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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The creation of empowering opportunities for disadvantaged individuals is perhaps the sole reason why I find charity work inspirational. My first philanthropic experience was at the age of 16 years-old when I volunteered at the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to meet my high school’s graduation requirements. Since then, I have never thought twice about lending a hand for a good cause and I believe much of this has to do with being raised by a grandmother who worked tirelessly in a homeless men’s shelter. Qualifications include: a B.A. Honours Degree from YorkU and Fundraising Certificate from George Brown College (in progress). 3,200 volunteer hours and 3 years of work experience in development-focused positions in the nonprofit sector, from humble beginnings at Movember Canada, to interning under the Champions Giving Program at Right To Play, to my latest position as the Interim, Philanthropy Officer at the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation. As part of the steering committee of the, Get Moving First Program, at the Afghan Women’s Organization, I have taken the initiative to launch summer fitness programs for newcomer women and girls living in the Jane/Finch and Flemingdon Park neighbourhoods. At this time, I work in higher education while simultaneously growing my fitness business and its philanthropic initiatives. To chat/connect, please add me on Linkedin.
