Expert Team

Wajeeha Rafat    is an enthusiastic finance professional, who has 20 years of diverse experience in Finance, Audit, and Consulting across large global companies such as Ernst & Young, Siemens, and leading banks in Canada. She is CPA (Canada), CMA (UK), and SAP CO Certified (Germany) and has a bachelor’s in commerce and master’s in economics. She started her career with Ernst & Young and conducted external audits of clients in multiple industries including non-profit organizations. She worked in Scotiabank, Royal Bank of Canada, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada in their head offices in Reporting and Accounting teams. She took an active part in various volunteering activities hosted or sponsored by these banks. She raised funds for RBC Race for the Kids, which recognised her as one of the top ten fundraisers of the CFO Group. Wajeeha has been associated with CCVT for over eight years.

Dr. Carolyn Filteau after 25 years in senior University administration, completed a Ph.D. at Osgoode Law School in Toronto, Canada in 2015 focusing on international humanitarian law. She also holds an LLM in Law from Osgoode in Dispute Resolution which provides her with expertise in mediation, arbitration and negotiation.  She has taught Criminal Law at York University and Conflict Resolution at Seneca College in Toronto and Negotiation at the Life Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University.  Her research and interests include international law, humanitarian intervention, global conflict, the responsibility to protect, global governance, immigration and refugees coming to Canada, and conflict resolution. She has presented papers at international conferences and published in conference proceedings and journals. She is currently Secretary of the Board of the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture where she has

Medina Esmail  is the Senior Clinical Manager of Intensive Services for Youth at the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids (GH-CCMH). She is a registered nurse with 10 years of clinical, leadership and administrative experience in child and youth mental health, youth homelessness, sex trafficking and newcomer health. Prior to coming to GH-CCMH at SickKids in 2024, she was the Program Manager of Health Care Services and Clinical Services at Covenant House Toronto. Medina is on the Board of Directors at the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, serving on the Executive Committee and Health Committee since 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master of Science in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at University of London.

LLB. LLM. Dip. LP., is a lawyer called to the Bar Societies of Ontario, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba. She has over 15 years work experience combining family and criminal law, policy development on diversity, equity, equality and human rights issues.  In her career, as a lawyer, Estella has supported challenges to section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms at the Court at the Court Challenges Program of Canada; established the first legal aid clinic in the Mackenzie Delta Region, Northwest Territories; fought for the rights of racialized and indigenous communities, and women and children, at the National Anti-Racism Council of Canada and the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children, respectively. Estella has been instrumental in starting projects that empower youth, women, the disabled, Indigenous and racialized communities.  Estella is a mediator and facilitator; and she has made presentations on human rights issues to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on several occasions, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and many national and international conferences.

has volunteered with CCVT since 2017. He recently completed his PhD in International Relations from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He is the author of two books and one forthcoming on Jewish religious perspectives on trauma. He is presently an interviewer on the podcast New Books in Israel Studies. He is actively interested in history and literature, and enjoys cooking in his spare time. He lives in Thornhill, with his family.

Shaheen Ali is a retired health professional who graduated from the Master of Health Science program of the University of Toronto.  She also has a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Karachi.  She is a founding member of Across Boundaries, an ethno-racial mental health centre, and has extensive experience in community health, human rights, administration, policy and planning.

Lotus Alphonsus  is a resident physician who is enthusiastic about global health and reducing health inequities. Her research interests include refugee health, health policy and medical education. She has over a decade’s experience collaborating with survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking. Lotus is the cofounder of Newcomer Health Hub, a national organization that creates workshops and resources for newcomers and healthcare workers on topics that are often overlooked, such as female genital mutilation. She holds leadership positions including with the Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns (CDPG) and has won national awards for her medical leadership including the Canadian Medical Association’s Young Leader Award.

Reza Kasrai moved to Canada at the beginning of high school and went to university in London, Ont. and in Montréal. After obtaining his doctorate in biomedical engineering, he worked briefly in the private sector before pursuing his passion to work in the international aid sector. He has more than 15 years’ experience in international cooperation and crisis management in Africa, West Asia and South Asia. He has worked with different development and humanitarian organizations in contexts ranging from active conflict and post-conflict to natural disasters. Most recently, he worked with the European Commission’s humanitarian aid department on the refugee response in Turkey.  He moved back to Canada in 2020 and is currently working in the private sector. 

Aneesh Paranjape is a retired Financial Services Professional with extensive experience at major banks and insurance companies in Canada, including over a decade with CIBC in Capital Markets Risk Management. Aneesh also worked with the State Bank of India for approximately 20 years in India, Toronto, and New York before immigrating to Canada in 2000. This retired professional has additional experience with Scotiabank, TD Bank, Great-West Life, Sunlife, and CDCC in Canada. Since retiring in 2021, Aneesh has been actively volunteering, participating in programs such as Better Living’s “Meals on Wheels” and Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities’ Friendly Visiting. Aneesh serves on the Board of the community not-for-profit organization Maharashtra Sewa Samiti Organization (MSSO), which funds other not-for-profit organizations assisting those in need in India. Furthermore, Aneesh plays an active role in AVANI, an organization based in Kolhapur, India, dedicated to assisting abused and tortured women and children. This involvement includes teaching English to girls at a hostel via Zoom and supporting various AVANI projects funded by MSSO, including schools for the children of brickyard and sugarcane workers, aid for waste picker women, and a women’s shelter. Aneesh’s commitment extends to the Board of CCVT. At CCVT, Aneesh is eager to contribute and assist in any way possible to support the organization’s commendable work.

Kemi Jacobs a seasoned leader, and strategist with over three decades of experience in driving organizational growth, change management, and community development. Renowned for her ability to foster inclusivity and build impactful programs, Kemi has transformed organizations like Toronto Community Housing and Delta Family Resource Centre, focusing on serving marginalized and racialized communities. Kemi’s expertise spans strategic planning, organizational development, youth services, and anti-oppression practices. As President of the Canadian Council for Refugees and a board member of multiple advocacy organizations, she has championed access and equity for underrepresented groups. Her Initiatives have included establishing innovative youth programs, participatory community governance models, capacity-building projects, and the transformation of a small grassroots agency into an established B3 (Black led, Black Mandated and Black serving) accredited Anchor agency with multiple programs, funders, and a reputation for community leadership. An accomplished facilitator and certified Emotional Freedom Techniques Practitioner, Kemi is a graduate of the Sacred Leadership program, which integrates African values and spirituality into leadership roles. She holds a master’s in management from Florida International University and certifications in mental health, conflict resolution, and African-centered program delivery. Through her consultancy, Sankofa Change Strategies, she continues to lead efforts in wellness, equity, and systemic change.

Rhiannon Thomas is a bilingual (English/French) project manager and social justice advocate with expertise in harm reduction, stakeholder relations, and research. With a Master of Arts in Criminology and Social Justice, she has experience coordinating and leading innovative programs that support marginalized communities, particularly those affected by mental health, substance use, and systemic inequities. Currently a Peer Support Manager at Mount Sinai Hospital, Rhiannon mentors a team with lived experience to improve health outcomes in emergency departments. Previously, she coordinated harm reduction programs at South Riverdale Community Health Centre, developed training and workshops, and secured funding to sustain critical services. Her collaborative leadership, strategic analysis, and commitment to equity have made her a respected leader in health and social services.

Roger Love A., J.D., is a human rights lawyer based in Toronto, Ontario. He currently serves as legal counsel for the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) where he is heavily involved in their public inquiry work. Prior to joining the OHRC, he worked as legal counsel and client services manager for the Human Rights Legal Support Centre. Roger also served as Coordinator for the Anti-Discrimination Intensive Program at the HRLSC. After his call to the bar, he collaborated with Lawyers for Human Rights in South Africa as part of the Canadian Bar Association’s young lawyers’ international program. In addition to this work, he participated in the United Nations Fellowship programme for people of African descent and is currently a member of the board of directors at Across Boundaries, a mental health service provider in Toronto.

Sulekha Jama is a senior housing and community services leader with over 14 years of experience in private and non-profit housing. She is currently the Director of Housing and Partnership Development at Covenant House Toronto, specializing in homelessness prevention, harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and youth engagement. Sulekha is dedicated to creating equitable, accessible housing solutions and fostering community well-being. Sulekha is both a strategist and implementer with experience in youth engagement and empowerment, service delivery on mental health and addiction, tenancy management in both private and non-profit housing, and addressing chronic homelessness. Sulekha values on-the-ground action-collaboration and local partnerships that support the assets, needs, and priorities of residents in communities. When she started her journey as a newcomer to Canada, she worked as a front-line staff and case manager. For the last 10 years, she dedicated her time to social housing, providing access and support services to stabilise housing tenancy for street-to-home youth, tenants with mental health or substance use issues, diminished capacity, physical or intellectual impairments, literacy or language barriers, history of street homelessness, frail or isolated seniors, and adults with special needs.