Kevin Thomas

Chief Executive Officer

416.306.6453

Kevin joined SHARE in 2013 as a Senior Analyst on social issues and became Executive Director in 2018. Prior to working with SHARE, Kevin was the Director of Advocacy for the Maquila Solidarity Network, a labour and women’s rights organization, where he advised companies, governments, and public institutions on the development and implementation of policies and practices to improve respect for worker rights in global supply chains.

From 1998 to 2009 Kevin served as a political advisor to the Chief and Governing Council of the Lubicon Lake First Nation in Alberta, Canada, and as Chief Negotiator for treaty negotiations with the Federal and Provincial governments. He also negotiated land use, environmental protection and economic benefit agreements with oil, gas and forestry corporations.

Kevin holds a Master of Laws, LLM in international business law (with a focus on securities law, corporate governance, taxation, trade, and arbitration) and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Environment and Resource Management from the University of Toronto.

Shannon Rohan

Chief Strategy Officer

604.695.2026

Shannon has over 20 years of experience in responsible investment, cooperative development and sustainability with experience working in Canada, South Africa and Latin America. Shannon has helped build SHARE’s investor network to include foundations, Indigenous trusts, universities, pension funds and faith-based investors with over $90 billion in assets under management.

Shannon advises asset owner boards in their implementation of responsible investment policies and practices and oversees strategic projects for SHARE. She is a voluntary board member and treasurer of the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation.

She has a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University.

Anthony Schein

Chief Operating Officer

he/him

416.306.6462

Anthony Schein is SHARE’s Chief Operating Officer.

Anthony joined SHARE in February of 2020, as Director of Shareholder Advocacy – just a few weeks before the world shut down for the Covid-19 pandemic. Anthony led the engagement program through a period of tremendous growth, and groundbreaking results. Since 2020, the program has more than tripled in size, and now represents asset owners and managers with over $90 billion in AUM. Under Anthony’s leadership, SHARE launched the University Network for Investor Engagement and Climate Engagement Canada, and won unprecedented shareholder support for engagements on labour rights, racial justice, Indigenous reconciliation and climate change.

Since being appointed as Chief Operating Officer in early 2024, Anthony is responsible for ensuring that SHARE is efficient and effective and lives up to the values at the heart of its work—that SHARE is sustainable, inclusive, and productive.

Prior to joining SHARE, Anthony spent a decade in senior roles with an Ontario public sector union and worked extensively in municipal, provincial, and federal politics on electoral campaigns and policy advocacy.

Anthony is based in Toronto.

Sarah Couturier-Tanoh

Director, Shareholder Advocacy

she/her

416.306.8073

An expert in corporate research and advocacy, Sarah advises on issues such as decent work, human rights, corporate lobbying and supply chain due diligence. With a background in non-financial auditing, she has also published several issue briefs on current shareholder and policy topics.

Before joining SHARE in 2019, Sarah researched transparency in the extractive industry and climate change-related disclosure at Université Laval.

Sarah holds a Master’s in Environmental Law from Université Laval, a Master’s in Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility from Université Paris-Dauphine, and a Master’s in Comparative Public Law from Université Pantheon-Assas, France.

Hugues Létourneau

Director, Investor Leadership

604.695.2038

Hugues joined the SHARE team in 2013, and currently directs the Global Unions Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC), whose Secretariat is based at SHARE. In this role, he works with trade unions and trade union-nominated pension board members to drive strong, responsible investment policies that have an impact on the ground. He is also a member of the Shareholder Engagement team and a lead corporate researcher for international clients.

Hugues has successfully completed the level II exam of the CFA Program. He holds a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.

He is a contributing author to the Routledge Handbook on Responsible Investment (2015), with research focusing on responsible investing at the world’s largest government-sponsored investment funds. Prior to joining SHARE, Hugues worked at the Library of Parliament and the Mission of Canada to the European Union. He was also a research assistant at the North South Institute and the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation.

Jennifer Story

Director, Education & Advisory Services

416.306.8036 ext. 8036

Jennifer became SHARE’s Director of Education and Advisory Services in the spring of 2023. She works with institutional investors to develop responsible investing capacity, policies and strategies, organizes SHARE’s educational events including our annual Investor Summit, and leads SHARE’s communications team.

Jennifer joined SHARE in the role of Associate Director, Climate Advocacy in 2021, to lead SHARE’s corporate engagements on climate change and net zero goals. In the two years that Jennifer led this area of work she oversaw the launch and growth of the University Network for Investor Engagement (UNIE), steered SHARE’s engagement program to setting expectations for issuers to develop corporate climate action plans and established the Engagement Secretariat for Climate Engagement Canada.

From 2014-2022 Jennifer served two terms as an elected trustee for the Toronto District School Board, the third largest board in North America. She Chaired the board’s Programs committee and served on its Audit and Finance Committee as well as the Toronto Lands Corporation.

Prior to joining SHARE, Jennifer worked for two decades as a strategist in communications, policy and campaigns for non-profit organizations, unions and elected officials.

Joseph Bastien

Associate Director, Inclusive Economy

416.306.8424

Joseph is Anishinaabe (Ojibway) from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, and has over 15 years of experience working with Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada and internationally, including the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), the British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC), the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), and the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI). Joseph has also advised municipal, provincial, federal, and foreign governments on stakeholder relations, and economic development strategies.

Joseph has a Bachelor of Social Science in Political Science and Aboriginal Studies from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Art in Political Science from Western University (M.A., Political Science).

Amanda Carr

Associate Director, Climate Advocacy

she/her

Amanda has worked as an international environmental consultant and managed the corporate engagement strategy for a $3.4 billion ethical investment fund. She brings two decades of experience in understanding environmental policy, regulation and business risk.  Amanda founded and established the successful CanopyStyle initiative which brings together over 520 clothing retailers and fabric producers representing over $890 billion dollars in annual revenue to build collaborative systems and tools that are safeguarding supply chains from the use of endangered forests and driving new raw material innovation.

In 2007, Amanda worked collaboratively with First Nation leaders, federal and provincial governments, forest companies, investors and philanthropic foundations to secure the largest public-private conservation financing package in global history.  This fund facilitated the protection of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest and establishing cutting-edge approaches to sustainable forestry and local human wellbeing through a conservation-based economy in the region.

Early on in her career, Amanda spent a lot of time using her environmental science degree in the field.  From being the boat driver for a team of whale researchers, swimming the Santa Cruz watershed counting salmon, to walking rice paddies to develop mitigation strategies for power distribution projects in Viet Nam these “rubber boots on the ground” experiences fuel her passion for working with business on systemic solutions for our planet.

Tamara Herman

Associate Director, Investor Leadership

she/her

604.695.2023

Tamara joined the SHARE team in 2016, and has consistently worked with the Global Unions Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC) and Canadian Capital Stewardship Network (CCSN), providing support to trade unions and their pension decision-makers on issues related to workers’ capital stewardship and responsible investment. She is also a member of SHARE’s Responsible Investment Leadership Team.

Prior to joining SHARE, Tamara worked nationally and internationally on environmental and social issues. Her experience includes working on social policy at the Carnegie Community Action Project and the Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group, as well as trade and human rights issues at Rights & Democracy.

Tamara holds a Master’s degree in Studies in Policy and Practice from the University of Victoria, where her research focused on mining, corporate social responsibility and land acquisition in Mexico. Tamara has completed the Canadian Securities Institute/Moody’s Analytics Learning Solutions’ Canadian Securities Course.

Irene Kauryzhka, CPA, CGA

Associate Director, Finance

604.695.2029

Juana Lee

Associate Director, Corporate Engagement

she/her

Juana provides oversight on SHARE’s human rights and decent work program.

Previously, Juana held the position of Manager, Human Rights and Social Impact at Scotiabank. In this role, she supported the implementation of the bank’s enterprise-wide human rights strategy to better align the bank’s business and operations with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Prior to Scotiabank, she worked at SHARE in different capacities on the engagement team. Juana was also a Researcher at Corporate Accountability, a Boston based non-profit organization, where she conducted research on political interference and lobbying related to food and beverage corporations.

Juana holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Western University. She also holds a CFA ESG Investing certificate.

Omar Dominguez

Senior Manager, Climate Advocacy (Climate Engagement Canada)

He/Him

604.695.2030

Omar is a social planner with a diverse background leading sustainable finance, urban planning, government relations, and public engagement initiatives across multiple sectors. He has advised a wide range of international actors including institutional investors, business executives, senior government officials, and Indigenous and not-for-profits leaders. He is the former Director of Government Relations and Sector Development at Vantage Point. In this role, Omar led advocacy efforts for a public policy environment that would strengthen B.C.’s not-for-profit sector. Omar also co-founded Happy City, an urban planning and design consultancy that uses the science of wellbeing to help create healthier, happier, and more inclusive communities. Omar’s career has focused on mobilizing a wide diversity of actors working together to advance practical actions and policies that strengthen communities and the environment.

Omar has a degree in International Business from the Technological Institute of Monterrey in Mexico City. While pursuing his MA in Community Development and Social Planning in the University of British Columbia, Omar co-founded a network of students, researchers, and practitioners advocating Canadian universities to incorporate responsible investment practices into the management of their endowments and pension funds.

A long-haired man in a white shirt, green tie and black jacket is photographed against an outdoor backdrop.

Adam Burns

Manager, Communications

He/Him

Joining the team in November 2023, Adam oversees SHARE’s communications strategy and works to promote the organization as a leading voice on responsible investment in Canada.

Adam has a broad and deep knowledge of the Canadian media ecosystem, gleaned over more than a decade in newsrooms across the country. He takes pride in telling a good story with accuracy and flair, and is passionate about spreading SHARE’s vision for a more sustainable, inclusive and productive economy.

A proud Maritimer, Adam holds a Bachelor of Arts from Cape Breton University and a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of King’s College in Halifax.

Kyela De Weerdt

Manager, Corporate Engagement and Advocacy

she/her

604-695-2039

Having joined SHARE in May 2022, Kyela conducts collaborative engagement activities across the organization’s climate programs.

Prior to SHARE, Kyela worked within extractive industries civil society, focusing on local communities and workers as a key component of social risk and opportunity in global mining supply chains. She has led efforts to integrate local content best practice into international reporting standards, company performance and industry organizations, and mining host government policy. She also brings consulting experience, including with one of Canada’s largest mining companies, and is the author of several research papers, articles and guidance documents on themes including the consideration of local economies in Scope 3 reporting and best practice procurement from Indigenous businesses.

With a background in political economics, Kyela holds a BAH in Global Development studies from Queen’s University.

Portrait photo of Angèle Nsenga

Angèle Nsenga

Manager, Shareholder Advocacy

Angèle Nsenga is a human and civil rights attorney, and first-generation immigrant to Turtle Island.

Angèle grew up in community with various BIPOC communities across Cheraw; Mánu: Yį Įsuwą (Catawba); Sugaree, Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk); Omàmìwininìwag (Algonquin); and Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ territories.

Licensed in the United States, Angèle earned her Bachelor of Arts Honours in Law at Carleton University, and her Juris Doctor in Law, in Washington, D.C., at the David A. Clarke School of Law, where she was trained in the movement law tradition — a term specific to attorneys of colour whose legal practice is deeply embedded in movements for social, economic, racial, gender and environmental justice.

Angèle’s previous appointments include serving as a trial and appellate attorney at Maryland Legal Aid; as an attorney advisor to the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights; and as a workplace discrimination and harassment prevention advisor to the Ontario provincial government in its capacity as a public service employer. Angèle has also provided workplace equity guidance to ecosystem partners responsible for implementation of the Government of Canada’s first in the world 50 – 30 Challenge, integrating human rights and Indigenous economic reconciliation principles throughout human capital management systems design. Angèle is one of less than 30 identified and presently trained civil rights auditors, certified under CapEQ’s and PolicyLink’s inaugural Civil Rights Audit Standards. These standards are a core component of the Corporate Racial Equity Alliance’s Business Standards for 21st Century Leadership.

Shalini Ramgoolam

Manager, Investor Leadership

she/her

416.306.6455

Shalini joined SHARE in May 2019 and previously held the position of Program Officer in support of the Responsible Investment Leadership program, specifically the Canadian Capital Stewardship Network (CCSN) and the Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC). She is also a member of the shareholder engagement team and supports corporate research for clients.

Prior to joining SHARE, Shalini held various positions within the Government of Canada on international trade and human rights issues. She has supported stakeholder engagement and policy development for Global Affairs Canada, Public Safety Canada, and the Privy Office of Canada.

Shalini holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Ottawa with a specialization in Conflict Studies and Human Rights.

Mike Toulch

Manager, Engagement Research

416.306.6463

Prior to joining SHARE, Mike worked for an international corporate sustainability ratings provider as a sustainability analyst, specializing in supply chain human rights and business ethics. Mike has also practiced as a civil litigator in Vancouver, with a focus on administrative, commercial and insurance law, and as a corporate sustainability consultant in Europe.

Mike holds a Juris Doctor, JD in law from the University of British Columbia, a Master of Science in Environmental Economics from the University of Lund, and a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and International Business from McGill University.

Serena Chan

Shareholder Advocacy Specialist

she/her

Serena joined SHARE’s engagement team in May 2023 and supports SHARE’s human rights and decent work program. As a Shareholder Advocacy Specialist, Serena’s work is primarily focused on promoting the adoption of effective corporate human rights and decent work practices through engagement with companies and investors.

Before taking up her current role at SHARE, Serena was a Sustainable Development trainee at Swire Properties Ltd., and a Group Management Trainee at Nan Fung Group, one of the largest non-listed conglomerates in Hong Kong. During her time at Nan Fung Group, she worked in various business units, such as Sustainability and Shared Value, Property Development and Retail Leasing.

Serena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Management from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is also a Green Citizen Youth Ambassador under The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Hong Kong Association.

Molly Damiani

Program Officer, Indigenous Reconciliation and Responsible Investment

she/her

Molly joined SHARE in July 2023 as Program Officer, Indigenous Reconciliation and Responsible Investment.

Prior to joining SHARE, Molly held several positions within social enterprises, non-profits, and political advocacy organizations. Her experience includes interning for Amnesty International Canada and managing the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP)’s Indigenous Innovation and social innovation project, Wìdjìwàgan: Tools for Social Innovation.

Molly holds a Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) – Indigenous Development from the University of Winnipeg, a Graduate Diploma in Social Organization Development from Saint-Paul University, and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies from Carleton University.

Zaee Deshpande

Senior Program Officer, Investor Leadership

416.306.8426

Zaee joined SHARE in November 2021 and previously held the role of Program Officer with the Global Unions’ Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC).

Before joining SHARE, she worked at Lancaster House, supporting their conferences on labour, human rights, and employment law.

Zaee holds a Master’s degree in Political Economy from Carleton University and a Bachelor in Political Science from the University of Waterloo. She has also completed the Labour Relations Certificate from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Joanne Eboh

Engagement & Advocacy Specialist

she/her

Joanne joined SHARE in March 2023 and currently holds the position of Engagement and Advocacy Specialist where she leads collaborative work with allied investors, including developing common agendas and shared priorities through working with the climate group at SHARE.

Joanne has a passion for aligning business corporations with ESG and Sustainability objectives as well as moving the needle towards realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She moved from Nigeria in January 2022 to study a Master’s in International Business Law with a focus on ESG and Corporate Sustainability at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University which she completed in January 2023 graduating Summa Cum Laude. While at Osgoode, she wrote major research papers titled “Whether Investment Law Can Fight Climate Change” and “Go Green or Go Home: The New Sustainable Era of ESG and Green Bonds in Capital Markets”. Also, while at Osgoode, she worked in the summer of 2022 as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice where she made practical recommendations towards improving the justice system in Canada.

Before joining SHARE, she worked as a corporate and litigation lawyer with a leading firm in Lagos, Nigeria called Abdullahi Ibrahim & Co (AICO) where she represented clients and worked as part of the capital markets, labour/employment, and general corporate practice group. While practising as a lawyer, she co-founded a not-for-profit known as Red-Pride in 2018 where she developed implementation strategies and tactics to enhance the quality of life in low-income areas in Northern Nigeria through tackling period poverty.

She holds an LLM in International Business Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, an LLB (Bachelor of Laws) from the University of Reading, England, and a B.L from the Nigerian Law School as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Manna Sarah Jacob

Program Officer, Investor Leadership

she/her

Manna contributes actionable research, analysis and investor coordination to the Investor Leadership team at SHARE.

Manna has over two years of experience in ESG, sustainability, and climate change as an intern, analyst, and consultant. Most recently, Manna was an ESG Consultant and DEI specialist at ESGTree, where she co-designed the ESG Reporting and other sustainability-related dashboards in alignment with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Data Convergence Initiative (DCI). Manna performed ESG and climate change materiality assessments, peer benchmarking, analysis of key client expectations, and more.

Before her work at ESGTree, Manna was a Research Assistant at the British Columbia Office of Chief Forester, where she researched the plausibility of the extreme scenarios and likelihood of intermediate scenarios in climate adaptation and to characterize the post Glasgow disclosure on what is considered success and failure in climate mitigation policy.

Manna holds a Master of Environmental Studies (MES) in Sustainability Management from the University of Waterloo with a focus on the Gender Lens in Sustainability. Her Masters’ thesis was on the Gender differences in Venture capital financing in India. In addition to an MES, she holds a post graduate degree in Economics from the University of Madras, India.

Keira Kang

Program Officer, Climate Engagement Canada

she/her

Keira serves as a Program Officer within the Climate Engagement Canada program, where she contributes to research and corporate engagement activities. In this capacity, she supports more than 45 CEC investors in their efforts to engage with high carbon-emitting companies, aiming to facilitate the transition to a net-zero economy.

Keira has a background in environmental policy and program co-ordination, with three years of experience in the non-profit sector and within UN entities. She has attained a Master of Information degree focusing on Critical Information Policy, from the University of Toronto, complemented by a Bachelor of Arts in International Development from McGill University.

Joanne Lau

Engagement Research Specialist

416.306.8024

Joanne provides research, analytical, and administrative support to the Responsible Investment Leadership team and Shareholder Engagement program at SHARE. Her work includes supporting research initiatives related to climate change, reconciliation, racial justice and equity, and decent work.

In 2020, Joanne joined SHARE as part of a 10-week summer internship with the Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) program at the University of Toronto. Upon completion of her internship, Joanne returned to her academic studies where she wrote a major research paper analyzing the impact of franchise businesses on decent work progress in Canada. In addition to her Master’s degree, Joanne also holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Political Science from the University of Toronto.

Kat Lee

Communications Officer

she/her

Supporting SHARE as Communications Officer, Kat executes, strategizes and builds the digital communications. Amalgamating her experiences from previous organizations and various industries, she combines best practices with storytelling, data analysis, and visual communications. She applies her experiences to SHARE’s mission of shifting investors to become active owners and harnessing their power through their investments.

Informing her experiences in marketing, communications and digital, Kat holds a post-graduate certificate in Social Media from Seneca College and an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a specialization in Arts Management and a major in Studio Arts from the University of Toronto.

Rosie Lewis

Database and Administrative Officer

she/her

416-306-6494

Rosie joins SHARE with almost 20 years of experience in technical administrative support roles.

Most recently, for the past 14 years, she has worked as a law clerk and office manager for a Toronto-based public-interest law firm, where her duties included preparing litigation and court filings, correspondence, and tracking complex research files. In her professional and volunteer capacities, Rosie is passionate about data and using database systems to build powerful social change.

Rosie holds honours diplomas in voice performance and opera performance from McGill University and the University of Toronto. She trained as an administrative assistant at the Canadian Business College, and prepared for (and passed) the Law Clerks of Ontario Exams at George Brown College.

Julia Lowe

Human Resources Generalist

she/her

604.695.2035

Julia joined SHARE in February 2022 and currently holds the position of Human Resources Generalist.

Julia’s background has focused on Human Resources & Volunteer Coordination for non-profit organizations. She has worked with organizations that reach out to support others without discrimination, respecting and valuing everyone and recognizing everyone’s worth, and an organization that powers world-class innovation while supporting deeply personal cancer journeys.

In 2021 Julia earned her Change Management certificate. She also has her diploma in Business Management and is a certified MANDT Instructor. Her additional certificates include Indigenous Awareness, Practical Volunteer Management, Continuing Education Instructor and Coaching for High Performance. Prior to joining SHARE, Julia worked with the BC Cancer Foundation and Salvation Army.

Alex Lu

Bookkeeper

Alex joined SHARE as a part-time bookkeeper in January 2023, becoming the full-time bookkeeper in February 2024.

Before joining SHARE, Alex worked for several years as a Staff Accountant in a Vancouver-based accounting firm after taking accounting courses at BCIT.

Dolapo Makinde

Shareholder Advocacy Specialist

She/Her

Dolapo Makinde joined SHARE in September 2024 as a Shareholder Advocacy Specialist, where she focuses on promoting decent work and human rights.

Before her role at SHARE, Dolapo worked as an ESG consultant with the World Bank’s Social Sustainability and Inclusion Global Unit contributing to the World Bank’s efforts to enhance how the social dimension of ESG is defined, measured and reported on. Dolapo’s diverse experience also includes her work as a legal researcher with BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, supporting the commissioner’s formal inquiry into hate in the pandemic and interventions in human rights court cases, and as a researcher for the Cullen Commission into Money Laundering in BC, assisting with the commissioner’s investigations. She has also provided advisory services to local and multinational corporations operating in Nigeria.

Dolapo is currently completing her Ph.D. at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia (UBC), exploring artificial intelligence and ESG as tools to combat foreign bribery and corruption. She holds a Master of Laws from UBC and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and is called to the Nigerian Bar.

Danielle Ouellette

Senior Communications Officer

Danielle joins SHARE as a 20-year veteran of progressive political organizing, with extensive professional experience as a communications and governance specialist and a passion for building strong stakeholder relationships.

A seasoned campaigner, she has committed her career to community building and advocating for a greener and more equitable world.

Originally trained in the theatrical arts as a performer and playwright, Danielle has been a creative storyteller from a young age and understands that the heart of all successful communication is a focused, targeted narrative – one that will encourage an audience to engage and act.

Danielle holds a BFA from York University, a certificate in Graphic Design from George Brown College, and is currently furthering her study of strategic communications and social media at the University of Toronto.

Maria Orozco

Program Officer, Investor Leadership

Maria joined SHARE in September 2023 as a Program Officer for the Global Capital Strategies Hub.

Her previous professional experience includes more than 5 years working for the United Nations, mainly for the International Labour Organization (ILO), in the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) branch. As an ILO technical officer, she implemented international development projects and programs focused on promoting decent work in global supply chains. She conducted social and economic research and supported advocacy and communication campaigns to eradicate forced labour, human trafficking, and child labour. Maria also supported different initiatives to promote freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.

Maria holds a postgraduate degree in International Law and Human Rights from Javeriana University (Colombia) and a degree in Law and Political Science from the University of Cartagena (Colombia). She also has several certifications in sustainable development, including ILO’s International Training Centre Academy on FPRW.

Gabriela Ruiz

Research Analyst, Investor Leadership

she/her

604.695.2020

Gabriela provides the Responsible Investment Leadership program with research, analytical, and administrative support in initiatives related to reconciliation, housing affordability, racial justice and equity, and decent work.

Before joining SHARE in 2021, Gabriela held a Project Research Analyst position at the Economic and Social Research Consortium (CIES) in Lima, Peru, where she promoted dialogue between academia, government, the private sector, and civil society to make meaningful changes in public policies.

Gabriela holds a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. At UBC, she conducted research on the state’s role in the emergence of Indigenous social movements in their fight over the environmental impacts of oil extraction in the Peruvian Amazon. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Government from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.

Ruth Saldanha

Engagement & Advocacy Specialist

An Engagement and Advocacy Specialist focusing on climate issues, Ruth has over 15 years of experience as a financial journalist, researcher, analyst and writer. She has covered a range of sectors including mining, metals, personal finance, mutual funds, ETFs, insurance and ESG.

Most recently, Ruth spent more than five years as the editorial manager for Morningstar Canada and Asia, covering shareholder engagement. That included coverage of the proxy process, analysis of how large Canadian asset managers vote their proxies, the rise of anti-ESG shareholder proposals, and the influence of faith-based investing on corporate actions.

Ruth holds a BA in English Literature from Gujarat University and a post-graduate diploma in journalism from Xavier Institute of Journalism.

Riya Sirkhell

Senior Program Officer, Inclusive Economy programs

Riya works in the Reconciliation and Racial Equity programs in the Responsible Investment team at SHARE. She has over 5 years of experience in policy advocacy, research, project management and communications in international development across Canada, India, Australia, and Nepal. She has undertaken various research and advocacy projects on intersectional issues including diversity, equity & inclusion, modern slavery, child rights, sustainability, gender equality, public health and education.

Her prior professional experience includes working with consulting firms, First Nations communities, non-profits, UN agencies and academic institutes in diverse capacities. Most recently, she led programs on racial justice for immigrants and newcomers in British Columbia and been the communications associate for a Stó:lō Nation. Riya was a researcher in a major study analyzing trends in corporate leadership post social justice movements such as BLM and #MeToo in North America.

She is passionate about building synergies between public policy and inclusive development. Being a first-generation South Asian immigrant, she is interested in advancing the voices of women of colour in professional, educational, and social contexts.

Riya holds a Masters in Public Policy and Global Affairs from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Delhi, India.

Michael Veniez

Research Officer, Education and Advisory Services

Michael contributes research to the Education and Advisory Services team at SHARE. Michael has worked with the private and public sectors to uncover stakeholders’ most significant roadblocks to achieving their sustainability goals. Before joining SHARE, Michael led the research team at a digital transformation consultancy into frictions experienced by British Columbian municipal and regional government staff when developing annual carbon inventories. Michael holds a Bachelor of Design (BDES) from Emily Carr University of Art and Design, an Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Business Leadership from BCIT and an ESG fundamentals micro-credential from BCIT and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.

Kaitlyn Vleming

Administrator, Business and Systems Support

Kaitlyn joined SHARE in March 2022 as Administrator, Business and Systems Support.

Before joining SHARE, Kaitlyn worked as an Artist Immigration Administrator with the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, the labour organization representing musicians in Canada.

Kaitlyn holds a Master’s of Science degree in Sociocultural/Medical Anthropology from the University of Toronto, where her research focused on gender and reproductive health, as well as an honours Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and English, also from the University of Toronto.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse group of industry professionals representing institutional investors, community collaborators, and investment experts.

Vonda Brunsting

Director, Global Worker’s Capital Project, Center for Labor and a Just Economy at Harvard Law School

Vonda Brunsting is the Director of, the Global Worker’s Capital Center for Labor and a Just Economy at Harvard Law School.

Recently, Vonda worked in partnership with the Grantham Institute at LSE to launch a project on Investing in the Just Transition, which aims to build a clean energy economy that works for communities and working people.

Previously, she was director of the Capital Stewardship Program Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  Vonda served as a trustee on the SEIU Master Trust Pension Plan and on the board of the Council of Institutional Investors.

Prior to joining SEIU‚ Vonda Brunsting co-founded two community organizations devoted to leadership development and community change and worked on community finance initiatives at the University of New Hampshire and the Harvard Business School.

She currently serves on the Boards of the Noyes Foundation, the Good Work Institute and the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE).   She received her B.A. from Calvin College and holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago

Ioana Circo

Investment Advisor at Université de Montréal

she/her

Ioana Circo is an experienced investment professional with a core belief that providers of capital can contribute to a positive impact on people and the planet.

Having joined the University of Montreal in 2013 as an Investment Advisor, Ioana guides and executes the responsible investment strategies for the university’s pension plan and endowment. She also oversees a diverse portfolio of external managers and is responsible for monitoring and expanding international equity investments, and contributing to the overall management of the pension and endowment funds.

Ioana is a board director of SHARE and currently chairs the Programming and Events Committee of CFA Montreal. She served as the Chair of the CFA Montreal’s Diversity Committee, advocating for increased representation of underrepresented groups in the finance sector. From 2018 to 2020, Ioana chaired the Advisory Committee of the PRI Québec Network working with peers to advance responsible investment practices in the local market.

Ioana is a CFA® charterholder and has earned the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing. Ioana received an MBA in Finance from Université Laval, Québec, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration (Finance and Management) from universities in France and Romania.

Hermender Singh Kailley

Secretary-Treasurer, BC Federation of Labour

Hermender Singh Kailley’s first involvement with the labour movement began when he helped organize his fellow Vancouver Fringe Festival workers with IATSE Local 118. After a career change in 2004, he became a member of ILWU Local 502, joining the executive board in 2018 and becoming secretary-treasurer in 2019. Hermender is also a Trustee with the Waterfront Industry Pension Plan and the Health & Benefits Plan. A first-generation Canadian born to Punjabi parents, Hermender also serves on the executive board of the New Westminster and District Labour Council.

Jessica Keeshig Martin

Consultant, Shared Value Solutions

she/her

Jessica Keeshig-Martin (she/her), Biidaabinokwe, is Anishnaabe, Wolf Clan and a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. Jessica is a consultant with Shared Value Solutions.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in sociology and Indigenous studies, Jessica began a deepened engagement with Indigenous communities through her work for the Chiefs of Ontario in the Justice Department. She went on to work for her home Nation as Nuclear File Coordinator and Education, Language and Culture Coordinator as well as for the Independent First Nations as Education Coordinator.

Upon realizing the significant personal impact of her educational journey and experience with Indigenous issues, Jessica decided to go on to do graduate work in education. She is now a PhD student at York University; her doctoral research will explore Anishnaabe philosophies as part of the movement to revitalize earth caretaking systems.

Jessica has served two terms on the Chippewas of Nawash Board of Education as Trustee and Chairperson.

Odrey Robillard

Sustainability & Responsible Investment Strategist, Fonds de Solidarité FTQ

Odrey Robillard is the Director of Sustainable Development and Responsible Investment at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, a labour-sponsored development capital fund, based in Quebec. In this role, she is in charge of assisting the Executive Committee in defining the Fonds’ sustainable development and responsible investment strategies, tracking and assessing emerging practices while adapting them to the Fonds’ particular context, and supervising the team’s work and progress.

Actively involved in her community, Odrey is also a member of the Audit Advisory Committee for the Grey Nuns of Montreal, a member of the Orientation Committee of the Chaire Desjardins en finance responsable (Université de Sherbrooke), and a board member of the Eastern Townships Community Foundation. She also lectures for Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in its ESG integration short program.

She holds a Master’s degree in Environment with a concentration in sustainability, and a Master’s degree in Business administration, with a focus on finance. She also holds the Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) Credential.

Harpinder Sandhu

Vice President of CUPE Local 1767

Harpinder Sandhu is a National Servicing Representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees. He has worked as a property appraiser for BC Assessment for 11 years and his experience provides solid background for real estate as a fund investment. He has also co-authored two major policy papers on housing affordability that have been key in influencing provincial housing legislation.

He is a member of the BC Public Service Pension Board and BC Municipal Pension Plan Board of Trustees, a committee member of Principles for Responsible Investment (Western North America Chapter), and founding member of the Canadian Capital Stewardship Network.

A graduate of Simon Fraser University, Harpinder holds Bachelor of arts degrees in Geography and Economics, focused on international trade, finance, sustainable urban development and public policy.

Yulena Wan, CPA, CA

VP, Finance and Operations at Hamilton Community Foundation, and Treasurer of the YWCA of Canada

Yulena Wan was born, raised, and continues to live in Hamilton, Ontario.  She is a Chartered Professional Accountant and works as VP of Finance and Operations at the Hamilton Community Foundation (HFC), a leader in philanthropy working to create a vibrant and inclusive city.  Hamilton Community Foundation was founded in 1954 as Ontario’s first community foundation. HCF connects the philanthropic interests of local citizens with Hamilton’s needs and opportunities to help donors make the difference they want to make in strengthening Hamilton.

In addition to HCF’s granting and community leadership, the foundation has established itself as a national leader in the impact investing and social finance space, leveraging capital by investing directly into local projects such as social enterprise, lending vehicles for not-for-profits and charities and affordable housing.  After many years active at the local YWCA level, Yulena was a member of the National Board at YWCA Canada from 2016 to 2024.  As Treasurer, she chaired the Audit and Finance Committees, and has also represented the movement internationally. In her community, she is involved in a number of other governance roles, volunteers at income tax clinics and other community events, and was named a CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow. She is currently serving on SHARE’s board of directors as co-chair.