Team's Bios

Saman Ahsan, Executive Director| saman@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Saman Ahsan has worked with and on behalf of girls and young women for her entire career. As the National Coordinator of the Girl Child Project at the Family Planning Association of Pakistan, one of the oldest and largest NGOs in the country, Saman was responsible for community mobilization at the grassroots level to empower adolescent girls belonging to marginalized communities. Through Ms Ahsan’s leadership, the Girl Child Project grew exponentially from 130 locations to an additional 600 locations reaching 30,000 additional girls over a five year period. Ms Ahsan has also held leadership roles at the World Economic Forum, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. As a graduate of the Sauvé Scholars Program in Montréal (2003-2004) and of McGill University’s Anthropology department (1995-1998), she is well acquainted with life in Canada. 
 
Juniper Glass, Development Director | juniper@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Juniper has a passion for authentic social change initiatives and a long-standing goal to channel resources to the grassroots. Juniper joined the Girls Action team in 2005, bringing with her many years experience in progressive organizations, including the College of Midwives of British Columbia, OXFAM-Canada, and groups working to create food security and affordable housing. In 2003-04 she was the Managing Editor of Ascent Magazine, a publication that explored the links between spiritual practice and social action and which was recognized for editorial excellence in alternative magazine publishing. Her change-making career started at the age of 14 when she dedicated four years to preserving a wilderness valley and influencing logging practices in her home province of British Columbia. Juniper was a President's Scholar at the University of Guelph where she completed a degree in International Development, including one year of studies at SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai, India. She is a long-time yoga practitioner and teacher, having trained at Yasodhara Ashram in BC and the Yoga Institute in Mumbai. Juniper has an active young son and adores being a mom. She writes creative non-fiction and has been published in Utne magazine, Ascent, and a book called Inspired Lives.

Fabienne Pierre-Jacques, Program Director| fabienne@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Fabienne joined the Girls Action Foundation team in 2008, having been involved as a member of the Girls Action Network for the previous four years as coordinator of the Bureau de la Communauté Haitienne de Montreal. Issues of social justice and women’s rights have always been central to her life. Though of Haitian origin, she grew up in NDG (Montreal) and has been involved in community organizing since her teen years. Her involvement with women includes working at Studio D, the McGill Centre for Research and Teaching on Women, and the Montreal Women’s Centre. In 1995 she uprooted her three children and moved to Haiti to work for the newly created Ministry of Women and subsequently in international development in the form of community-initiated projects. Volunteer work, keeping in touch with friends spread across two continents, staying ‘in love’ with the love of her life as well as the everyday challenges of mothering a teenage son and two young women keeps her on the go, if not grounded.

Administration & Systems

Nairi Jakmakdjian, Administrative Coordinator | nairi@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Nairi joined Girls Action Foundation February 2012. Her tasks involve assisting the Girls Action team in day to day workflow and working on optimizing internal procedures. Nairi worked for Medisys Health Group for 4 years, first as a Customer Service Representative and then as Projects Coordinator. She was involved in the coordination and documentation of many IT projects. With a background in Project Management and currently in Continuing Education to complete certificates in Human Resources and Public Relations, she brings good knowledge from the corporate world as well as insight on ever evolving business methods. Nairi believes that everyone has the power to make a positive change and to accomplish what they want and sometimes the key is encouragement and empowerment to take a leap forward. Nairi has a passion for sports. It keeps her energized and establishes balance in her life. She is very spontaneous so you never know if she will be skiing on the mountain one week or organizing an event with friends the next.

Laura Stanford, Systems Development Coordinator I laura@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Laura joined the team in September 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Sociology from Saint Mary’s University and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Dalhousie University. As an undergraduate, Laura focused most of her studies on youth resilience, especially amongst groups who face adverse conditions such as homeless youth, teenage mothers and youth who live in areas throughout the world where violence is prevalent such as Aboriginal communities in Canada and urban centres all over the world.  Laura has worked both with the Provincial Government of Nova Scotia and the Federal Government of Canada which sparked her interest in researching and writing government policies and ultimately led her to study government and to complete her MPA. When Laura isn’t thinking about what type of education she can obtain next, she is exploring Montreal, attending endless music events, painting, reading in parks, and challenging herself in yoga.

Communications

Marie-Claire Lynn, Communications Officer | marie-claire@girlsactionfoundation.ca 

Marie-Claire became interested in communication for social change, media representations and everything political while completing her degree in Communication and Cultural Studies, with a Minor in Political Science at Concordia University and Roskilde Universitet (DK). After working towards bridging the digital divide in remote communities of Canada for a small telecommunications company, Marie-Claire pursued one of her dreams of working in international development, by joining the Oxfam Québec team in Burkina Faso. This life changing experience made her realize the power of storytelling and the importance of being an active participant of society. For those reasons, as well as for the fact that Montreal is incredibly cool, she is happy to be back home and working with the communications team at Girls Action. Marie-Claire has also been serving on the Board of Directors of Apathy is Boring since 2010.

Elvira Truglia, Communications Coordinator & Web Producer I elvira@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Elvira joined the Girls Action team for the LIGHT A SPARK campaign in 2011. She brings with her extensive experience in communication for social change spanning print, web and radio. As a Project Director for the Social Justice Committee, she developed a multimedia educational resource on global issues for Canadian high school teachers and she worked for the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), an international non-governmental organization developing and coordinating advocacy, public education and mobilization projects to promote community media and global social justice. Elvira also wears the hat of a freelance journalist (radio, print, TV).  She is currently the Montreal Regional Coordinator for Multimedia & Multiculturalism, a project by the United Nations Association in Canada. Elvira holds an M.A. in Media Studies from Concordia University in Montreal. Elvira swims in an intercultural world embracing music, dance, gardening, family and her daughter’s laughter to soothe her soul. She is without a doubt a girl of action!

Andrea Zoellner, Communications Officer and kickaction.ca Coordinator I andrea@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Joining our team as an intern in the summer of 2010, Andrea was pleased to continue on as Communications Assistant and now Communications Officer and kickaction.ca Coordinator. Between keeping on top of social networks, writing and translating communication tools, keeping the website up to date and running kickaction.ca - a blogging website for young women, she strives to increase Girls Action's visibility. Currently studying Journalism with a minor in Diversity and the Contemporary World, Andrea is fascinated by what is going on in the world and what’s being said about it in the media. Interests in film production, broadcasting, web development and graphic design feed an enthusiasm for all things ‘techno-gadget’. She manages to counterbalance her urban and somewhat hyperactive lifestyle by remaining close to her friends, family and faith.

Development & Promotion

Dina Habib, Marketing and Event Coordinator | dina@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Dina has studied Interior Design at Université de Montréal and Entrepreneuship & Marketing at HEC Montreal.
She is the founder of PINK28, a networking event for gay professional women in Montreal (founded in 2009).
Dina is also half of DYDH Productions which puts on the fashion night Mews. This event serves as a platform of visibility for local emerging artists and fashion designers while making art and fashion accessible to the general public.

Melissa Mulongoy, Fundraising and Promotion Coordinator | melissa@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Melissa is a recent addition to Girls Action occupying the position of Fundraising and Promotion Coordinator.  In this role she will support Girls Action with outreach initiatives and the establishment of fundraising systems and materials. Melissa pursued her master’s degree in International Development and Globalisation, with a specialisation in Women’s Studies at the University of Ottawa. Her interests include gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly in gender-based violence contexts. Prior to joining Girls Action, she worked as an Assistant Emergency and Child Response Officer at UNICEF in Barbados. In 2009 she worked with the UNDP Gender Team in New York and contributed to ensuring the mainstreaming of gender into programming. Prior to moving to Canada, Melissa lived in international communities in Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Switzerland. She is fluently bilingual in English and French, and is conversational in Spanish, with a background in Swahili and a broad (although, she admits, dwindling) knowledge of Welsh.

Programs

Akua Carson, Girls Club Facilitator | akua@girlsactionfoundation.c

Janine Guerra Rocha, National Program Coordinator I janine@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Janine is a Brazilian who arrived in Canada in 2010. She graduated in International Relations and has a certificate in Social Projects Management. Throughout her career she has worked with different NGOs, including as Coordinator of Relationship Building at Plan International Brazil, a children’s development and social justice organization. Her mother was the one responsible for sparking her interest in gender issues and women’s rights, which ended up being the subject of her undergraduate thesis. Janine is really excited about joining the Girls Action team. She loves going out with her friends, visiting new places and dancing, especially during the carnival in her home city, Recife. She says that what keeps her balance is her family, her friends and her partner. She thinks the Portuguese author, José Saramago, was able to describe her with the following quote: “I am the product of the child I once was. I continue being my grandparents’ grandchild”.

Karine Myrgianie Jean-François, Events and Membership Coordinator I karine@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Karine Myrgianie joined Girls Action during the summer of 2010 as the resource assistant and is now the events and membership coordinator after partcipating in the Amplify training in 2008. She is involved with youth through the Mouvement provincial de génies en herbe/Pantologie board of directors, which she currently chairs. As an eternal student in Law and Women’s Studies in Montréal and in Ottawa, she is now studying international law at the Master’s level part time and she loves it! Moreover, she writes for the www.Jesuisfeministe.com blog and spends too much time on Twitter and Facebook. When she has time, Karine Myrgianie knits, cooks, read the numberous books sitting on her bookshelves, dances anything and everything but mostly swing!, tries to finish her recipes scrapbook and see all kinds of shows be it opera or modern dance.

Karima Kadmiri, Logal Programs Coordinator | karima@girlsactionfoundation.ca

Natasha Latter, Project Coordinator, Indigenous Young Women: Speaking our Truths, Building our Strength I natasha@girlsactionfoundation.ca 
Natasha is implementing the Indigenous Young Women: Speaking our Truths, Building our Strength project, in collaboration with the Native Youth Sexual Health Network and the Native Women’s Association of Canada. As a young half-Cree woman herself, she believes that it’s important for Aboriginal women to come together to create healthier communities. Natasha has worked with First Nations communities in British Columbia, as a Funding Services Intern with the Government of Canada’s Department of Aboriginal and Northern Development. She is a graduate from McGill University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. During her spare time Natasha enjoys drinking coffee, reading fiction novels and chatting with her friends. She eats loads of chocolate, because you can never have enough!

Melanie Matining, BC Interconnector | melanie@girlsactionfoundation.ca

Jodi Proctor, Girls Club Facilitator | jodi@girlsactionfoundation.ca

Simone Viger, Media Arts Coordinator | simone@girlsactionfoundation.ca
With experience facilitating youth media workshops and coordinating art shows for city-wide events such as Nuit Blanche de Montréal, Simone is a go-to-gal for managing group projects. As such, she is responsible for carrying out an array of Girls Action Foundation’s media arts programs in Montréal’s varied neighborhoods. So watch out for new awesome video, photo and zine projects, among other creative initiatives!! Over the past 7 years, she has taught documentary video production with organizations such as Les YMCA du Québec, Concordia University, Dawson College, iD Visual Arts Academy, and The Segal Center for Performing Arts. She is currently pursuing a GradCert from Concordia University in Digital technologies in the design art practice. Her short documentaries have been funded by the NFB and screened publicly on the CBC, the Manhattan Neighborhood Network, and in festivals across Canada.  Having grown up in Washington D.C., she is thrilled to be back in Canada… Montréal above all! You can find her around town shopping at thrift stores, attending local plays, playing basketball and BBQ-ing in the park.

Facilitators, Trainers and Consultants

Tatiana Fraser, Co-Founder and former Executive Director |  Tatiana@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Tatiana Fraser is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Girls Action Foundation. She is currently occupying a consultative role at Girls Action Foundation. Throughout her career, Tatiana has contributed greatly to the expansion of all-girls leadership programs across Canada. A central focus of Ms. Fraser’s work is creating a movement that is inclusive of girls and women from all communities. Tatiana serves the community by regularly collaborating on national projects which advance girls’ and women’s leadership and representation. She is a member of the McConnell Foundation’s Social Innovation Lab, a national network of innovative organizations advancing social development in Canada. She has provided consultation to many projects, including the United Nations Association of Canada project, Healthy Children, Healthy Communities; the Alliance of Canadian Research Centres on Violence for a Canada-wide study of violence in girls’ lives; the Women’s Constitutions and Democratic Renewal Conference (2007); and  Determinants of Health of the Girl Child, a study conducted by the Canadian Institute for Child Health. In 2000, Tatiana was a Canadian delegate at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She is deeply committed to a collaborative approach to working with partners. She organized the first Canadian conference on girls and girlhoods in 2003, and regularly collaborates with other national organizations to advance girls’ and women’s equality and leadership.

Nisha Sajnani
Nisha Sajnani is a popular educator, registered Drama therapist and certified Canadian Counsellor. She is the director of Creative Alternatives, which provides continuing education on the role of the arts in health, education, and advocacy. She is also a facilitator with the Center for Community Organizations (COCo) where she designs and facilitates learning processes on anti-oppression, organizational development, and conflict mediation with arts, health, and social service agencies throughout Quebec. Over the past 12 years, Nisha’s work has focused on the interplay between structural and intimate relations of power and the ways in which these dynamics influence individual and collective agency. Through Creative Alternatives, Nisha co-designed and facilitated the Creating Safer Spaces program at the South Asian Women's Community Center in Montreal which draws on a popular theatre and community organizing strategy to address intimate and structural violence against immigrant and refugee women. Nisha also co-designed and facilitated Women Decide: A women’s leadership development program at the YWCA in Montreal. Nisha has a long history of creative facilitation with the Girls Action Foundation.

Nisha is on faculty at the Interfaith Institute at Simon Fraser University in BC where she teaches a course entitled Using Popular Theatre to Prevent Gender-Based Violence in Inter-Religious Contexts. She has also lectured at the Simone de Beauvoir, and the department of Creative Arts Therapies at Concordia University in Montreal. She is a doctoral candidate at Concordia University where her research centers on performance, storytelling and social change. When she’s not facilitating,you can find Nisha on stage with the Ollin Teatro Transformacion, or with the Montreal Playback Theatre Company. Nisha currently divides her time between Montreal and New Haven, CT.

Sarah DeCarlo, Ontario Region Project Coordinator
Sarah DeCarlo is an artist, filmmaker, singer/songwriter and mother. She currently resides in Peterborough, Ontario and recently spent time in Northern Quebec working on a media project with Cree youth. She has worked in a variety of fields but most specifically has worked to advocate and provide media and arts access and training in both urban and remote communities. She continues this works as the Ontario region media project coordinator for Power Camp National and as a part-time video coordinator at the Peterborough Arts Umbrella.

Christine McKenzie
Christine McKenzie is an educator who has been developing and facilitating anti-oppression educational processes in Canada and Central America over the past 15 years with community, artist and union groups such as Equitas International Centre for Human Rights Education, Youth Challenge International, the Ontario Literacy Coalition and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Christine’s love is working with girls and women. As a member of the Catalyst (popular education) Centre Christine co-designed and led Girls Power against Violence: Creating the Community we want!, a young women’s peer leadership and facilitation training program on violence against women, in partnership with Central Neighbourhood House and Education Wife Assault in Toronto. Christine also designed and co-facilitated the Facilitating Inclusion program, which has trained over 40 diverse women as popular educators through the St. Joseph Immigrant Women’s Centre in Hamilton. Christine holds an interdisciplinary Masters degree in Environmental Studies from York University where she worked with communities in Nicaragua to use radio for social change. She is presently pursuing her Ph.D. degree in Adult Education and Community Development at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (U of T) where her research focuses on women’s critical learning in non-formal education programs. When Christine is not in work mode she loves to walk in the trees, swim or explore the city on her bike.

Wariri Muhungi I wariri@girlsactionfoundation.ca
Wariri grew up in Africa and Europe and has been volunteering and working in areas of social justice with youth and women in various parts of the world including Kenya, Switzerland, Guatemala and now Canada. She has a Masters in Adult Education and Community Development from OISE (Ontario Institute of Studies in Education) and believes that we all have a responsibility as people and guests on Mother Earth to better our personal and collective lives (with accountability) through Education, Spirituality, Community Organizing, the Arts, Music and other Social Justice tools. While having a specific interest in African/black feminist thought, anti-colonial teachings including indigenous knowledge, she recognizes the intersectionality of nature, people, systems and the cosmos. She is constantly seeking for ways to decolonize her mind with integrity and African Women's Spirituality is her entry point and grounding foundation in her holistic journey. She enjoys any opportunity that deepens her learning and teaching. She loves to play games, read, listen to and create music.