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Our Team

Board of Directors

Jared Ross

President

Jared Ross is the National Program Support Manager at United for Literacy (formerly known as Frontier College). He has been a member of the MTML board for three years. He has an M.A. in History from York University and an M.Ed. with a specialization in Adult Education from OISE.

Paul Haigh

Vice President

Experienced Metis Educator, Curriculum Developer and Community Worker, Paul believes in 'experiential' learning with over 10 years of experience in policy planning, delivery and development specific to Indigenous educational curriculums, community engagement, housing and job development for marginalized populations. He has experience working with First Nation, Metis and Inuit urban communities, new Canadians and homeless populations with psycho/social/physical, substance abuse, behavioral and emotional challenges.. He offers knowledge of Indigenous history/culture, literature and spirituality acquired through hands-on encounters and study within Indigenous communities.

Syed Shah

Treasurer- Director

Syed Shah is a CPA and currently the Director of Finance at Husky Technologies. He is a versatile and high energy finance and business professional who has been successfully reorganizing, streamlining and strengthening operations for over 15 years. Being a persuasive communicator, he readily gains buy-in and consensus amongst key-decision makers to uphold important business goals.

Through various volunteer roles, Syed recognizes the importance of adult literacy and the impact of literacy programs in the adult upgrading process. He is hoping that through the role as a Treasurer in MTML Board he will manage and monitor organizational finances in the most effective manner. Syed is also a volunteer tutor with Studypages, where he tutors students in various finance and accounting courses.

Kirandeep Randhawa

Director

Kirandeep Randhawa is a queer Indian-Canadian settler born and raised in Toronto. She has worked in various community outreach and education-related programs in the city from creating online writing workshops with Frontier College’s Beat the Street program to supporting young people’s transition into post-secondary education at the East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club.

She has been involved in these organizations because she is committed to closing education gaps for marginalized communities. She completed her undergraduate in Political Science at the University of Toronto and her MA in Social Justice & Community Engagement at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Shahina Suleman

Director

Shahina Suleman is a passionate educator and community leader based in Toronto. Shahina has been leading Elevate, an employment readiness program, since 2018 – a role that connects her passion for employment training for marginalized individuals with her business and

manufacturing experience. With decades of experience as a co-creator of a bakery business, a

business growth advisor, and a skills trainer, Shahina is currently in her sweet spot!

Elevate is a core initiative of PTP Adult Learning and Employment Programs that empower

marginalized individuals with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in Ontario largest food and beverage manufacturing sector. Shahina works directly with job seekers to teach a curriculum highlighting Skills for Success and other essential workplace skills that make them successful long-term employees. She provides job coaching, mentoring, and job-retention

support that helps her clients become self-reflective and self-aware, focusing on problem-

solving, critical thinking, and adaptability.

A passionate advocate of women’s empowerment and a dedicated community volunteer, Shahina Serves as a Board Member of Business Professional Women Ontario (BPW) an organization committed to improving the economic, political, social, and employment conditions of women.Shahina also facilitates workshops that help newcomers to Canada develop job skills and volunteers with the Young Girls Mentoring Program to help strengthen the literacy skills of girls from underserved neighborhoods.

Brianna Big Canoe

Director

Starting her career in literacy in January 2022, Brianna is the Coordinator of the Indigenous Literacy Program on Georgina Island First Nation. Brianna has a passion for engaging her community in literacy through an Indigenous perspective. Prior to her career in literacy, Brianna has 5 years of experience in community engagement, acquiring funding for large scale projects, and project management. She has a BAH in International Development Studied from Trent University.

Mary Mohan

Director

Mary Mohan is an adult learner at PTP West and is a member of the Bits and Bites Snack bar. Mary was the Co - Chair of the LBS Learners’

Conference and international Literacy Day Committee from 2020- 2022. This year she is an active committee member for the conference. She is a strong advocate for adult literacy, adult learners in the literacy and academic Upgrading programs in Toronto. Mary’s years of experience as a learner in literacy programs has provided her an insight into the gaps, challenges and issues that learners may face in the learning experience. In all these years, she has inspired learners to achieve more and become confident in developing their skills through the literacy programs.

Gabrianna Jolie

Director

Gabrianna (Gaby) Jolie is currently a Program Officer at the Toronto District School Board in the Essential Skills Upgrading department. Mrs. Jolie's official involvement in adult education started in 2016 after she graduated from Seneca College’s TESL program.

Her love for imparting knowledge to adults started long before this. Her career involved being an HR Manager/Trainer for a Hotel chain in the Caribbean, where part of her duties was orientation training. Her passion for literacy and interest in adult education in Toronto saw her volunteering with the Toronto Public Library, TD Learning Centre and Micro – Skills. She also worked with Oxford International and English School of Canada.

Gaby is interested in all things literacy and spent the last few years as the Literacy and Basic Skills Administrator for the Toronto Catholic District Board. She is an active member of the Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) committee of CESBA.

Jeff Chan

Director

Jeff is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over eight years of experience across the non-profit, healthcare, and aviation sectors in global markets. He is currently with Siemens Healthineers in creating meaningful brand narratives, impactful events and fostering strong stakeholder relationships to strengthen healthcare access for all in Canada.

A passionate advocate for lifelong learning and literacy, Jeff believes in its power to foster intellectual, mental, and spiritual growth. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in social and public policy studies from Lingnan University, Hong Kong and his postgraduate certificate of public relations from Humber College, Toronto, Canada.

Makela Peak

Director

Makela is a commercial broker based in Toronto, where she matches businesses with their perfect space. Makela has established herself as a trusted advisor since obtaining her real estate license in 2022. She has a diverse clientele, ranging from non-profits and startups to esteemed national corporations, guiding them in their relocations. Before transitioning into the world of real estate, she dedicated nearly a decade to making a meaningful impact in the field of education. Makela's journey began within the bustling halls of schools within the Toronto District School Board, where she honed her skills in fostering learning and growth among children of various backgrounds and abilities. Her commitment to equity and accessibility extended beyond the traditional classroom setting, as she also collaborated with numerous non-profit agencies, tirelessly working to break down barriers to literacy for both children and adults alike

MTML Staff

Ambreen Ahmad

Executive Director

Ambreen has 20 years of experience in the education field. Possessing a Masters in English Literature and in Educational Planning and Management, she has maintained successful positions as an English language instructor, manager HR, Communication Executive and Literacy practitioner. Her previous work experience and life-long learning certificates and diplomas bring a wealth of information to develop learning strategies, recruitment procedures and governance. Her dedication and determination in helping individuals are highlighted in all her professional achievements. She is also passionate about volunteering and has been an ardent volunteer in many non-profits across GTA. She loves to cook and experiment with different mediums of art in her free time.

Georgina Dos Santos

Community Planner

Georgina dos Santos possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Urban Studies. Georgina has over 15 years of experience in the education field. She holds certificates in TESL (Teachers of English as a Second Language), Curriculum Development and Adult Education. She has maintained successful positions as an English teacher, ESL/LINC Instructor, Program Coordinator, and Language Assessor. She has experience and roles in life- skills management, teacher trainer, career and academic advisor. Her dedication and passion in helping individuals grow and develop their own skills are highlighted in her professional and personal achievements. She is a certified Reiki practitioner, a Toronto Writers Collective facilitator, and volunteer in mentorship programs throughout the GTA. Georgina joined MTML June 2019, as the Community Planner Georgina is responsible for the planning and coordination, and of Literacy and Basic Skills Programs and professional development of Practitioners in the Toronto and York Region.

Amanda Arney

Communication Assistant

Amanda joined the literacy field 2+ years ago through her work with a community-based, adult literacy program in East York. As her initial Outreach & Administrative Coordinator, position expanded, Amanda has also gained experience with social media, tutoring one-to-one, curriculum development, and as an Assistant Instructor in small group, computer basics classes.

Amanda is committed to the literacy field and is looking forward to beginning her Teacher of Adults Certificate program at Durham College this coming September.

Anila Xhima

Bookkeeper

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