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Our Team

Meet the team of inspiring change makers who represent and coordinate the Hubs and Circles that make up our National Network.

Work With Us

National Steering Committee

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Ishbel Munro

NSC Representative - East Hub

Ishbel has been an activist and community builder for over 50 years, and has developed projects like “On Common Ground”, which brought together the African Nova Scotian, Mi’Kmaq, Acadian and fishing communities to learn about each other’s culture and histories. The thread that runs throughout her life is the creation of a more balanced, just world – where people can heal and grow to become the people they dream of being.

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Philippe Tousignant

NSC Representative - Central Hub

Philippe is Director of Educonnexion, a program of Social Justice Connection, in citizenship education serving more than ten thousand young people and professionals in Canada and abroad. A lecturer at Université de Montréal in International Cooperation, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Law from UQAM and developed North America’s first global citizenship education framework for youth and adult education.

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Michele Penney

NSC Representative - Central Hub

Michele is a 60’s scooper from the Saulteaux Nation, Yellow Quill reserve and has been a Traditional Hand Drummer and Singer for 20 years. Michele believes that we can do better as human beings by listening to each other and sharing ideas which can be put into action when true understanding takes place.

A fat, curly brown-haired, light-skinned Anishinaabequay (First Nation Woman) with Irish blood smiles into the camera.

Vanessa AnakwudwabisayQuay Cook

NSC Representative - West Hub

Vanessa loves working in Circle to share spirit led knowledge and experiences that combat colonialism and contribute to the wellbeing in each of us. She is an Anishanaabekwe living in Winnipeg. She is from Peguis First Nation, has Ojibwe, Cree and Irish/Settler blood, and belongs to the Mikinak/Turtle and Doud Clan. In all the Circles of her life Vanessa is an Oshkaabewis/Helper to The People.

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Renée Vaugeois

NSC Representative

Renée originates from Wildwood Alberta and is a 5th generation Canadian of Ukrainian, French and Métis descent. She is the Executive Director of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Right, and is founder of Ainembabazi Children’s Project and the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights. Since 2015, Renée also serves as a Director for Women in International Security Canada, a professional network of women in the peace and security field. Her educational background includes a Master’s of Political Science from the University of Alberta with a focus on international political economy, global governance and peace building.

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Anne Mark

NSC Representative - CDF

Anne is the Director of Programs at the Catherine Donnelly Foundation. She is passionate about finding ways for adult educators and community organizers to build a movement of social and environmental change across our many geographies. She has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit realm and sees philanthropy’s responsibility to catalyze change.

National Coordinator

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Ally Crockford

National Coordinator

For over 10 years, Ally has been working with organizations across industries and continents. A passionate social justice educator, communicator, activist, and advocate, she is always looking to tell stories, engage communities, and facilitate change.

Connect with Ally

Esther Dimalanta

Communications Coordinator

Esther is a first generation Filipino settler residing in Mohkinstsis, colonially known as Calgary. She is invested in community and relationship building that is rooted in anti-oppression and collective joy. Esther’s background in social work and design allows her to tell impactful stories.

Coordinators

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Khaoula Bengezi

Hamilton Circle Coordinator

Khaoula is the Hamilton Righting Relations Program Coordinator and a third year PhD candidate at the department of Politics at York University. She is passionate about social justice and has been with Righting Relations since 2019. Khaoula is taking a leave of absence until Spring 2023 to focus on her PhD fieldwork in Morocco, and the Hamilton Circle Coordinator role will be held by Heryka Miranda until that time.

Connect with Khaoula

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Lisa Odle

Regina Circle Coordinator

Lisa is the Regina Circle Coordinator, and the phrase “righting relations” describes her work and her goals, at both the familial and corporate level. Her heart’s desire is to be in a right relationship with the Creator and her family; and to build and strengthen healthy, respectful relationships among people of different cultures, races, genders, religions, socio-economic backgrounds.

Connect with Lisa

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Ishbel Munro

East Hub Coordinator

Ishbel has been an activist and community organizer for her whole life. From the environment, to human and Indigenous rights, to bringing diverse groups of people together to find common solutions – the deep belief that we are all given gifts from the Creator and we can create a better world together – keeps her going.

Connect with Ishbel

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Renée Vaugeois

West Hub Coordinator

Renée originates from Wildwood Alberta and is a 5th generation Canadian of Ukrainian, French and Métis descent. She is the Executive Director of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Right, and is founder of Ainembabazi Children’s Project and the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights. Since 2015, Renée also serves as a Director for Women in International Security Canada, a professional network of women in the peace and security field. Her educational background includes a Master’s of Political Science from the University of Alberta with a focus on international political economy, global governance and peace building.

Connect with Renée

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Alyssa McLeod

Toronto Circle Coordinator

Alyssa is Anishinaabe-Ojibwe from Nipissing First Nation. Alyssa loves to travel, dance, explore the outdoors and take on new challenges and adventures. Alyssa shares her passion for individual and communal wellness, through the promotion of Mino Bimaadiziwin (the good life; good health), and encouraging safe environments that allow community members to uncover their unique gifts and strengths, including truth and connectivity to place and spirit.

Keri Semenko

Central Hub Coordinator

Keri identifies as Ukrainian-Canadian and currently lives as a guest on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island. Her social justice perspectives are rooted in ecofeminist traditions that recognize the intersection between the oppression of non-human animals and the oppression of marginalized human communities. In her full-time job, Keri seeks to inspire college students to find deeper empathy for all animals (including people!) through exploration and finding points of connection. In her free time, you can find Keri reading books, playing soccer and hiking with her beloved dog Murdoch.

A candid photo of a group of people standing in the woods around a campfire. They are gathered in a spread-out circle formation, with most seated on wooden logs, and a few standing; they’re wearing jackets, hats, scarves, and other warm outerwear. Some are talking to each other, while others are just looking at the fire. The ground is covered with fallen leaves, and behind them is a landscape of evergreen trees and tree trunks.

Righting Relations Change Labs

In 2022, Righting Relations launched our women-led, pan-national Change Labs, funded by WAGE Canada. These Change Labs support educators and organizers with lived experience to design strategies, tools, and resources for systemic change in six key focus areas:

  • 2SLGBTQ+ (Gender and Sexuality)
  • Advancing the Calls to Justice - Gender-Based Violence
  • Anti-Ableism and Accessibility
  • Strengthening Black Women’s Leadership and Connection
  • Strengthening Indigenous Women’s Leadership and Connection
  • Strengthening Men’s Leadership and Connection
A graphic recording with a stylized tree in the centre. Instead of leaves, the branches stretch into figures with their arms raised. The tree is divided into the colours of the medicine wheel: black, red, white, and yellow. Clustered around the tree are more figures watering plants, climbing a ladder, or holding hands. Text surrounding the images reads, “Responding to and preventing sexual violence. Response - Support for Supporters; Healing and Ceremony for our Community; Policies and Procedures; Tools and Resources. Prevention - Education and awareness; Online safety and social media; Healthy relationships.”