Conseil d’administration

John’s passion for building strong communities has led him to work which spans many worlds including education, community organizing, photography and politics. He began his formal political engagement working for Congress in the United States where he saw first-hand the benefits that people who can effectively engage the political system derived from it. And, on the flipside—the disadvantages for those who remain on the outside. John’s work has all been tied together by a belief in strengthening people’s understanding of the power that they have. John pursued this work at Samara Canada and is currently a Senior Advisor at Ryerson's Democratic Engagement Exchange.

Bob Gallagher has a long history as a communications specialist, queer activist, political strategist and academic. He co-founded the Campaign for Equal Families and Canadians for Equal Marriage. Bob also helped found the Gay Lesbian Bi Youth Line and for years was a director of Buddies In Bad Times Theatre. As a political strategist and consultant, Bob has managed numerous election and issue campaigns municipally in Toronto, provincially at Queens Park and at the federal level. Bob’s graduate studies were in political economy at the University of Toronto, studying with C.B. Macpherson, Steven Lukes and Michel Foucault. For years, he taught social theory and public policy at Trent University. Currently, Bob is the Head of Communications and Political Action for the United Steelworkers.

While forging a successful career as one of Canada’s leading corporate communications strategists and speechwriters, Kiloran German has remained focused on advancement of progressive women in politics and business. Since her student days at Queen’s (BA Hons) and Carleton (BJ Hons), where she helped organize campaigns for trailblazing Progressive Conservative MP Flora MacDonald, she has served pro bono as a campaign organizer and speechwriter for progressive candidates in all parties, at the national, provincial and municipal level. As Public Affairs Manager at TD Bank and then President of Sage Corporate Communications until her retirement in 2017, Kiloran provided counsel to many of Canada’s largest corporations. But at the same time, she leveraged her connections and used her influence to advance progressive policies in the private sector – for example, working with the major banks and the Canadian Bankers Association to institute employment equity and same-sex benefits in the 80’s and 90’s. An active supporter of social service, arts and cultural organizations, Kiloran helped establish Equal Voice as a member of the founders’ steering committee, and has served on the Boards of Ontario Heritage Trust and Adventure Place Center for Children with Special Needs. Now retired and based in Halifax, N.S. and Nerja, Spain, Kiloran also pursues her other passions – travel, tennis and the arts.

Susan Kwong knows that communities are stronger when people come together. From collaborating with diverse stakeholders to facilitate lasting success, to working one-on-one with newcomers and marginalized individuals, she is dedicated to helping build Toronto’s communities. Having worked in municipal, provincial and federal constituency offices for over 10 years, Susan organized many issue based campaigns. Throughout Susan’s organizing career, she demonstrated an ability and passion to build partnerships, develop leaders, and take action for social change. With her legendary enthusiasm, Susan has been instrumental in building networks of dedicated volunteers to collaborate with many community development and outreach activities and political campaigns. Susan has a Masters in Social Work, a B.A. (Hons.) in Economics and Labour Studies and a B.A. (Hons.) in Social Work. Susan currently works as the Chief Operating Officer at B Space. In her free time, Susan and her camera can be found capturing the beauty of the Canadian outdoors or 36,000 feet in the air, on her way to a new adventure.

Sean Meagher has been President of Public Interest since 2002. During that time, he has managed a host of innovative projects for the not-for-profit and public sectors. Sean has also developed public policy in areas as diverse as food security, child poverty, seniors’ services, tax policy, employment programs, youth services, and recreation. In the past, Sean has worked as a community organizer, a political staffer and an Internet developer. In the early 1990s, Sean was chief of staff to provincial cabinet ministers, including the minister of energy and the government house leader. Sean has worked on a variety of community and organizational development projects for:

• The City of Toronto
• United Way of Greater Toronto
• United Way of Canada
• Toronto Community Housing
• Toronto and York Region Labour Council

Amanuel Melles (Aman) is the Executive Director of the Network for Advancement of Black Communities (NABC) at York University and Principal of Aman Consulting. He brings more than 25 years of senior management experience and expertise in settlement and immigration, community health, community development, community peacebuilding, funding and philanthropy. Aman held various senior roles with OCASI, Lawrence Heights Community Health Centre, Family Service Toronto and United Way Toronto (UWT). He was on the Senior Management Team at UWT and the Director of Programs and Capacity Building where he led the development of the Organizational Capacity Building Unit and was responsible for leading several innovative and creative capacity building, leadership development, evaluation and granting programs aimed at building non-profit sector capacity. Aman is on the Board of Directors of the Social Innovation Institute, InterChange Community-based Peacebuilding Institute, and the Institute for Change Leaders, and chairs the Peace Leadership Member Group at the International Leadership Association. He was appointed by the Mayor of Toronto to the Partnership and Accountability Circle of Toronto’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Five-Year Plan. As a former marine ecologist, Aman often brings ecosystem thinking to his work with organizations and communities. Aman is the recipient of the Jane Jacobs Prize, the New Pioneers Award and the African Canadian Leadership Award.

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/amanuel-melles-a6b8811a

Judy Skinner is a retired accountant (CPA-CGA), working for many years as a Manager of Financial Planning at the City of Toronto where with a team of Analysts she managed the City’s budget process for the Parks, Forestry & Recreation and Economic Development and Culture programs, as well as City agencies governed by separate boards - the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Public Library, Exhibition Place and the Toronto Zoo.

Judy Skinner was a Director of Bread and Roses Credit Union in 1979, serving as president (chair) from 1981 until 1994, continuing as a director until 1997. Judy has served as Board Chair of the Toronto Municipal Employees Credit Union since 2007, beginning as a Director in 2000 until its amalgamation with Alterna Savings in 2019. She was on the board of Oxfam Canada.

Judy is a Treasurer of Church Isabella Residents Co-operative, Treasurer of Toronto Consort (an early music group), Board member of Karma Coop and member of the Finance & Audit Committee of Cooperating Housing Federation of Canada.

Rizwan Tufail is one of the most experienced members of the ICL teaching team, having taken Marshall Ganz’s curriculum during a full-semester course while studying for his Master’s degree at Harvard’s Kennedy School in 2012. Rizwan teaches ICL's flagship Building Skills for Change workshop and supports the growth of youth, ECEs, African community leaders, and countless other leaders striving to make change across Canada. His dedication and commitment to ICL come from a genuine love for storytelling and a passion for teaching others the skills they need to make the change they want.  

Rizwan is a technological wizard with over 25 years working in the industry. He has worked for industry leaders such as Microsoft and Mozilla and runs a public policy consulting house. The need to fight for technological equity drives him to be a change leader. The vast benefits of technological advancement are not experienced by all segments of the population. In our fast-paced world, while most of us are racing ahead, Rizwan fights for those who are being left behind.