Winsome Smith is an experienced worker with over 15 years’ working in public, non-profit and public organizations. An excellent communicator and negotiator with strong analytical, problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
Winsome did extensive work in Jamaica raising over $500,000 to help HIV positive children and those in need of care and protection. Presently she volunteers as Chairperson at New Hope Community Church in Toronto and work with a team to send volunteer workers to Haiti annually.
Winsome holds a MEd. from Mount Saint Vincent University, Post Bac. Certificate in Public Administration from Ryerson University and BA. Guidance and Counselling
Toni Francis was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa before immigrating to Canada in 2001. From an early age she was passionate about serving under-resourced and marginalized folks in her community, starting her volunteering in elementary school with her local rotary club. Since immigrating to Canada she has committed her training, work and volunteer experiences to be equity-focused, advocating for resources, supports, services and policies that will facilitate the capacity-building and empowerment of marginalized communities and equity-seeking groups including women and children survivors of violence, individuals with precarious status, newcomer and immigrant communities , and individuals accessing social assistance.
Over the last several years Toni has worked in non-profit and social service organizations coordinating public education, communications, community outreach and engagement programs/projects. Her most recent role as the Coordinator of the Peel Committee against Woman Abuse (PCAWA) saw her advocating for and coordinating a comprehensive and effective response to violence against women across the Region of Peel. Her significant responsibilities included grant writing, managing funded projects in their entirety, planning outreach events, managing staff and volunteers and partnering on collaborative projects with equity-seeking organizations across Ontario. Toni aspires to grow an expertise in fundraising, philanthropic strategy and advising, innovative community programming and social impact investing.
Toni holds an M.A. in Women Studies, and an Honours B.A. in Communications and International Development Studies from York University.
Growing up in South Asia and the Middle East, Tania witnessed poverty and marginalization first-hand. It was her experiences living abroad that has taught her the importance of giving back.Tania’s previous work experiences include being an outreach speaker for an international development organization, working at a consulting firm supporting charities with their capital campaigns and as a youth leader and mentor for immigrants and refugees at a youth organization for two years. Currently, she is working with Humber River Hospital and its donors in supporting their $225 million campaign to build the first fully digital hospital in North America.
Shehzad is passionate about the not-for-profit sector and places a great value in family, relationships, health and the community. He is a Corporate Development Specialist at The Arthritis Society. Shehzad comes to the not for profit sector after over 20 years in the corporate sector where he worked as an engineer, management consultant, corporate account manager and project manager.
Shehzad has an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arizona. His interests include biking, swimming and skiing.
Sara is currently the Autism Spectrum Disorder ConnectABILITY Project Coordinator at Autism Ontario. Since 2012 she has worked as a project manager in a variety of industries such as IT, eLearning, Film and Fundraising. From the age of 17 Sara worked in the field of Indigenous advocacy as a researcher for land and human rights claims. In 2010 she attained an MA in Public Archaeology from University College London with a thesis about First Nations cultural resources ‘co-management’ in Ontario. Sara counts herself lucky, having survived a polar bear encounter on an excavation in Nunavut and for finding a new line of work that does not require one to carry a double-barreled shotgun. Sara is very much looking forward to the AFP Inclusive Philanthropy Fellowship: meeting the other fellows, connecting with her mentor and learning more about the ever-evolving field of fundraising. Sara lives in Toronto and in her spare time sings with The Annex Singers.
Salomeh Ahmadi is a creative community builder. She has been working in community development for over six years. Her passion is engaging and empowering communities in order to unleash opportunities. She loves to come up with new solutions to complex problems through collaboration and creativity. She has founded the group Rexdale Lab, works currently for Pathways to Education and sits on the Lakeshore Arts Board and with AVNU.ca as Advisory. She successfully facilitates process efficiency through workshops, consultations and resource sharing in various areas in non-profit and is passionate to help social causes flourish. Follow her on Twitter @SalomehA
Mimosa is currently working at Soulpepper Theatre as a Development Manager. Upon completion of Humber College’s Fundraising Management program, Mimosa began her not-for-profit career in special events and sponsorship. Mimosa holds a BA Honours degree in Global Development Studies and History from Queen’s University and is currently working towards a MA in Communications at the University of Leicester. She is a consultant and workshop facilitator for the Youth Advocacy Training Institute. Mimosa is also a bookworm, pop culture enthusiast, wannabe globetrotter and sometimes blogger.
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Melodie was born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario. A University of Toronto graduate, Melodie has spent her career working in non-profits.
Melodie has worked for CNEWA Canada since 2012. Based in Ottawa, Catholic Near East Welfare Association supports Eastern Christians and churches, primarily in the Middle East. As Development Officer, she implements fundraising activities and shares about CNEWA’s international work.
Prior to CNEWA, she volunteered and worked for NET Ministries of Canada. Melodie continues to volunteer with various initiatives, sharing her musical talents and mentoring young adults. She is passionate about making a difference in the world around her.
You can find her at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/melodiegabriel and @melodiegabriel.
Lucia has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 7 years and has a range of experience from working with government grant funding programs and large performing arts organizations to managing a small grassroots organization. Currently, Lucia is the Fund Development Officer at Sandgate Women’s Shelter, an organization that prides itself in working within a feminist, intersectional and anti-racist/anti-oppressive framework. A passionate traveller, Lucia feels most at ease while completely lost in a different culture and discovering what the world has to teach her. Lucia is delighted to be part of the Fellowship in Inclusion and Philanthropy and is looking forward to learning from her peers and mentors!
I have worked in the not-for-profit sector in design, communications and fundraising for most of my career, both in Canada and in Zimbabwe, my home country. Currently I am enjoying my role in resource development at the Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support (MCRS) in Kitchener-Waterloo. There is an African Proverb; “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, you must go together.” The power of partnership and community is a vastly under used resource in our society, and I look forward to developing more of both through my involvement with the AFP.
