Meet the Team
Abena Gyimah, PhD candidate
(she/her/hers)
Abena Gyimah is from Ghana in West-Africa. She grew up in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region which is known as the Garden City. She is a person who loves learning and is currently completing her PhD in the Faculty of Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her research interests include, visual art studies, studio pedagogy, community art hives, African and cultural studies, and Black feminism.
Abena believes that culture is both the foundation and reference point that we use to help identify who we are and to help give us our place in the world.
Abena loves:
Art and reading
Children
Cooking and cleaning
Cultural music and dance
Associate
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Abena is many things. She is a researcher, consultant, graphic designer, and an art educator with over eight years’ experience in facilitation. She holds a Master of Philosophy in Art Education (MPHIL) and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Communication Design at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology – Kumasi, Ghana. In addition, she has served as the Director for Graduate Students with the Canadian Society for Education through Art and is currently the Managing Editor for CRAE (Journal for Canadian Research for Art Education).
Abena is also a certified Early Childhood Educator and worked in that capacity - and as an administrator - at the Roncalli Elementary YMCA after school program for K- 12 students and families. Abena also holds secondary teaching certification in Newfoundland and Labrador and focuses on multicultural and intercultural programs, initiatives, and dialogues to encourage and promote diversity and inclusion among students, staff, and families.
Ayse Akinturk, PhD
(she/her/hers)
Ayse is a Muslim Canadian of Turkish origin who was born in Istanbul – a city which always inspires her with its cultural richness and spiritual depth. She is a political scientist currently settled in St. John’s, NL with her husband and son. She dreams, thinks, writes, and speaks in three languages while navigating various responsibilities and undertakings as a mother, community member, scholar, author, and volunteer. Her research and community work focus on building anti-racist, socially-just and culturally-safe systems where non-Western paradigms have their due space as assets and facilitators of positive change.
Ayse loves:
Reading and writing stories
Slow paced walks (for spiritual reflection and growth)
Cute videos of kittens and squirrels
Preparing festive Turkish breakfasts to share
Associate
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Ayse has many years’ experience in facilitating and promoting intercultural dialogue and understanding. Her research and community work focused on immigration, welcoming communities, and building inclusive programs and organizations. She has an MA in Development Economics from the University of Manchester, an MA in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick, and a PhD in Political Science from Carleton University. She also worked as a Post-doc Fellow at the Department of Sociology and the Department of Religious Studies of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Ayse is a devout community volunteer, serving on the executive committee of the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, the St. John’s Local Immigration Partnership Council, and the City of St. John’s Anti-Racism Working Group. She has delivered several cultural/religious awareness lectures to many diverse groups and organizations including public schools and Eastern Health. She is also a published author of short stories.
Leena Sharma Seth, MA, CCIP
(she/her/hers)
Leena Sharma Seth is a racialized settler and a daughter of Punjabi, East Indian immigrants. An award-winning consultant, facilitator, coach, trainer, and speaker, Leena has over 20 years experience building inclusive, equitable, anti-racist and belonging-rich cultures in various leadership roles in Canada and Asia. With a strong passion for inclusion, Leena has a unique ability to create spaces that are safe, respectful, reflective, and ripe for change. She believes that meeting people where they are is integral to advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Leena is proud to call Burlington, Ontario home and is raising two social justice warriors with her husband.
Leena loves:
Road trips
Cinnamon buns
80s Bollywood music
Painting
Associate
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Leena has also served as a volunteer Community Mediator for more than a decade with Community Conflict Resolution Services of Halton.
Leena has a Masters in Conflict Analysis & Management from Royal Roads, achieved her Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional (CCIP) designation with the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion, is trained as a Circle Way facilitator, and recently completed an Embodied Social Justice Program Certificate with Transformative Programs, under Rev. Angel Kyodo’s guidance.
Leena’s work in community-building has been recognized by MP Karina Gould with the Sesquicentennial Citizenship award, the Women’s Centre of Halton - 150 Years of Exemplary Women award, and the 2021 Mayor’s Community Service Award, Burlington Chamber of Commerce.
Marius Ngenzi, MBA
(he/him/his)
Marius Ngenzi is originally from Rwanda but grew up in Kenya, East Africa. Marius is a business consultant and has experience working in micro-finance, business administration, business development, and customer service. His passion lies in the area of management consulting specifically in change management as well as in business strategy. Marius believes that a focus on diversity should be central to business strategy and that adopting inclusive and equitable business policies and practices are crucial to meaningful retention.
Marius loves:
Tennis
Trying different foods
Reading fiction
Sandy ocean beaches
Dancing
Dark chocolate
Associate
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Marius holds a Bachelor of International Business Administration from the United States International University-Africa and an MBA from Memorial University of Newfoundland. In addition, Marius has worked with newcomers to Canada as both an interpreter as well as a program facilitator for children’s summer camps.
Mike Hennessey, MA, LCT, CCC, CDP
(he/him/his)
Mike Hennessey is a member of Pabineau First Nation in northern New Brunswick and he is a certified counsellor, career development practitioner, church pastor, father, and successful business owner. His personal and professional passion lies in helping people and organizations reach their full potential.
Mike loves:
Playing with his kids
Baseball hats
Writing children’s books
Staying fit (somewhat) playing old-timer hockey
Associate
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Mike is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and a Licensed Counselling Therapist (LCT) with the College of Counselling Therapists of NB (CCTNB). He is also a certified career development practitioner with the New Brunswick Career Development Association (NBCDA), where he also serves as a member of the Board.
In 2016, Mike completed his Master of Education degree in Counselling at the University of New Brunswick and his thesis, which was entitled “The effect of social variables on the career aspirations of New Brunswick Aboriginal adults,” was summarized in an article he published in the winter 2018 issue of the Canadian Journal of Career Development.
Roshni Antony, MBA, BSc
(she/her/hers)
Born and raised in India, Roshni is a human resources professional who has held progressive leadership roles over the past 25 years within the service, transportation, retail, health care, government and post-secondary sectors. She has held leadership roles in organizations with 20 employees as well as those with 80,000 employees and she has broad experience in facilitating business transformation, through organizational culture change.
Roshni also has lived experience of the challenges faced by newcomers in Canada. Having lived and worked in India, United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates, she made her home in St. John’s, NL for many years and loves the city and its people. She currently lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Roshni loves:
Reading
Dancing
Meditating
Learning new things
Watching movies
Associate
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Roshni holds an MBA in Strategy from Strathclyde Business School, a Masters diploma in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations from the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, and a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Mumbai. As a Chartered Professional in Human Resources with a strong background in training and development, she holds a certificate in Instructional design (IATA) and Group Facilitation methods and was part of the creation of an accreditation framework for a diverse group of trainers (using both the ADDIE and Kirkpatrick’s models). Roshni has also taught people management courses to MBA students, has completed the Workplace Mental Health Leadership Certificate, and was the Co-Lead of the Inclusive Organization Working Group of a previous employer.
Roshni believes that people are inherently good and want to do the right thing: “We are all in a continuous learning continuum and people just need help sometimes to reframe their thoughts to see things from different perspectives.”
Zoe Mitchell, BComm, BA
(she/her/hers)
Zoe was born in Toronto, Ontario of immigrant parents from the West Indian island of Jamaica, and recently discovered, through MatriClan genetics test results that her genetics come directly from Nigeria.
Zoe brings 20 years of corporate leadership experience and understands how to create, implement and cultivate inclusive working cultures and teams. She has the unique ability - and proven success - of building inclusive teams within companies that have non-inclusive cultures and with award winning results (for top performance, highest engagement, zero turnover, and much more). Now as a consultant, Zoe is an advocate for the multiple benefits and positive results of inclusive leadership and inclusive and equitable workplaces where everyone feels they belong.
Zoe loves:
Travelling around the world
Playing soccer
Trying foods from around the world
Associate
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Zoe has a Bachelor of Commerce and Psychology from York University and is also certified in psychological safety and Lean Six Sigma.
With a focus on practical implementation of equity and inclusion concepts, Zoe designs and delivers customized workshops, provides leadership coaching and advisory support to executives and their leadership teams, and offers guidance on strategic implementation. She has done this work for both non-profit and for-profit organizations across a variety of industries and for global organizations from 25 to 750 employees.
Zoe is also the author of Inclusive Leadership Now, a book which supports current and future leaders to lead with equity and inclusion daily.
Willow J. Anderson, PhD
Founder and Principal Consultant
she/her/hers
Read more about Willow here.
