Candidate: Geneviève Thériault-Lachance

Montréal, Québec
Nominated by Laurin Liu

 

 

Personal Statement:

I am a current Board member seeking re-election. I am deeply committed to Amnesty's mission. As a lawyer, I have helped our organization with legal and governance matters in the past year. I also volunteer on the Energy Transition committee as I have experience investigating human rights abuses in the electric vehicles' supply chain. I am a fierce advocate for human rights, and would love to bring my expertise and commitment as a Board member of AICES. 

View the recorded Video Statement

 

Candidate: Greg Zatulovsky

Toronto, Ontario
Nominated by Tara Vicckies

 

 

 

Personal Statement:

"I am professional accountant, non-profit executive, and experienced Treasurer that has spent the last year as a Community Advisor to the Finance & Audit Committee and Amnesty International Canada - English Speaking. I am a proud first generation Canadian whose parents sacrificed to emigrate from a home with a repressive regime to provide a better life for me and my siblings. Their sacrifice inspires my siblings and I to live a life of service and my belief that our global society is only as strong as our weakest global citizens is why I want to serve your mission.

In my day job, I'm the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Purpose Forward, a national nonprofit committed to building operational capacity in the nonprofit sector. I advise and interact with many boards in my day job, and I have the privilege of learning what works well and what doesn't from many charities at once. I am also the Treasurer at Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation, a housing advocacy charity based in Ontario. My decade of nonprofit experience includes roles as the Director of Finance & Corporate Services at the Canadian Mental Health Association and 5 years in children's mental health care.

I am humbled by the work that Amnesty International Canada does, and I would be honoured to increase my contribution to your cause as the Treasurer."

View the recorded Video Statement

 

Candidate: Dastageer Sakhizai

Regina, Saskatchewan
Nominated by Gord Barnes

 

 

 

Personal Statement:

"Skills I have acquired through my policy work experience as a Senior Policy Analyst with the Government of Saskatchewan (in areas of legislative/regulatory policy, governance, and planning), along with my extensive work in the voluntary/community development area (including founding president/chairman for three mainly advocacy of rights organizations), enables me to bring a unique and informed perspective to the work of the Amnesty International (AI) board of directors. 

In terms of life experience in a broader sense, I lived in a few European and central Asian countries in pursuit of my career (studies and research work in various academic institutions.  I landed in Canada 24 years ago to present my paper at an international symposium at the invitation of the University of Saskatchewan. Following the symposium, I was offered a research assistantship that I accepted and settled in Canada.  

Aside from the opportunity to advance my career, Canada also offered me a great chance to pursue my passion for defending human rights, something I wanted to do for long time after witnessing firsthand grave human rights violations in my home country, Afghanistan.   

To my delight, soon after starting life in Canada, Saskatoon’s local Amnesty International group did not hesitate to welcome me in their fold. With that, I became involved in AI activities locally and then nationally as a member of the Amnesty International (English-speaking branch) steering committee on refugees for nearly 5 years until 2006 when I joined the Government of Saskatchewan.  I speak Pashtu, Dari (Persian), Bulgarian and Russian."
 

View the recorded Video Statement

 

Candidate: Laurin Liu

Brooklyn, New York
Nominated by Sarah Damberger

 

 

 

Personal Statement:

"Having just served one year on the Amnesty board of directors, I’m seeking a second term as a director to help continue AICE’s work during this exciting time in its history, as the organization works to build an anti-racist and anti-oppressive movement. I previously served as a Canadian Member of Parliament between 2011-2015, during which time I successfully proposed and advocated for changes that affected up to 435,000 individuals in Canada. I tabled multiple bills, including Bill C-409, for the automatic enrollment in the guaranteed income supplement for low-income seniors and Bill C-620, to expand health and safety protections for interns in federally regulated industries. While in office, as deputy critic for Environment, deputy critic for Science and Technology, and deputy critic for International Trade, and I pushed for a responsible and ethical foreign policy, including action on climate change, stopping the use of cluster munitions and arms exports to repressive governments, and ensuring the inclusion of human rights and environmental protections in trade deals.

For years, I’ve worked for international philanthropies and NGOs, where I’ve played a behind-the-scenes role in strategic communications, supporting activists defending basic rights around the world and campaigns for international justice and accountability.

As a member of the board, I have full support in the important work led by Ketty Nivyabandi to ensure that our organization rises to the challenges of mounting authoritarianism around the world. I look forward to backing the implementation of the equity roadmap and helping to shape Amnesty International Canada’s future." 

View the recorded Video Statement

 

Candidate: Michael Hayworth

Mississauga,Ontario
Nominated by the Nominations Committee

 

 

 

Personal Statement:

"I am a passionate human rights activist and lawyer. I have over a decade of campaign and fundraising experience with Amnesty and large global NGOs. When I was the Manager of Campaigns with Amnesty Australia I oversaw member engagement, campaigns and multiple fundraising appeals. I worked regularly with the IS and helped form the Asia Pacific Rapid Response Network that lead the global campaign on the Rohingya genocide. My campaign and leadership experience resulted in more meaningful member engagement, tangible human rights outcomes and improved fundraising figures. 

I am new to Canada and would love to contribute to Amnesty Canada's board and membership."

View the recorded Video Statement

 

 

 

Candidate: Kim Thorsen

Edmonton, Alberta
Nominated by Jonn Kmech

 

 

 

Personal Statement:

"Hi! Tansi! ¡Hola! Bonjour! 你好!

I’m Kim Doyle Thorsen, and my pronouns are she/her. I’d like to start off by acknowledging that I am indebted to live and raise the next generation on the land of the displaced Papastew Nation and I support the 94 calls to action recommended as a path to decolonization.

I am a queer woman originally from northern Saskatchewan, but have lived all over Canada and all over the world, and volunteered with Amnesty International wherever I’ve been! I joined in 1987 as a high school student and have remained a committed volunteer since then. I’ve been an Amnesty Canada Fieldworker, in a leadership role, for many years. I also am chair of the Amnesty Edmonton local group.

I’ve lived here in amiskwaciywâskahikan (also known as Edmonton) for 20 years with my family!

My most recent project has been inventing a 2-way mentorship program for activist youth, where I’ve recruited a diverse group of youth to share their ideas and innovation with our team in Edmonton, while we share our considerable years of experience in promoting and defending human rights with Amnesty!

My education and professional background is in linguistics and publishing. However, my focus in activism is on anti-bias work, women’s and Indigenous rights, and education. I’m well-versed in building community connections, delivering training, organizing, and speaking with the media.

I’m always willing to take a leadership role when needed but also ready to step back and make space for historically marginalized voices. I’d love to represent you and Amnesty Canada at the Global Assembly!

Thank you for being a part of this amazing movement!"

View the recorded Video Statement