Irma Mohammed

Isabelle Fotsing, B.Eng, M.Sc. is a passionate problem-solver, prize-winning start-up founder and committed citizen who is devoting her journey to showing that talent/success has no color, gender, or any other socio-physiological specificity. Her expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas, including technology, strategy and governance.

Originally from Cameroon, Isabelle moved to Montreal in 2004 as an international student on a Canadian fellowship. Driven by her desire to understand the world and leverage technology to improve people’s life, she completed a bachelor and a master in engineering. She then worked as a clean energy projects analyst and big data scientist for more than 10 years before jumping into the startup journey. Isabelle is now co-founder and CTO of Watergeeks, a prize-winning and women-led startup leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate circular economy.

“Starting my own business five years ago, growing and maintaining it to what it is now.  I faced many challenges as a minority (black and female) in our industry; bureaucratic red tape, industry regulations that were created for the big boys’ club and building the right team. The things that were in my favour were my knowledge and great reputation, plus the industry relationships that I built for twenty years with agents, tourist boards, international suppliers, airlines and the media.” 

Jacqueline Dixon graduated from the University of Toronto and a Certified Sales Professional and Trainer. She is also an Entrepreneur, Author and qualified Professional Speaker with the Canadian Speakers Association. As an expert with over 25 years’ experience within the Sales and Marketing industry, Jacqueline has now taken the knowledge gained from her tremendous success to form a Speakers Platform called New Era Communications. A gifted and powerful speaker, Jacqueline delivers a series of training programs and riveting talks that have left her audiences captivated, inspired and empowered!

Jacqueline has become a Leading Authority in Sales Training and Development, having had the opportunity to work alongside some of the top business executives and owners who manage multi-million dollar sales rooms. Jacqueline’s experience and successes are not limited to Canada but have spread into the United States as well. Jacqueline achieved success after volunteering her expertise in script writing to Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential outreach campaign, where she was awarded attendance as an honoured guest for the 2008, Democratic National Convention.

Jan Simpson was born in Barbados and at age 3, moved with her family to Toronto, Canada, where she grew up. Jan worked for Canada Post for over 30 years. She has been an elected representative of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) since 2011. She was elected First-National Vice President in 2015, making her the first black person to be elected to the National Executive Committee. In 2019, she was elected National President of CUPW, becoming the first black woman to lead a National Union in Canada.

Jan has been a member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) since 2005. CBTU is a non-profit organization that uses an equity lens on work within our communities and workplaces bringing collective strength to the goal of economic, political, and social justice for all.

Janet Campbell is CEO of Nanni’s Natural Hair Studio, a Children’s Author and Storyteller.

She was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica and grew up with her grandparents after her mother migrated to Canada. After the death of her grandparents she joined her   mother when she was 11 years old. She attended secondary school and then Seneca College, where she received a Diploma as a Social Service Worker (SSW). Janet then worked at The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, a family mental health centre. She worked at this agency for 11 years, facilitating parenting groups, particularly young mothers and babies, linking participants with community resources and in general, ensuring that parents and children receive the necessary and appropriate support.

Nanni’s Natural Hair Studio is run by Janet Campbell, who obtained her credentials at Emery Collegiate Institute. The salon has been a fixture in the Toronto community for over 20 years.

Mrs. Searles has held leadership/administrative roles of teacher, chairperson, guidance counselor, vice principal and principal.  She has also been course director of the ‘Valuing Diversity’ course at George Brown College of Arts, Science and Technology.  Mrs. Searles has represented the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) at seven National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) Conferences which afforded her the opportunity to share best practices as it relates to all students, but particularly those of colour who are often seen as marginalized.  She culminated her outstanding thirty-one year career in education after serving as principal of three schools in Toronto — Dublin Heights Elementary and Middle School, Lawrence Heights Middle School, and J.S. Woodsworth Senior Public School.

Janie Cooper-Wilson has been featured on numerous Television and Radio broadcasts and has authored and published two full-length books: Morgan’s Seed (2004) and Echoes in Hills: My Eighteen-Month Search for John Brown’s Legacy (2011), as well as, many journal articles, during the course of her long career.

Jennifer Clarke is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Ryerson University and is a respected social work educator and activist. Jennifer has taught courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in social work education. Now the Associate Director of Field Education, a position she has held for the past three years, Jennifer is envisioning innovative ways for students to engage in social work field education that enhance their creativity and opportunities for transformative social work practice. Besides her teaching and research responsibilities, she has been a member of numerous committees across Ryerson and in the social work profession. For three years, she served as the Chair of the Standing Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Cultural Issues for the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE). She also served as Chair of the Equity Issues and the Professional Affairs Committees for the Ryerson Faculty Association.  She was Co-Chair of the Anti-Racism Coalition and currently serves on the Social Justice Committee, Anti-racism Caucus, Akua Benjamin Legacy Project, Teaching and Learning Committee and Ryerson Black Faculty and Staff Community Network.

Seneca College has been Jennifer Singh’s second home for nearly four decades.  The former international student and alumnus’ comfort level on the Seneca campus, was enhanced when she was appointed the inaugural Dean of the newly created Faculty of International Studies.  This is yet another milestone achievement for Jennifer, who was the first international student from Guyana to enroll at Seneca shortly after migrating to Canada in 1969. There were only three people of colour at the time. She says she has come full circle at Seneca, a school that continues to be a leader in providing high quality education to many international students who want to study in Canada.

In 1971, Jennifer graduated from a Library & Information Technician program and spent three years with Toronto Public Library before returning to Seneca as, Coordinator, Circulation Department, Learning Resources Centre,; Professor in the Faculty of Business,; Chair of the School of International Business & Centre of Human Resources and Dean of the Faculty of Business (Arts & Commerce) and Dean, Seneca International. During her tenure, she worked assiduously to ensure that programs within her portfolio were accredited by professional associations so that graduating students had an opportunity to pursue professional designations. She also developed the Certificate of Recognition program that acknowledges faculty and staff who reported to her for their contributions and outstanding work. Throughout her career in an institution of higher learning, she has mentored young women and in particular, young women of colour. She was a part of the group that was instrumental in forming a ‘women’s movement’ at Seneca to advance the role of women. She was also the lone woman on the presenting group that made a pitch to the President of Seneca on establishing an association that focused on Black students and staff.  In 2006, she was the Recipient of a Seneca College Distinguished Alumni Award. 

I addressed an acute workplace representation and diverse talent sourcing gap in the finance and accounting profession, creating visibility and community role models I co-authored “the Finance Mentor’s Ledger” and “21 Resilient Women” In both 2019 and 2020 I was a keynote speaker at the AICPA Global Women’s Leadership Summit Europe

Jibs has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from the University of Lagos and certified as a Project Management Professional. She also completed a 4th class Power Engineering course at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).

Jibs’ previous work experiences include: Financial Services Representative at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), Mortgage Specialist at TD, Project Cost Controller at Dow Chemical and Credit Risk Analyst at the Guaranty Trust Bank in Nigeria.

Joan Amy Pierre migrated to Canada in the 70’s from her twin island home in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago.  She worked in the Telecommunication industry for a number of years, until she could define her passion, which she did, in the Arts and Cultural sectors, after earning diplomas in Production and Stage Management, and in Television Production at Ryerson University. Joan has over 25 years’ experience in Event planning, project management, marketing, arts and administration, sponsorship, public relations and production management. Joan’s vast experience has allowed her to work throughout Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. She has developed a keen understanding of the needs and goals of her clients, which complements her professional and personal one-on-one style.

She has been actively involved in the design, planning and implementation of North American festivals and Special events which includes Caribana; the African Heritage Music Festival (New Orleans); The African Canadian Achievement Awards (Toronto); The Third International Afro-Anglicanism Conference (Toronto); and most recently produced two Fashion shows “Cuttin’ Style Caribbean” for the Panamania-Arts and Culture Program, part of the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. Well recognized in her field, Joan also developed and taught a pilot Certificate Program in Event Planning and Event Management for York University’s Continuing Education Division.