Who we are

Staff

Janelle Yanishewski

Executive Director
Janelle (she/her) is a dedicated bridge-builder, committed to fostering understanding across diverse perspectives and guiding others through

Janelle (she/her) is a dedicated bridge-builder, committed to fostering understanding across diverse perspectives and guiding others through the discomfort of growth. With over a decade of invaluable experience in the non-profit sector, Janelle excels in operations management and event coordination, bringing her passion for collaboration to every endeavor. Since joining Harmony Movement in 2013, Janelle has been an integral member of the team, rising to a leadership role in 2015 and becoming Executive Director in 2021. Her impact is felt far and wide, having orchestrated youth events and conferences in every corner of Canada, reaching over 6,000 young minds. Additionally, she has orchestrated a myriad of galas, adult education conferences, and networking events, showcasing her versatility and adaptability. She also possesses expertise in communications, marketing, fundraising, project management, and program/curriculum development. Her academic background, including a B.A. in Equity Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Toronto, informs her holistic approach to social change. Above all, Janelle values the power of partnerships, recognizing that meaningful collaboration across organizations and sectors is essential for amplifying and accelerating social progress. With her unwavering dedication and strategic vision, Janelle continues to inspire positive change and foster connections that bridge divides.

Shafiq Aziz

Director of Programs
Shafiq (he/him) is an equity and social justice advocate, with over 15 years of community organizing experience in Toronto.

Shafiq (he/him) is an equity and social justice advocate, with over 15 years of community organizing experience in Toronto. He brings a wealth of expertise to his work and has a passion for fostering transformative conversations and cultivating inclusive environments. Shafiq is also a high school teacher, working with students with diverse special education needs in both traditional and alternative learning environments. He holds a B.A. in Equity Studies and Women and Gender Studies, along with a B.Ed. from the University of Toronto.

Shafiq empowers educators, administrators, and workplace leaders to enhance their skills in fostering inclusive environments. His dedication to equity and inclusion drives him to connect educators across schools and the province, creating collaborative structures to advance vital initiatives. Shafiq is a catalyst for discussions on social justice, anti-racism, and anti-oppression, guiding participants toward meaningful action and tangible change.

Emad Awadalla

Francophone Program Facilitator
Emad (he/him) has deep global expertise in high school teaching, in a wide spectrum of roles as guidance counsellor, Vice Principal

Emad (he/him) has deep global expertise in high school teaching, in a wide spectrum of roles as guidance counsellor, Vice Principal, and Acting Principal. He is passionate about the well-being of students and their families and invested in fostering collaborative relationships between schools and homes. He creates impact by designing curriculum to be more focused on interpersonal skills, and emotional and intuitive intelligence development.

Shaneista Haye

Program Facilitator
Shaneista (she/her) is a public policy professional and has been working in the public sector for nearly a decade, where she continues as a Senior Policy

Shaneista (she/her) is a public policy professional and has been working in the public sector for nearly a decade, where she continues as a Senior Policy Advisor, working on initiatives to advance human rights. She is committed to helping clients foster organizational change and address systemic barriers. Shaneista has a B.A in Criminal Justice and Public Policy from the University of Guelph, a M.A in Political Science from the University of Toronto, and a LL.M from the University of Ottawa.

Justine Hicks

Program Manager
Justine (she/her) has over 10 years of experience as a passionate educator. She strongly values creating spaces where people feel empowered to engage in

Justine (she/her) has over 10 years of experience as a passionate educator. She strongly values creating spaces where people feel empowered to engage in reflective dialogue and learn from one another. Her approach is rooted in empathy, cultural competence, and an understanding of the unique challenges faced by different individuals and groups.

She seeks to prioritize the overall wellbeing of individuals, integrating mindfulness practices into her work, and fostering a deeper sense of self-awareness and self-compassion among individuals.

Whether working with small or large groups, Justine is dedicated to driving positive change by fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect. Her goal is to inspire lasting transformation, one conversation at a time.

Tracey Koranteng

Program Facilitator
Tracey (she/her) is a Mental Health Practitioner, Spoken-Word Artist and Advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity and access. One of her many life goals is

Tracey (she/her) is a Mental Health Practitioner, Spoken-Word Artist and Advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity and access. One of her many life goals is to create safe spaces and opportunities that foster meaningful conversations about challenging topics that can positively transform our world.

Taraneh Vejdani

Program Manager
Taraneh (she/her) has been an educator and facilitator for youth and adults, particularly folks from marginalized communities, in the past decade.

Taraneh (she/her) has been an educator and facilitator for youth and adults, particularly folks from marginalized communities, in the past decade. Her B.A. in International Development Studies combined with her lived experience as a 1.5-generation immigrant allows her to reflect on social justice and equity issues from both local and global perspectives. Her love for arts and media motivates her to create engaging and participatory educational spaces that promote self-reflection, collective learning, and a creative mindset shaped by principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Board of Directors

Bernice Carnegie

Chair
Bernice is a founding director of two charities: the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation, a youth empowerment initiative and The Carnegie Initiative for acceptance and inclusion in hockey.

Bernice is a founding director of two charities: the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation, a youth empowerment initiative and The Carnegie Initiative for acceptance and inclusion in hockey. Bernice worked with her father hockey trailblazer Herbert Carnegie for three decades addressing social justice issues that promote proactive lifestyle change. She is an author, international speaker and recipient of numerous community, leadership and achievement awards.

Cheuk Kwan

Treasurer
Cheuk served as Executive Director of Harmony Movement from 1998-2021. In 1978, he co-founded an Asian Canadian magazine on arts and cultural activism. In 1979, Cheuk led a community protest against the racist portrayal of Chinese

Cheuk served as Executive Director of Harmony Movement from 1998-2021. In 1978, he co-founded an Asian Canadian magazine on arts and cultural activism. In 1979, Cheuk led a community protest against the racist portrayal of Chinese Canadians by a national television network and help found the Chinese Canadian National Council. He has also directed and produced a documentary series about the Chinese diaspora.

Helen Martin

Dr. Helen Martin brings extensive experience in social work and community development, focusing on mental health and supporting marginalized communities across India and Canada. Her academic journey, which includes a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work and a Ph.D. in Psychiatry,

reflects her dedication to driving meaningful change in these fields. Passionate about fostering inclusion, Dr. Helen co-founded Students Advocating for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (SAFE) at McGill University. She has held key leadership roles, including serving as Chairperson of the Student Social Work Association. She has spearheaded strategic initiatives that have improved mental health services for thousands of underserved individuals. Her research contributions, which include influential publications, have enhanced the inclusivity and effectiveness of mental health programs.

Aimen Aziz

Aimen (she/her) works for a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education non-profit with the goal of engaging all youth across Canada in accessible and relevant STEM learning. She is passionate about education and teaching that is holistic, hands-on, and take a student-first approach. She has a B.Ed from the University of Saskatchewan and has had the pleasure of working in classrooms and other educational settings across NU, NWT, AB, SK, and ON with a specific focus on working in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

Ashley D’Silva

Ashley is an Independent Financial Advisor providing financial planning and insurance services to individuals and businesses. His interest in developing respect for diversity for ourselves and generations to come brought him to Harmony Movement. He believes social division comes at a high cost and by finding ways to empower youth today we can build stronger communities in the future.

Nicole Fournier-Sylvester

Nicole has 20+ years of experience working with Canadian and global partners, including the Global Centre for Pluralism, UNESCO and Project Someone, designing, implementing, and evaluating programming in the formal and informal education sectors. Nicole has a PhD in Education and a record of publications, presentations and professional development workshops on civic literacy, critical thinking, digital citizenship, dialogue and building resilience to hate.

vibhor garg

vibhor grew up in the Robinson-Huron Treaty in Sudbury, Ontario with ancestry from India. vibhor has worked in the non-profit sector for nearly 20 years working with youth. Much of his work has focused on ensuring young people from Indigenous communities and communities of colour have space to lead and are involved in key decision making roles. In his work he has learned to navigate systems and help young people involved in social justice movements gain more equitable access to resources.

Ranvir Jangi

Ranvir is a retired public servant from the Federal Government and has been active for over thirty years in promotional diversity. He is a graduate of Maytree Foundation’s “Leaders for Change” program and is a principal of Facilitation at work! which

Nodin Arene Nganji

Nodin has a degree in International Development and has worked with non-profit organizations that focus on affordable housing, and mentored Black high school students in Toronto. He worked with the University of Toronto to create a framework celebrating Black Canadians. He participated in U.S. President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, and is a member of the World Youth Alliance. He represented Canada as a Student Delegate for the annual UN Geneva Summit for Human Rights & Democracy.

Beverley Johnson

Beverley is a labour activist and has held positions at the Ontario Public Services Employee Union, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and the Jamaican Ministry of Labour and National Insurance. She is also a founding member of the Ontario Coalition of Visible Minority Women and the Toronto chapter of the Congress of Black Women.

Vanessa Coqueiro

Vanessa is passionate about developing people and bringing efficiencies to business processes. She is a seasoned leader with over twenty years of management consulting experience focused on technology and

organizational performance improvement. As a partner at Deloitte, Vanessa helps organizations optimize their Finance function through automation and leading practices around people, processes, technology, data and controls. Throughout her career, she worked on small and large projects in Canada, Australia and Brazil, in different roles including sales, delivery and leadership. She manages people across Canada and offshore, and feels energized working with multi-cultural teams. Vanessa is a coach and mentor, and is committed to pushing the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion agenda forward every day. In her spare time, she volunteers as a board member of other Canadian charities dedicated to youth mental health and sustainability education.

Trish Yeates

Trish is a retired teacher, vice-principal and principal after 37 years in the York Region District School Board. Trish is passionate about providing safe spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff and community members. She led a network of teachers across the board interested in creating Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) in elementary schools. Today, almost every elementary school in YRDSB has a GSA safe space to support 2SLGBTQIA+ students and their allies. Eliminating barriers to creating safe and welcoming schools for all identities continues to be a passion for Trish as she supports the very important work of Harmony Movement.

Co-Founders

Joseph Wong
Mary Ann Chambers
Gordon Cressy