Meet the Board
Find out more about us and meet the board members working behind the scenes.
Board Members: The Team Behind Flourishing Foundation
Click on each team member’s photo to read their bio.
The languages spoken by our board members include: Amharic, Tigrinya, French, Farsi, Dari, Swahili, Polish, English, Cree.
Saba Tadesse-Lee
Certified Translator of Tigrinya and Amharic
Shugoofa Paikar, ECE
Fireshta Sardar
Jacquis Munyaga
Katherine A. Cooper Kahwahteeket Muska Iskwew
Andrea Montgomery
Di Marco, PhD
Mambo Tabu Masinda, PhD
Gregory Kaniewski
CPA, CA
Chase Moreira, BMgmt
Our Mission
Our mission is to draw on our collective imaginations to envision what a truly post-colonial Canada could look like.
We are committed to building stronger relationships between all women in Canada including Indigenous women, refugee-immigrant women, immigrant women, and Canadian-born women.
We recognize that we are not one homogenous group and that the challenges and obstacles experienced by individual women and groups of women are not the same.
We are committed to communication and to learning how to be allies, to become better educated about the very different experiences of women and the intersectional marginalization and abuse of Canada’s Indigenous women, and to supporting all Canadian women in achieving gender parity.
We identified the challenges we faced as women recognizing the multiple challenges of a patriarchal world; of mothers wanting to spend invaluable time with our children without our being devalued; wanting at any cost to love and protect our children from harm, illness, and death; and finally, identifying the challenges we experienced as women trying to negotiate the delicate but critical balance between finding meaning in, or purpose for, our suffering, without feeling subservient, undervalued, or martyred.
Saba Tadesse-Lee
Certified Translator of Tigrinya and Amharic
Canadian society helped me achieve so many things I never imagined were possible. It is unfortunate that some people in this world cannot find peace and abundance in their own countries. I am grateful for countries like Canada that open their doors for others like me because we have so much to offer and just need the opportunity to thrive. I finished school and went on to study social work. I have worked for settlement agencies and agencies supporting our underprivileged and often homeless youth and adults. I am passionate about providing settlement resources for refugee and immigrant families.
I am excited to be a member of the board and to work toward providing better opportunities for women in Canada.
Shugoofa Paikar, ECE
I grew up in Afghanistan the second oldest child in a family of seven children. In 2014, when the violence in Afghanistan threatened our family, my husband, my infant daughter and I were forced to flee. We immigrated to Canada in 2014. After arriving in Canada, I volunteered in childcare and preschool programs while I studied English, and then completed my Early Childhood Education training. I have faced many obstacles and challenges and have received amazing support and assistance from my new community in Canada. I am committed to helping families be reunited, and to helping women and newcomers. I am very happy to be a part of this Foundation and to join this board. I would like to offer whatever I can to the success and wellbeing of the women and families we serve.
Fireshta Sardar
The beginning of our new life in Canada was very hard learning a new culture. The language barrier and stress from being away from our families was challenging. I had never been separated from my family since my birth. The MOSAIC Newcomer Centre, my neighbours, and my new friends helped me through the difficult times. Life has had lots of challenges for me.
Our Global Women research group and catering group helped us to make a lots of friends, and taught us how to make a community. I want to pay back to the community and to help newcomers to B.C. I am so proud to be a Member of the Board and to help others with my knowledge and my experience.
Jacquis Munyaga
I am Jacquis Munyaga originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. I arrived in Canada in 2013 with my family of 6. My living experience in a refugee camp has made me aware of the suffering and the risks many refugees women and young girls encounter in refugee camps around the world. I myself, as well as many refugee women who had a chance to resettle in Canada, left many family members in refugee camps.
It is imperative that we as women benefiting the socioeconomic advantages of the Canadian society, do something to help many others left in refugee camps who are calling for help. Family reunification is critical for the successful integration of refugee women in Canada. I am prepared to contribute to the collective efforts initiated by the Flourishing Foundation in this regard.
Katherine A. Cooper Kahwahteeket Muska Iskwew
(Digging Bear Woman)
I was born and spent my early years at Mosakahiken Cree Nation in Manitoba. I grew up with amazing role models and am honoured to have received a Certificate of Recognition paying tribute to a lifetime of sobriety, and a Certificate of Recognition for my commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. I studied Social Work at the University of Manitoba, graduating on the Dean’s list. During my studies I became increasingly aware of the challenges facing the students in my program who were refugee-immigrants to Canada. In response to their needs, two friends and I created a group support network providing language and study support to our newcomer colleagues to ensure their successful completion. I am pleased to advise that they all graduated!
I currently work as the Language Program Manager for Pacific Association of First Nation Women (PAFNW) and am completing my Masters Degree in Social Work, while adjusting to my new life on the West Coast. I am passionate about healing, teaching, and welcoming and supporting Indigenous, refugee-immigrant, and immigrant woman as they rebuild lives. I am excited to Chair the board of Flourishing Foundation and to bring my life experience and passion to my new role. Ekosi. Hiy! Hiy!
Andrea Montgomery Di Marco, PhD
I was born and lived for a number of years in Alberta, Canada, before transferring to British Columbia. My research and work have focused on women refugee-immigrants’ lived experience of rebuilding lives in the host country of Canada, centring on the presence of white colonial supremacy and the marginalization of Canada’s Indigenous hosts. I believe strongly that Canada cannot flourish as a multicultural nation if any of its members are languishing. I further believe that any desire for a post-empire experience of multiculturalism must begin with discussion that includes Indigenous communities, refugee-immigrant and immigrant communities, and Canadian born individuals.
I am passionate about co-building grassroot communities and making positive changes through action. I am equally passionate about women making decisions that affect women, and about investing in the women who experience intersectional obstacles and oppression.
I am delighted to lead this inaugural board of directors and am grateful for the experience, commitment, and wisdom that each of my co-members brings to the conversation.
Mambo Tabu Masinda, PhD
I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lived in a refugee Camp in Tanzania for 3 years before arriving in Canada in 1988. Soon after, I attended Laval University, University of Ottawa and Laval successively and graduated with a PhD in political science. I then moved to BC in 1997. Married and the father of 5 children, I have been supporting newcomers to Canada since 2000. Through the years, I have published peer review articles on immigrants’ services and mental health. I am proud of being part of a community of hope and caring.
Gregory (Grzegorz) Kaniewski, CPA, CA
I cannot remember a time we didn’t have 1, 2 or 3 people sleep on couches for 4, 6, 12 month periods as my mother invited any and every one from our old Town to come work for her cleaning business to try and get ahead, always paying their way here. Being so young to not understand why we moved in the first place out of what was communist Poland, I learned a lot more when I came back to visit at a later time. I am excited to do what I can to give others the opportunity I was given.
Chase Moreira, BMgmt
Recognizing that there were very few barriers for me to establish a sense of community, gain an education, and find employment, I feel a responsibility to help remove barriers for others in our community. With a particular emphasis on serving vulnerable children and newcomers to Canada, I’m involved with charities in both BC and Alberta.
Let's end the racist, colonial, and patriarchal worldviews that hold us all back.
How will Canada flourish if any individual or groups of individuals languish?
We will all flourish individually and as a nation when we invest in our Indigenous Canadian women and our refugee-immigrant women who are rebuilding lives and recreating home. When women flourish, we all flourish.
