Board of Directors

Our supporters have given generously to the MRCSSI.

We want to ensure that we exercise sound stewardship of their contribution and are delivering on our mission to serve our community.

Current Board of Directors

The role of the Board of Directors is critical to the organization. Their active participation and oversight ensure that we stay true to our vision. Some of the board’s duties include:

 

●   Ensure the expected standards of governance, accountability and transparency are met.
●   Approve budgets, audited financial statements, and governance policies.
●   Ensure all by-laws and policies, including those addressing conflict of interest, and code of ethics, meet today’s standards.
●   Provide general oversight and create a culture of excellence within the organization.

Tosha Densky

Tosha Densky

Tosha Densky: Tosha Densky is a social worker and academic counsellor in London Ontario. Much of her work has centered on community development and increasing community health and wellbeing through systems advocacy, collaborative leadership, and community capacity building. Tosha’s passion for community social work, research, and evaluation has led to several initiatives both nationally and internationally aimed at improving health equity for individuals and communities experiencing poverty and marginalization. Tosha has a shared history with MRC, supporting projects aimed at increasing service provider capacity to identify, screen for, and provide culturally relevant services for individuals and families from Muslim and collectivist backgrounds. In 2018, Tosha joined King’s University College as the Programs Liaison for the School of Social Work, where she hopes to continue to inspire future generations of social workers as social justice advocates.

Bonnie MacLachlan

Bonnie MacLachlan

Bonnie MacLachlan is a retired professor from the Classics Department at Western University. She has published books and articles on ancient Greek religion and poetry, and on gender relations in the ancient world. She also published the writings of one of her students, a young woman from Iran who was abused by her father and ultimately committed suicide. While active on campus she joined or led several initiatives addressing inequity and discrimination experienced by marginalized groups.

Zeba Hashmi

Zeba Hashmi

Zeba Hashmi: Zeba Hashmi, is mother, wife, and new grandmother, devoted to life-long community-building and enthusiastic about continuous learning. She is a recent Western and University of Windsor Alumni (BA Sociology & Family Studies, MA Education Administration). Zeba has been continuously engaged in outreach and advocacy activities for over a decade.  She is passionate about community service & serving the marginalized.  She has served on boards and committees in Regina, SK (Regina Huda School, Muslim for Peace & Justice, Islamic Association of Saskatchewan, Multi-Faith Forum), & London, ON (London Islamic School, London Muslim Mosque, Muslim Outreach Committee, Caring Canadian Society, Muslim Association of Canada (London Chapter), City of London’s Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Oppression Advisory Committee (DIAAC), London Heritage Council, Pakistan Canadian Association) & ran as a nomination contestant in the federal election 2021.

Sohail

Sohail Makhdoom

Sohail Makhdoom is currently Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Paediatrics at Victoria Hospital and works as a Staff Psychiatrist at the Child and Parent Resource Institute (CPRI). Sohail is originally from Pakistan and came to the US in 2000 with his wife to do his residency training. He completed his training in Psychiatry with sub-specialization in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the US and moved to London with his wife and three children in 2007.

Sohail is very active in the community and volunteers with a number of organizations. He also served as a board member with Western Area Youth Services from 2009-12.

Angela Ingram

Angela Ingram

Angela Ingram: Angela Ingram is currently the full-time vice-principal at Ashley Oaks Public School in London On. and has worked with Thames District School Board for over 15 years, beginning as an Educational Assistant, then as a primary junior teacher and then moving into administration. She is excited about working with such an inspiring team to help families and communities well-being.  

Shelly Yeo

Shelley Yeo

Shelley Yeo: Shelley has 30+ years of leadership in the Violence Against Women/Gender Based Violence field. She has been an active participant and has co-founded several initiatives that promote an end to violence in all its forms. Awareness, development and coordination within a relational, trauma/violence informed practice are of particular interest to Shelley. She loves spending time with her grandchildren, practicing yoga, hiking, cooking, entertaining, travelling, watching gardens grow and stepping out of her comfort zone on occasion. Shelley challenges herself and others with maintaining the vision of a world where we are all free to make personal choices and to live in peace.

Zaheiya Moussa

Zaheiya Moussa

Zaheiya Moussa: Zaheiya was born and raised in London, Ontario. She has worked in social services for over 10 years. She was first connected with Muslim Resource Centre through her work as a Family and Child Counselor at Anova, a shelter for Women and children fleeing abuse. She oversees and facilitates groups for victimized families within the London Community. Zaheiya is also a certified trauma specialist. Currently, Zaheiya has started a new chapter in her career, she works for TVDSB as a School Counsellor. She’s active in volunteering with multiple organizations and working with a diverse population. She is known for her strong advocacy, child and youth mental health and well-being. She is dedicated and committed to building capacity and resilience in community.

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Lena Hassan

Coming soon

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Amir Hage

Coming soon

Past Board of Directors

The past members of the Board of Directors have played an integral role in shaping the organization and laying the foundations for its current success. Their dedicated service has been instrumental in maintaining the core values and mission of the organization, ensuring governance, financial health, and operational excellence.

Accomplishments and Responsibilities:

  • Governance and Accountability: The past board members have set a high standard for governance and accountability. They have been diligent in their oversight functions, regularly reviewing policies and ensuring all regulatory requirements were met.
  • Financial Oversight: They have approved annual budgets and audited financial statements, ensuring the organization’s financial stability. Their prudent fiscal management has enabled current programs and future initiatives.
  • Ethical Standards: Our former board members were responsible for developing and implementing policies that address conflict of interest and codes of ethics. These standards have set the organization on a solid path of ethical decision-making.
  • Organizational Culture: Through their leadership and oversight, the past board members have instilled a culture of excellence within the organization, empowering staff and volunteers to strive for high standards in their roles.

While they may no longer serve in an active capacity, the contributions of our past board members continue to influence the organization’s strategies and actions. Their legacy can be seen in the strong governance frameworks, financial health, and community impact that the organization enjoys today.

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Barb MacQuarrie, Co-Chair

Barb MacQuarrie is the Community Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women & Children at Western University. She develops and promotes evidence based education and prevention initiatives involving both community-based and university-based partners.

Barb coordinated the first Canadian study on the impacts of domestic violence on the workplace. Her recent research and education initiatives have focused on sexual violence on campuses and workplace education on domestic violence. She is proud to support the mission of the MRCSSI to provide culturally integrative services that build capacity to help individuals, families and communities to overcome challenges, manage conflict and ensure safety and well-being.

Barb is a recipient of the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest official honour, recognizing individual excellence.

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Mihad Fahmy, Co-Chair

Mihad Fahmy is a local human rights and labour law lawyer. Mihad conducts workplace investigations and provides consultancy services regarding HR policies and procedures. In her human rights practice, she represents individuals before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and regularly advises individuals, not-for-profits and small businesses regarding their rights and obligations under human rights legislation and policies.

Mihad is also a part-time adjunct professor at Huron, Western University, teaching a course on Freedom of Religion and Accommodation in Canada.

Mihad has always been actively engaged in her community. She has served on the Board of Directors of the London & Middlesex Children’s Aid Society and the City of London’s Diversity and Race Relations Advisory Committee.

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Moe Zeidan, Treasurer

Moe Zeidan is a principal consultant at Bluenose Business Solutions, assisting small to medium-sized enterprises with their accounting and financial management needs. Moe spent over seven years in the financial services industry with the Royal Bank of Canada and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. His experience is in relationship management, market strategy, pricing, community outreach and sharing of best practices for commercial clients in South Western Ontario.

Moe is also Treasurer for Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a community partner organization with MRCSSI. Moe is passionate about economic development, youth empowerment, and newcomer/immigration integration.

Mohamed Hammoud

Mohamed Hammoud

Mohamed Hammoud is a TEDx speaker and seasoned facilitator with over 20 years expertise working with organizations to help them identify their purpose, align teams and develop leaders through Emotional Intelligence.

As a leadership and diversity consultant, Mohamed believes in the mission of the MRCSSI and its outstanding service to the community. In the past, he has worked with the MRCSSI on the Reclaim Honor project and was one of the keynote speakers.

Irv Augustine

Irv Augustine

Irv Augustine came to MRC at the invitation of Dr. Baobaid. His emphasis on the well-being of the family, facilitation of cultural adaptation as honouring where we come from as well as where we are becoming belongers, resonated with Irv’s own values.

Further, supporting families where transitions into a new culture and context are challenging, without condemning or demoralizing, is so life-giving! Finally, the ability of MRC to bring the main players that support successful cultural and family integration is wonderful.

Melikie Joseph

Melikie Joseph, Past Chair

Melikie Joseph, MSW, RSW, served as Board Chair for the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration from 2016-19. As a social worker, she has conducted court-ordered custody and access investigations/assessments, provided victim services for the London Police, and more recently, provides counseling services for families of the ill, injured or deceased members of the Canadian Armed Forces through the Southwestern Ontario Military Family Resource Centre.

Melikie is qualified as an Expert Witness in the area of Custody and Access, Ontario Court. In 2017, she was appointed to the Ontario Judicial Council to review and investigate complaints about the conduct of provincially-appointed judges and determine appropriate dispositions.

Melikie is a founding board member of the Association to Eliminate Hate and Bias Crimes and she has been effective at facilitating communication between a representative from the broader Canadian Society and the Muslim community. Her contributions were formally recognized by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women in 2016 as a recipient of the “Women Who Inspire” award.  Melikie believes in the importance of building strong and healthy communities through the elimination of violence and oppression and embraces the Mission and Vision of MRCSSI.

Each year, we provide direct counselling and social support services to just under 150 families and touch the lives of around 500 individuals, who are struggling with stressors and challenges that impact their wellbeing and safety.

  • Ensure safety for women and children.
  • Interrupt and de- escalate family violence.
  • Support and engage all members of the family including extended family.
  • Provide critical support for families involved with child protection services and the family violence sector.

 

In addition, our culturally-adapted intervention-based programs such as the highly successful Strengthening Families and Caring Dads programs, along with our various public education workshops, cater to almost 400 unique clients and participants each year.

 

Public education on gender-based violence (GBV) and abuse, and anti-racism and anti-oppression initiatives are a big part of what we do at MRCSSI. With over 650 posts in 2020 on Instagram and Twitter alone, and over 1500 followers, MRCSSI is also using social media to make an impact.

Each year, we provide direct counselling and social support services to just under 150 families and touch the lives of around 500 individuals, who are struggling with stressors and challenges that impact their wellbeing and safety.

  • Ensure safety for women and children.
  • Interrupt and de- escalate family violence.
  • Support and engage all members of the family including extended family.
  • Provide critical support for families involved with child protection services and the family violence sector.

 

In addition, our culturally-adapted intervention-based programs such as the highly successful Strengthening Families and Caring Dads programs, along with our various public education workshops, cater to almost 400 unique clients and participants each year.

 

Public education on gender-based violence (GBV) and abuse, and anti-racism and anti-oppression initiatives are a big part of what we do at MRCSSI. With over 650 posts in 2020 on Instagram and Twitter alone, and over 1500 followers, MRCSSI is also using social media to make an impact.

Each year, we provide direct counselling and social support services to just under 150 families and touch the lives of around 500 individuals, who are struggling with stressors and challenges that impact their wellbeing and safety.

  • Ensure safety for women and children.
  • Interrupt and de- escalate family violence.
  • Support and engage all members of the family including extended family.
  • Provide critical support for families involved with child protection services and the family violence sector.

 

In addition, our culturally-adapted intervention-based programs such as the highly successful Strengthening Families and Caring Dads programs, along with our various public education workshops, cater to almost 400 unique clients and participants each year.

 

Public education on gender-based violence (GBV) and abuse, and anti-racism and anti-oppression initiatives are a big part of what we do at MRCSSI. With over 650 posts in 2020 on Instagram and Twitter alone, and over 1500 followers, MRCSSI is also using social media to make an impact.

Each year, we provide direct counselling and social support services to just under 150 families and touch the lives of around 500 individuals, who are struggling with stressors and challenges that impact their wellbeing and safety.

  • Ensure safety for women and children.
  • Interrupt and de- escalate family violence.
  • Support and engage all members of the family including extended family.
  • Provide critical support for families involved with child protection services and the family violence sector.

 

In addition, our culturally-adapted intervention-based programs such as the highly successful Strengthening Families and Caring Dads programs, along with our various public education workshops, cater to almost 400 unique clients and participants each year.

 

Public education on gender-based violence (GBV) and abuse, and anti-racism and anti-oppression initiatives are a big part of what we do at MRCSSI. With over 650 posts in 2020 on Instagram and Twitter alone, and over 1500 followers, MRCSSI is also using social media to make an impact.

Past Board of Directors

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