Who We Are
From our dedicated project team, to our volunteer Board of Directors and advisory committees, we work together to co-design safer, more inclusive learning and working environments.
Our Team
-
Anoodth Naushan (she/her)
Executive Director
Anoodth Naushan is an award-winning thought leader, researcher, policy specialist, and community advocate who finds joy in supporting people and projects to advance gender, racial and economic justice. She has worked with multiple organizations and institutions across Canada and the UK to strengthen support for survivors of gender-based violence. Recently, she co-led Possibility Seeds' Courage to Act project, aimed at addressing gender-based violence on Canadian post-secondary campuses; this initiative has been recognized as a promising practice and modelled internationally. Anoodth holds a Masters in Social Policy and Social Research from UCL. Compassion, curiosity, collaboration, innovation, and equity are cornerstones of her work.
-
Maya Kotlarenko (she/her)
Operations Lead
Maya supports all operational functions for the Courage to Act Foundation, including finance, compliance, and human resources. She has worked in a broad range of industries, including investments, digital marketing, arts and culture, and nonprofits. She is a passionate advocate for gender equity, social justice, and environmental stewardship. In her spare time, Maya loves to travel, swim, explore public spaces and enjoy outdoor art!
-
Aubrianna Snow (she/her)
Project Manager
Aubrianna Snow (she/her) is a dedicated communicator, educator, and feminist of mixed Mi’kmaw/settler descent living with gratitude on Treaty Six Territory. Her passion for addressing and preventing gender-based violence in educational spaces developed during her undergraduate degree in journalism at MacEwan University. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in educational policy studies, and hopes to put this learning to use in uplifting safer STEM-focused learning opportunities for students of all backgrounds.
-
Joannie Fogue Mgamgne (she/her)
Bilingual Project Coordinator
Jeanne Joannie is a committed advocate for women and youth, dedicated to addressing gender-based violence, advancing gender equality, promoting sexual education, and supporting mental health initiatives. She is completing her Master’s in Political Management at Carleton University, where she focuses on policy development, governance, and strategic advocacy. Joannie is also a member of the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Youth Council, contributing to national discussions on youth mental health policy. With a passion for systemic change, she strives to create inclusive and equitable spaces that empower marginalized communities and drive meaningful policy reform.
-
Jocelyn Courneya (she/her)
Communications Strategist
Jocelyn is a communications strategist dedicated to advancing social change. She leads marketing and communications for the Courage to Act Foundation and is the Founder and Creative Director of 558 Media, a boutique agency that helps nonprofits and startups amplify their impact. Jocelyn has over nine years of expertise in managing strategic digital communications projects for social impact organizations like QueerTech, Startup Canada, and the Office of Social Innovation at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is also a passionate workshop facilitator and public speaker and has published articles on the role of social innovation in higher education.
-
Kris Erickson (he/him)
Stakeholder Relations Lead
Kris Erickson, PhD, is a higher education professional and strategic consultant with over a decade of experience in instruction, applied social research, youth employment strategy and policy, and cross-sector partnership building in cultural and workforce development. He has worked with partners and clients from public sector and nonprofit organizations in arts and culture and creative industries, immigrant employment, and youth social development contexts in Toronto and across the country to effectively engage community stakeholder groups in research and program evaluation initiatives involving Experiential Learning and Work-Integrated Learning and in support of greater inclusion and improved access to opportunities for a wide range of students, particularly those from equity-deserving and equity-denied communities and historically marginalized populations.
-
Falak Mujtaba
Research & Policy Analyst
Dr. Falak Mujtaba is a researcher, writer, educator and scholar. She received her PhD from the University of Toronto. Her work focuses on incarceration/detention, migration, citizenship and education. Her forthcoming book, The Detention Continuum in Canada, will be published by McGill-Queens University Press. She teaches in the Critical Studies in Equity and Solidarity department at the University of Toronto.
-
Salina Abji (she/her)
Evaluation Lead
Salina is a sociologist and consultant specializing in social justice research, education and evaluation. Her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Toronto focused on the intersections between precarious immigration status and gender-based violence. As an evaluation consultant, Salina supports feminist and migrant rights organizations to integrate evaluation using trauma-informed, intersectional, and participatory approaches. As a scholar and educator, Salina has published nine research studies on citizenship and migration, gender-based violence, and social justice activism in scholarly journals like Citizenship Studies, Signs, Social Politics, and Studies in Social Justice. For the past decade, she has also been an active organizing member of the Rights of Non-Status Women Network, a grassroots education and advocacy network based in Toronto.
-
Kitty Rodé (they/them)
Design Lead
Kitty is a multidisciplinary artist who is passionate about storytelling, community building and design. They empower artists, businesses, grassroots movements and social justice organizations to share their stories and connect with wider audiences. As a disabled person of colour, they are deeply committed to social justice and community care. They are a lifelong student of anti-oppression work and creating safer spaces. Their community work includes disability justice education with CRIP Collective, organizing community arts events and volunteering with the Toronto Street Medics.
-
Leon K. (they/them)
Web Designer
Leon is an interdisciplinary designer focusing on user-centric information design. They are passionate about providing resources to create equitable opportunities for all. In the last six years, they have taken various roles as a multimedia designer at NGOs. They find joy in creating accessible designs that reform complex information into a digestible format. Currently, they are studying Critical Information Policy Studies at the University of Toronto.
-
Zoie Haider (she/her)
Illustrator
Zoie is a self-taught digital illustrator and a junior graphic designer based in Southwestern Ontario. In 2009, she began her journey into digital art and has collaborated with clients around the world to bring their creative visions to life. Zoie created REVEL/RAGE to merge her artistic skills with her passions for social justice, mental health and wellness, and promoting personal growth and healing.
Board of Directors
-
Anoodth Naushan is an award-winning thought leader, researcher, policy specialist, and community advocate who finds joy in supporting people and projects to advance gender, racial and economic justice. She has worked with multiple organizations and institutions across Canada and the UK to strengthen support for survivors of gender-based violence. Recently, she co-led Possibility Seeds' Courage to Act project, aimed at addressing gender-based violence on Canadian post-secondary campuses; this initiative has been recognized as a promising practice and modelled internationally. Anoodth holds a Masters in Social Policy and Social Research from UCL. Compassion, curiosity, collaboration, innovation, and equity are cornerstones of her work.
-
Rebecca is a Toronto-based lawyer with a long history of examining psychosocial and scientific concepts like intersectionality and the neurobiology of trauma, and their impacts on legal issues. She has worked as a federal public servant and in private practice, litigated in public and private law matters, and has experience in both criminal (as crown and defence) and civil law.
While she now works primarily in commercial litigation with a focus on property-related disputes, Rebecca's focus has always been to apply an open-minded, creative and human-centred approach to her work and perspectives on the world around her. Through her pragmatism, empathy, fact-based thinking and regulatory compliance experience, Rebecca looks forward to making meaningful contributions to the Board.
-
Dr. Jesmen Mendoza has been registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario since 2008. He’s provided counselling and psychotherapy services since 1999 on a range of issues, and in a variety of settings. He is located at TMU’s Centre for Student Development and Counselling where he provides therapy to university students, training to psychology practicum students and consultation to faculty and staff on tricky issues. Prior to TMU, he has provided services in a number of social service and criminal justice settings, and applies an integrated, inclusive and positive psychology approach to all of the clinical and community work he delivers.
Project Advisory Committee
-
Trevor Buttrum is an award-winning leader with 20+ years of experience in recruitment strategy, career education, and building inclusive talent pipelines.
Since May 2022, he has served as Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE), which provides national leadership, resources, and professional development to empower members in their work supporting students from post-secondary to career success.
Previously, Tevor was Director of Operations at TalentEgg and led a national career education program and talent attraction strategy at the Insurance Institute of Canada.
A recognized advocate for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA), he shares his lived and professional experience through speaking engagements and initiatives advancing IDEA in career development and recruitment.
His innovation and leadership has earned accolades including the Moe Ktytor Award of Merit (CACEE, 2017), Campus Recruiter of the Year (TalentEgg Awards, 2018), and Best Recruitment Branding Strategy for a Professional or Industry Association (TalentEgg Awards, 2021).
His passion is anchored by post-graduate studies in Adult Education and Career Development.
-
Martin Edwini-Bonsu is a 5th-year chemical engineering student attending the University of British Columbia (UBC) on the Vancouver campus and a department student representative for the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UBC. He is wrapping up a 16-month co-op term as an Urban Water Treatment Co-op Student at Associated Engineering. In addition to being on the At the Root Project Advisory Committee, he is also a member of the National Student Advisory Council with the Courage to Act Foundation. As a Project Advisory Committee member, Martin is elated to work with the committee to create and foster safe and inclusive spaces free from sexual harassment and violence. In his free time, Martin enjoys cross-country running, working out at the gym, yoga, and learning about personal finance and economics.
-
As the Assistant Dean, Student Success, Careers, and Experiential Learning, Blessie Mathew leads a comprehensive portfolio of units under Student Success and Experience (formerly Office of the Dean of Students) at the University of Alberta including the Career Centre, the Undergraduate Research Initiative (URI), Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, and Technology (WISEST), and Orientation and Transition Programs.
Blessie's portfolio is a hub of student support, powered by a dedicated team of approximately 35 staff members, over 30 student staff and interns, and hundreds of volunteers. Each unit is strategically aligned to empower students, postdoctoral scholars, and alumni by fostering engagement in crucial orientation and transition programming, career development, and experiential learning activities. The ultimate goal is to equip individuals with the essential skills, knowledge, experience, and connections needed to navigate their academic and career journeys resourcefully, and with a strong sense of hope and resilience.
-
Adriana Berlingieri (PhD) is an organizational consultant, researcher, and educator/facilitator. Her professional and scholarly interests are centered on harassment and violence at work. Adriana has extensive professional experience in senior positions in the areas of learning and development within organizations in an array of sectors internationally. As a Research Partner and Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC), at Western University, she works with various multidisciplinary teams, union leaders, corporate representatives, and community-based organizations to conduct actionable research on harassment and violence at work that shapes the development of prevention and intervention practices.
-
Guided by intersectional feminism, anti-oppression, and critical pedagogy, Wil is an enthusiastic educator with several years' experience working in health promotion; equity, diversity, and inclusion; and sexual violence prevention in higher education. He holds a BSc (Hons) in biology from McMaster University, a BEd from the University of Western Ontario, a MA in peace education from the UN-mandated University for Peace, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Calgary's Werklund School of Education focused on governance, leadership, and policy relating to sexual violence in higher education. Wil is also a Registered Yoga Teacher (200-hour) with Yoga Alliance, a safeTALK trainer with Living Works, and a Certified Hike Leader with Hike Ontario.
-
Dr. Imogen R. Coe is a professor of Chemistry and Biology at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and affiliate scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She is an active researcher and former academic leader, being the founding dean of the Faculty of Science at TMU. Dr. Coe is also an award-winning scholar-activist in Canada with respect to the integration of principles of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) into research cultures in science. She was the inaugural Scholar-in-Residence at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada and has been invited by the federal government to serve on numerous committees to evaluate rigorous inclusive research for NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, CFI, ISED and others. She is widely known for her contributions which sit at the interface of scientific research, academic leadership, organizational culture and social justice and she is much in demand as a reviewer, speaker, panelist and consultant.
-
Jodie is an experienced Project Engineer who has dedicated their career to sustainability and community driven climate solutions. Currently she is working as the Innovation and STEM Manager for Iron & Earth, a non-profit that reduces barriers for those looking to transition into the green economy. Jodie also works with Coast Build Consulting to build low carbon energy solutions for rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. She has experience leading the design and construction of large, low-carbon district energy systems including geo-exchange and waste heat recovery technologies. Jodie is a strong advocate for intersectional climate justice and community-led solutions.
-
Jasmeen Sidhu is Associate Director of Partnerships & Special Projects at Co-Operative Education and Work Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL), which oversees a +$60 million funding portfolio supporting transformative work-integrated learning initiatives across Canada. With a Ph.D. in Sciences des Radiations et Imagerie Biomédicale from Université de Sherbrooke, she brings extensive expertise in neuroscience research, educational strategy, and evidence-based decision-making.
Previously, Dr. Sidhu served as a Limited-Term Associate Professor at Bishop's University, where she developed and taught 20+ courses, earning four teaching awards for her groundbreaking pedagogical approaches. She has led impactful research on barriers facing underrepresented students in STEM fields, securing significant funding including PRESE and CEWIL grants.
Currently contributing to AI governance as an Expert Drafting Team member for Canada's National Standard for Ethical AI (CAN/DGSI 128), Dr. Sidhu is passionate about creating safer learning environments and advancing innovation in education.
National Student Advisory Council
-
Heidi Dewiling was born in St. John's, Newfoundland. She completed her BSc (Hons.) in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Dalhousie in 2022. Heidi is currently in her third year of a PhD in Chemistry at McGill, where she uses microscopy to study viral polymerases. Heidi loves sharing her passion for science and has previously taught STEM subjects as a camp instructor, tutor, and teaching assistant. She usually spends her free time reading fiction, baking, singing in a choir, or hanging out with her cat.
-
Brie Villeneuve is a 4th-year Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience candidate at The University of Winnipeg. They are a disabled, trans-nonbinary artist and activist, bike enthusiast, and forever nerd. In their university, Brie is recognized for their leadership in queer advocacy and was recently elected as the Director of Accessibility for the University of Winnipeg Student Association. Brie’s interest in neuroscience stems from a curiosity for cognitive development and disorders, gene-environment interactions, drug interactions, and stress responses. Outside of advocacy and school, Brie is often found cuddling with their cat, watching hockey or basketball, or enjoying delicious strawberries from their garden.
-
Martin Edwini-Bonsu is a fifth-year chemical engineering student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He is excited to be on the National Student Advisory Council for C2AF to promote safer and more inclusive environments that are free of gender-based violence and harm. In his free time, he enjoys reading about history and economics, cross-country running, working out at the gym, writing (journaling, article writing), cycling, watching documentaries, and listening to R&B and pop music.
-
Madiha Ahmed is a 3rd-year Computer Science student at Mount Allison University with a strong interest in sustainability, ethical innovation, and community empowerment. As VP Outreach for MtA Hacks and VP of the Muslim Student Association, she actively contributes to inclusive campus initiatives. Through her roles with Enactus Canada and MASU, she has led impactful projects, including the Period Project and the Allisonian yearbook. Her global experiences, including a cross-cultural business seminar in Japan and a FinTech internship in Dubai, reflect her passion for problem-solving and social change. Madiha is currently building Ethica, a search engine that connects consumers with small, ethical brands and businesses, and she co-founded M Jewels, a culturally inspired jewelry brand. She enjoys reading books in her free time and doing calligraphy.
-
Aarana Thanabalasingam is a fourth-year student at the University of Toronto specializing in Psychology and Health Sciences. Aarana is especially interested in the intersection of mental health and population health. She’s volunteered in mental health awareness groups and contributed to projects focused on public health and inclusive research. In her free time, Aarana loves reading and cooking. She’s passionate about bridging research with real-world impact and making health education more inclusive and engaging.
-
Layal Zidan is a Bachelor of Science student at MacEwan University in Edmonton, majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Math. Layal is also a research assistant on a project studying microplastics in our water systems. She also works as a teaching assistant at MacEwan’s Math and Stats Learning Centre, helping students better understand the course material. Outside the classroom, Layal has been deeply involved in student governance. Serving three terms on the SAMU Student Council and sitting on the General Faculties Council, where she has worked to represent and advocate for students.