Upkar Arora

Upkar Arora is CEO of award-winning B Corporation Rally Assets, Canada’s leading impact investment management firm and, through Realize Capital Partners, one of three fund managers selected to implement the Government of Canada’s $400M social finance fund. Rally’s purpose for over a decade has been to shift capital systems to advance sustainability, equity and justice for all.

Over his 30-year career prior to Rally, Upkar held finance and leadership roles building, operating and advising some of Canada’s most successful corporations, families and philanthropists.

Upkar has extensive governance experience, having completed the Competent Boards Climate Competent director certificate and holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He has served on boards such as Meridian Credit Union, Vancity Community Investment Bank, Metrolinx, University of Waterloo, Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Why Not Theatre and several early-stage startups.

In 2017, he was awarded the accounting profession’s highest honour and named a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.

Upkar is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Waterloo and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in accounting and economics from the University of Waterloo.

Andrea Dicks

Andrea joined Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) in 2015 as Vice President, before serving two years as Chief Operating Officer. She was named President by the CFC Board of Directors in January 2020. In addition to her work with CFC, Andrea brings 15 years of community and corporate philanthropy experience, including as the Founding Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough. She also served in leadership roles with the Rideau Hall Foundation, PwC Canada Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Toronto and Central Ontario.

Working closely with Canada’s 207 community foundations, and fostering connection across the growing international community foundation network, Andrea is helping to strengthen philanthropy’s impact by being a vocal advocate for the role of community-driven solutions to pressing global challenges, from climate change to human rights and gender equality. She has played a central role in the launch of groundbreaking Canadian and international initiatives, including the Equality Fund, which is transforming how organizations and movements working to advance women’s rights and gender equality are supported. She has also played an important leadership role in strengthening Canada’s contributions to Agenda 2030 through her work on Alliance 2030, Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals platform.

Liban Abokor

Liban Abokor is the CEO of Reimagine LABS and the Executive Director of Youth LEAPS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving educational and employment outcomes for Black youth in Toronto. He’s also co-author of the UNFUNDED report, which highlighted the inequitable funding of Black communities by Canada’s philanthropic sector.

Liban co-founded the Foundation for Black Communities, Canada’s first-ever philanthropic foundation dedicated to supporting Black-led, -serving, and -focused nonprofits and charities. He has 20 years of experience and leadership in the areas of education, healthcare, housing, philanthropy and social service. He formerly worked as a Policy Advisor for the Ontario Ministry of Health, and led Local Economic Development Initiatives for Toronto Community Housing. Liban was also a founding member of Ontario’s Premiers Council on Youth Opportunities, which guided the development of Ontario’s Youth Action Plan and Youth Opportunities Fund.

Regarded as a social impact leader in Canada, Liban is a key voice in the philanthropic sector, where he works to disrupt inequitable practices and modernize the sector through a justice-based approach.

A dedicated volunteer, Liban has served on the boards of the Laidlaw Foundation, Central Neighbourhood House, and the Catherine Donnelly Foundation. Currently, he’s a Board Director with the Samara Centre for Democracy, and with Shoot For Peace, and is a member of the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division’s Program Advisory Committee.

Sharon Avery

As President & CEO of Toronto Foundation, Sharon has championed ”the new philanthropy,” an inclusive, participatory, and power-shifting approach to charitable giving and grant-making. With Sharon at the helm, Toronto Foundation has become a gathering place for diverse new philanthropists, community organizations and grassroots leaders to embark on learning journeys and build partnerships to more effectively fight inequality in the city. 

Under her leadership the Foundation has introduced programs, such as Vision 2020 and Vision Next, aimed at mobilizing next generation philanthropists; the Trust Collective, focused on investing in women and girls; and harnessing the potential of social impact investing. Sharon played an instrumental role in helping secure $300 million in government funding to support global gender equality through the Equality Fund, an innovative multi-sector partnership between the non-profit sector, philanthropists and investors.

Armed with a broadcasting degree Sharon found her real calling in the charitable sector and has held senior roles at UNICEF, SickKids Foundation, Save the Children Canada and Tim Horton Children’s Foundation.

Craig Wellington

Craig Wellington is a strong believer in the Swahili principle of Ubuntu—‘I am because we are’ — that when all communities are allowed to achieve their potential, everyone is uplifted. That’s why, as executive director of the Black Opportunity Fund (BOF), he’s working to establish equitable, sustainable funding for the social and economic empowerment of Black communities across Canada. He uses his considerable expertise in not-for-profit and community leadership to develop and execute innovative strategies to secure and deploy capital for community good, while always maintaining an anti-oppression lens with a focus on community engagement and partnerships. Prioritizing initiatives around youth and education, women and gender, criminal justice, entrepreneurship, health, and arts and culture, BOF seeks to elevate the outcomes for generations of Black Canadians.

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Black Opportunity Fund: Forging the Way to a Thriving Black Canada

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A community-led, registered Canadian charitable organization, BOF was established to respond to systemic underinvestment in Black communities by providing needs-informed capital streams managed by and designed for Black people to facilitate the growth of prosperous, healthy, and vibrant communities. BOF’s national scope allows them to cultivate strong networks and collaborations, and continuously create ever-more relevant and impactful methods of support and advocacy. They provide Black-led businesses and community organizations with grants, loans, and capacity building, and to date, have helped hundreds of organizations. They also serve as community orchestrators, meeting with Black community organizations and leaders across Canada to develop, mobilize, and catalyze collective action and policy solutions to pressing issues facing Black Canadians. In 2022, BOF launched a micro-loan program for Black-led businesses that had been previously denied loans from traditional financial institutions. This year, BOF is thrilled to be working towards the launch of a $50 million venture capital fund—that will be the largest of its kind in Canada—focused on equity investments in Black founders, and also funding other Black-led VC funds.

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Jehad Aliweiwi

Jehad Aliweiwi is a strategic thinker with more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles in social, settlement, philanthropic, and community service organizations. In all of these roles, Jehad has been an advocate for inclusion, diversity, and equity. He is passionate about building bridges between Canada’s oldest residents and its newest citizens. Jehad strongly believes that the well-being of Canada rests with Indigenous Peoples and immigrants, and refugees. Since 2014, Jehad has been the Chief Executive Officer of Laidlaw Foundation. Before that, he was the Executive Director of Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office. Jehad has extensive governance experience and served on various Boards, including the Ontario Science Centre, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, the Arab Community Centre of Toronto, and FCJ Refugee Centre.

Cathy Taylor

Cathy Taylor is an experienced leader whose belief in the power of networks and passion for public policy has translated into more than 30 years of work and advocacy for non-profits and charities locally, provincially, and nationally.

Cathy joined the Lawson Foundation as president and CEO in April 2024. She previously served as the executive director at the Ontario Nonprofit Network for 12 years, before which she was the founding executive director of the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington.

With roots in the environmental movement, Cathy holds a degree in political studies and history from Queen’s University and attended the Maytree-York University Executive Directors Leadership program and the Ivey Business School’s CommunityShift program. Outside of work, Cathy enjoys time with her family and pets – biking, hiking, and gardening in Erin, Ontario.

Ekua Quansah

Ekua is an experienced equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) leader with 15+ years expertise in assisting organizations to create and implement EDI strategies. Ekua is a practical and purposeful advocate for equity and justice and her mission is to work with organizations to drive systems change that will result in equitable outcomes.

With a background in law, sociology and equity studies, Ekua has worked in a range of organizational landscapes, including academic institutions, regulatory bodies, corporations and non-profit organizations. She has designed and facilitated training on understanding and addressing anti-Black racism, microaggressions, inclusive decision-making and other related topics. She has also helped organizations implement diversity and inclusion data collection initiatives, inclusive hiring practices, training programs and overarching EDI strategic plans.

Ekua is known for her thoughtful approach to driving EDI-related change in organizations. She believes that creating truly inclusive workplaces requires ongoing commitment and effort. She works closely with her clients to help them build sustainable EDI initiatives.

Danya Pastuszek

Danya Pastuszek (she/her) is President & CEO at The Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement, which supports more than 400 communities across Canada to end poverty in ways that honor people, place and planet. She has lived and worked in both the US and Canada. Her early career was spent in New York City, working with resettling refugees and then with with people impacted by the US’s systems of criminal justice. In 2012, she moved to Salt Lake City and began a decade-long career at United Way of Salt Lake, supporting cross-sector partnerships designed to support economic mobility. In February 2022, she was appointed as Co-CEO at the Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement. She supports communities across Canada in their work to end poverty, activate just climate transitions, and foster communities where everyone experiences belonging. She studied English, Psychology and Business and is a Utah Business Magazine CxO of the Year (2021), a participant in the inaugural cohort of Women in Power. She (2022), and a recipient of the Schwab Foundation’s inaugural Collective Social Innovation Award (2023). She holds a BA (English) and an MA (Psychology) from Stanford University and an MBA from New York University.

Ikem Opara

Ikem Opara is an inclusive designer, relationship builder, and strategist focused on creating systems and building communities and social structures that work for all. He has 20 years of progressively senior Canadian and global experience in the broader public and non profit sectors. Ikem brings his ability to listen, learn, and educate to strengthening partnerships and community connections across all boundaries with demonstrated success.

Ikem has led the design of transformative strategies, programs and partnerships, channeling hundreds of millions of dollars in multi-year investments from government, corporate, and private philanthropic partners. He applies his deep knowledge of equity, inclusion, and human rights-centered approaches to ensure that this impact is community focused and long lasting.

Ikem spends far too much time reading and writing about the conversations that people engage in to build better bridges within and across communities. One of his favorite questions is: "How does that make things better?"

Alfred Burgesson

Alfred is the Founder & CEO of Tribe Network, a community of racialized people pursuing entrepreneurship and innovation - Tribe provides members with access to resources (Community, Capital & Coaching) to start, build, and accelerate innovative businesses in Canada. Alfred is a member of the Board of Directors at the Black Opportunity Fund and a member of the Board of Governors at Halifax Grammar School. He is a former member of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council — he is also the co-chair of Canada’s first-ever ‘State of the Youth’ Report. Alfred is recognized as a 30 Under 30 Innovator by the Atlantic Business Magazine, and a Changemaker by Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.

Elena Yugai

Elena Yugai is an Investment Manager and Director of Advisory Services at Helder Ventures, an impact investment firm. She leads incubation strategy and investment activities in immigrant, refugee and women-led social enterprises. Elena serves as a Strategic Advisor to Groundswell, Social Ventures Mentor at e@UBC , advisor to SFU Radius Refugee Livelihood Lab, member of the Pacific Impact Investor Network, and has been named one of BC’s Most Influential Women in Tech – STEM Stars 2018 by BC Magazine for her work advocating for and supporting women in technology.

Carissa Campeotto

Carissa Campeotto is the Founder of FoodRevolution Innovation, a studio dedicated to designing sustainable food recovery solutions. She is known for her work in transforming food loss into economic opportunities, previously co-inventing farm-level mobile and stationary processing units to turn excess food into valuable upcycled products.

Campeotto collaborates with producers, corporations, investors, and governments to recover surplus, reduce food loss, and develop high-value products from agricultural byproducts.

She was named Best Food Waste Innovator at Canadian Business Magazine and previously co-founded Trendi, a company focused on stopping food waste and ending hunger.

She is a sought-after speaker at global industry events (such as the Global Symposium and Food Security SummitX) and frequently shares insights on the integration of artificial intelligence in sustainable food supply chains.

Ryan Knight

Ryan Knight is the inaugural inductee in the Pilon School of Business Recent Graduate category. He has distinguished himself with his tireless efforts to promote equity and remove historical barriers faced by Black business owners. He is the President and Co-Founder of the Afro-Caribbean Business Network (ACBN), created in 2018 as a response to his own experience of looking for support and networking. The ACBN works to unify and educate Black entrepreneurs in its network of more than 3,000 businesses, and in early 2021 began working on a research partnership with the Pilon School of Business to identify the needs of Black entrepreneurs and develop recommendations and resources to help build their business capacity.

“As a community, we face invisibility in currently available data,” Knight says. “Race-based data has not been historically collected, therefore, the actual reality that many entrepreneurs face in the Black community is not adequately reflected."

Wilfreda Edward

Beginning with an Honours Bachelor of Arts, Geomatics & Spatial Analysis and Geography from the University of Ottawa, Wilfreda has embarked on a career path dedicated to data quality, open data and digital transformation.

Before coming to CCNDR and Imagine Canada, Wilfreda was the Senior Policy Advisor to the Chief Information Officer of Canada within the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. In that capacity and working in both official languages, Wilfreda has worked to advance digital transformation across the Government of Canada by advising the CIO of Canada on strategic priorities towards achieving ‘Canada’s Digital Ambition’ with a focus on people, data-driven policy and technology. Wilfreda has also been active with the Canadian Open Data Society, serving as Board Vice Chair, where she worked with the team to increase awareness and advocate for the value of open data and organized key events in the Canadian Open Data Ecosystem.

Wilfreda draws from her rich Creole heritage, which is deeply rooted in the art of storytelling as a way to transfer generational knowledge, preserve cultural values, and solidify social impact. These traditions inform her work as a seasoned digital professional, where she leverages the power of data to craft compelling stories that drive meaningful change and create lasting impact.

Michelle Baldwin

Michelle Baldwin is a senior advisor, transformation at Community Foundations of Canada exploring societal transition and transformation at the intersection of equity, climate and economy. She is also a faculty member in the governance, leadership, ethics program at Huron University College, serves as the vice chair for Atlohsa Family Healing Services, and is past chair for the Ontario Nonprofit Network.

In her past role as executive director at the Pillar Nonprofit Network, Baldwin co-founded and collaborated to create Innovation Works, a shared space for social innovators and VERGE Capital, a social finance program for Southwestern Ontario. She is a network builder, systems thinker, productive disruptor and cross-sector collaborator.

Baldwin is a Royal Society of Arts fellow and recipient of the YMCA Women of Excellence, Business & Professions Award and holds a master of educational psychology and a bachelor of arts in psychology, as well as a Maytree Policy School certificate.

Carla Leon

Carla Leon is a serial innovator. She has been an intrapreneur in the for-profit sector winning the President’s Award for innovation. She has started an e-learning platform, a telemarketing social enterprise, and a consulting firm that supports small businesses and non-profits. She is beginning new initiatives in the United Church of Canada including a mentoring platform, a pitch competition for social entrepreneurs, and ramped up the innovation granting program which has funded 190 initiatives in two years. This fall she published the "Giveback Economy," a book about how to do well while doing good. Her latest initiative is Community Innovation Hubs. This is a national strategy in Canada that leverages church space to support spiritual entrepreneurs in their work. The hubs provide workshops, peer-to-peer learning sessions, mentoring and access to the social capital of the communities of faith. Most importantly, the spiritual entrepreneurs build new relationships and are connected with each other adding to the already existing networks between hubs.

Wayne Miranda

Wayne is the Founder of Wecelium working towards equitable capital flow to underserved groups across Canada. Wayne was previously the Founder and CEO of Growth Mosaic, a ‘Best for the World’ B Corporation in West Africa putting to work US$26+ million across 140+ clients in 3 countries, now under Mirepa Capital. Wayne was also previously the Director of Growth at the Centre for Social Innovation, Managing Director of TechSoup Canada, Social Finance Lead at McConnell Foundation / Innoweave, and has worked in social innovation and social finance policy at the Government of Canada. When not in Zoom calls, you can find Wayne running around with his dog Nala or dreaming of the next backcountry lake to paddle.

Amanuel Melles

amanuel melles (aman) is the Executive Director of the Network for the Advancement of Black Communities (NABC). He brings more than 29 years of management and senior management experience in various sub-sectors of the non-profit sector: settlement and immigration, community health, social services and community development, and funding & sector capacity. aman was on the Senior Management Team at United Way Toronto and the Director of Programs & Capacity Building where he led the development of the Organizational Capacity Building Unit and was responsible for leading the introduction of several innovative and creative leadership, capacity building, evaluation and granting programs aimed at building various capacities of non-profit agencies and communities in Toronto. Prior to his role at United Way Toronto, aman held various roles at OCASI, Lawrence Heights Community Health Centre and Family Service Toronto.

Bruce MacDonald

Bruce MacDonald is the President & CEO of Imagine Canada. When carnivals and social good combined, it pointed to a path and for 30 years Bruce has been walking that route. From working for organizations that provide services to young people, older adults, persons with disabilities, community service clubs and sports and recreation groups, Bruce's experiences have led him to Imagine Canada. Prior to that, he was the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada where he participated in a collective effort to bring mentoring programs to kids. Bruce holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Administration from Laurentian University, a Masters in Management in the Voluntary Sector from McGill University and a former record in the Guinness Book of World Records. From 2019-2023, Bruce served as Co-Chair of the Permanent Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector working with the federal government. In 2025, Bruce received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of his distinguished achievements and leadership.

Melanie Thomas

A prairie girl with a global outlook, Melanie has an eclectic work background in both the corporate and not-for-profit worlds. She holds a Honours of Business Administration from Ivey Business School and a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Melanie has worked at Bell Canada, developing a new retail channel for small and medium businesses, articled at Goodmans LLP, one of Canada’s top-tier corporate law firms focusing on mergers and acquisitions and was a producer for Saskatchewan’s highest-rated news radio station. Most recently, Melanie worked at Scotiabank, creating and implementing a global compliance testing and controls infrastructure across more than 400 entities worldwide.

In the not-for-profit sector, Melanie was an Executive Director of Ivey’s LEADER Project. The initiative coached entrepreneurs in emerging markets to envision, launch, and/or scale new ventures. Melanie has also been in the courtrooms of Cambodia and the brothels of Mumbai to fight trafficking and exploitation of underage girls with International Justice Mission.

Melanie currently volunteers with the Aga Khan Foundation Canada as a Development Champion, promoting international development around the country and she sits on the Advisory Board of Jubilee Designs, a social enterprise employing homeless and at-risk youth artists. In her spare time, Melanie attempts to surf and salsa dance.

Tracey Robertson

Innovation Lead, Partnership Investments Ontario Trillium Foundation. Tracey is passionate about social change and mobilizing and unlocking capital for good. She is a system thinker, a network builder and a natural connector that works across all sectors and disciplines for the purpose of transformational change and impact.

After spending the last 35 years in strategic philanthropy, community development, higher education and the social impact sector, Tracey believes that the most innovative solutions are developed when people from multiple perspectives and experiences come together to look at an issue in a new light. Tracey has a strong belief in partnership, leveraging all forms of capital, shifting inequities and embracing emergence and failure as a natural part of transformation. Over the last 15 years, she has focussed her work on investing and fueling social change at the grassroots, community, and systemic levels. More recently, Tracey has mobilized and leveraged over 2 million in new investments for advancing impact investing and social finance in Canada. She has advised and coached many philanthropists and non -profits and has a Master of Social Work in Community development and social policy and a Master’s Diploma for Social Innovation at the Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resilience at the University of Waterloo. She loves cycling, water, and doodles.

Dr. Somto Mbleu

Dr. Somto Mbelu has a background in philosophy with a focus on AI Ethics. He works at the intersection of AI ethics, policy, digital health, governance, compliance, risk, finance and business, bridging research and practice to shape technology that truly serves society. His work focuses on making AI fair, accountable, and inclusive, translating these principles into practical governance frameworks, policy strategies, and responsible design approaches. He is the founder of the Ottawa Responsible AI Hub (ORAH) and the convener of Canada’s foremost AI ethics summit, the Ottawa Responsible AI Summit.

Nancy Dossous

Nancy, the Director of Partnerships at Community Foundations Canada (CFC), enriches the team with her background in social services and healthcare philanthropy, bringing valuable knowledge in fostering community impact. Having joined CFC in 2024, she leads the development and implementation of CFC’s innovative partnership strategy, collaborating with corporate, philanthropic and government partners to drive CFC’s mission through impactful financial and non-financial contributions.

Drawing from over a decade of experience, Nancy has honed her skills as a fund developer, relationship builder and strategic connector, demonstrating a consistent track record of delivering tangible results by leveraging philanthropy as a dynamic force for social change. Before her role at CFC, she achieved remarkable success as the Director of Development at the McGill University Health Centre Foundation, raising millions for healthcare research and innovation. Advocating for health equity, Nancy also led funding initiatives dedicated to enhancing health outcomes for women and racialized communities.

Nancy’s commitment extends beyond her professional roles to volunteer service. She serves as a board director for the Welcome Collective in Montreal, QC, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Canada. Holding the certified fundraising executive (CFRE) designation, she earned her B.Sc. in Public Relations from Kent State University and a certificate in Fundraising Management from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Outside of work, Nancy’s interests include health and wellness, travel, and enjoying Montreal’s diverse array of arts and culture with her family.

Andre Vashist

I am a facilitator of multi-stakeholder and complex collaborations that support an inclusive, sustainable and resilient community through work with Pillar Nonprofit Network as the Director of Social Innovation. We are learning how to support initiatives that facilitate adaptive and meaningful collaborations between government, academic, business, finance and nonprofit sectors, such as: Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network, Libro Social Enterprise Incubator, VERGE Capital, Impact Consulting and CityStudio London. Areas of experience include nonprofit management, social enterprise, social innovation, social finance, evaluation and fundraising. I co-led the implementation of pioneering innovative social finance tools including a $1M dollar community bond and $2.2M Breakthrough Fund. Completing the Social Innovation Residency with Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resiliency and being a founding cohort member of Centre for Social Innovation’s Agents of Change opened new ways we can work together and share our home.

Darren Baccus

Darren brings more than 25 years of diverse global investment experience to FCC, having held a variety of senior executive roles at provincial and federal Crown corporation investment organizations. He started his career as an attorney with Torys LLP after graduating from the University of Manitoba. Prior to joining FCC, Darren was a co-founder of a U.S.-based farmland investment firm that acquired operating farmland alongside grower partners, with a business plan of transitioning management practices from conventional to regenerative.

Having lived in five Canadian provinces in addition to New York, Darren and his family support a variety of charitable initiatives throughout communities they’ve called home. These include the University of Winnipeg Foundation and the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Alexandra Snelgrove

Alexandra is part of the social impact team that supports the capacity building and scaling of social purpose organizations in LIFT’s portfolio to affect meaningful and measurable impact. She brings an extensive background in non-profit management to the role with significant experience at both the executive level and as a consultant. Prior tojoining LIFT, Alex worked with Aperio, a consulting firm that specializes in the social sector. She worked with a diverse group of clients to creatively address their critical challenges, including support in the areas of strategic planning, organization and governance review, social enterprise and earned income, partnership strategy, program design and evaluation. Alex previously worked with MEDA, an international development organization focused on business solutions to poverty. With a focus on Africa and Asia, she conceived, developed and implemented a number of initiatives that helped connect low income entrepreneurs to growing markets. Alex started her career in financial services and then worked in trade promotion in Malaysia at the Canadian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur and as Executive Director of the Malaysia Canada Business Council. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Huron College, University of Western Ontario and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York City

Abby Wong

Abby blends strategy with a deep sense of purpose, using her strong communication skills to connect people and ideas for greater impact. A skilled project manager and energized by building relationships, she thrives in dynamic environments where collaboration and meaningful outcomes go hand in hand

Non-profit and voluntary sector professional with more than 20 years experience. Demonstrated success in project management, social impact, fundraising and stakeholder engagement. A positive and energetic leader/ advocate, goal and results driven. A strategic thinker, with exceptional communication skills and an eye for detail. Passionate about community and its potential.

JP Bervoets

JP has worked to foster collaboration and build partnerships across sectors to advance community wellbeing and sustainable development. He joined CFC in 2014 to help connect the work of Canada’s community foundation movement with a network of partners from the public and private sector and civil society.

Prior to joining CFC, JP held various positions in the international development sector in Canada, and internationally, including at North Star Alliance, a groundbreaking public-private partnership founded by the UN World Food Programme and TNT Express.

JP’s interests include public health, culture and development, and public-private partnerships. He sits on the Board of Directors of Impact Hub Ottawa and Art for AIDS International, and has voluntarily supported a number of organizations at home and abroad including Boys and Girls Clubs, the Nkosi Johnson AIDS Foundation, and UNAIDS.

Indra Sarju

Indra Sarju is a social impact and entrepreneurship specialist who has built a global repository of more than 100 innovative financial products spanning climate, education, health, housing, and agriculture. As Manager of the Future Economy Lab at SecondMuse Capital, she mobilizes blended capital and co-designs financial instruments with governments, foundations, and financial institutions to expand access for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Her experience includes leading the Systems Financing Facility in Zambia with UNDP, where catalytic systems mapping informs energy transition and inclusive growth. She has also partnered with institutions ranging from Goldman Sachs and the VISA Foundation to grassroots organizations, channeling millions in catalytic capital to ventures worldwide

Victor Beausoleil

Victor Beausoleil has served historically under-represented communities in the social economy, social finance, impact investing and cooperative ecosystems for two decades. At the age of 24, he Co-Founded Redemption Reintegration Services, one of the largest youth-led youth justice agencies in Canada. In 2013, he received his first public service appointment as a member of Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Council on Youth Opportunities.

He is currently the founder and Executive Director of SETSI – The Social Economy Through Social Inclusion and co-founder of the Canadian Centre for Non-Profit Digital Resistance.

He has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Atkinson Charitable Foundation, Laidlaw Foundation, the Toronto Community Housing Social Investment Fund, Toronto Community Benefits Network, The Canadian Community Economic Development Network, the Fair Finance Fund, the Table of Impact Investment Practitioners, New Power Labs, the Regional Ethno- Advisory Council for Corrections Services Canada, the Catalyst Community Finance Initiative, the Canadian Employee Ownership Coalition and the Tribe Network.

As a lecturer, he has travelled extensively throughout Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Africa to speak with community organizations, institutions and philanthropic foundations.

Victor has written thirteen books and is a husband and father of four brilliant children.

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