Governance

Keetha joined the NYCH board in September 2020. Keetha has been working in the non-profit sector for almost 20 years, primarily in with gender justice, youth, and 2SLGBTQI+ programs. She is currently the Director of Community Initiatives & Grants at the Canadian Women’s Foundation.

Keetha cares a lot about community-led decision-making and ensuring that organizations have the tools and resources they need to be strong and responsive. She is an avid reader of fiction, with one too many tattoos, who enjoys chocolate a lot. She has lived and worked throughout the country and has made Toronto home since 2013.

Mohan Doss has over 20 years of non-profit management experience including program design, implementation and evaluation, partnership building, community development, people leadership and financial management. He has had extensive experience in developing HR systems centered on principles of Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression, Social Justice and Diversity, and has also developed expertise in the settlement sector. Mohan’s recent leadership experience includes integrating newcomer services and primary healthcare in partnership with community health centers & hospitals. Mohan recently took a two-year sabbatical to manage an animal shelter and hospital in India.

Fariba Al-Hassan is a graduate of Carleton University’s Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management and an alumna of Operation Black Vote’s 1834 fellowship. Her lived experience growing up in Scarborough, Ontario, has shaped her advocacy for diversity and inclusion in her community.

Fariba created the Black Students in Public Affairs Association (BSPA) at Carleton University to mentor and support the next generation of Black leaders in public affairs. In January 2023, BSPA hosted its inaugural conference at the National Gallery of Canada on the intersections of climate change and Afrofuturism, partnering with Carleton’s Faculty of Public Affairs, Desjardins, Business Development Bank of Canada, and the U.S. Embassy to engage Ottawa’s youth.

Fariba also spearheaded initiatives within her program, including establishing a $25,000 scholarship endowment fund and an equity board for BIPOC students at Carleton’s BPAPM program. Fariba recently completed a government relations and strategic communications internship at one of Canada’s leading public affairs firms, Navigator Limited, and has over two years of experience working for the federal government. Fariba currently works at the office of MPP Jill Andrews.

Keda was born to Grenadian parents who migrated to Canada, and so she appreciates the value of newcomer support and services. Bringing 35+ years of diversified experience to the NYCH Board, she is a 27-year police vet, socialpreneur, impact producer, and ordained minister. Keda’s work includes mental wellness and trauma recovery, JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) activism, strategic partnership, business and program development, and sustainable community development.

Keda has worked as a frontline and community officer with Toronto Police, former Board President of Women’s Health in Women’s Hands and Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre, Founding Member of Immigrant Women in Business, CEO of True2Soul Network (committed to the eradication of gender-based violence), Facilitator and Trainer with Toronto Police Service and TELUS Health (formerly Lifeworks/Morneau Shepell) and CEO of Broken Whole Media Group (amplifying underrepresented voices through in Film, TV and Web). Keda’s personal experiences as a complex trauma survivor fuel her unique professional history and drive her mission to innovate, contribute to, and collaborate with safe, equitable, and empowered spaces for marginalized communities.

Keda serves as Vice-President of the NYCH Board of Directors.

Asvini Uthayakumaran is a policy analyst and advocate specializing in refugee and migrant rights in Canada. In her role at Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ), she leads policy analysis, advocacy, and outreach—working with parliamentarians, grassroots organizations, and diverse communities to advance refugee and migrant justice. She is also a writer for the Tamil Guardian, where she covers community issues, conducts interviews, and advocates for justice and accountability for survivor communities in Sri Lanka. In addition, Asvini serves on the awards committee for Defence for Children International Canada, monitoring projects and supporting public outreach. Guided by a strong commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression, she brings experience in policy, communications, and community engagement to her work and service.

As a South Asian immigrant who arrived in Canada at the age of 2, Devi witnessed the transformative power of resilience and community support. Her journey, interwoven with her mother’s journey from escaping domestic abuse to becoming a single mother of three who completed her education and became a social worker, fuels Devi’s commitment to NYCH’s Board of Directors. She is enthusiastic about contributing positively. Her mother’s story exemplifies change amid adversity, inspiring Devi to facilitate community transformation. Her music and entertainment background equips Devi for innovative campaigns that engage hearts and minds, driving awareness and action. NYCH’s mandate aligns with Devi’s aspiration to pay it forward, and her diverse background promises a unique perspective. Devi is thrilled to be selected as a board member, eager to channel her passion for NYCH’s mission.

Marlon has over 15 years of experience working in leadership roles in the not-for-profit, consulting, and financial services industries. He is currently the CEO of Optimal Growth Consulting, where he crafts the long-term vision and strategic direction of the business and provides consulting services for small businesses. Before that, Marlon worked in the Director, Finance position at ICES, where he provided financial and operational leadership, accounting expertise and guidance to the organization. He also worked in the Director of Finance position at ACT, where he provided strategic leadership and vision for the financial functions of the organization. In addition, he worked at the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan and Government of Bermuda. Marlon has strong leadership experience in financial reporting, strategic planning, analytics, risk management, process automation, governance, project management, mentoring and coaching people. Marlon holds a Master of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University, CPA, CGA designation from CPA Ontario, and he is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant.

Leah’s passion is city building. Through her work with the City of Toronto, she supports the development of healthy, vibrant cities. Over the past fifteen years, her work has focused on project management within a community development framework. She provides leadership on a number of transformative city-building initiatives that considers both the physical and social landscapes of neigbourhoods. Central to her work are change management, civic engagement and strategic thinking. Leah has been a resident of the local community for the past ten years, and is excited to by a part of the NYCH Team.

Andrew joined the NYCH board in September 2020. He is currently a Design Researcher with the Design Institute for Health. He also has an independent freelance civic design and policy research practice focused on digital transformation within governments and digital governance. He likes to apply a human-centered lens to solve wicked civic problems through a combination of digital products and analog services. He was previously a Service Designer with the City of Austin. He helped to co-found CivicTechTO.
Growing up in North York, he was a beneficiary of public and community-based services. He’s a champion of Toronto’s immigrant-owned restaurants and also started running a small catering operation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amanda Bland has ten years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, and has held positions in the public service and with a national health charity. She is passionate about civic engagement and social justice, with a particular focus on advocacy for healthcare and equality for marginalized communities. She currently works for The Neighbourhood Group, a multi-service agency in Toronto, in addition to volunteering as a Board member for Storefront Humber.

Amanda serves as the President of the NYCH Board of Directors.