Team Category: General

Veronica (Yan) Wang joins CCDI as the Digital Marketing Specialist, helping CCDI with various social media assets, including podcasts, blog series, media posts, etc.

Veronica obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Communication and Print and Digital Publication) from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. She began working with Vancouver’s indie band as a PR and media coordinator, experiencing local culture while bringing excellent design and event planning skills. She then challenged herself and began to work in the education industry and as a freelance digital content creator.

Growing up in a small but beautiful coastal city in China, Veronica always felt passionate about finding different and unique cultures, and she finally decided to explore the planet herself. After she came to Canada by herself, she immediately fell in love with the city. As someone who is the cultural minority but still is the minority in her community, she wishes to use her profession as much as she can to encourage people to feel powerful and blessed with their diversities.

Outside of work, Veronica is also a cat-mom of 2, a Nintendo gamer, and a gardening enthusiast.

Onyi Umeobi relocated to Canada in August 2019 to further her education and forge a new path. Raised in family deeply rooted in business acumen and proud of its rich heritage and ancestral legacy has made Onyi resourceful, driven and appreciative of traditions. Onyi holds a BSc in Business Administration and a postgraduate degree in Global Business Management. With over seven years of experience in customer service across diverse industries, she has developed extensive expertise as a knowledgeable service provider and a dedicated customer advocate. Her lived experiences throughout her career have deeply inspired a dedication to empowering social equity, guided by the principles of diverse perspectives.

Outside of work, Onyi enjoys exploring alternative healing methods and researching naturopathic remedies for common ailments. She also loves watching home renovation and house construction videos, which motivates her future aspirations in the construction field. Something about watching videos of buildings in ruins transformed into stunning outcomes through hard work is incredibly therapeutic, offering a sense of renewal and inspiration. Whether it’s offering advice on simple remedies or discussing home design ideas, Onyi thrives on connecting with people and positively impacting their lives.

King Tshibanda-Kadima is a dedicated professional with over six years of experience in people management, known for his collaborative approach and strong teamwork skills. A graduate of Providence University with a degree in Business Administration, King excels at fostering cooperation and developing cohesive teams that achieve their goals. His ability to communicate effectively and create an inclusive environment has helped him build strong relationships within diverse work environments.

In addition to his professional pursuits, King has a passion for traveling, which allows him to explore new cultures, meet new people, and enjoy diverse cuisines. In his downtime, he enjoys watching sports games, especially basketball and soccer, on TV.

Rosiane Torres is a digital marketing and sales professional. Originally from Brazil, she moved to Canada in July 2022 to pursue new opportunities and expand her horizons. Rosiane holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is currently pursuing a Certificate in Business and Marketing at York University to enhance her education and stay on top of industry trends.

Rosiane believes that by embracing diverse perspectives and promoting inclusivity, organizations can foster creativity, innovation, and collaboration among their team members.

Outside of work, Rosiane loves to watch movies and explore new places and cultures. She believes that immersing herself in different experiences helps her to grow both personally and professionally.

Sonia Thiara is an experienced Human Resources professional who values living and working in service to others. She supports people to reach their goals with positivity and compassion. She has held leadership roles in retail management and health care.

Sonia was raised in Calgary and is a proud University of Calgary alum, having received her BA in Psychology. As a lifelong learner, she has gone on to earn her HR certificate from MRU and most recently has become a Certified Talent Management Practitioner and hopes to continue expanding and growing professionally.

Sonia has always been interested in learning about other people’s stories and backgrounds, from her days in the International Student’s Association to her work with helping foreign trained immigrants gain experience in their field in Canada. She continues to be an active volunteer in her community.

Along with her husband, Sonia is the parent of two amazing humans, grandmom to a precious pup, and loves spending time with family and friends. Yoga is an integral part of her health and fitness journey, and music and dancing fill her soul.

Thanuja Thananayagam is an antiracism scholar and senior human resources leader with over 20 years of experience shaping equitable, people-centred organizations. Her expertise spans talent strategy, organizational development, and equity, diversity, and inclusion, with a strong focus on embedding inclusion into systems, leadership, and workplace culture.

Thanuja holds an MBA, an MEd, and a PhD in Social Justice Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Her research examines the systemic barriers faced by immigrant women of colour in the Canadian labour market, contributing to critical conversations on intersectionality, policy, and organizational change.

She brings both academic rigour and practical insight to her work, and is recognized for advancing initiatives that drive meaningful, sustainable impact in workplaces. Thanuja also serves on the advisory council for ElevateHer, supporting efforts to advance gender equity and inclusive leadership.

As Project Manager at CCDI, Jen brings over a decade of leadership experience, guiding cross-functional initiatives that are shaping the future of the organization. She’s passionate about turning strategy into action, with a focus on creating lasting, meaningful impact.

Throughout her career, Jen has led transformative initiatives, like securing the first-ever B Corp certification in Canada’s swim school industry. She’s a firm believer in the power of collaboration—knowing that when businesses and communities work together with purpose, everyone thrives.

A lover of learning and growth, Jen embraces challenges and strives to push beyond her comfort zone. Her goal is to inspire bold action for positive change, whether it’s through leading projects or speaking at national and regional conferences on sustainability and DEI, where she encourages others to make an impact in their own communities and workplaces.

Outside of work, Jen enjoys quality time with her family—especially her two adventurous boys—exploring the outdoors, crafting, and embarking on epic superhero missions.

With seven years of experience, Evanne Souchette specializes in training, consulting, and implementing effective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies. She excels in facilitation, leveraging strong communication and problem-solving abilities. She has a proven track record in developing impactful training content and workshops that enhance cultural competence and promote equity awareness. Her approach integrates policy development to align with DEI best practices, fostering inclusive organizational cultures.

In 2020, she was part of the United Nations fellowship for People of African Descent, she was also a member of the Youth Advisory Committee of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

Trained in visual arts, she is interested in the promotion and protection of cultural rights.

She has designed and facilitated programs aimed at enhancing equitable representation in the arts sector, contributing to the creation of a more inclusive and diverse artistic environment.

In her spare time, Evanne works hard to fill her apartment with as many plants as possible.

Ashley Sheppard (she/her) is a Mi’kmaw and Ukrainian educator and scholar who believes that learning is most powerful when rooted in land, culture, and community. Mi’kmaw through her father’s family from St. George’s Bay, Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland), and Ukrainian through her mother’s family, she was raised in Alberta until 15, when her family moved home to the East Coast. That return marked the beginning of a lifelong journey of cultural reclamation, language learning, and commitment to relational accountability.

Ashley is the Manager and Lead Facilitator of CCDI’s youth education initiative, See Different, a certification program and national network for youth in Canada aged 15-26. In this role, she designs and delivers interactive programs that help young people across Canada build leadership skills, challenge inequity, and create change in their schools and communities.

She holds a master’s degree in international relations from McMaster University and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education at Ontario Tech University, with a focus on Indigenous youth, belonging, and community-driven learning. Multilingual and multicultural, Ashley spent over six years living and working abroad, where she learned to speak French, Spanish, and Japanese.

Now living in Nova Scotia with her partner and their two dogs, Millie and Watson, Ashley brings heart, humour, and a deep commitment to creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and trusted to lead on their own terms.

Anna brings diverse experience and a deep curiosity about people, systems, and equity to her work. With a background that spans health care, business, and the arts, she approaches her work with both analytical thinking and creativity.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Royal University with a dual major in Human Resources and General Management. During her studies, Anna discovered a passion for research and authored an award-winning honours thesis examining how gendered language in leadership job postings can influence whether women apply for leadership roles. She also contributed to research with the Alberta Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, co-authoring a report on rewards-based crowdfunding for women entrepreneurs.

Anna has since found her professional home in research and diversity, equity, and inclusion work. As a Research Specialist at CCDI, she translates research into practical tools and resources that help employers implement DEI practices. She is particularly passionate about advocating for women in male-dominated spaces and helping build accessible workplaces.

Outside of work, Anna enjoys baking, making art of all kinds, and exploring with her family.