2018/2019 Fellows

Alison Hughes is an avid fundraiser, donor, and advocate for kids with disabilities. Born paraplegic, Alison received care at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital throughout her childhood. As a teen, she was an ambassador for the hospital’s Foundation and spoke at numerous fundraising events. She also supported Variety Village and Track3 as an ambassador at various fundraising events while remaining active, playing wheelchair basketball and learning to mono-ski. After graduating from McMaster University, she returned to the Foundation to begin her career as a fundraiser. Alison has worked for Holland Bloorview for nine years supporting many different teams in the Foundation and is currently the Development Officer of Annual Programs. Throughout her time with the organization, Alison has sat on the Accessibility Committee and was part of a group that developed Holland Bloorview’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee. This fellowship will further her opportunities to make inclusion a focus in the non-profit sector and within her organization.

Camila Vital Nunes Pereira has been involved in the education field for over 15 years. Passionate about urban issues, particularly education, social inequality, and inclusion & diversity, Camila has dedicated her studies and career to making a difference in these areas. She is a Senior Fundraising Officer at the Child Development Institute, an accredited children’s mental health agency in Toronto offering groundbreaking, evidence-based programs for children ages 0-12 and youth ages 13-18, and their families. Camila is responsible for strategy planning in fundraising including corporate, foundations, and individual giving portfolios. She holds a PhD in Public Policy/Public Administration & International Relations and a MA in Educational Policy & Administration both from Howard University (USA), and a BA in Education from University of Sao Paulo (Brazil). Committed to the belief that we are citizens of the world, and that service to others is an edifying noble life purpose, Camila embraces her work as an opportunity to contribute to the betterment of our society.

Caroline Chan is a Senior Development Manager at Canadian Art, a national organization whose mission is to empower diverse audiences to understand and be inspired by contemporary art. Canadian Art publishes Canada's most widely-read arts magazine and engages an audience of over 230,000 with compelling public programs including talks, panel discussions and gallery tours. Caroline brings a wealth of experience in arts administration, communications and marketing to her role, which is responsible for leading individual giving and grants strategy and managing all aspects of the donor pipeline. She strongly believes in the role of non-profit organizations to be a voice for social good and how philanthropy provides a meaningful way for donors to participate in the process.

Chryslyn Pais has worked in the nonprofit sector for nine years in a variety of roles–from programing and operations, to communications and research in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Finally understanding that none of the incredible work nonprofits do can happen without funding, she chose a path into philanthropy. A graduate of the Humber Fundraising Management program, Chryslyn has worked in Advancement at McMaster University and currently serves as a Major Gift Officer at Amnesty International in Toronto. In her heart of hearts, she is captivated by a love of stories, language, and creative visual design–especially when they help change the world.

Following an accident at the age of 4, Daniel quickly took the initiative to educate his community about safety and also about his disability in order to demystify amputation. Due to his lifetime involvement, Daniel received serval civil distinctions, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee, the Quebec Government's Hommage bénévolat-Québec Award, the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers and the Lieutenant Governor's Medal for Exceptional Merit (gold). The AFÉSAQ also recognized Daniel by awarding him the Prix d'Excellence Relève, highlighting his achievements and impact in philanthropy. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and was appointed to the Board of Directors of TÉLUQ University in December 2016 by the Cabinet. Daniel is also a CHRP and VicePresident of the AFP Quebec Chapter. Since August 2016, he his Executive director of the REA Foundation, which supports the place where he himself took his first steps as a result of his amputation at the age of 15.

Fatou Jammeh is a passionate human rights advocate and fund development professional. Currently as a Development Officer of Community Engagement at UNICEF Canada, Fatou brings forth her passion by working with community members on diverse fundraising initiatives for children globally. She is personally committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in all spaces and is on trek to change the face of philanthropy. In the community, Fatou is actively engaged with various initiatives; most recently she took on the role of leading the African Diaspora Youth Network where she is committed to dismantling barriers for diaspora youths in Canada. Fatou holds a Bilingual Degree in International Studies from York University and Certificate in French from University of Bordeaux. She has lived and worked in Canada, Tanzania, France and Gambia and speaks three and a half languages including English, French, Mandinka and Swahili (the half).

Isabel is dedicated to serving causes that work to end inequity and create opportunities for all. She believes that the most effective and crucial way to achieve this end is by joining forces for diversity and particularly for women’s advancement through education, advocacy and transformative policy. Isabel is a multilingual development strategist with over 15 years’ experience in the social impact sector and particularly in data-driven fundraising and supporter engagement. An economics graduate specializing in International Development and Management of Civil Society organizations, Isabel has worked for international organizations in the UK, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Isabel is the Manager of Philanthropy and Strategic Impact at YWCA Canada, the country's largest women's shelter provider and multi-service organization. YWCA Canada represents 32 member associations, in 300 communities, across Canada, serving 1 million women, girls, and their families. Isabel is currently pursuing a postgraduate certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility at St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto.

An alumna of the University of Toronto Scarborough, Janet had her first exposure to fundraising as a student working for the U of T Development Department call centre as part of the annual giving campaign. Currently, Janet is the Donor Relations Coordinator at Hospice Georgian Triangle (HGT), a community palliative care organization that operates Campbell House - a residential hospice which serves the South Georgian Bay community. Prior to joining HGT as a fundraiser in 2014, Janet worked in television broadcast and media production for 22 years as an Associate Director and Project Manager with S-Media, World Snowsports Events Group, CBC Television, CTV, TSN, Discovery Channel and many others. A proud mom of a York University student and a goofy golden retriever, in her spare time Janet is involved in community theatre as an actor, director, stage manager and board member with Gaslight Community Theatre Productions.

Jonea Agwa is a Fundraising and Communications Coordinator at Beautiful World Canada, a not-for-profit organization that provides comprehensive scholarships to at-risk secondary and post-secondary students in sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to joining the Beautiful World team, Jonea worked with several other leading international development organizations including The Stephen Lewis Foundation, Oxfam-Canada and the African Confederation of Savings and Credit Associations in Nairobi, Kenya. When she isn’t working, Jonea enjoys watching movies in run-down movie theatres, travelling, hiking, and dog-watching. Jonea holds a Master’s degree in International Development and Globalization from the University of Ottawa and an honours degree in Political Science from the University of Waterloo. She is excited to be a part of AFP’s Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy and is looking forward to learning from leaders in the field of fundraising and philanthropy.

I am the intersection of many venn diagrams. By background, I am Indian, by creed Muslim, by education British, by upbringing Middle Eastern, by choice Quebecer, and by career fundraiser. Despite all the good I can do, I hit ceilings, and I hit walls, because the ignorance and prejudice that affects our society seeps into the charitable sector. Where at times, I often have to justify my presence around an otherwise homogeneous table. It is my personal mission to carve out a place for people like me in the fundraising sector – the disenfranchised, the forgotten, the silent, to stamp out the hypocrisy within charities that takes a moral high ground while ignoring the systemic issues of diversity and inclusion within. Because no one should be treated like their lives don’t matter.

Kirstin is currently a Principal Gift Manager at Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation. Touched by personal experience, Kirstin made the transition from working in youth-focused international development organizations to health care. Growing up in Toronto, within the Sunnybrook catchment area, Kirstin was motivated and driven by the opportunity to serve her community. Given her role, Kirstin sees the powerful impact philanthropy has on the future of medicine, and each step along the way. She believes making this community of philanthropists more inclusive and diverse – more reflective of the communities they’re impacting – will help us reach extraordinary new heights and milestones. Beyond her work, Kirstin is driven by the passion to make a difference and help others. She serves as a long-time volunteer at Ronald McDonald House Toronto and a member of the Bishop Strachan School Old Girls Association. This devotion to her community is a trait that weaves through all areas of Kirstin’s work and personal life.

Shamina is Manager, Development at the Surrey Food Bank, BC’s 2nd largest food bank, serving 14,000 clients a month. She is also a contemporary artist whose work, which has often taken up themes related to awareness of diverse and possibly underrepresented voices, has been shown across Canada, in the US and Europe. Before coming into fundraising as Events and Communications Coordinator at Surrey Food Bank, she enjoyed 15 years managing and developing university academic and continuing studies programs at Simon Fraser University. She brought leadership to what became her main role in these positions –bringing engaged and curious minds to places of wonder, exploration and understanding, and bring researchers and learners together to create communities. And she has thrived on finding ways to tell Canadians’ stories to each other in positions working in Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, for small Canadian publishers, community and municipal museums, and through public art and art in public places.

Sharon Redsky is resident of Winnipeg and First Nation member of Shoal Lake #40. She works as a Development Coordinator for the Dakota Ojibway Child & Family Services Inc. Sharon was awarded the YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction, Community Champion Award in 2017. Her recent education includes a Master Certificate in Project Management and Certificate in Indigenous Evaluation through the University of Winnipeg. She is a board member of Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. She draws on her experience in the areas of management, proposal development, fundraising, networking with key stakeholders and building partnerships across diverse communities. She is an active member of the Winnipeg’s urban Indigenous community.

Shobi Sivaraj is a dedicated fundraising professional and project manager with over 8 years of experience in annual giving, donor relations, story gathering and event management. She is motivated by the belief that we can all be part of the solution, creating a world where everyone has the chance to thrive. As a graduate of the Humber Fundraising Program, Shobi has held roles in the international development and social services sectors. Currently, she is the Annual Fund Advisor at Cuso International, an organization working to reduce poverty and inequality through the efforts of highly skilled volunteers, collaborative partnerships and compassionate donors. Shobi is committed to contributing to inclusive practices in the industry. In her spare time, she can be found planning her next trip or exploring a new neighbourhood in Toronto.

Recognized as Top 10 Women of Worth in Canada by Loreal Paris and 100 Accomplished Black women in Canada in 2018, Stachen Frederick has over 20 years in the field of community/program development. She is Founder of BrAIDS for AIDS, a not-for-profit to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in the African, Caribbean and Black Communities in Canada and internationally through a culturally relevant practice of hair braiding. She is also the Executive Director of Weston Frontlines Centre: a youth charity in Toronto. Her work has also been recognized by Black History Ottawa, the High Commission of Trinidad and Tobago, YMCA Canada, How She Hustles with CBC Toronto, Black Health Alliance and The Minister of Immigration and Citizenship

Trevor Loke is a development professional with a decade of experience in the field. Trevor joined Tides Canada in May 2017 as the lead development team member for Western Canada. Prior to joining Tides Canada, Trevor worked as an independent development consultant and advisor with clients across North America, helping them grow their organizations through lean practices and strategic partnerships. A co-founder of the crowdfunding start-up Weeve, Trevor served as Chief Operating Officer at Weeve before selling the company in 2013. Concurrently, he served as a Vancouver Park Board Commissioner from 2011 to 2014. Trevor was named a BC Business Magazine 2014 Top 30 under 30 and a Maclean’s Magazine “future leader” of Canada for his work. When not working, he spends his time playing ice hockey, hiking, cycling, camping, skiing, reading, playing video and board games, volunteering, travelling, and enjoying life in beautiful Vancouver.

Zoya Islam is passionate about social justice and equity, and an advocate for creating positive and lasting social change. As a strategic communications and fundraising professional, she works to create change through the power of advocacy and storytelling. She is invested in working in solidarity with marginalized individuals who are the experts of their own struggles. Zoya earned a Master's degree in gender studies from Queen’s University in 2017. Her thesis project is titled, “Reworking Canadian Understanding of Transnational Labour Exploitation”. She has over five years of experience within the non-profit sector, and she possesses a creative and strategic vision, and an intersectional lens capable of comprehending complex social and structural issues. Zoya recently joined the Marketing and Community Engagement team at Women’s College Hospital Foundation as their Digital Communications and ePhilanthropy Officer. To learn more about Zoya and her work, please connect with her on Linkedin or contact her via email