specific ethnic communities, as well as the local community as a whole, such as serving as a board member on a community league, a founding member of the Celebration of Nations in the 1990s, participating in various social and political campaigns. In 2015 Mr Aboultaif successfully ran as the Member of Parliament for the federal riding of Edmonton Manning.

Since 2017, he has served as the Official Opposition Shadow Minister for International Development. In this role, he has had the opportunity to travel to many countries that receive development assistance from Canada, such as Nicaragua, Lebanon, Jordan, Senegal, Nigeria, and Bangladesh. These and other visits have helped to deepen Mr Aboultaif’s appreciation for the unique struggles that members of Edmonton’s newcomer community have overcome on their road to Canada.

As a Member of Parliament, Mr Aboultaif has always understood that one of his most important jobs is to engage with residents of Edmonton Manning across the riding and from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds to truly understand how to best serve and represent his constituents. Whether it is hosting events for residents, meeting with local advocacy groups about their concerns or getting out in the neighbourhoods knocking on doors, Mr Aboultaif always strives to be as accessible as possible to help assist the people of Edmonton Manning to the best of his ability with issues related to the federal government.

MP Garnett Genuis (Strathcona County)

Garnett Genuis is the Member of Parliament for Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta, Canada. Since his election in 2015, he has gained a reputation for being among the most outspoken parliamentarians, having spoken more than 100,000 words in the Chamber during his first year in office – more than all three major party leaders combined. In 2017, his parliamentary colleagues selected him for the Maclean’s Parliamentarian of the Year Award. Always ready to speak, he is a tireless advocate for human rights and religious freedom, both domestically and abroad.Inspired by his maternal grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor, M.P. Genuis was motivated to civic responsibility and political life in order to defend fundamental freedoms and advocate for vulnerable minorities.

He currently serves as the Deputy Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, a role that enables him to raise awareness about international human rights violations and promote a return to Canada’s principle-based foreign policy. He previously served in the Official Opposition as the Deputy Critic for Human Rights and Religious Freedom. In each of these roles, M.P. Genuis has continually highlighted and pursued the need for Alberta and Canada to welcome as well as stand up for various minorities at risk from around the world. This has involved directly engaging with several different cultural and religious communities throughout the province. He has generally encouraged all of them to participate in the democratic process.

In particular and most recently, he has spoken out repeatedly about combating bigotry towards Muslims, sparked an emergency debate in the House of Commons concerning the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma, and has also presented a private member’s bill to combat trafficking in human organs.

He holds a B.A. in Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University and an MA in Public Policy and Philosophy from the London School of Economics. Prior to his election, he worked in the Prime Minister’s Office. His wife Rebecca is the daughter of two immigrants of East Indian descent who was born in Pakistan.

Councillor Aaron Paquette (Edmonton)

As a lifelong Edmontonian and a parent raising his family in Ward 4, Councillor Paquette is committed to building strong and diverse communities in northeast Edmonton. Prior to his election to Council, Aaron worked as an award-winning Indigenous artist and author. His work can be viewed in museums, schools, hospitals and LRT stations across our city. His novel, Lightfinder, is taught in schools and post-secondary institutions across Canada. He has also worked with local schools in Edmonton’s north side to help create mural projects. His passion for education also led him to work with Alberta Education, various school boards and teachers associations to help develop art curriculum and improve academic achievement.

In 2012, he created an education conference to lay new ground for more effective approaches to creating healthy and respectful learning environments for students and teachers. In his role as City Councillor for Ward 4, Aaron sits on Urban Planning Committee, Utility Committee and the City Manager and City Auditor Performance Evaluation Committee. He has sponsored the Council Initiative on Food Security and has also taken a leadership role working on the Child-Friendly Edmonton, End Poverty Edmonton, Multiculturalism and Urban Isolation/Mental Health initiatives.

Dr Sally Shifeng Zhao (Calgary)

Chief Executive Officer, Calgary Immigrant Educational Society Dr Sally Zhao joined the Calgary Immigrant Educational Society (CIES) in November 2005 as a volunteer tutor in the Drop-In ESL Program. Since then, she has served in different roles within the organization as a LINC instructor, ELT instructor, LINC Program Manager and Executive Director Designate. On November 1, 2014, Sally became the Executive Director of CIES, a title that later changed to Chief Executive Officer.

Under Sally’s leadership, CIES has thrived. People are her priority, and her commitment to building relationships has created a forward-thinking environment of optimism and inclusion. CIES programming, which is offered under Language, Employment and Settlement streams, has expanded in recent years to include innovative projects addressing adult literacy, mental health research, Indigenous perspectives, and online learning. More than 30 unique program options are now available at CIES for newcomers and economically disadvantaged individuals. Services are offered from three different locations, including buildings in Forest Lawn and Whitehorn, and an office in the Westwinds community, which opened during the summer of 2018.

Sally obtained her PhD in ESL (English as a Second Language) Testing and Assessment and an MA in Language and Communication from Cardiff University, UK, an MEd in Teaching English for Specific Purposes from University of Exeter, UK, and a BA in English Language and Literature from Lanzhou University, China.

Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC)

Formally established in 2008, the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring immigrants are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the economy to their fullest potential. Foreign-trained, experienced professionals now making the Edmonton region their home want to contribute their skills to our economy, but many lack the local knowledge needed for a successful job search. ERIEC provides a unique and effective bridge between employers’ labour needs and globally-trained new residents so that these new residents can work to their full potential.

Doug holds a B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Victoria and certificates in Economic Development from the University of Waterloo and Executive Leadership from the University of Alberta.

Mission Integrate skilled immigrants into our labour market at a level that utilizes their skills, training, experience and education.ERIEC believes that bringing employers and skilled immigrants together is critical to challenging employment issues and barriers and that it will help to build bridges within the Edmonton region. One of ERIEC’s key approaches is to align and work with a broad cross-section of community stakeholders.

This mission is carried out by providing programs that:

• Increase employers’ awareness of the economic advantages of hiring immigrants;
• Help skilled immigrants understand the Alberta work environment and increase their readiness for employment;
• Augment the efforts of other stakeholders working to increase the employability of immigrants; and
• Are designed to meet employers’ needs for a skilled workforce.

ERIEC through Doug’s leadership created outstanding connections to professional and skilled immigrants resulting to increased confidence and opportunities which eventually resulted in meaningful employment. Moreover, ERIEC’s programs and services benefit the Edmonton business community through:

• Access to the local professional immigrant talent here in Edmonton
• Increased awareness of your own organization and industry
• Building a network for people by helping them succeed in Alberta
• Making Edmonton a more welcoming and diverse community!

Number of Clients Served

• Over 150 employers served and have engaged with our programs (2009-2019)
• Over 4200 employees have been served or referred to other services (2009-2019)
• Over 800 mentor/mentees Career Mentorship relationships in the Edmonton Region (2009-2019)
• Over 1200 mentor/mentees in Speed Career Networking/Smart Connection events/Connector Program
• Over 1200 participants have attended 9 Annual Global Talent Conferences

Doug is also a founding and current board member of the Edmonton Business Diversity Network (EBDN) and the current Chair of the Work Force Development Committee with the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.Doug’s commitment to diversity and inclusion for Edmonton and Alberta is remarkable as he advocates and continues to participate in the planning and implementation of initiatives that would make Edmonton and the province of Alberta a more welcoming and diverse place to live and work.

Aftab Khan (Edmonton)

Aftab Khan started his professional career in 1988 as a Manager in a public sector organization in Pakistan after completing his MBA. For more than 15 years, he worked for various national and international financial institutions, NGOs and UN agencies in developing countries to develop and manage community and economic development programs. He had managed many multi-million dollar projects and initiatives including one of the largest project for recovery and reconstruction of major infrastructure after 2005 massive earthquake in Kashmir and northern Pakistan.

After moving to Canada in 2007 he started working in the non-profit sector and during last 12 years, he has been working in leadership roles with various immigrant-serving agencies including Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, International Medical Graduate Association, Calgary Immigrant Educational Society, Edmonton Mennonite Center for Newcomers and Welcome Center for Immigrants. After working as the first Executive Director of Alberta Legal Information Society to develop an online Public Legal Education and Information platform for Albertans, he joined Action for Healthy Communities (AHC) as an Executive Director in May 2016.

Since starting at Action for Healthy Communities, Aftab focused his efforts on making AHC a more responsive and inclusive organization for the individuals and communities who have been working with AHC for their capacity building. In collaboration with AHC team, he has also made it a priority to revive the roots of community development within the organization. This process has involved investing in the staff team at AHC to learn about best practices in community development while also reflecting on the team successes over the past two decades. Since his joining in May 2016, AHC has grown more than double of its size in terms of its program and services, number of beneficiaries, financial and human resources and its outreach. Aftab strongly believes in creating an inclusive and welcoming Edmonton for everyone through community capacity building initiatives. He sits on various committees and boards including Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA) board and is widely engaged in the betterment of the settlement sector in Alberta. Aftab has an MBA from Pakistan, a Diploma in SMEs development from International Training Centre of the ILO, Italy and an Executive MBA from the University of Alberta. He loves music, travelling and volunteering with community-based initiatives.

Assiff Law Personal and Injury Lawyer (Edmonton)

Assiff Law practices exclusively in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation, helping victims of accidents and negligence. Their founder, Norm Assiff was awarded the prestigious Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association (ACTLA) President’s Award for 2012–awarded to the one member of the Alberta bar who has distinguished himself or herself by his or her contribution to the profession or the community, the advancement of the law or their service to ACTLA.

They appeared at all levels of court in Alberta (Provincial Court, Queen’s Bench and the Alberta Court of Appeal) as well as the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the Federal Court of Appeal. He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association, the Muslim Lawyers Association (former Western Canada Rep.), and are a sustaining member of ACTLA. Assiff Law won a precedent-setting case which greatly benefits the rights of accident victims in Alberta. We believe this to be the most important personal injury judgment in Alberta since 2004 when the Government of Alberta introduced the Minor Injury Regulation.

Assiff Law donates to Edmonton Food Bank, Terra Centre, Africanival, AMP, Islamic Relief Canada, Kids Kottage Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Make a Wish, United Way, Edmonton Humane Society, and many many more. They have won Consumer Choice Awards, Best Business of 2019, and have been involved in so many community initiatives and fundraisers such as Edmonton Food Bank and Colour me  Rad.

Sunil Phool (Edmonton)

Sunil Phool is a devoted member of society who is motivated to implementing positive change in his community.  He is an open-minded person who values culture, family and friendship. He and his wife have been foster parents for the last 11 years and have welcomed a son into their home. Sunil has a Master of History degree from the University of Delhi and has also taken various diplomas/certifications in his time in Canada. He is an experienced professional with over 20 years of experience; he has successfully held leadership roles and had multiple responsibilities in management which further developed his communication and problem-solving skills. His leadership style involves collaborating with others to achieve personal and professional goals.

He has worked in several different fields which gives him a wide variety of skills. Some of his work experience includes working as a commissioned logistic officer with the Canadian Armed Forces (reserve); he has also worked in the travel industry in India. He is currently the owner of a safety company that specializes in behaviour-based safety programs, audits and risk assessment. He has a Certified Health and Safety Management System Auditor (CHSMSA) designation from the Auditing Association of Canada. He seeks to promote behaviour-based safety in the community. He is a member of an organization known as the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering. He has also received a letter of recommendation from MLA Denise Wollard for promoting safety in the South Asian community. He is currently involved with the City of Edmonton in promoting awareness on recycling and composting, as he has previously completed the Master Composter Recycler Community Leader in Waste Management Program.

Sunil also spends his time in other professional fields as he is a board member of the Attendance appeal board with the Education Ministry. He also works closely with the Edmonton business association.  Sunil is an active member of the community and has volunteered for many nonprofit organizations including a fashion show for mental health awareness, little champion competition, and Ethno fashion gala; he has also held director positions in different projects. He has recently volunteered for the Edmonton police in the southeast division community division patrol. Sunil Phool is an optimistic individual who is passionate about his practice; he continuously searches for opportunities to give back and work towards bettering the community.

Tabitha Phiri (Red Deer)

Tabitha Phiri has worked as the Program Coordinator of Domestic Violence and Research for Central Alberta Immigrant Women’s Association (CAIWA) for over 11 years. Originally, from Zimbabwe, she has lived in Canada for 21 years and holds a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Loma Linda University, California.  Her responsibilities include conducting research on immigrant issues, providing crisis intervention, case management, providing referrals to legal advice, counselling, courts, shelter, welfare etc. Because she has the first-hand experience with immigration challenges, she understands the underlying stigma and challenges that are responsible for human rights violations against minority groups, and how this overarching environment increases vulnerability to violence, abuse, isolation and unemployment.Ms Phiri is a passionate advocate for marginalized minority groups who believes that employers, community service providers, elected leaders, educators and domestic violence sectors can truly effect change in the lives of immigrants who are struggling to start a new life in Central Alberta.  She is focused on promoting education and awareness regarding culturally relevant programs and services.

Through her work as a domestic program coordinator for immigrants, she has made strides to create and support an environment where diversity and inclusion are valued. Everybody irrespective of race, identity or background can feel safe, welcomed and appreciated.  For example, during the last 6 years, she coordinated three research projects in the areas of economic security, domestic violence, and immigrant settlement programs and services evaluation in Central Alberta. Barriers that hinder immigrants from achieving their potential were also identified.

Through her leadership, community stakeholders came together for consultations to develop promising interventions and strategies that address the stigma, unemployment and violence and approaches to monitoring and evaluation of programs and services for immigrants. Tabitha spearheaded dialogue among employers and domestic violence sectors to highlight programs and services that support and promote inclusivity in all areas such as the workplace, educational institutions, family relationships and community stakeholders. Currently, her work focuses on delivering prevention and intervention activities to address issues surrounding domestic violence against vulnerable populations in Central Alberta. Besides working for a living, she has served on the Board of Directors and as Vice President of the Central Alberta Diversity Association for 9 years.  She is past award winner of the Soroptimist International 2002 award and the Domestic Violence Frontline Service Providers award in Central Alberta in 2010.

Dr Christina Nsaliwa (Edmonton)

Dr Christina Nsaliwa has been Executive Director of the Edmonton Immigrant Services Association (EISA) since 2000.  EISA is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing settlement services to newcomers and immigrants since 1976. Her academic qualifications include a Doctorate in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Alberta, Masters in Education and in Human Ecology from the University of Birmingham in England and Mount St. Vincent University, in Halifax respectively.

Under her leadership, EISA has expanded from 8 staff with a budget of $300,000 to 60 staff with a budget of about three and a half million. In addition, Dr Nsaliwa oversees the Grande Prairie Centre for Newcomers.  Consequently, service locations under her leadership have increased from one to 82 spread throughout North Alberta region thus ensuring clients easy access to services. She has partnered with Municipal Libraries from Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Strathcona County, and St Albert to offer services to newcomersDr Nsaliwa has broad experience in leadership, administration and management at government, institutional and community levels. She has served as the Vice-Chair of the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA) and Chair of the AAISA Training and Accreditation Committee.Her community involvement includes sitting on various initiatives and boards including Canada Volunteerism Initiative, Edmonton and Area Child and Family Authority, Volunteer Alberta, Council of Canadians of African and Caribbean Heritage, and actively participate in various community support networks for immigrant families, women, children and youth.  Dr Nsaliwa is a past recipient of Daughter of the Year and RISE awards.

Tarek Fathelbab (Edmonton)

In 2008 Tarek was chosen among 15 community leaders in Egypt to receive the Ford Foundation International Fellowship to complete his master’s in Environmental Sociology at the University of Alberta. In 2010, he was awarded the Travis Manning Award for academic excellence and graduated in 2011 to start his career in the non-profit sector in Edmonton. As the Manager of Community Engagement at Bredin Centre for Learning, he manages stakeholders’ relations, identify potential community partnerships, and has created the “Diversity through Art” project that promoted diversity through art exhibits. He also participated in creating the first toolkit for employers to hire Syrian refugees. In addition to his humanitarian work, he has created business partnerships with employers to train internationally trained professional and give them the exposure needed to access the Canadian Job Market. Furthermore, he ran a mentorship program to match Canadian Professionals to Internationally Trained Professionals to ease their transition into the Canadian Workforce. The project was a great success and the media has covered the Video Launch Event where we showed 28 videos he created to promote diversity and workplace inclusion. Recently he has partnered with Alberta Minister of Labour to announce the minimum wage increase. Tarek has presented his work at the CDAA and AAISA conferences

Mentorship – Project- Global News:   https://www.facebook.com/BredinCentreForLearning/videos/1455586697821887/

Mentorship Project- Diversity Magazine:   https://diversitymag.ca/staging/immigrants-share-digital-stories/

Diversity Through Art Project-Edmonton Journal:   https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/newcomers-to-canada-showcase-artwork-at-edmonton-city-hall

Diversity Through Art CBC:   http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-newcomers-art-galleryalberta-1.3881191

Diversity Through Art CBC:   http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/wonderful-talents-refugee-andimmigrant-musicians-hope-art-show-leads-to-work-1.3952245

A Toolkit for Hiring Syrian Refugees Global T.V:   http://globalnews.ca/video/3035526/edmonton-businesses-band-together-to-helpsyrian-refugees

Holocaust Survivors Art Show- Diversity Magazine:   https://diversitymag.ca/staging/holocaust-survivors-show-their-artistic-side-at-bredin-centre/

Regina Beatrice Oppon (Fort McMurray)

• Pastor, Gethsemane International Assembly.
• Executive Director, Rehoboth Alliance
• Past Board member – Kings Square Housing Corporation PEI
• Past Board Member PEI Multicultural Council (PEIMCC)
• Past President Afro Canadian Association of PEI (ACAPEI)
• Past Board Member – Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo (MCAWB)
• Past Board Member – Fort McMurray African Association (FOMACA)
• Organized and established Black History Month Events in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
• Involved with the Immigrant Women’s Academy
• Organized International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
• Works with youth, women and children to empower them to maximize their talents and potentials

Mercedes Messinger (Red Deer)

I would like to nominate Mercedes Messinger who is a wife, family business owner with her beloved a husband and name of the business is Messinger Meats in Red Deer but distribute quality meats to Italian stores in Calgary and Edmonton. Mercedes has a gold heart for giving back to the community by donating to many local and international charities and list them here that included our organization Education for Somali Girls and Boys Fund.

Since she opened her store in Red Deer in 2017, she has been selling Somali samosa to support our school in Somalia and she donates to us fresh meats for our samosa and we are so grateful for her unwavering support to us and many other charities. I have been known to Mercedes since in 2015 and I met her when I received the Ruby Award from Soroptimist International of Central Alberta, and I am confident she deserved for recognition from Diversity Awards in 2019. All the charities she supports over the years are below:

• Education for Somali Girls and Boys Fund
• Women’s March in Red Deer in 2019
• Private Fundraisers for sick Family Members
• Church Fundraisers
• Sports Fundraisers to support kids
• Women’s Outreach.
• Video on Sliced Red Deer sponsored a complete season
• Red Deer Christmas Bureau
• Ronald Mcdonald House
• Red Deer Shelter Foundation

Suzana Dumo (Edmonton)

Suzana Dumo is a career management professional and serial entrepreneur, with over a decade of management experience working for agencies focused on human services and socio-economic development in multiple countries including Canada. Ms Dumo is passionate about working with organizations that focus on human development, to help design, develop and build new ideas to expand their impact in society. Consistently, in the many diverse roles, she had served in various organizations during her career in the non-profit sector, she takes a vision and brings it to reality through sound strategy development. Throughout her career in the non- profit sector over the years, she spearheads high impact programs through creative design, innovation and strategic development, and implements responsive strategies to foster human development goals.

Currently, as Senior Management professional at AHC, Suzana oversees 3 major program portfolios of AHC’s 5 programs, managing a team of over 50 personnel including staff, contractors and volunteers. In the last five years, Suzana worked with the amazing and talented programs team and led these three program portfolios of Settlement and Integration, Employment Training & Supports and the Entrepreneurship & Business Development programs from serving 500 patrons annually, to serving over 5000 patrons per year. Ms Dumo’s professional experience also includes Entrepreneurial portfolio as serial business founder and owner of multiple start-ups including a freelance consulting service. With a strong passion for volunteering, Suzana’s professional experience also includes volunteer roles serving in various executive roles on the boards of various local and provincial development agencies such as the Alberta Community Economic Development Network, Alberta Council for Global Cooperation, and PLAN Edmonton among other local Community Associations.

Suzana Dumo holds a Bachelor degree with double majors in Public Administration and Business Management. She is currently working towards an MBA Degree which she hopes will bring some new exciting and challenging opportunities to add to her experience roster.

ALIF Partners (Edmonton)

ALIF Partners Worker Cooperative

ALIF Partners is a creative management consultancy that, over the past twenty years, has collectively worked on some of the biggest and best brands in the world, as well as with emerging organizations slated for greatness. The organization works with leaders who want to grow their organization while inspiring teams to higher performance and meaningful results. A primary focus of ALIF’s consultancy work is focused on the For-Benefit sector or the Fourth Sector, which integrates social and environmental aims with business approaches. These organizations are not defined by profit, nor by its absence, but rather by quality and impact. ALIF aims, through its work, to emulate that approach as well, by providing thorough, thoughtful, and meaningful work for both its clients and its employees. ALIF is staffed by a diverse group of individuals from a variety of different backgrounds who, through their personal experiences and individual narratives, bring unique strengths and approaches to their work, enhancing both the success of the company and the benefit to the company’s clients. The employees’ distinct backgrounds, and ALIF’s support of this unique quality in a group of consultants offers clients an approach and perspective in their work that would not be possible within a homogenous workforce. ALIF encourages and nurtures this diversity within its staff and prides itself on being a unique example in its industry of how diversity can provide even more success and collaboration than employee identities that conform to an expectation or approach.

ALIF’s leadership is committed to celebrating and supporting its diverse group of employees. The support of its employees is foundational in the organization’s core business model. ALIF strives to “walk the walk” of the For-Benefit model by specifically focusing on the personal successes of its employees. A core component of ensuring this success is providing a supportive and inclusive work environment. ALIF believes that when employees feel supported, they will, in turn, produce their best work, thereby lifting the company to success as well. The company embodies this belief by implementing several internal practices that allow the organization to demonstrate to its employees that they are truly respected and valued as individuals with a diverse set of experiences and backgrounds:

• ALIF’s commitment to diversity and inclusion spans throughout the entire organization, right down to the company’s name. The word ALIF (Aleph, Alpha) has many meanings. It is the first letter in the Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Urdu, Persian, and Ge’ez (Ethiopic) scripts, among others. The word ALIF also has many traditional connotations, some of those being origin, reconciliation/unity, and upbringing. Naming the company ALIF is a consistent reminder that the firm is committed to bringing diverse groups together, whether through their client engagements or through the internal workplace culture, and to build capacity in those organizations and in the organization’s staff, all while remembering its roots and motive.
• ALIF has a dedicated interfaith prayer and reflection room on site. This allows employees an opportunity to remove themselves from the bustle of the consulting world, even if only for a moment, and refresh themselves through their faith or through personal reflection.
• Many of ALIF’s staff follow the Muslim faith. Given that the common Canadian workweek expects businesses to be open on Fridays, the Muslim holy day, ALIF accommodates the religious requirements of these employees by offering them time off every Friday to attend their religious prayer service, despite a rigorous workload.
• Following the common Canadian calendar in the workplace can also lead to situations where employees may be expected to work on their personal religious or cultural holidays, if those days do not fall within typical vacation times. ALIF ensures employees can celebrate and observe their personal religious and cultural holidays by offering them the option of taking time off outside of normal closures. For example, on most years the celebrations of Eid or Diwali may not fall on typical statutory holidays. Yet, recognizing that many employees on staff may wish to celebrate these days, ALIF ensures that staff can take time off during these times, if they so wish.
• Not only are cultural observances embraced at ALIF, but they are also encouraged. Employees are encouraged to customize their regular business casual look with items and accessories from their own cultural backgrounds and this practice is evident when spending time in the office. Cultural wear, symbols, and traditions are apparent at every turn, adding to the energy and collective enthusiasm of the firm’s employees.
• One of ALIF’s founding principles is a commitment to values-aligned financial principles: this means that ALIF does not deal in usury or in activities that go against its view of ethics (ie projects or investments related to armaments or pornography). Furthermore, it gives its staff the choice to abstain from working on projects on ethical grounds, even if those ethics are only rooted in the staff member’s religious or cultural values.
• ALIF is thoughtful and considerate of cultural diversity in both its employees and its clients.

ALIF trains their staff in client hospitality, with special focus on cultural sensitivity. Staff are taught to honour guests’ cultural norms when greeting them or serving them food (both in terms of religious and values-based dietary restrictions). The organization regularly hosts Indigenous Chiefs and Elders and pays close attention to cultural and religious practices when greeting guests of the opposite gender or of different faiths. Guests wishing to use the interfaith room are welcome to do so and are made comfortable using the washroom for ritual washing if needed. Each of these initiatives demonstrates a true embodiment of the celebration of diversity, the commitment to inclusion, and the respect for and celebration of what each unique individual can contribute to this thriving organization.

It is clear to anyone who is involved with ALIF Partners that the company has a deep appreciation and understanding of the skills and experiences immigrants to Canada can bring to a business. This is exemplified in the demographic of the company’s employees and the backgrounds of the founders. Most of the staff at ALIF come from immigrant backgrounds. Their longest-tenured managers and employees are all immigrants themselves or children of immigrants, and two of the organization’s founders come from immigrant backgrounds as well. This experience has given the entire team the ability to identify and empathize with a variety of needs and challenges faced both by other employees and by clients, alike. ALIF demonstrates a propensity for equal opportunity for experience and leadership amongst its entire staff body, including those staff from immigrant backgrounds. Some of the organization’s newcomer staff have been the best project leaders in the history of the organization, as their fresh perspective can be incredibly beneficial when consulting on complex challenges, oftentimes with immigrant organizations themselves. Having a diverse range of experiences and viewpoints has been crucial in the success of ALIF because it supports the creation of innovative solutions and project outcomes. ALIF encourages their staff to embrace unique cultural backgrounds, as they believe it enhances the quality and outcomes of their work and this model can even serve as an example for other firms looking to diversify their employee base. Traditionally, management-consulting firms hire individuals with extensive experience, primarily from academic or business backgrounds. At ALIF, the new hires are often individuals who were previously under-employed or who come from non-traditional backgrounds, like health care, liberal arts, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), demonstrating their commitment to hiring and training immigrant professionals. ALIF supports these individuals in developing themselves into skilled business professionals, who are ultimately able to contribute more effectively to their fields after they leave the firm.

ALIF strives to ensure their immigrant staff receive high-quality training so that they become fully functioning members of the greater Canadian society. To date, six of their immigrant staff members, who were previously underemployed, have moved on to pursue lucrative careers in their respective fields. These individuals attribute much of their success to their time at ALIF and having been supported through training and equal opportunity. These staff are now contributing to fields like hospitality, health care, engineering, international import and export, and the Provincial Government. At ALIF, the team strives to ensure their non-immigrant staff are also exposed to varying viewpoints and cultures, so that everyone can be more accepting of those who do not look, speak, or believe as they do. ALIF’s belief in diversity and inclusion in the workplace informs every decision the team makes and every action the team takes. While many other companies strive to achieve diversity and inclusion in the workplace, those who succeed are fewer and farther between.

ALIF has taken steps to integrate cultural awareness and diversity into the core of its culture since day one. Through the specific design of the company’s values and workplace culture, ethnic and religious minorities are made to feel comfortable and accepted as they are. The environment and feeling upon simply stepping through the door is one that permeates clients and visitors with acceptance and hospitality. The company itself continues to be committed to employing immigrant staff and supporting their professional development, regardless of if that growth and development means they eventually move on to pursue greater opportunities. ALIF works with many organizations who operate in the immigration and settlement industries, including EMCN, Bredin Institute, IFSSA, MWSSA, and many more. The company’s engagement with these organizations involves capacity building, outreach, and strategic planning. The work with these organizations is especially important to ALIF because, as an organization largely comprised of immigrant employees, the staff members feel personally invested in the success of those organizations. This commitment has even been recognized with the awarding of EMCN’s Welcoming Workplace RISE Award in 2018, where ALIF was honoured and recognized for their commitment to a supportive, diverse, and inclusive work environment. The attached reference letters from three current and past employees of the organization. Each outline ways in which their employment at ALIF has benefited them, or continues to do so, in their daily lives and professional careers.

Najib Jutt

An Albertan that has made significant strides in fostering diversity and inclusion in any sector in Alberta. Summary: Najib’s passion is supporting the personal development and advancement of others through tireless community volunteer work focused on mentorship, community building, and advocacy. One way Najib sets himself apart is by challenging his mentees and mentor organizations to go beyond the typical mentor-mentee structure that is self-focused. He supports them in expanding their vision and perspective of how to give back, how to care about the world and others, and how to create a meaningful career with passion and purpose, not just a lucrative one. His efforts to build connection within community focuses on supporting individuals who are typically marginalized, something that he faced himself immigrating to Canada at a young age. In this way, he understands the power of community building and his contributions reflect insight into the often-overlooked importance of belonging and social support. His advocacy work builds a platform that give individuals a voice, confronting often polarized political viewpoints and controversy with courage and respect.

Some examples of Najib’s social contributions include:

Mentorship Mentorship programs often lack diversity as well as depth and soul. Najib’s initiatives aim to increase participation of young people from a variety of backgrounds as well as move beyond professional development or mentorship as an individual endeavour for self-advancement. This is exemplified in two organizations Najib helped to co-found: intervivos focuses on developing community leaders, not just competent professionals, while Soulfront aims to bring passion to the forefront of work life, connecting individuals to meaning and purpose in their work. His efforts to support young Albertan businesses with his resources and expertise demonstrates a sincere commitment to supporting entrepreneurs who often face isolation and a lack of support in the initial phases of their business, sometimes even after years of sacrifice. Inaugural Committee Member – Edmonton’s Nextgen (edmontonnextgen.ca) Nextgen aims to create and sustain a network of engaged citizens (aged 18 to 40). Najib provided strategic input and support for the inaugural committee as part of a special task force, including conducting public consultations with over 100 young community members to better represent this demographic within city council initiatives.

Co-Founder – intervivos (intervivos.ca) Najib co-founded intervivos to create a mentorship and community engagement program for young professionals to develop the skills needed to be leaders not only within their professions, but in the community. This included creating the mentorship network and supporting the development of the communications and messaging for the organization.

Co-Founder – Soulfront Foundation (soulfront.ca)

Soulfront is a meeting place for people to explore their interests and bring passion to the forefront of their lives and work. Soulfront offers events, podcasts, workshops and conferences for individuals to learn from people who are doing what they love everyday. Najib helps build the organization as well as identifying and gathering the resources needed to host a series of workshops including a recent ‘Deep Thinking’ conference with passionate and creative professionals.

Partnership with ATB X (http://www.atb.com/ATB-X-Accelerator) ATB X is ATB’s business accelerator program that supports Albertan entrepreneurs from diverse industries with curriculum, connections and community and was launched and hosted for the first time in Edmonton at Najib’s organization ALIF Partners. Najib supported the launch with mentorship, strategic support and was a speaker and facilitator within the program.

Community Building Initiatives Community organizations often lack the committed business expertise needed to create financial sustainability and increase program participation through up to date communication initiatives and intentional branding efforts. Najib recognizes the benefits of these programs for the often marginalized communities these organizations support, and lends his expertise to help them gather the resources and funding needed to elevate their programs and their impact.

Board Member – Islamic Family and Social Services Association (ifssa.ca) A non-profit registered charity dedicated to providing services in response to the social needs of the Edmonton community within an Islamic context. Najib served as a board member and later helped to reorganize the board. He was also instrumental in providing guidance for a new branding and communication strategy. Steering Committee Member – The Green Room (thegreenroomyeg.ca)

IFSSA’s The Green Room youth program utilizes local and international research on youth development and tailors its programs to ensure cultural and religious relevance for Muslim youth, preventing negative outcomes and supporting positive opportunities for the youth in our community. Najib supported the youth leadership team to create the program’s communication strategy and branding as well as helped to design and build the space. He also provided constant strategic support as part of TGR’s steering committee.

Board Member – Edmonton Epilepsy Association (EEA) (edmontonepilepsy.org) EEA works to increase public awareness and address social and personal concerns of those with epilepsy and their families.Najib helped to intially re-organize the association and establish new policies and board structure.

Global Community Initiatives Strategic Advisor – Charter for Compassion Pakistan (CfC) (http://charterforcompassion.org.pk) CFC is a global initiative that teaches a compassionate outlook to school children. Najib provided strategic input on the compassionate schools program design as well as visual identity for all the school program materials and curriculum. He helped design a puppet and character for use with children and was the creative lead for a local television commercial created to market the initiative. He also developed the communication strategy and branding for the program.

Strategic Advisor – Network of Organizations Working for People with Disabilities, Pakistan (NOWPDP) (nowpdp.org)

NOWPDP is an organization that advocates for people with disabilities. Najib established a social enterprise (HeARTwork) to increase financial stability and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Strategic Advisor / Mentor – AIESEC Karachi (https://www.facebook.com/aiesecpk/) AIESEC is a global, student-run organization providing leadership and employment opportunities for youth. Najib mentored participants, helped secure sponsorships and provided strategic planning support.

Advocacy Initiatives Najib identified a need to respond to the high rates of Islamophobia and racism faced by Alberta’s Muslim community and the need for a coordinated and strategic response to these events. He organized and built consensus around this need and gathered a group of individuals to build an organization to address the concerns of the community on what is often nuanced and difficult topics. More broadly, he recognizes the division that is often present in politics and works to create dialogue amongst political parties through hosting Politics on Tap.

Co-Founder – Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council (AMPAC) (ampac.ca) AMPAC is an independent and non-profit organization that champions active Citizenship, Multicultural-cooperation and Civic Engagement in Alberta’s Muslim communities. AMPAC’s two focus areas are: – Community support and engagement – Providing assistance and support to Alberta Muslim organizations with their philanthropic mandates. – Political activism and advocacy – Advocating the government on behalf of Alberta’s Muslim community and promoting human rights and civil liberties. Najib co-founded the organization and helped to determine its mandate, established bylaws and appointed the inaugural board members as well as envisioning the branding and visual identity for the organization.

Co-Host – Politics on Tap (politicsontap.com) Politics on Tap are regular events that allow dialogue across the political spectrum to get past the parties, platforms, positioning and pontification. Najib supports event management, branding and communication, and sponsorships. As a host, he facilitates conversations, ensuring respectful dialogue and healthy debate. Najib’s efforts have increased mentorship opportunities for young professionals, future community leaders, and young entrepreneurs in Alberta. His strategic support for community initiatives has resulted in increased financial stability and improved communication that has resulted in better program engagement. Najib strives to use his business expertise and networks to help establish and set up organizations for success. He understands that strategic planning, organizational development and training and access to funding is crucial for the long term sustainability and effectiveness of community programs. His involvement and use of communication tools to attract funding has resulted in positive returns for any initiative with which he is associated. Many community programs have benefited from the complete re-structuring of their boards, programs or funding models under Najib’s guidance. His branding knowledge and expertise has resulted in better public engagement, stakeholder relations and shared celebration of success stories.

Najib is an irreplaceable member of Edmonton’s volunteer community and demonstrates the power of the immigrant story of valuing generosity, family, and community above all else. He is someone who has spent his life helping others and persists in this work despite the challenges of building new organizations, gathering resources and support, and building community consensus. He continues to use the resources at his disposal, his vast personal networks and considerable expertise to help any community or individual that reaches out to him or those to which he feels connected.

Sahra Hashi

In 2010, Sahra co-founded an association to assist women and children in need – particularly the needs of Somali families and individuals in the greater Edmonton area. The SCWCA responds to specific concerns of immigrant and refugee women and their families. Sahra has been the organization’s only Executive Director and the one most responsible for its ever-increasing critical success and influence in the community. From the early years as the only representative and a volunteer to now a vibrant organization with a staff of twelve (12) providing programs including adult English classes, children academic support, child care, legal assistance, social work and youth skills development. She has fostered the growth of an important vital support group while also raising a fine young son as a single mother. The programs she has fostered are diverse, timely, inclusive, and culturally appropriate. She is now recognized as one of Edmonton’s important community leaders.

Microbusiness Training Centre

For more than 18 years, Microbusiness Training Centre Inc. has been a leader in the provision of innovative and insightful business training; specializing in small business coaching, mentoring and entrepreneurship in Albertan. Conveniently located in downtown Edmonton, we offer learning initiatives that include workshop training and business consulting services to support small-medium sized enterprises, levels of government and the not-for-profit sector. Our vision is to inspire and empower Albertans from all walks of life to take control of their independence and financial future through entrepreneurship. Our values are simple: ethical, accountable, professional and practical. Our mission is to deliver training that can be accessed in person, virtual or online through well-designed materials, resources and coaching support. Our goal is to be recognized as the business training provider of choice for Albertans seeking entrepreneurship.

Dr. Jodi L. Abbott

Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, President and CEO of NorQuest College

Dr. Jodi L. Abbott is the President and CEO of NorQuest College, and leads an organization renowned for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Her values of creating a respectful and inclusive workplace are imbued in the college’s programs, curriculum, faculty, staff development, and support. Since joining NorQuest College in 2010, Dr. Abbott has more than doubled NorQuest’s student population through expanded credit and non-credit programming; unveiled innovative partnerships including the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation Hospitality Institute, the NorQuest College ATB Agency, and the Colbourne Institute for Inclusive Leadership; and enhanced NorQuest’s brand recognition. Under her leadership, the college opened a stunning new campus addition, the Singhmar Centre for Learning, for fall term classes in 2017. Dr. Abbott has been recognized as a leader and innovator by a variety of organizations. She has been named as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network in 2015 and 2019, as well as being named a Global Woman of Vision and one of Alberta’s 50 most influential people by Alberta Venture magazine. As President and CEO of NorQuest College, she has accepted awards for excellence in corporate culture, Indigenous education, and diversity leadership.

NorQuest College From our people, to the way we teach, to our culture – inclusion and diversity are a priority at NorQuest College. Our doors are open to all, and we regularly engage the college community with Inclusion Fusion, a day to acknowledge the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination, as well as the Civil Society Speakers Event, featuring leaders in the area of citizenship, inclusion, and equity. Under Dr. Abbott’s leadership, employee development is guided by an Inclusion Scale, which provides for internal diversity and inclusion training as part faculty and staff accountability. And our passion for inclusion is not restricted to within the college’s walls. Through our Colbourne Centre for Inclusive Leadership, we deliver workshops, strategy development, coaching, and support to help organizations develop and sustain inclusive workplaces. The Institute continues to be recognized as a leader in applied research, resource development, and customized workplace training.