UWI TORONTO - Key Persons
Dodridge Denton Miller was born at Cliff, which, as you will recognise by its name is located in the magnificent mountain range in the republic of St. John, the garden parish of Barbados. He describes himself as the middle child of almost a cricket team of 9 siblings, being the younger of a twin batting at numbers 4 and 5. For most of his school days he lived at Knight's Village in St. John, where he came under the formidable and formative influence of his grandmother, who was literally the godmother of the village - a hard-working but warm, generous and nurturing matriarch. His secondary school was Hilda Skeene's Industry High School in St. Philip, and he earned his A levels at the Barbados Community College. From there he joined Pannell Kerr Foster, and wasted no time in passing the ACCA.
After a productive stint with the Barbados National Bank, he joined Sagicor, then the Barbados Mutual, in 1989, at a time when the Mutual Affair was in high gear. And it was around this time that he met our Principal. Now you know, Chancellor, that cricket is often seen as a metaphor for life in the Caribbean. A namesake of mine, Sir William Fraser, writing a biography of the Duke of Wellington, said "The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." And I suspect it may soon be said that the success of the Cave Hill Campus was won at the Three Ws Oval.
Job Titles:
- Interim Principal of the Open Campus
- Principal ( Interim ), Open Campus
Dr Francis Severin is the Interim Principal of the Open Campus effective August 1, 2021.
Dr Severin, a national of Dominica, has had a long and distinguished career with The UWI. He was previously the Deputy Principal of the Open Campus, a position he has held from August 1, 2020.
Prior to being the Deputy Principal, he served as Director of Open Campus Country Sites (OCCS) from October 2013, having acted for long intervals in that post prior to that date. He served The UWI part-time as local Tutor in The UWI Distance Education (UWIDEC) Programme, School of Continuing Studies (SCS), in Dominica from 1994 to 1998, facilitating the courses: Introduction to Caribbean History for Law and Social Sciences and Introduction to Sociology of the Caribbean.
On January 1, 1999, he was appointed to his first full-time role in The UWI as Programme Officer in the Office of Administration and Special Initiatives (OASIs), headed by Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Marlene Hamilton, who was the Mona Campus's first female Deputy Principal and first woman ever to be appointed as PVC at The UWI. OASIs was a Centre Unit in the Vice Chancellery, headquartered then on the Mona Campus in Kingston, Jamaica.
In August 2005, Dr Severin returned to Dominica to take up the post of Resident Tutor and Head, School of Continuing Studies. While in that post he participated in the historical transition from the former entities that comprised the Board for Non-Campus Countries and Distance Education (NCC's & DE) to the Open Campus.
Dr Severin graduated from The UWI Cave Hill Campus in 1991 with a Bachelor's degree in History and Social Studies with Education. He went on to complete his postgraduate studies at The UWI Mona Campus: in 1998 with the MSc in Sociology specializing in Social Policy and Administration, followed by a PhD in Education, in 2006.
Dr Severin has served on numerous Campus and University boards and committees, including: University Council; University Appointments Committee; Board for Undergraduate Studies (BUS); Board for Graduate Studies and Research (BGSR); Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GPC); Open Campus Academic Board; Senate Committee on Ordinances and Regulations (SCOR); Campus Evaluations & Promotions Committee (EPC); Campus Appointments Committee (CAC); University and Campus ICT Steering Committees; University Executive Management Team; and the University Senate and Library Evaluations and Promotions Committee.
Dr. Severin was the Chair of the Committee of Deans in academic year 2019-2020 and has been the Open Campus' Public Orator since 2010.
Job Titles:
- International Education Adviser for the Government of Scotland
Dr. Avis Glaze is one of Canada's outstanding educators and a recognized international leader in education. From classroom teacher to Superintendent of Schools and Director of Education, this award-winning educator has experience at all levels of the school system. She was one of five Commissioners on Ontario's landmark Royal Commission on Learning, setting directions for the future of the education system. As the Province's first Chief Student Achievement Officer and Founding CEO of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, she played a pivotal role in working with educators to improve student learning, achievement and wellbeing. She served as Ontario's Education Commissioner and Senior Adviser to the Minister of Education. She taught in faculties of education (York and University of Toronto), and was appointed Professor in Residence at the Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa. Currently, she is President of Edu-quest International Inc., offering a wide range of educational services and speaking engagements across the globe. A highlight of her career was an invitation from Queen Sonya of Norway to address the issue of 'Can schools build better societies' with principals at her awards ceremony.
Dr. Glaze is a consummate capacity builder and inveterate learner who continues to take courses at every opportunity, for example, training in Visible Learning (Certified Trainer), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and the assessment of emotional intelligence. She co-authored Breaking Barriers: Excellence and Equity for All, High School Graduation: K-12 Strategies that Work, and a series titled, Class Interrupted - strategies for system, school and classroom improvement. Her most recent book, Reaching the Heart of Leadership (2017) is a testament to her people-oriented and outcomes-focussed approach to educational leadership.
Avis has worked with educators in over 50 countries and (U.S.) states, receiving several honorary doctorates some 40 awards for international contributions, including the Robert Owen Award, the first of its kind offered in Scotland. She has served as International Education Adviser to organizations such as Curriculum Services Canada, Learning Forward, and to governments such as South Africa, New Zealand and Scotland.
Avis believes that this is the Golden Age of Education and that educators are strategically placed to enhance life chances and to work, with indefatigable zeal, to build upon their current successes. She encourages all those engaged in this noble enterprise to intensify their efforts to improve their schools with a sense of urgency. As engaged citizens, we have a responsibility to ensure that all students achieve to the maximum of their potential, regardless of background or personal circumstances. For her, students must become solution finders who are prepared to contribute to nation building and prosperity.
Dr. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. He is Companion to the Order of Canada and a recipient of UNESCO's Kalinga Prize for science, the United Nations Environment Program medal, the 2012 Inamori Ethics Prize, the 2009 Right Livelihood Award, and UNEP's Global 500. Dr. Suzuki is Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and holds 29 honorary degrees from universities around the world. He is familiar to television audiences as host of the CBC science and natural history television series The Nature of Things, and to radio audiences as the original host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks, as well as the acclaimed series It's a Matter of Survival and From Naked Ape to Superspecies. In 1990 he co-founded with Dr. Tara Cullis, The David Suzuki Foundation to "collaborate with Canadians from all walks of life including government and business, to conserve our environment and find solutions that will create a sustainable Canada through science-based research, education and policy work." His written work includes more than 55 books, 19 of them for children. Dr. Suzuki lives with his wife and family in Vancouver, B.C.
Job Titles:
- Co - Patrons
- Communications Leader and Philanthropist / Patron
Job Titles:
- President and Vice - Chancellor of Brock University
Dr. Gervan Fearon is the President and Vice-Chancellor of Brock University. Brock is located in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada, and known for its excellence in student experience, experiential and co-operative education, and community engagement, as well as leading Scholars, Researchers and research institutes such as the Cold Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOCI) and the newly established Validation, Prototype and Manufacturing Initiative.
Since Dr. Fearon joined Brock in August 2017, the University has advanced its enrolment and national stature, and established broad partnership arrangements, including Canadian Caribbean Institute with the University of the West Indies.
Previously, he served at Brandon University as President and Vice-Chancellor, and prior as Provost and Vice-President Academic. Dr. Fearon also served as Dean of The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University; as Associate Dean at York University; and as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Washington.
He also served in the Ontario Government as a senior analyst at Treasury Board Division, Ministry of Finance, and as an executive assistant to the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. His community service includes serving as the President of Tropicana Community Services and a member of the Ontario Trillium Foundation Board, Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples Council and TELUS Community Board. He currently serves on several boards, including chairing the Budget and Audit Committee of the Council of Ontario Universities.
Dr. Fearon received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario, and other degrees at the University of Guelph. He holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) designation and an Institute of Corporate Directors Designation (ICD.D). He is the recipient of several awards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. His academic research has been published in a number of journals, including as a chapter in the 2012 book, Jamaican in the Canadian Experience: A Multiculturalized Presence.
Dr. Fearon was born in Birmingham, UK, with Jamaican parents who emphasized on university education for their four children. This motivated them to come to Canada, which was instrumental in fulfilling the family's dreams. Dr. Fearon and his life partner, Dr. Kathy Moscou, have a blended family with five children who inspire them every day. Kathy's leisure is art, and he plays the saxophone. As a cancer survivor, he values every day as an opportunity to contribute to the betterment of others and society.
Graça Machel is an African stateswoman whose decades long professional and public life is rooted in Mozambique's struggle for self-rule and international advocacy for women and children's rights. She is a former freedom fighter in Mozambique's FRELIMO movement and that country's first Minister of Education.
In the years following her tenure in government, Machel produced a ground-breaking UNICEF report "The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children" that changed the way the United Nations and member states respond in conflict zones. Since then, she has worked tirelessly in support of global health, child welfare, and women's rights and empowerment.
Machel works through several regional and international development bodies to accelerate social transformation. Machel is a founding member and Deputy Chair of The Elders, and played a key role in establishing Girls Not Brides. She is a member of the UN Secretary-General's Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group.
Machel lends her expertise to a number of organizations in a governance role. She serves as Board Chair of the Africa Child Policy Forum, Board Chair of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes, Board Chair of United People Global as well as Executive Chair of the Mandela Institute for Development Studies. Machel is a Board Member of the South African Future Trust (SAFT), Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the Kofi Annan Foundation, and Education Above All. She is Board Chair Emeritus for the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) and is a UNICEF Young People's Agenda Global Advisory Board Member.
She is Chairperson of Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital Trust and a Trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. She also sits on the Jack Ma Netpreneur Advisory Board. Additionally, she is the Chancellor of the African Leadership University.
Machel has created three non-governmental organizations in her own right. She founded and serves as President of the Foundation for Community Development and the Zizile Institute for Child Development. She founded the Graça Machel Trust in 2010 where she focuses on advocating for women's economic and social empowerment, food security and nutrition, education for all, as well as good governance.
Among numerous awards, Machel has received the United Nations' Nansen Refugee Award in recognition of her long-standing humanitarian work. In 1997, she was made an honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She is a member of the Ambassador David M. Walters International Paediatric Hall of Fame. In 2018, she was awarded the World Health Organization's highest honour, the WHO Gold Medal, for her enormous contributions to the health and wellbeing of women, children and adolescents. She was also acknowledged by Women Deliver with their 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award and she was named one of Africa's 50 Most Powerful Women by Forbes in 2020. Leiden University bestowed upon her an Honorary Doctoral Degree for her extensive work to advance children's rights in 2021.
Graça Machel has dedicated her life to improving the fate of women and children, inspiring hope, and building a more just and equitable world for us all.
Kevin has worked in a variety of public health roles across government and academia in the UK and internationally.
He became London's PHE Regional Director of Public Health and NHS in April 2020. He is the statutory public health advisor to the Mayor of London. He provides leadership across London for health, prevention of ill health, health protection and reduction of health inequalities.
In November 2020, Kevin was named by Powerlist as the second most influential black person in Britain for his work leading the fight against coronavirus and his public health leadership on tackling inequalities.
In Spring 2020, he oversaw the national PHE review of disparities in risks and outcomes of COVID-19 which included an epidemiological investigation, rapid review of the published literature, and an extensive stakeholder engagement with BAME communities, professionals, faith and system leaders. The review led to seven key recommendations which have shaped a more equitable COVID-19 pandemic response, nationally and locally.
Prior to starting as London's Regional Director he held a joint position as Strategic Director of Place and Wellbeing and Director of Public Health at London Borough of Southwark, and Senior Advisor, Public Health England. In this role he led the council's planning, regeneration, community engagement and public health portfolios driving inclusive regeneration, digital public health, asset-based community development and promoting health in all policies - working in partnership with NHS.
Professor Fenton was previously PHE's National Director for Health and Wellbeing leading national prevention programmes including screening for cancer, NHS Health Checks, obesity, mental health, e-cigarettes and tobacco harm reduction, HIV, sexual and reproductive health. He also established and led PHE's Health Equity programme focused on addressing the social determinants of health and promoting place-based approaches to health improvement.
Between 2005-2012, Professor Fenton was the Director of the National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He also served as chief of CDC's National Syphilis Elimination Effort and has worked in research, epidemiology, and the prevention of HIV and other STDs since 1995. Previously he was the director of the HIV and STI Department at the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency.
Harold Brathwaite is a proud Bajan-Canadian whose early education began under the tutelage of his mother, Lotty; she ensured that he could read and write, and knew all his tables before he started school at St. Giles Boys School. He attributes his parents' concern for learning as having a major impact on his life and that of his siblings. Two years at Combermere S.S. preceded his entry to Harrison College (HC), and a U.C.W.I. Exhibition allowed him to complete his first degree in French at Mona, Jamaica, in 1965; this included a year in Lyon, France. After teaching for three years at HC, he emigrated to Canada in 1968 to complete a Master's degree at McMaster University.
Harold's working career has spanned more than four and a half decades, including thirty-one years in publicly-funded education. He rose through the ranks of school administration with the Halton Board of Education, and from 1984 to 1994 he served in a number of senior roles with the legacy Toronto Board - Superintendent of French Language Schools, Superintendent of Secondary Schools, and Associate-Director of Program and Personnel. In 1994, he was appointed Director of Education of the Peel District Board of Education, then Canada's largest school board, and retired in June 2002. In recognition of his contribution to education in Peel, the Board named a high school in Brampton for him. He came out of retirement in January 2003 to take up the position of Senior Advisor to the President of Seneca College. Then, from September 2004 to June of 2015 he served as Executive Director of the Retired Teachers of Ontario (RTO/ERO).
He has been a vocal advocate for public education, for issues of equity, and for building capacity in communities. He served in many roles on Ministry of Education Committees, on Premier McGuinty's Transition Team, as a Trustee of the Art Gallery of Ontario, as Chair of the legacy Nelson Mandela's Children Fund of Canada, as a member of the Toronto Lands Commission, as a member of United Way of Peel, as a member and Chair of the Advisory Governance Council of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), and was selected in 1998 as one of a small group of Ontario educators to visit and advise the South African government on systemic education reform.
For his contribution to the community and education Harold Brathwaite has received numerous awards including the first Egerton Ryerson Award from People for Education, the Canadian Black Achievement Award, the Harry Jerome Award, UNICEF Volunteer Award, Distinguished Alumnus Award - McMaster University, the Arbor Award from the U of T, Distinguished Service Award from The Learning Partnership, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations Award, the Barbados Ball Canada Aid Errol Barrow Award, and in 2006 The Order of Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Chancellor
- Member of the Order of Canada
Janice Fukakusa is Chancellor, Ryerson University. She serves as a corporate director with extensive banking and financial services experience. She previously served as RBC's Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer and a member of RBC's Group Executive, from which she retired in January 2017 following a distinguished 31-year career.
Job Titles:
- Appleton Estate 's Master Blender, Joy Spence, Has the Honour of Being the First Woman to Hold the Position of Master Blender in the Spirits Industry
- Appleton Estate As Chief Chemist
In this role, Joy is responsible creating new rum blends. Simply put, it is Joy's job to ensure that that all Appleton Estate rum blends meet the high standards that consumers have grown to love and expect.
Joy joined Appleton Estate as Chief Chemist in 1981 where her passion for the art of creating rum-blends was inspired by her predecessor and mentor at the company, then Master Blender, Owen Tulloch. When Owen retired Joy was appointed the Master
The Honourable Justice Gregory Regis was appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in January 1999. He was born and grew up in the fishing village of Dennery, on the east coast of Saint Lucia.
In 2004, he was appointed Local Administrative Judge (LAJ) in Oshawa.
In 2007, he was appointed Regional Senior Justice (RSJ) for the Central East Region, becoming the first non-white person to hold that office. Regional Senior Judges exercise the powers of the Chief Justice in their regions. They also serve on the Executive Council of the Court. He served in that office for the maximum allowable two terms (six years).
He retired in 2014, but continues to serve as a part-time judge. In February 2017, he was appointed Distinguished Visiting Professor at Ryerson University.
Justice Regis has anchored his judicial career around the issue of access to justice. He has conducted seminars and workshops for judicial officers, and other participants in the court system, on the subject of illiteracy and the justice system.
His thesis is that illiteracy or low literacy is a barrier to full participation in the justice system. He submits that all participants in the system must be alert to the issue, and actively take measures to assist anyone who has that problem.
In 2004, he presented a paper titled Literacy and Access to Justice in Canada at the Third International Conference of the Council of Administrative Tribunals (CCAT) in Toronto.
Before becoming a judge, his legal career included one year in private practice, four years as Executive Director of the Jane Finch Legal Aid Clinic, and eight years as an Assistant Crown Attorney.
Justice Regis has had a varied work and community experience. He started his formal working life as a primary school teacher in Saint Lucia. He later worked as a laboratory technician and as a journalist.
His journalism career included positions as photo journalist at The Voice Newspaper (Saint Lucia's National newspaper) , News Editor at Radio Saint Lucia and correspondent in Saint Lucia for several Caribbean and International news organizations, including The Associated Press (AP), Trinidad Express Newspaper, Radio Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago) and Radio Antilles.
In Canada, he worked as an editor for CBC TV before entering law school. While studying law, he held a regular part-tine position in the CBC national radio newsroom in Toronto as an editor and producer.
Justice Regis has always been engaged in the black and Caribbean Community. He has served in leadership positions on the boards and committees of several organizations. These include The Black Resources and Information Centre (BRIC); The Canadian Foundation for Caribbean Development and Co-operation (CFCDC); Caribbean Cultural Committee (CARIBANA); The Canadian Council for International Co-Operation (CCIC);
Justice Regis holds a Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B) from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree (B.A.A.) in Journalism from Ryerson University.
He is a member of the Association of Ontario Judges (AOJ), the Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges (CAPCJ) and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History.
He is the recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Saint Lucia Governor General's Award, the BBPA's Harry Jerome Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ontario Medal for Community Service and the African Canadian Achievement Award for Law.
On May 31, 2013, Masai Ujiri was named President and General Manager of Basketball Operations of the Toronto Raptors. He returned to the Raptors organization where he had received his first front office position back in 2007.
Ujiri had spent the past three seasons as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Denver Nuggets. He was named 2012-13 NBA Executive of the Year after leading the Nuggets to a team-record 57 wins and a league-best 38-3 home court mark. Considered one of the most proactive executives in the NBA, Ujiri kept the Nuggets among the Western Conference elite through numerous trades and draft picks. He is best known for a 12-player deal on February 22, 2011 that sent All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks. That trade is heralded as a textbook example of how to receive high value in exchange for a pending free agent.
Ujiri got his NBA front office start in Toronto in 2007, joining the franchise as Director of Global Scouting. He was elevated to Assistant General Manager, Player Personnel in 2008 and worked closely with previous President Bryan Colangelo. His duties included overseeing the scouting and personnel departments, talent assessment and related data management.
On August 27, 2010, Ujiri became the first African-born GM in the NBA when he was hired to run the Nuggets' basketball operations department. It was also his second stint with the club after working as a scout from 2003-06 and the team's Director of International Scouting during the 2006-07 season. Prior to joining Denver, he worked as an international scout for the Orlando Magic.
In 2006, Mohamad Fakih purchased a nearly bankrupt restaurant and transformed it into, what is now known as the fastest growing Middle Eastern Halal restaurant chain in North America - Paramount Fine Foods. Mohamad's determination to change perceptions surrounding Middle Eastern food has driven Paramount's brand success across Canada and internationally as well as advancing the global Middle Eastern food trend. A community leader, Mohamad regularly participates in fundraisers and community events, supporting multiple causes and organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society, Islamic Relief worldwide, Sick Kids Hospital and the Make a Wish Foundation in Toronto. Both Paramount and Mohamad have donated generously to these charities and other non-profit organizations. Across his restaurants Mohamad offers discounts to all Emergency Service Workers in uniform to show appreciation for their service in our communities. This past year after the Canadian government decided to welcome 25,000 Syrian Refugees, Mohamad made headlines in Canadian News when he travelled to Lebanon to visit the Islamic Relief Camps for Syrian Refugees to gain a deeper understanding of current relief efforts. Hoping to lead by example, Mohamad partnered with Ryerson University, Toronto for the Lifeline Syrian Challenge - allowing Paramount Fine Foods to fund employment support counsel to help recruit new Syrian Canadians during their job search. Mohamad also committed to providing up to 100 jobs for the newcomers in his restaurants in 2017. Mohamad's determination to uphold values of giving back to communities where Paramount restaurants are located has resulted in a workplace culture of giving to others and to supporting one another. He has made philanthropy and giving back a key part of Paramount's culture and identity, setting it apart from other restaurants and businesses globally. Mohamad has been featured in a number of leading media outlets across Canada including CBC and CP 24 Television, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, Newstalk 1010, National Post and many more. In February 2017, Mohamad was acknowledged before the Canadian Parliament by Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau - as an Exemplary Canadian Citizen and Businessman who successfully operated a Middle Eastern restaurant chain, and was applauded for his charitable work in January 2017 when he covered the funeral costs of six victims of a mass shooting at a Quebec City mosque. In his business affairs and community work, Mohamad is viewed as a Canadian of Lebanese birth who transcends and brings together people of all origins in a global workplace advancing our communities and helping each other to contribute to our societies. The Prime Minister of Canada -Justin Trudeau- as well as the Premier of Ontario, Canada and several City Mayors have all visited Paramount Restaurants in Ontario. Along with being named a finalist in the 2014 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Mohamad made the cover of Canadian Immigrant Magazine for both his business success and inspiring life story. In addition, The Globe and Mail titled Mr. Fakih one of Toronto's "16 to watch in 2016". The list, released in January included other notable Canadians such as John Tory, Mayor of Toronto and Alessia Cara (International Artist). Toronto Life Magazine named Mohamad Fakih as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in 2017, including him in an affluent list of successful politicians, international businessmen, media and tech titans who are changing the world as we know it. In 2018 Mohamad Fakih, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and President of Paramount Fine Foods received an honorary Doctor of Law Degree, from Ryerson University in Toronto. Mohamad most recently received the prestigious 2018 Employer Award for Newcomer Employment from IRCC- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Mohamad is committed to revamping the traditional image of the Middle Eastern Restaurant industry by changing the way the cuisine is viewed and enjoyed. He believes that his hands-on approach to all aspects of his business ensures the Paramount model will sustain its growth and continue to provide jobs for Canadians including new immigrants globally as Paramount expands. Paramount currently employs over 2000 people across its 38 locations in Canada and 14 International locations, including gourmet butcher shops, food factories, the new Fresh East Middle Eastern sandwich franchise and its Toronto international corporate head office. The Paramount brand will have 63 locations by end of 2018 with new locations opening in Lebanon, the UK, New York state, US, Dubai and Pakistan. Paramount is proud to bring Halal Foods to the world after being the first halal restaurant to open at Terminals 1 and 3 at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Mohamad is a strategic and successful business leader who employs his skills, expertise and experience into expanding Paramount's brand to pioneer the halal market globally and always give back to the community. He believes this can only be achieved by sharing his vision, knowledge and expertise with his management teams, franchisees in each country where he opens locations. Mohamad aims to continue the exponential growth of Paramount globally while continuing to promote excellent standards of food quality and service in Middle Eastern restaurants and to share the cuisine with diverse audiences.
Job Titles:
- Director, the G. Raymond Chang Foundation / Patron
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Kocihta
- Officer of the Order of Canada
Community leadership is a passion in the life of Charlie Coffey-he believes in reaching out to people in all walks of life, understanding cultures, building relationships and speaking up about issues that need a stronger voice. Coffey's proven record and reputation in private, public and not-for-profit sectors across the country is a testament to this champion of children and early child development, young people, Aboriginal peoples, women entrepreneurs and women in public office, as well as education and diversity.
Charlie Coffey is the chair of Kocihta; member, National Committee of Aga Khan Foundation Canada, Advisory Council for the Mosaic Institute; and director, Canadians for a New Partnership, Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.
Mr. B. Denham Jolly is an award-winning businessman, philanthropist, entrepreneur, publisher/author and a human rights activist who is highly respected for his business acumen and community affairs.
Jolly was born in Green Island, Jamaica and attended Cornwall College. In Canada studied at the University of Guelph, Dalhousie and graduated from McGill in science, 1960. Jolly returned to Jamaica and did Nutrition Research for the Government. He returned to Canada in 1962 and worked as an Air Pollution Researcher for Metro Toronto and subsequently transferred to teaching science.
Jolly founded a senior care business and successfully operated his business, Tyndall Nursing Homes, in Ontario and Texas, as President & CEO for over 40 years.
1982, Jolly founded the Black Business Professional Association (BBPA) and the Harry Jerome Awards and bought/published the community newspaper, Contrast.
2001, Jolly was the Founder and President & CEO of Canada's first Black-owned radio station, FLOW 93.5, Toronto.
Jolly is named in the Who's Who of Ontario, Canada's Who's Who and the International Who's Who of Professionals and is acknowledged as a prominent African Canadian in How the Blacks Created Canada.
Jolly has also served as a Director of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) among his many credits. He has been recognized with an astounding list of distinguished awards including the: Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal; Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal; Canada's 125th Confederation Medal.
Mr. Jolly's community affairs include: Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA), Black Action Defense Committee (BADC), Committee for Due Process, Daphne Dacosta Cancer Association, Jane and Finch Concerned Citizens, Harriett Tubman Games, the YMCA and Caribana.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer, Senior Managing Partner & Co - Head of Enterprise Shared Services Group, Sprott Inc
Kevin was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario Canada and grew up in Toronto's Jane and Finch community. Upon graduating high school, Kevin attended the University of Toronto where he graduated with high distinction, receiving an honours degree in Business and then went on to pursue his chartered accountancy designation.
In 2015, Kevin, then 38 years old at the time, was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Sprott Inc., making him the youngest CFO of a publicly traded asset management firm in Canada. Today, Sprott has grown to become one of the largest alternative investment management firms in the world, managing over $30 billion in gold, precious metals and energy transition assets on behalf of 250,000 retail and institutional clients around the world. Kevin's role has expanded even further since 2015. Today, Kevin serves as Senior Managing Partner, CFO and Co-head, Enterprise Shared Services. In this expanded role, Kevin co-lead's Sprott's Enterprise Shared Services Group with specific responsibility for external financial reporting, investment operations, tax, treasury, financial planning and analysis, investor relations and corporate communications, information technology, office facilities and administration. In addition to his duties at Sprott, Mr. Hibbert serves as a board member of UHN Foundation, one of the largest hospital foundations in North America and previously served as Vice-chairman and treasurer of Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services.
In 2019, Kevin was elected by his peers as a Fellow of CPA Ontario. Less than 5% of accountants in North America carry the distinguished designation of ‘Fellow', making it the highest honour an accountant can achieve from a professional accountancy body in North America.
In 2022, Kevin was recognized by Report on Business Magazine and the Globe & Mail as one of Canada's 50 Best Executives.
Kevin lives in Toronto, Ontario with his wife of 22 years, Ann-Marie Hibbert and their 16 year old son, Caleb Hibbert.
On behalf of my co-patrons Mr. Andrew Chang, Ms. Brigette Chang, and our new patrons Mrs. Ann-Marie Hibbert and Mr. Kevin Hibbert and under the 2024 theme Lighting the Way Together, we look forward to once again sharing this wonderful evening with you. This is the spirit that gathers us together, reflecting the vibrancy of our Caribbean community and the kindness and commitment of our Canadian community.
Raj Kothari was a Partner and Vice Chair of PwC Canada. Raj served as Managing Partner for Greater Toronto at PwC until December 31, 2017 and was a member of PwC Canada's Extended Leadership Team until June 30, 2018. He also served as the National Asset and Wealth Management Leader, Global Transformation Leader for Asset and Wealth Management Assurance Practice, and as founding board member of PwC's Global Service Delivery Centre in India.
Raj's professional and business experience, over 40 years, spans Canada, the United Kingdom, and India, In Canada, he specialized in advising clients in the asset management and fund industry. His experience also includes banking, insurance, trading and manufacturing businesses, and IPOs and Secondary Offerings.
Raj has served on various working committees in the Investment Management Industry at the Ontario Securities Commission and at the Canadian Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Raj was an early pioneer and promoter of "Doing business in India" and assisted Canadian asset management companies in getting the Foreign Institutional Investor registrations in India, and also assisted Canadian corporations in determining their entry strategies in India and obtaining approvals for Foreign Direct Investment.
Raj graduated from the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard Business School and obtained an MBA from CASS Business School at the City, University of London. He also qualified as a chartered accountant in both Canada and the UK. Raj also completed the Directors' Certification Program at Harvard Business School.
Raj currently serves on the board of IMCO (Investment Management Corporation of Ontario), a $70-billion pension plan in Canada; Jarislowky Fraser and MD Growth Funds, both subsidiaries of Scotiabank; on the Independent Review Committee (IRC) of Brompton Funds; and as Advisor to a Private Family Office.
Active within the community, Raj has served as President of the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce, Chaired the Stratford Shakespeare Festival Endowment Foundation and served on various boards, including Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship / Students in Free Enterprise-Canada (ENACTUS), Duke of Edinburgh Awards-Ontario, Harvard Business School Club Toronto, Pearson College of the Pacific, Artscape, the Stratford Festival and Soulpepper Theatre, and the Ontario Arts Foundation.
Raj was also a member of the International Advisory Council of the Dean of the Schulich School of Business and a member of the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) President's Advisory Council.
Raj has been an active fundraiser and chaired: the Stratford Express, Stratford's single largest fundraising event for three years; "India, The Living Arts" Exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa; "Diwali, A Night To Shine" from 2012-2014 and 2017-2022 for the University Health Network (UHN); and Soulpepper Theatre's largest fundraising event in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Governors of the UHN Foundation, and on the boards of the University Health Network, UHN Foundation, and the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.
Job Titles:
- Chancellor, the University of the West Indies
Mr. Bermudez, a national of Trinidad and Tobago, has been an entrepreneur for over 40 years. He has led the growth of his family-owned business, to a regional business throughout the Caribbean and Latin America and has enjoyed a distinguished career in business, serving as either Chairman or Board Director for several other corporate bodies in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.
His vision for the University outlines a keen sense of the mission, effectiveness, relevance and interdependence of academia and the economy. His professional experience as a Caribbean-wide entrepreneur with business acumen garnered from across the region suggests that he will continue the distinguished tradition of Chancellorship that this University has maintained throughout its history.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder & President, Hibbert Family Foundation / Patron
Wendy attended Queen's College in Barbados and is a graduate of Harvard University and the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. She holds the Certified General Accounting designation (CGA), Chartered Professional Accounting designation (CPA) and Certified Healthcare Administrator designation. With a professional career which spans North America, Europe and the Caribbean, Wendy has held executive roles in healthcare, oil and gas, audit, financial services and international business. As President and CEO of Shepherd Village, one of the largest Seniors' communities in Southern Ontario, Wendy provides innovative executive leadership to her team of 500 as they serve 900 seniors across an integrated healthcare campus. Wendy's early implementation of COVID-19 pandemic preparedness protocols, successfully positioned Shepherd Village to avoid active outbreaks during wave one. She was recognized in June 2020 by the Scarborough-Agincourt community for her exemplary leadership of frontline workers and the most vulnerable in the community during the pandemic. Wendy was subsequently invited to serve on Ontario's Provincial Recovery and Planning Table to advise the Ministry of Health on implementation and oversight of COVID protocols throughout the pandemic. In response to increased gun violence in Toronto, Wendy co-founded The Canadian Multicultural LEAD Organization for Mentoring & Training. And in 2011, Wendy was recognized by the Toronto Police Service for her positive contributions to the community and dedication to youth. Wendy was recognized by Planet Africa in 2012 for her contribution to the Crossover Mentorship Program and for impacting the lives of youth and others in leadership. In 2019, Wendy was recognized with the Harry Jerome Award for Leadership by the Black Business & Professional Association. More recently, in March 2020, Wendy was selected as one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women. This award recognizes Wendy's personal support and involvement in the advancement of black women and girls, in addition to her demonstrated leadership, role modelling and volunteer activities. In December 2020, Wendy was recognized as a WXN Top100 "Canada's Most Powerful Women" for her excellence in leadership and inspiring the advancement of the next generation of female leaders. Wendy recognizes that authentic leadership is consistently being your best self. That whether you are enjoying success or working through challenges, life is about creating value for others, not just for yourself. Wendy and her husband Mark have three adult children William, Ashley and Warren. Wendy's family provides her unwavering encouragement to be her best self.
Job Titles:
- Director, the G. Raymond Chang Foundation / Patron
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Pro Vice - Chancellor
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine is the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal and chaired Professor of Labour Law and Offshore Financial Law. UWI, St. Augustine. She is the former Dean of the Faculty of Law and PVC, Graduate Studies and Research. An Oxford and Cambridge Scholar, she holds a doctorate in law from Oxford, LLM from Cambridge, LLB from the UWI and certificates in international human rights from the IIHR in Strasbourg. Antoine is an attorney, award winning scholar and author, international consultant, temporary Court of Appeal judge and activist. In 2014, she was elected President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, OAS, Washington, was the OAS Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples, Head of the OAS Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Unit and Rapporteur for Persons of African Descent and Discrimination. She was CARICOM Chair on HIV, Migration and Chair of the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana. She is the President of the Family Planning Association, a Cambridge Fellow, a member of Trinidad & Tobago's Industrial Relations Advisory Committee, an Honorary Fellow of the International Society for Trust Practitioners (STEP), the only Caribbean person and a Trustee of the London IPPF Board.
Antoine made history by winning the regional Vice Chancellor's Award of Excellence twice, in 2006 for Research and in 2013 for Public Service. In 2018 she was honoured by UWI Cave Hill Campus as an ‘'Outstanding Alumnus'. She has published 15 books and numerous scholarly articles, with her work being described by international reviewers as "original", "insightful and amazing". PVC Antoine was honoured as an Eminent Jurist- Pioneering Caribbean Woman by the Caribbean Court of Justice in 2021.
Antoine has served as Consultant to all of the governments in the Caribbean, UK, Venezuela, USA and Canada, the judiciary, NGOs and international organizations, including the EU, OAS, IADB, World Bank, CDB, CARICOM, UNDP, OECS, UNICEF, ILO, UNIFEM, CAREC, PANCAP, UNAIDS, UNDCP, and ECLAC, drafting legislation and authoring influential Policy Reports on several varied issues prioritizing Caribbean legal development, including Climate Justice, Anti-Discrimination, indigenous peoples, HIV, Education, Narcotics, Labour Law, Human Rights, Free Movement, Financial Law, Health, Gender, Money-Laundering, Anti-Corruption, the Judiciary, Public Service, Police, Juvenile Justice and Human Trafficking. This transformational work references the CARICOM Labour Law Report, the catalyst for labour law reform and non-discrimination legislation in the region, the Report of the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana, CSME legal reform, the TCI legislative reform project credited with returning the TCI to self-governance and more recently, her CARICOM Report on Marijuana, the blueprint for regional law reform.
Due to this path-breaking scholarship, activism and consultancy work, she is described by governments, international sources and others as the "foremost labour law expert in Labour Law in the region," the "leading" authority in the region in International Financial Law and HIV law and a ‘'change agent''. Antoine remains committed to development within the framework of human rights. She enjoys painting, gardening and is a trained classical singer.
Job Titles:
- Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ( TRC ) and First Aboriginal Judge
Senator Sinclair served the justice system in Manitoba for over 25 years. He was the first Aboriginal Judge appointed in Manitoba and Canada's second. He served as Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry in Manitoba and as Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). As head of the TRC, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the issuance of the TRC's report in 2015. He also oversaw an active multi-million dollar fundraising program to support various TRC events and activities, and to allow survivors to travel to attend TRC events.
Senator Sinclair has been invited to speak throughout Canada, the United States and internationally, including the Cambridge Lectures for members of the Judiciary of various Commonwealth Courts in England.
He served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Manitoba. He was very active within his profession and his community and has won numerous awards, including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Manitoba Bar Association's Equality Award (2001) and its Distinguished Service Award (2016) and has received Honorary Doctorates from 8 Canadian universities. Senator Sinclair was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016.
Shastri Ramnath is a Professional Geoscientist with 20 years of global experience within the exploration and mining industry. She started her career at Falconbridge in Winnipeg in 1999 and then moved to Sudbury to join FNX Mining in 2002. She was a key member of the exploration and resource group at FNX and part of the team that discovered the Victoria Deposit.
In 2010, Shastri joined Bridgeport Ventures Inc. as President and CEO where she raised over 17 million in the capital markets before merging the company with Premier Royalty. In 2012, she co-founded and co-owns Orix Geoscience Inc., a consulting firm that partners with exploration and mining companies to provide front end geological support. The success of Orix in its inaugural three years resulted in Shastri being nominated for the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year for Canada and was one of three finalists for the Momentum Award.
More recently, Shastri co-founded Exiro Minerals, a junior exploration company focused on project generation that combines technology with traditional exploration methodologies. Shastri received a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Manitoba, a M.Sc. in Exploration Geology from Rhodes University (South Africa), and an Executive MBA from Athabasca University.
The Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy, is an author of non-fiction, entrepreneur, historian, fashion designer, and community volunteer. She is the chairwoman of Lee Tak Wai Holdings Limited, and from 1981-1995, she was also the designer and business owner of Vivienne Poy Mode, achieving great success in wholesale and retail across Canada, USA and Japan.
Vivienne is a frequent global traveler who has received numerous honorary degrees and professorships from universities
Vivienne is a wife, mother and grandmother. She always has time for her family, and loves the solitude in the Canadian
The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain was born October 1, 1934, in northern Quebec. Her father was a prominent mining engineer in the early days of the Quebec gold mining industry and her mother was Senator Margaret Norrie of Truro, N.S.
Mrs. McCain received her early education in public and private schools in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in History from Mount Allison University, Sackville, N.B., and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Toronto. She has been presented with Honorary Degrees from a number of prominent Canadian universities (see below).
Throughout her career, Mrs. McCain has been active in organizations that promote education, music and the arts at the provincial and national levels. She was a member of the Mount Allison University Board of Regents from 1974-1994 and served as Chancellor of the University from 1986-1994. She is a founding member of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation in New Brunswick which is devoted to the elimination of family violence through public education and research. Mrs McCain chaired its capital campaign to endow a Family Violence Research Centre in partnership with the University of New Brunswick.
In 1955 she married entrepreneur G. Wallace F. McCain of Florenceville, N.B. who died in 2011. They have four children and nine grandchildren.
On April 28, 1994, Margaret Norrie McCain was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New Brunswick - the first female to hold this position. She served in that role until April, 1997. At that time she moved to Toronto to re-join her family.
Margaret McCain was a member of the Board of the National Ballet School for 18 years serving as Board Chair from 1998 to 2000. She then went on the Chair the School's successful $100 million fund raising campaign. She is currently Chair of the Margaret & Wallace McCain Family Foundation. The mission of this Foundation is to champion effective early childhood programmes across Canada; programmes that provide equal opportunities for all children, align with the school system and operate within a provincial or territorial framework.