Building the future of workers A profile on 2011 DiverseCity Fellow Alumna Jenn Miller. The future of work can bring up sometimes scary images of robots replacing humans everywhere we turn. Concerned with how these changes will impact our cities and communities, organizations across the region are trying to come to terms with how to […]
Everyone has a story to tell...
Stories help us to connect, to inspire, to understand. On this page, we share the stories of people in our network who have taught us, entertained us, been a champion for diverse civic leadership, and who have galvanized us to think differently. Be prepared to be inspired.
Why leadership matters
For over 10 years, we’ve brought together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle big challenges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Region, let them tell you why leadership really matters, and what we can do when we open doors and minds for the young, emerging and under-represented leaders in our communities.
Tomorrow’s leaders must act collectively. CivicAction brings us together so that we can build upon each other’s strengths. The result is magic: now we have the critical mass needed to make a positive difference.
Jessie Ma2013 - 2014 CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow; IESO Distinguished Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Energy, Ryerson University
After participating in the DiverseCity Fellows program, I now feel part of the city-building process in the GTHA. It has given me the experience and tools necessary to connect with and influence leaders in areas that I feel passionate about.
Brent Chamberlain2012 DiverseCity Fellow; Diversity and Inclusion Strategist, CIBC
The DiverseCity Fellows program has been a great way to get more connected beyond my own sector and apply invaluable lessons in leadership to my endeavors.
Ramtin AttarCivicAction DiverseCity Fellow 2013-2014; Senior Principal Research Scientist, Autodesk Research
Leaders engage people and build inclusive solutions. They foster innovative ideas and open doors to possibility. To be a civic leader is to be on the cutting edge of transformational change that creates a better future.
Susan McIsaacFormer President and CEO, United Way of Toronto
Tomorrow’s leaders will need to be creative thinkers, lifelong learners, and entrepreneurial spirits. They’ll need to be willing to listen to all views, but be fearless about deciding to act. And it’s our job today to help grow these leaders.
Tim HockeyChair, CivicAction Leadership Foundation; CivicAction Board of Directors; President, TD Ameritrade
Spotlight on our Members
The Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) brings together diverse, energetic and motivated city-builders from across our region, each with a unique story to tell about where they came from, what they’re passionate about, and where they want to go next. Check back often – new profiles are added regularly.
ELN Member Spotlight: Marchael Cunanan
ELN Executive Committee member Marchael Cunanan spends his days working as an Accountant at Pivotal, a tech software company. Passionate about building up the next generation of leaders, Marchael has worked on youth engagement and civic involvement with Peel Children and Youth Initiative, Western University Student Success, and the ELN. When he’s not looking at […]
Fellows in Focus: Ritesh Kotak
Coding Inclusion A profile on 2015-2016 DiverseCity Fellow Alumnus Ritesh Kotak. For Ritesh Kotak, the DiverseCity Fellows program changed the course of his career. When he joined the Fellows program in 2015, Ritesh was a Research and Innovation Strategist at the Toronto Police Service, working on the incorporation of technologies and cyber security in the […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Cheryll Case
Cheryll Case is the founding principal of CP Planning, a ground breaking urban planning firm that digs deep into addressing the urban conditions that affect access to housing, work, and play. She specializes in designing for inclusive conversations that build relationships between various industries within the non-profit, private, and public sectors. To facilitate conversation, she […]
Fellows in Focus: Naseem Mithoowani
Countering Hate A profile on 2018 DiverseCity Fellow Alumna Naseem Mithoowani. Naseem Mithoowani has never been one to sit on the sidelines and be a spectator to hate. Yet changing attitudes is not easy—something Naseem, an immigration and refugee lawyer and 2018 DiverseCity Fellow, learned first-hand. In 2006, Naseem and a group of fellow law […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Mike Brooks
2019 DiverseCity Fellow Mike Brooks provides expert advice to decision makers on supporting positive development for children and youth across Ontario as a Senior Policy Analyst with the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Mike helped catalyze efforts to move the needle on education and employment outcomes for youth through the Collective Impact […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Janelle Hinds
2019 DiverseCity Fellow Janelle Hinds combined her experience in technology with her passion for youth civic engagement to create Helping Hands—a platform that helps youth volunteer and get civically engaged while building career skills. As someone with a passion for helping young people become more civically engaged, Janelle uses Twitter as platform of choice to […]
Spotlight on 9 inspiring leaders for Black History Month
They’re bold. They’re driven. They’re talented. And they’re relentless. This Black History Month, meet 9 inspiring leaders from the ELN network who are driving real change in their communities and in our region as a whole. Brandon Hay Brandon Hay is the founder of the Black Daddies Club, where since 2007 he has engaged over […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Sean MacKay
ELN Communications Lead Sean Mackay is a digital marketing and communications professional working in Toronto’s real estate industry. Sean works as Managing Director at Livabl, an online publication covering stories that help home-buyers better understand real estate market trends. In his spare time, Sean is a mentor with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Sarah Wardrope
ELN executive committee member. Event management guru. Proud Hamiltonian. Sarah Wardrope is one of The Hammer’s best. When she’s not strategizing and executing key corporate and digital communication projects at Hamilton Health Sciences, Sarah is finding ways to bring together her fellow rising leaders; most recently, she served as co-chair of HIVEX, an annual conference […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Shazlin Rahman
Fresh on the heels of October as Islamic Heritage Month, our ELN spotlight for November features Shazlin Rahman, a prominent advocate in the Muslim community. As a communications professional, Shazlin approaches all of her work from an equity-based, inclusive lens. Currently she works as the Stakeholder Engagement Specialist at Inspirit Foundation, is lending a hand […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Jesse Darling
Meet Jesse Darling, one of our fearless ELN co-chairs. As Manager of Policy Innovation Platform at the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship, she works to designs initiatives that bring human insights into policy development and service design. When not at work, you can also spot Jesse volunteering, picking up a stack of holds from the […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Dilya Niezova
Meet Dilya Niezova, a passionate city builder who works to strengthen the connections between our region and its residents. In her day to day, Dilya supports Torontonians on social assistance as a City of Toronto employee and is concerned with the ways that poverty and inequality impact people’s lives. In her spare time, you might catch […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Alyssa Lai
Meet Alyssa Lai. Alyssa was born in Malaysia but now calls Hamilton her second home. Since arriving to Canada in 2008, she’s worked and volunteered for more than 10 nonprofits and continues to sit on numerous boards. A former DiverseCity Fellow and current ELN communications lead, Alyssa wields her public relations background as a tool to […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Benjamin Bongolan
Meet Benjamin Bongolan. Originally from Mississauga, Benjamin now works in Toronto at The 519, where he strives to support communities and impact issues like equity, racism, homophobia, and the challenges of the immigration process. Benjamin wants to build a city where everyone has equal access to supports and feels proud of who they are. To learn more […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Justin Wiebe
Justin Wiebe is Métis and was born in the Métis Homeland and Treaty 6 Territory in Saskatoon, lived on Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil Waututh Territory in Vancouver. He is most interested in resolving the inequality that continues to plague our region, and thinks there’s much more work to be done to strengthen relationships across differences […]
From out of “The Cuckoo’s Nest,” Pat Capponi embodies true and honest leadership
Pat Capponi is CivicAction’s 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award for civic leadership recipient. A tireless mental health advocate, Pat was recognized for her work at MetroNext on March 23, 2018 at Union Station. For more leadership spotlights, click here. — Imagine being discharged from a mental health facility and attempting to get back on your feet, […]
Like father, like daughter: Karen Restoule and the power of conversation
Karen Restoule is CivicAction’s 2018 Emerging Leader Award recipient. A leading convener and rising Indigenous champion, Karen was recognized for her work at MetroNext on March 23, 2018 at Union Station. For more leadership spotlights, click here. — When Karen Restoule speaks of her late father Robert, it’s clear how much he meant to her. […]
8 GTHA women who #PressForProgress
They’re fierce, talented, and driving real change. For International Women’s Day 2018 we’re featuring 8 amazing women from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area who #PressForProgress in all they do. Today, take some time to read the stories of the women below, and join @CivicActionGTHA on Twitter in using #PressForProgress today to share what issues […]
Leadership In Focus: Dr. Joseph Wong
Dr. Joseph Wong has contributed greatly to civic life across our region and has had great impact as a social activist in the Chinese Community. In all his work, Joseph has proven how successful community building is when we tap into the diversity and multiculturalism across our region. As Chair of the Board he used his […]
ELN Member spotlight: Emily Mills
Emily Mills is the founder of How She Hustles – a dynamic network of diverse women that continues to grow by word of mouth, social media and sold-out events. As a trained communications professional, Emily works relentlessly to ensure the stories of racialized communities and diverse women are always at the forefront. She is a […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Duaa Mohamed
Duaa Mohamed a former CivicAction staff member is a strong social and youth advocate who aspires to help empower youth by creating opportunities and breaking barriers. She currently works with the Youth Livelihood’s Team at the MasterCard Foundation as a Program Analyst. Throughout her career, she has worked to empower disadvantaged youth with several local non-for-profit […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Brandon Hay
Brandon Hay is the founder of the Black Daddies Club, where since 2007 he has reached and engaged over 6,500 Black fathers and children. He founded the support group because he realised that there was a real lack of parenting resources for him and other fathers in his community. Today, the group works to support Black […]
ELN Member Spotlight: Arjun Lombardi-Singh
Arjun Lombardi-Singh is a dynamic public relations and communications specialist with experience in both the non-profit and private sectors. Right now, Arjun is at RBC working as a Manager, Corporate Communications, Personal and Commercial Banking. As someone who both works and lives in the heart of Toronto, he is always on the lookout for the […]