Meet Our Keynote Speaker

Canadian Red Cross

Table Captain: Maram Suleiman – Emergency Management Coordinator

The mission of the Canadian Red Cross is to help people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and support them in strengthening their resilience. The Canadian Red Cross Society is part of the largest humanitarian network in the world. This network includes the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

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Maram Suleiman

Emergency Management Coordinator

Maram Suleiman, a dedicated Emergency Management Coordinator with the Canadian Red Cross, brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her role in disaster response and community resilience. Maram has built a distinguished career in emergency management, leveraging her background in economics and her higher degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from the Justice Institute of British Columbia.
With over ten years of experience in humanitarian work, Maram has worked with international organizations such as Oxfam GB, Human Relief Foundation, and IREX International, addressing critical issues like human rights, refugees, gender equality, and youth development. 

At the Canadian Red Cross, Maram is committed to strengthening disaster response systems, focusing on innovative solutions for volunteer coordination and community preparedness. Her dedication to collaboration and partnership-building has made her a trusted professional in the field.

Global Shapers Community – Vancouver

Table Captain: TBC

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Table Captain TBC

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Habitat for Humanity

Table Captain: Persis Ahrestani – Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

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Persis Ahrestani

Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

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Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC)

Table Captain: Jonathan Oldman

Since 1968, ISSofBC has worked to provide a welcoming and empowering environment for all newcomers to British Columbia. Our services support settlement and English language needs, as well as employment and career ambitions. We are driven by core values and principles that put inclusivity, compassion and innovation at the centre of our work. We serve over 25,000 newcomers to BC each year. You can learn more about ISSofBC at www.issbc.org.

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Jonathan Oldman

Chief Executive Officer

Jonathan has over 20-years leadership experience in BC’s social impact sector, working with a range of organizations serving the homeless, individuals with mental health and addiction challenges, seniors, and those with cancer and at end-of-life. Jonathan also serves on the Boards of Catalyst Community Developments Society, a NFP real estate developer, and NewTrack Solutions Inc., a for-profit company owned by ISSofBC.

Ocean Wise

Table Captain: Scott Bohachyk

Ocean Wise’s Youth programs inspire and empower youth to take actions that will help protect and restore our oceans. Leading the Ocean Wise Youth team since 2019, Scott has spent his career seeking solutions to the complex environmental challenges of our present and future and believes empowering young people is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. Ocean Wise’s Youth initiative transforms the latest conservation research and solutions from Ocean Wise’s other initiatives (Fisheries and Seafood, Ocean Free Plastics, Whales, Seaforestation and Changing Arctic), to create a wide range of student-centered and inquiry-based programs that allow young people to design their own solutions to the challenges we collectively face.

Ocean Wise Youth has grown to reach over 500,000 people per year, with approximately 75% of youth reporting an increase in awareness, and commitment to behaviour change, after their engagement with Ocean Wise. Scott and the team partner with like-minded organizations to reach new audiences and offer an “ocean lens” to other organizations’ work.

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Scott Bohachyk

Director, Seaforestation

Scott is driven by the significant potential of nature-based solutions to address the interconnected challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. As Ocean Wise’s Director of Seaforestation, Scott’s focus is on the pivotal role kelp forests play in enhancing oceanic health worldwide. Approaching this work with an integrated and inclusive approach, Scott has developed numerous partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, coastal stakeholders, governments, and other partners to accelerate the protection and restoration of kelp forests around the world.

Prior to his current role at Ocean Wise, Scott spent five years with the United Nations Association in Canada. There, he was instrumental in raising over $10 million to deliver national and international programs that accelerated Canada’s green economy and provided hundreds Canadian young professionals with international development sector experience. His contributions led to his election, on two occasions, to represent Canadian civil society at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi.

Scott’s international experience has further informed his interest in global environmental issues. He collaborated with the United Nations Development Program in Bhutan to contribute to the country’s green jobs strategy and has worked in Botswana, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.

Scott’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta, a Master of Development Practice from the University of Waterloo, and a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University.

QMUNITY

“QMUNITY is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives. We provide a safer space for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and their allies to fully self-express while feeling welcome and included. Our building serves as a catalyst for community initiatives and collective strength.”  

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Anoop Gill (She/Her/Hers)

Executive Director, Programs & Services

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United Nations Associations in Canada – Vancouver

TABLE CAPTAIN: GEORGE SOMERWILL , ROSIO GODOMAR

UNAC-V aims to inform, inspire, and engage with people in Metro Vancouver through local partnerships, to accomplish the vital work of the UN. Some of the many issues UNAC-V addresses, include poverty, gender inequalities, human rights, cross-cultural understanding, environmental degradation and threats to peace and security. This is all brought together under the umbrella of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our affairs are guided by our volunteer Board of Directors, who are responsible for advising local policy decisions, planning, and implementing activities, and the management of general branch operations.

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George Somerwill

UN Department of Peacekeeping / Former Director of Communications 

George is a Canadian former United Nations staff member who worked for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) in a number of peacekeeping and other UN operational areas from 1996-2011. His work took him to Angola, Iraq (the Oil-for-Food Program), Pakistan (with UNICEF), Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, and Liberia. George has a MA in Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development in York U, UK. He started his career in the BBC Africa service and the CBC (As it Happens). As a journalist and producer, he travelled frequently to some of the world’s worst trouble spots, including Ethiopia and Somalia. He also worked for CIDA and CARE Canada in Ottawa and Africa (Kenya and Zimbabwe) in communications and fundraising programming. He is currently an honorary member and former President of the Vancouver Board of the UN Association in Canada (UNAC) and was on the board of MOSAIC, a Vancouver-based immigrant service organization, from 2015-2021.

Rosio Godomar

UNAC-Vancouver Treasurer

Profile TRosio was born in Peru and now, lives in Vancouver. She is a nutritionist and a keen amateur photographer; She has worked with the UN World Food Program (WFP) for more than 20 years in humanitarian and emergency programs in Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Sudan, Ethiopia and Liberia) and the Middle East (Iraq) as well as South Asia (Pakistan and Afghanistan). She has studied nutrition in Peru and Germany and has an MSc in Human Nutrition from the Federal University of Rio da Janeiro, Brazil. In 2013, Rosio started the “Educate Girls Network” (EGN) – initiative to sponsor girl students from underprivileged rural families in Liberia, West Africa to complete their higher education and become educators (www.educategirlsnetwork.org). This initiative was created based on the challenges facing African girls who want a higher education. From 2011 to 2017, she worked as a food service supervisor with Fraser Health. Currently she is doing a volunteer job as mentor with MOSAIC Workplace Connections Program in Vancouver, supporting new immigrants and refugees in BC,. Rosio also volunteers with the United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC), Vancouver branch.

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

TABLE CAPTAIN: PATSY GEORGE , ELLEN WOODSWORTH

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Patsy George

Co-President

Patsy is a retired public servant and Social Worker. Born in Kerala, India she immigrated to Canada in 1960. She holds a BA from the University of Windsor and MSW from the University of Ottawa. She specializes in Community Development work. She worked as a Community Worker in Ontario, Medical Social Worker in Quebec and the Director of a Family Service agency in Nova Scotia prior to arriving in British Columbia in 1975. In BC she was employed by the province’s public service in the capacities of D istrict Supervisor, Manager of Programs and Advisor on Community Development. In 1983- Patsy took leave from the public service to organize the Solidarity Coalition – a movement in the early 1980s to counter government cutbacks in BC. She retired in 2001 having served as a Director in the Provincial Ministry of Multiculturalism and Immigration.

Patsy was appointed to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada from 1989 to 1992 and co-coordinated the Backlog Division in British Columbia and Alberta. The provincial government appointed her to a commission to review the Child Welfare legislation using a public consulting process. The resulting reports lead to a new Child, Family and Community Services Act of BC. In her volunteer community service, Patsy served as President of the BC Association of Social Workers – the first visible minority person to hold that position. She is a founding member and Vice President of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada. Patsy helped to start Pacific Immigrant Resources Society and served as its President. She was a trustee of the Vancouver Public Library, Director of United Way of Vancouver and the Lower mainland and Director of Legal Services Society of BC. She was the President of International Council on Social Welfare Canada and President of the North American Region of its world body that promotes social development globally. She is also the past President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of BC and the Vice President of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.

Patsy was the CO-President of the United Nations Association in Canada, Vancouver Branch. She was the founding Board member and Secretary of Stephen Lewis Foundation Board of Directors and a Director of Canadian Crossroads International. Patsy has been the recipient of many awards and recognitions. She has the 125^th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada medal and both the Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals celebrating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in addition to the 150^th anniversary Medal by the Senate of Canada.  She has been awarded the Order of British Columbia, the Order of Canada and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of the Fraser Valley and another from the University of British Columbia . She was honored by MOSAIC with a Human Rights Award and the City of Vancouver with Civic Merit Award.

Ellen Woodsworth

Co-President

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