Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Scranton PA, Ilona is a rising fierce advocate for justice. She served as the Deputy Organizing Director for the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaign and the Regional Field Director for the Alessandra Biaggi campaign this past election cycle, and is also a peer success coach at her school, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY). Most recently, she co-founded and serves as the NYC Director of Movement School, a project of Organize for Justice (the sister organization of Justice Democrats). Movement School trains the next generation of electoral organizers to run people powered campaigns that transcend lines of race, class, and gender.

​Lynn Gehl, PhD, is an Algonquin Anishinaabe-kwe. She is an advocate, artist, writer, and an outspoken critic of colonial law and policies that harm Indigenous women, men, children, and the Land. Her 2014 book based on her doctoral work “The Truth that Wampum Tells: My Debwewin on the Algonquin Land Claims Process” was published with Fernwood Publishing. Her 2017 book, titled “Claiming Anishinaabe: Decolonizing the Human Spirit”, explores her journey deeper into Indigenous knowledge and was published with the University of Regina Press. In April 2017 Lynn was successful in defeating Indian and Northern Affairs Canada’s unstated paternity policy when the Court of Appeal for Ontario ruled the sex discrimination in the policy was unreasonable.

Adam is an accomplished digital organizer with over a decade of experience in community organizing, empowerment, digital tool implementation, and a fantastic attention to detail. As Digital Organizer for Canada’s NDP, Adam produced all digital fundraising products for the NDP, contributing to the single best year of fundraising in the Party’s history. He has worked on campaigns across the student movement, in community health care, and all three levels of politics.

Alec Farquhar is a lawyer with a long career involved with asbestos disease compensation and prevention. He is currently coordinator of Asbestos Free Canada. Previously, Alec was Director of the Office of the Worker Adviser (OWA), an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Labour which advises and represents non-unionized workers in their workers’ compensation claims and appeals. This included involvement in hundreds of asbestos disease cases. Alec came to the OWA from the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers where he was Managing Director, and before that from the Ontario Ministry of Labour where he was the Director of the Occupational Health and Safety Branch. In both of these positions, Alec was extensively involved in detection and prevention of asbestos disease as well as related regulatory enforcement.

Amara is a campaigner, facilitator, and engagement specialist. She loves to help people align around a clear vision and smart strategy, and build the skills and strong relationships needed to make change happen.

Over the past decade, she has trained and coached thousands of community organizers. She has worked in universities and non-profits, built organizations, run for office, and managed advocacy campaigns including Vote Together, Leadnow’s groundbreaking 2015 election campaign.

Amara is the Canada Campaigns Manager at 350.org, serves on the board of the Centre of Story-based Strategy, and teaches digital campaigning as a part-time professor in Seneca College's Government Relations graduate program.

Andrea has an extensive, continuous, and evolving relationship with music and community engagement, one that brings her to a variety of cultural and educational projects and events. This led her to work with organizations such as Redwire NYM, UMAYC, Indigenous Media Arts Group, Raven Spirit Dance, imagineNATIVE, Toronto Aboriginal Youth Council, TDSB Aboriginal Education, and Naadmaagit Ki Group along with many others. These endeavors resonated in youth work, leading workshops, programming, planning, mentorship, and land-based initiatives. Andrea has been a: youth advocate, advisor, administrator, performer, program facilitator, and communications coordinator, to name of few of her past roles.

Originally from New Zealand, Andrew has worked on campaigns across the world, leading innovative and world-class digital programs. Most notably, he ran the digital campaign that led to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern taking office in 2017, in an upset victory. Alongside this, Andrew has worked on other advocacy and political campaigns in New Zealand, Canada, Australia and the UK.

Brad Honywill was a reporter and editor with a variety of newspapers in Ontario for 25 years, including the Hamilton Spectator and the Toronto Sun. He also taught journalism and new media at both Sheridan and Humber colleges and served as president of the union local representing journalists and other newspaper employees in Ontario for five years. He is currently a representative for Unifor 87-M, where he bargains contracts and advocates on behalf of unionized media employees.

Carolyn Ferns is Public Policy Coordinator at the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. Carolyn has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Studies. She is a member of the Board of Directors of both Child Care Now of Canada and the Childcare Resource and Research Unit.

Chris joined CPAWS Yukon as Executive Director in March 2016. A native of Australia, Chris has lived in Whitehorse since 2012 and previously worked as Executive Director of BYTE – Empowering Youth Society, an organization that works with youth in the Yukon’s First Nations communities. Chris has a Masters Degree in Commerce (International Business) from Swinburne University in Melbourne and has worked in non-profit management since 2008. Chris is friend to a black and white dog called Hutch, who comes to work at the CPAWS office most days. Whitehorse residents may recognize them from their daily walks down Two Mile Hill.

Duncan Pike is a freelance writer and editor and former Executive Director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. He holds a Master of Global Affairs from the University of Toronto. He formerly worked as an Analyst for the UN Development Program in Istanbul and a Policy Analyst for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.

Ellen Bowles is a letter carrier, and Delivering Community Power campaign coordinator for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Delivering Community Power attempts to tackle the biggest issues of our time: poverty, climate change, and inequality; and sees our postal system and infrastructure as the green hub of the next economy.

Helen lives in Toronto with her wife and daughter and is passionate about creating a more just and environmentally sustainable world. She is a registered Social Worker and primarily works with children and families to help them respond to strong emotions in more compassionate ways.

Jacqueline Lee-Tam is an organizer who grew up on the unceded and unsurrendered territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, colonially known as Vancouver, B.C. She has been involved with the resistance to the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion since 2014 and since moving to Tio'tia:ke / Montreal, has been organizing with Divest McGill and Youth Rising Montreal. She studies Environment, Gender and Economics at McGill.

Justine Smyth is the Communications Officer for the Civic Institute of Professional Personnel (CIPP), the union for professionals at the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Community Housing. In 2018, Justine played a lead role in developing and implementing a highly successful grassroots campaign against one of the world’s largest pension funds to protect CIPP members’ pension benefits. Her diverse background in communications with a special interest in unique digital campaign tactics contributed to the campaign’s success as well as ongoing CIPP advocacy initiatives.

Katie Perfitt is a National Organizer with 350.org. Katie grew up in a working class community west of Ottawa. She sees her community and so many others dealing with the economic and health impacts of the climate crisis while CEO's of massive corporations rake in billions and funnel money to politicians. Katie believes that we need a plan that tackles climate change that ensures no one is left behind -- no matter the hand you've been dealt and is supporting young people who want to organize for a future beyond fossil fuels.

Laurie Monsebraaten is the Star's Social Justice Reporter. She writes about poverty, inequality and social programs including welfare, child care, Children's Aid and disability rights. Other interests include affordable housing and the plight of low-wage, non-standard workers. A Star reporter for more than 30 years, Laurie’s work has received numerous National Newspaper Award nominations and has garnered three citations of merit for the prestigious Michener Award for public service journalism.

For over 35 years Lorraine Segato has earned a reputation as a charismatic and iconoclastic performer. Her unique voice is compelling and identifiable no matter what format or medium she creatively explores. Lorraine joins the Institute to add artistic and cultural training and practices into our curriculum. Lorraine draws on her extensive experience as an arts ambassador to teach organizers to utilize artistic expressions—including music, film, art, and performances—to tell their stories and motivate others to action

Maya Menezes is a daughter of immigrants from India and Pakistan. Maya grew up in Toronto, the territory of the Dish With One Spoon agreement. She is the Senior Manager of Development at The Leap, a core organizer with No One Is Illegal Toronto, a member Board of Directors with Web of Change, a delegate to this year’s UNFCCC COP24 summit in Katowice, Poland and an alum of the University of Toronto having studied Environmental Science and Equity Studies in race, class and gender.

Monica is a Founding Advisor of Progress Toronto and is currently an Organizer on their staff team. She is also a Masters of Environmental Studies candidate in planning at York University. She has been involved in the university through committees, a graduate and research assistantship, and was a visiting student at Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany for research on climate change, social movements and the right to the city.

In a political career that began in 1985, Olivia Chow has been one of Canada’s most effective and well known public figures. She now leads the Institute’s educational initiatives. In 1991, Olivia became the first Asian-born woman elected as a Metro Toronto Councilor. She was re-elected to city council five times, serving with distinction for 14 years. While at City Hall, she served as Chair of the Community Services Committee and Vice Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), among other senior responsibilities. First elected to Parliament in 2006, Olivia won re-election twice. In Parliament, her Early Learning and Child Care Bill laid the legislative foundation for a universal, high quality, affordable and non-profit national childcare program. She also pushed for faster family reunification and giving a chance for immigrants to succeed through recognition of foreign credentials and employment initiatives. Throughout her career, Olivia has been at the forefront, working for progress for all. She has reached across party lines and travelled across the country, forging alliances with municipal and provincial leaders, business and advocacy groups. Outside the political sphere, Olivia is known as a tireless spokesperson, fundraiser and champion of numerous charities such as the Canadian Cancer Society and related charities, Centre for Victims of Torture, Asian Community AIDS Service and Culture Link.

Rahat is a resident physician at the University of Toronto. A trainer and facilitator at the Institute for Change Leaders, he founded HEART (“Health and Equity through Advocacy, Research, and Transformation”), a program which transforms stories gathered from people experiencing marginalization into participatory, research-based theatre as a platform for policy-making. Through HEART, Rahat has been establishing the basis for “health policy by the homeless,” seeking to disrupt how policy is shaped to center those with lived experience. He also plans and teaches a yearly session on health advocacy for medical students at McMaster University, conducts research in medical education using lived experience and theatre, and is undertaking health services and policy research to enhance knowledge and practice in health care for people experiencing homelessness.

Rayne Fisher-Quann is a student, activist, and public speaker. After founding the March for Our Education movement in response to the Ford government's education changes, she made history when she co-led the largest high school walkout in Canada's history. She has since gone on to work with the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative, and was named one of Chatelaine's Women of the Year as well as one of the Most Powerful Women in Canada by Refinery29.

Sandra Whiting has been at the epicentre of activity and change in Toronto’s African Canadian community for over thirty years. She has worked with among others: The Black Business & Professional Association, the Jamaican Canadian Association, The YWCA, Factory Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, The Caribbean Cultural Committee; The Convention Centre; the Broadcast Standards Council and many more organizations as President, Board member and volunteer and is now the President for PACE Canada.

She was awarded the Harry Jerome Award for Community Leadership, has received the JCA Award, Pace Canada Pacesetter Award; Community Service awards from the JCA & JN & the Gleaner Company and was featured on the Black History Month Legacy poster as well as being named as one of the 100 ABC Women (Accomplished Black Canadian Women of 2016).

She also has her name on a Bench of prominent African Canadian at Harbourfront Centre for her work in the Cultural arts sector.

As a writer and storyteller, Sandra uses the arts as a vehicle for change.

Sandra now concentrates on being a speaker using personal stories as her means of delivering her message.

Steph Glanzmann grew up in the suburbs of Toronto and has been organizing around climate justice and youth engagement for the past 5 years. During her time at the University of British Columbia, Steph led in the fossil fuel divestment movement, organized youth voting campaigns and maintains her sanity in queer dance spaces. She is currently a Lead Organizer for Future Majority, a non-partisan non-profit that is working to activate students on college campuses across Canada.

Tim Harper spent more than three decades covering politics on both sides of the border serving as Toronto Star bureau chief in Vancouver, Ottawa and Washington. He is a former national editor and national affairs correspondent at The Star. Tim covered seven federal elections and three U.S. presidential campaigns and served as a regular pundit on radio and television. Since leaving The Star, Tim co-authored Excessive Force, a study of police reform nominated for a Donner Award and has done extensive writing for a wide array of clients.