MEET OUR
Executive Director
Get to know a bit about the Executive Director of CBPN
Eunice K. Yeboah
Co-founder & Executive Director
Eunice Kays Yeboah is the Co-Founder of the Toronto Black Policy Conference and Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Canadian Black Policy Network. She is also the Anti-Racism Policy Consultant at the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
She is very passionate about confronting anti-Black racism and all forms of racism and discrimination; government and public policy, and has spent over 10 years working in varied roles with municipalities and the Province of Ontario. Recognized for outstanding early career success and impactful volunteerism, Eunice was recently selected as part of York University’s Inaugural Top 30 Changemakers Under 30 list and received the inaugural IPAC Toronto Region New Professional Award.
Eunice is an alumna of Seneca College, York University’s Liberal Arts and Professional Studies and University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, and has featured in various campaigns, articles and initiatives at all three schools.
MEET OUR
Executive Committee
PRECIOUS SIDAMBE
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & POLICY
Precious Sidambe is a policy professional with a wealth of experience in the public sector. She began her career in the education sector, with the Toronto District School Board, where she held various roles in the Governance and Board Services Department and Human Rights Office.
Precious currently works for the Ontario Ministry of Education as a Senior Policy Advisor where she provides policy advice and expertise in the design, development, and implementation of curriculum in the public education system. In her previous role as Policy Advisor at the Treasury Board Secretariat, she led policy analysis to support the development of a career enhancement program to advance the careers of Black women in administrative roles that have experienced occupational segregation and gendered racism.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Public Policy, Administration, and Law from York University.
Precious is most passionate about human rights and strives to incorporate equity and anti-racism principles to her day-to-day work
Email: policy@cbpn.ca
COMING SOON
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING
Coming soon
Rumbi Zinyemba
Director of Funding Partnerships
Rumbi Zinyemba has worked with the not-for-profit organizations in Canada, Zambia and Zimbabwe for a decade, building capacity and monitoring and evaluation projects in the human rights, peace and reconciliation, gender equality and humanitarian emergency management sectors. sector in Zimbabwe.
Currently, Rumbi manages grants administration, design and programming at the national Canadian Red Cross and promotes equity and diversity in granting practices for the not-for-profit sector in Canada through her consulting work.
Rumbi is also devoted to promoting African literature, and is the founder of the Harare Book Club, an online, international book club that connects readers to authors across African countries and diasporas.
Email: funding@cbpn.ca
Lolade Ozomoge
Director of Marketing & Communications
Lolade Ozomoge is a Marketing Communications and Change Management professional with over 10 years of experience in various facets of MarCom including Public Relations, Digital Marketing, Crisis Communication, Corporate Communications, and Content creation. Skilled in developing and implementing integrated internal and external marketing communication strategies and facilitating the successful execution of change projects through strategic communications, she has successfully led cross-functional teams in executing diverse marketing communications projects.
Lolade holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and an MBA in management Specialization. She is currently in the Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability industry and serves as the Manager of Communications at Windfall Ecology Centre, developing and implementing comprehensive communication plans to amplify important initiatives centred around mitigation and adaptation to the impact of climate change, as well as building resilient communities. In her role, she engages internal and external stakeholders on strategic communication pathways to drive action on climate-related programs.
Also, beyond her passion for her craft, she is very passionate about impactful causes aimed at elevating Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color communities. He volunteers her time and expertise as Director of Communications at Empowherto, a non-profit organization that empowers young minority women and equips them with skills to thrive and shatter systemic barriers.
Email: communications@cbpn.ca
KWAMEH FONKENG
DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS
Kwameh Fonkeng is a dedicated freelance grant writer and researcher with a passion for empowering Black communities across Canada and the United States. With extensive experience supporting nonprofits and small businesses, Kwameh brings expertise in grant writing, funding research, and strategic planning to help organizations scale their impact.
Kwameh’s professional journey includes serving as a grant adjudicator for the Foundation for Black Communities Canada’s BIG 2.0 program, where he evaluated innovative nonprofit initiatives. As Team Leader at the Black Opportunity Fund, he manages grant adjudication teams. He has secured funding for nonprofits helping win grants for mental health also provides.
Kwameh is excited to join the Canadian Black Policy Network and contribute to advancing equity and opportunity for Black communities nationwide.
Email: partnerships@cbpn.ca
FADZIE MCCONNELL
CORPORATE SECRETARY
Fadzie currently works at the Regional Municipality of York as a Supervisor in the Provincial Offences Courts and is also a professor at Seneca College. Fadzie sits on York Region’s Anti-Black Racism Advisory Group (ABRAG), is the co-lead for York Region’s Community of Belonging for Black Staff and engaged member of York Region’s Community of Belonging for Staff with Disabilities. Prior to joining York Region, Fadzie was with The Toronto Police Service (TPS) for 17 years within the Court Services branch where she worked in Governance and was a champion for the TPS Race-Based Data Collection Strategy and the TPS Equity Strategy.
Fadzie has obtained a Master’s degree in Public Policy, Administration and Law (MPPAL), a Graduate Diploma in Justice System Administration, and a BA in International Development Studies from York University. Fadzie is committed to good governance, justice policy, diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging. She promotes empowering and engaging leadership strategies, asserts policy and program development, and drives strategic change management. Fadzie gives back through several volunteer roles and is honoured to work alongside the CBPN Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
Email: corp.secretary@cbpn.ca
MEET OUR
Board of Directors
Get to know a bit about the Board of Directors of CBPN
Derek Lett
chair
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-lett-69736a15
Derek Lett is a retired Ontario Public Service executive. His extensive public sector experience includes leadership roles in line ministries, central agencies and legislative oversight agencies of the provincial government.
Among his leadership roles, he was the former Director of Operations, Outreach and Education in Ontario’s Office of the Integrity Commissioner; Director of the Safety Program Development Branch in the Ministry of Transportation; Policy Director with Ontario’s Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission; Executive Director of Ontario’s Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner; and Director of Diversity Programs Design and Delivery in the former Ministry of Government Services.
As Course Director, Mr. Lett teaches public administration in the School of Public Policy and Administration at York University.
He is a trained mediator, a former member of City of Toronto’s Committee of Adjustment (North York Panel) and Past Chair of the Board of Directors of Trust 15, a not-for-profit organization serving at-risk youth in Rexdale, Toronto.
Mr. Lett holds a specialized Honours B.A. in Public Policy and Administration from York University, a Masters in Public Administration from Queen’s University, a Certificate in Change Management from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and a Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor.
JOHN THOMAS
vice-chair
John is a character, a thinker, a professional with a passion for advancing social justice causes, working with Canadian public policy instruments, and broadening his knowledge by learning and enjoying various cultural experiences. He is guided by his values of empathy, integrity, transparency, and respect and his vision of doing everything to achieve the advancement of people, especially Black, Indigenous, and other People of Colour.
Over the past 5 years, John has served in executive leadership positions as Chief Administrative Officer in Local Government both in Yukon and British Columbia. He also has experience in operations, management, and labour union movement. Educationally, John graduated with a Bachelors in Justice Studies and a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
He loves traveling, dancing, and authentic experiences and looks forward to supporting the mission of and working with the Board at CBPN.
Hugh Anthony Simmonds, PHD
Board MEMBER
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/hughanthonyp
Hugh Anthony is a tri-sector athlete who has held professional and executive roles with multi-sector experiences in public, private and not-for-profit sectors providing advice and expertise in leadership, strategy governance and, learning and development. He brings over two decades of national and international human centric engagements in higher education institutions, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, culture and creative industries, leisure and hospitality, international marketing, sustainability and, community and stakeholder engagement. He is a member of the leadership team at The New Humanity Initiative and the Head of Strategy, Culture and Inclusion leading the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, Culture and Leadership Strategy, and the Chief Storytelling Officer at Assignment & Co., amplifying the power of storytelling for leaders, and he teaches at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).
In addition to his professional endeavours, Hugh Anthony is values volunteerism and believes ‘service is the rent we pay for living’. He serves on several boards that amplify social impact, diversity and inclusion, economic well-being and sustainability for children, youth and community. He currently serves as a Certified Leadership Education Trainer for Kiwanis International, Director, Toronto Kiwanis Festival, Co-Chair of the Kevin Pollard Memorial Scholarship Fund, President of the Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation (934); Director of the Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation (1081). Previously, he has served on a number of boards including the Clarendon College Alumni Association–Toronto Chapter; University of Technology Board of Governors and Kiwanis International Service Leadership Program – Circle K International.
He is a Distinguished President and the Charter President of the Kiwanis Club of Toronto Caribbean (KCTC) and the Kiwanis Club of Scarborough. Hugh Anthony was nominated in 2015 for the 50+1 Emerging Black Leaders Award in the Greater Toronto Area in recognition of his leadership and commitment to youth and community engagement.
He received his PhD from the University of Waterloo with a focus on leadership, culture and service; with graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of the West Indies. He pursued several executive education courses in leadership and change, and diversity and inclusion at Harvard University (USA), University of Michigan (USA), Ryerson University (Canada), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) and University of New Orleans (USA). He is a cinephile, coffeephile, oenophile, gastronome, and traveller and he loves the performing arts, even though he has now hung up his professional dancing shoes.
Nickaya Parris, MPH, RD
Board MEMBER
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickaya-parris-basc-mph-rd-11a677172/
Nickaya Parris is a public health professional and Registered Dietitian with experience in both healthcare and government sectors. She currently serves as Manager of Provincial Standards and Initiatives for Nutrition and Food Services at Nova Scotia Health, where she supports policy development and system-level initiatives to improve nutrition care through an equity-focused lens. She has also worked as a Food Security Policy Analyst with the Nova Scotia Provincial Government, advancing policies to address food insecurity and health inequities across Nova Scotia.
Nickaya holds a Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics with a Clinical Nutrition Specialization from the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Science and a Certificate in Food Security both from Toronto Metropolitan University.
Nickaya brings to the CBPN Board a deep commitment to policy grounded in lived experience, community collaboration, and system-level change. She looks forward to contributing her skills and voice to advancing the CBPN’s mission of empowering Black communities through inclusive and transformative public policy.
Aristide F. Kouame, MBA
BOARD MEMBER
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-aristide-fabrice-kouame-mba/
Aristide F. Kouame, MBA and bilingual French Management Consultant, is a highly experienced business professional with a strong background in Route to Market strategies and comprehensive business development in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector. His extensive experience includes successful engagements with numerous multinational corporations, where he has consistently driven results through strategic initiatives and data-informed decision-making. He has a unique ability to achieve results quietly, with visible impacts reflected in metrics and expectations.
A strategic and critical thinker, Aristide has a deep passion for analysis, leveraging insights to make informed choices that positively affect organizational outcomes. He is also committed to social responsibility, advocating for fairness, equity, and an inclusive work environment.
Aristide’s collaborative approach fosters strong relationships with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, ensuring that shared objectives are met while nurturing talent and promoting diversity. He is dedicated to empowering those around him, particularly the most vulnerable individuals, which reflects his belief in the importance of ethical leadership and community support. Continuously motivated by challenges, Aristide seeks solutions that contribute to sustainable growth and enhance the overall performance of the organizations he serves.
Chantal Edwards
Board MEMBER
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantal-edwards/
Chantal Edwards is the Manager of Public Policy at Imagine Canada, where she leads policy development and advocacy efforts to strengthen the operating environment for Canada’s charities and nonprofit organizations.
With a deep understanding of the nonprofit sector, Chantal works to ensure that public policy reflects and supports the essential contributions of nonprofit organizations to Canadian communities. Chantal brings a strong foundation in policy research, stakeholder engagement, and strategic analysis. She holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Toronto.
Tunde Omotoye
BOARD MEMBER
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tundeomotoye/?originalSubdomain=ca
Tunde Omotoye is an Entrepreneur, RCIC and someone passionate about how policy shapes real outcomes for communities.
Through his work as Co-founder and CEO of HumanSquad, he has helped thousands navigate immigration pathways and seen first-hand how policy decisions impact lives.
That experience has strengthened his belief that inclusive, community-informed policy is essential to driving meaningful change.
Tunde believes policy is not just about frameworks but about removing barriers and opening doors for underrepresented groups. It is this perspective that guides his work and fuels his interest in contributing to spaces like the Canadian Black Policy Network.