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Our Collaborators
Our Collaborators - a dynamic network of researchers, practitioners, and experts who contribute to the Observatory's interdisciplinary approach, bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to enrich our understanding of human rights and inform our initiatives.
2025-2026 Cohort
Philippe Larochelle
Philippe Larochelle is the founder of Larochelle Avocats and president of the International Criminal Court Bar Association.
Me. Larochelle maintains an active practice in international criminal law since 2001, representing clients before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He has also assisted groups of victims, including before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
After obtaining genocide acquittals for his clients before the ICTR and in Canada, and the release by the ICC of his most recent client, Maxime Mokom, Mr. Larochelle practices now includes a sharp focus on neglected post-acquittals matters : relocation, compensation and review. One of his ICTR pro bono mandate is that of André Ntagerura, acquitted by the ICTR in February 2004 and still trying to find an acceptable relocation plan in 2024, 20 years later.
Why pro bono? Because the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), like the ICC, continues to deprive defence lawyers of acceptable working conditions.
As the President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, he therefore intend to fight not only for his clients, victims, suspects or accused, but also for the Bar, to make sure their working conditions allow them to make no compromises for effective representation of these clients.
Me. Larochelle maintains an active practice in international criminal law since 2001, representing clients before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He has also assisted groups of victims, including before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
After obtaining genocide acquittals for his clients before the ICTR and in Canada, and the release by the ICC of his most recent client, Maxime Mokom, Mr. Larochelle practices now includes a sharp focus on neglected post-acquittals matters : relocation, compensation and review. One of his ICTR pro bono mandate is that of André Ntagerura, acquitted by the ICTR in February 2004 and still trying to find an acceptable relocation plan in 2024, 20 years later.
Why pro bono? Because the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), like the ICC, continues to deprive defence lawyers of acceptable working conditions.
As the President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, he therefore intend to fight not only for his clients, victims, suspects or accused, but also for the Bar, to make sure their working conditions allow them to make no compromises for effective representation of these clients.
Rouguietta Touré
Rouguietta Touré is a committed leader advocating for the recognition of neurodiversity and the transformation of professional and community environments. A seasoned businesswoman and trained scientist, she brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, while actively defending the rights of autistic youth.
As the founding president of Ado-Spectrum, Rouguietta works to create spaces for growth and personal development for autistic adolescents. She advocates for an inclusive and human-centered approach to neurodiversity, rooted in empathy, understanding, and the celebration of individual strengths.
Her commitment also extends to the pharmaceutical sector, where she co-founded the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, incubated by the Association professionnelle des pharmaciens salariés du Québec (APPSQ). This committee serves as a lever for transformation toward greater equity, awareness, and inclusion of diversity in pharmacy workplaces.
Rouguietta currently holds the position of Senior National Program Manager at Pharmascience, following impactful contributions to major companies such as McKesson, McMahon, and Distribution Pharmaplus, where she helped design and launch the Horizon Santé network.
Thanks to her vision, inclusive leadership, and meaningful contributions, she was named one of Montreal’s 50 Most Influential Women in 2022 by Women We Admire.
As the founding president of Ado-Spectrum, Rouguietta works to create spaces for growth and personal development for autistic adolescents. She advocates for an inclusive and human-centered approach to neurodiversity, rooted in empathy, understanding, and the celebration of individual strengths.
Her commitment also extends to the pharmaceutical sector, where she co-founded the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, incubated by the Association professionnelle des pharmaciens salariés du Québec (APPSQ). This committee serves as a lever for transformation toward greater equity, awareness, and inclusion of diversity in pharmacy workplaces.
Rouguietta currently holds the position of Senior National Program Manager at Pharmascience, following impactful contributions to major companies such as McKesson, McMahon, and Distribution Pharmaplus, where she helped design and launch the Horizon Santé network.
Thanks to her vision, inclusive leadership, and meaningful contributions, she was named one of Montreal’s 50 Most Influential Women in 2022 by Women We Admire.
Fabrice Vil
Driven by equal opportunity, Fabrice regularly speaks out on issues that concern this ideal, notably as a columnist for La Presse, speaker and facilitator of corporate workshops. He also lent his voice to Ados et armés and Briser le code, two documentaries exploring, respectively, the issues of gun violence and racism in Quebec. As an author, he has written and published Bon gason! Konpliman ! Egare!, an autobiographical story that explores themes such as the quest for success, questions of identity, elitism and social inequality.
Fabrice is a certified coach in integral development, a lawyer by training and a former basketball coach. In 2011, he founded Pour 3 Points, an organization that transforms sports coaches into life coaches for young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fabrice is fascinated by the question of human consciousness. He hopes for people to be curious about the invisible violence in which they participate, and for them to respond to it with kindness for themselves and others.
Fabrice is a certified coach in integral development, a lawyer by training and a former basketball coach. In 2011, he founded Pour 3 Points, an organization that transforms sports coaches into life coaches for young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fabrice is fascinated by the question of human consciousness. He hopes for people to be curious about the invisible violence in which they participate, and for them to respond to it with kindness for themselves and others.
Martine Roy
Martine Roy is a prominent figure in the defense of 2SLGBTQ+ rights in Canada. With over 20 years of experience at IBM, she held several key positions, including Critical Situation Coordinator and Account Director. She stood out for her leadership in inclusion, notably by founding employee resource groups for LGBT staff and raising awareness throughout the organization about the realities faced by these communities.
She later continued her mission at TD Bank as Regional Director, 2SLGBTQ+ Business Development for Quebec and Eastern Canada, passionately pursuing her advocacy. Since 2017, she has also served as a Commissioner at the Quebec Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights (CDPDJ).
Her activism is deeply rooted in her personal history. Dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 19 due to her sexual orientation, she led the class action lawsuit that resulted in the Canadian federal government's official apology in 2017. This courageous initiative marked a turning point in the acknowledgment of the harm caused to LGBTQ+ individuals by Canadian institutions.
Martine Roy has also contributed to leading organizations: she was the co-founder and a board member of Pride at Work Canada for 10 years and served as chair of Fondation Émergence until 2015.
Her many contributions have been widely recognized: she received the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec in 2017, was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2023, and was named one of Canada’s Women of Influence in 2024. In February 2025, she was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34 Canadian Brigade Group, and in March, she received the Veterans Affairs Minister’s Commendation.
A true leader in workplace inclusion and a tireless advocate for human rights, Martine Roy continues to inspire and transform professional and community spaces across the country.
She later continued her mission at TD Bank as Regional Director, 2SLGBTQ+ Business Development for Quebec and Eastern Canada, passionately pursuing her advocacy. Since 2017, she has also served as a Commissioner at the Quebec Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights (CDPDJ).
Her activism is deeply rooted in her personal history. Dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 19 due to her sexual orientation, she led the class action lawsuit that resulted in the Canadian federal government's official apology in 2017. This courageous initiative marked a turning point in the acknowledgment of the harm caused to LGBTQ+ individuals by Canadian institutions.
Martine Roy has also contributed to leading organizations: she was the co-founder and a board member of Pride at Work Canada for 10 years and served as chair of Fondation Émergence until 2015.
Her many contributions have been widely recognized: she received the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec in 2017, was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2023, and was named one of Canada’s Women of Influence in 2024. In February 2025, she was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34 Canadian Brigade Group, and in March, she received the Veterans Affairs Minister’s Commendation.
A true leader in workplace inclusion and a tireless advocate for human rights, Martine Roy continues to inspire and transform professional and community spaces across the country.
David Eliot
David is an AI researcher, author, and entrepreneur. A PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa, he studies the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. His research has earned numerous awards, including the prestigious Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation PhD Scholarship. His research and authorship are guided by a commitment to ensuring that technological change benefits all members of society. Alongside his academic research, David is a fierce advocate for the rights of people with learning disabilities/differences, and currently serves on the board of governors for Dyslexia Canada. David himself is dyslexic and benefited from an early diagnosis and a robust support network. He became involved in dyslexia advocacy to ensure that every dyslexic child receives the same supports he did so that they may achieve their fullest potential, and to help end the stigma associated with learning disabilities.
Alicia Smith
Alicia Smith is the Executive Director of Dyslexia Canada and past President of the International Dyslexia Association Ontario.
Identified with dyslexia in high school, Alicia experienced firsthand the stigma, fear, and silence that often surround learning differences. Years later, when her first child was identified with dyslexia, she confronted the challenges of navigating the education system to secure the support her child needed. That experience fueled her commitment to systemic change.
Alicia believes that seamless access to effective instruction, intervention, and support within the public education system is a human right. She works to make systemic issues visible to decision makers by combining data, research, and lived experience. Alongside parents, educators, and local organizations, she advocates for policy change and has supported multiple human rights commissions in investigating the issues. Alicia now collaborates with ministries of education across Canada as they examine and update policies to strengthen reading instruction and support for students.
Identified with dyslexia in high school, Alicia experienced firsthand the stigma, fear, and silence that often surround learning differences. Years later, when her first child was identified with dyslexia, she confronted the challenges of navigating the education system to secure the support her child needed. That experience fueled her commitment to systemic change.
Alicia believes that seamless access to effective instruction, intervention, and support within the public education system is a human right. She works to make systemic issues visible to decision makers by combining data, research, and lived experience. Alongside parents, educators, and local organizations, she advocates for policy change and has supported multiple human rights commissions in investigating the issues. Alicia now collaborates with ministries of education across Canada as they examine and update policies to strengthen reading instruction and support for students.
Jamie Michaels
Jamie Michaels, a collaborator at the Observatory on Human Rights at the UN, is a doctoral candidate and instructor at the University of Calgary. His research utilizes popular mediums such as comics, animations, and films to expand important conversations about politics and human rights in new and surprising ways. His dissertation presents the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in comic book form, showcasing both the Jewish and Arab perspectives of these events.
His creative practice has received the Norma Epstein Foundation Biennial Award in Creative Writing (National), the Harold Greenberg Fund Shorts-to-Features Award, and the Joe Shuster Award for Excellence in Comics Creation. Jamie has a longstanding belief in the power of culture to foster generative social change. He is a contributor to the Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, the Symposium on Canadian Comics, the International Comics Arts Forum, and the Earth System Governance Project.
Jamie is a Killam Laureate (2021-2023), Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholar (2022-2025), Fellow of the Calgary Institute for the Humanities (2024-2025), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow (2026-2028). His contributions to human rights have been recognized by Historica Canada, The President for the Academy of the Arts and the Humanities for the Royal Society of Canada, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
His creative practice has received the Norma Epstein Foundation Biennial Award in Creative Writing (National), the Harold Greenberg Fund Shorts-to-Features Award, and the Joe Shuster Award for Excellence in Comics Creation. Jamie has a longstanding belief in the power of culture to foster generative social change. He is a contributor to the Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, the Symposium on Canadian Comics, the International Comics Arts Forum, and the Earth System Governance Project.
Jamie is a Killam Laureate (2021-2023), Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholar (2022-2025), Fellow of the Calgary Institute for the Humanities (2024-2025), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow (2026-2028). His contributions to human rights have been recognized by Historica Canada, The President for the Academy of the Arts and the Humanities for the Royal Society of Canada, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Jill Bobula
Jill Bobula is a graduate of McGill University in Psychology and a passionate advocate for mental and neurological health in children. She currently serves as President of Canadian Regional Community Service and President of Tourette Ottawa Connection, and has spoken widely through the Tourette Canada.
As an author, Jill has created a series of 8 books, WE ARE POWERFUL, that celebrate neurodiversity—Forgetful Frankie (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), Quite Quiet Hannah (Dyslexia), Eager Eddy (ADHD), Dinosaur Diego (Asperger’s Syndrome), Ticcing Thomas (Tourette Syndrome), Sad Sad Seth (Depression), Anxious Annie (Anxiety & OCD), and Daydreaming Dakota (ADD) —written to educate and inspire young readers with empathy and clarity.
Guided by her entrepreneurial spirit, Jill combines creativity, leadership, and innovation in all her work—whether leading organizations, publishing impactful stories, or advancing conversations around inclusion and mental wellness.
As an author, Jill has created a series of 8 books, WE ARE POWERFUL, that celebrate neurodiversity—Forgetful Frankie (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), Quite Quiet Hannah (Dyslexia), Eager Eddy (ADHD), Dinosaur Diego (Asperger’s Syndrome), Ticcing Thomas (Tourette Syndrome), Sad Sad Seth (Depression), Anxious Annie (Anxiety & OCD), and Daydreaming Dakota (ADD) —written to educate and inspire young readers with empathy and clarity.
Guided by her entrepreneurial spirit, Jill combines creativity, leadership, and innovation in all her work—whether leading organizations, publishing impactful stories, or advancing conversations around inclusion and mental wellness.
Rabbi Alex Goldberg
Rabbi Alex Goldberg is a barrister, chaplain, and human rights activist. He is currently the Dean of the College of Chaplains and Coordinating Chaplain at the University of Surrey. He is the only rabbi within this role in Europe. He is currently working on a number of international and UK-based community relations and community development projects and is the Jewish chaplain to the University of Surrey. Alex regularly co-hosts a BBC radio show, a contributor to BBC Radio 2's Pause For Thought and was a member of the BBC's Religion and Ethics Conference.
He chairs the English Football Association's Faith Network and founded the human rights group René Cassin.
He was founding chair of Faiths Forum for London and the Mayor of London's Faith Conference. He has been a led a delegation to the UN Human Rights Council for over a decade where he successfully changed international law in relation to group access to justice. In 2012, he was an Olympic and Paralympic Chaplain.
He chairs the English Football Association's Faith Network and founded the human rights group René Cassin.
He was founding chair of Faiths Forum for London and the Mayor of London's Faith Conference. He has been a led a delegation to the UN Human Rights Council for over a decade where he successfully changed international law in relation to group access to justice. In 2012, he was an Olympic and Paralympic Chaplain.
Dr. Boumédiène Benyahia
Dr. Boumédiène Benyahia is an internationally recognized expert and thought leader in the fields of Islam in Europe, peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, and human rights. With a career dedicated to fostering understanding and countering extremism, Dr. Benyahia has made significant contributions through his research, advocacy, and community engagement.
Dr. Benyahia's extensive affiliations underscore his diverse expertise. He serves as an expert observer for the NGO FoRB Geneva, an international associate expert with UNCR University & CRN, and a scientific expert for the Groupe de Réflexion de la GMP, focusing on the adaptation of Muslim religious discourse in France. His involvement in the European Project PARTES, the “Prix Mare Nostrum 2024” jury, the Framework “Faith for Rights, HCDH,” and the EU Project IN2PREV demonstrates his commitment to collaborative, international efforts.
As the founder of the Institut de la Parole en ligne, Dr. Benyahia provides a platform for insightful discussions on Islamic thought and contemporary issues. His role as an Ambassador for Peace with the Universal Peace Federation further exemplifies his dedication to promoting peaceful coexistence. His previous tenure as Secretary-General of the Coordination of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland highlights his leadership in community-based initiatives.
Dr. Benyahia's academic background includes a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Administration of World Peace from UNCR University and a Diploma in "Law, Republic and Religions" from the Faculté Jean Monnet at the Université de Paris Sud. He also holds a Master II Recherches in "Arab, Muslim and Semitic Worlds" from the Université de Provence.
Dr. Benyahia’s expertise encompasses a wide range of areas, including the fabric of violence, counter-discourse strategies, the rights of religious minorities, ethics, and spiritual diplomacy. His skills include global expertise and development, peace administration strategies, pedagogical programming, and the ability to provide expert reports to religious and public institutions. Fluent in French, English, and Arabic, Dr. Benyahia is a sought-after speaker and consultant, contributing to numerous international conferences and media outlets. His work continues to bridge cultural divides and promote a more inclusive and peaceful world.
Dr. Benyahia's extensive affiliations underscore his diverse expertise. He serves as an expert observer for the NGO FoRB Geneva, an international associate expert with UNCR University & CRN, and a scientific expert for the Groupe de Réflexion de la GMP, focusing on the adaptation of Muslim religious discourse in France. His involvement in the European Project PARTES, the “Prix Mare Nostrum 2024” jury, the Framework “Faith for Rights, HCDH,” and the EU Project IN2PREV demonstrates his commitment to collaborative, international efforts.
As the founder of the Institut de la Parole en ligne, Dr. Benyahia provides a platform for insightful discussions on Islamic thought and contemporary issues. His role as an Ambassador for Peace with the Universal Peace Federation further exemplifies his dedication to promoting peaceful coexistence. His previous tenure as Secretary-General of the Coordination of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland highlights his leadership in community-based initiatives.
Dr. Benyahia's academic background includes a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Administration of World Peace from UNCR University and a Diploma in "Law, Republic and Religions" from the Faculté Jean Monnet at the Université de Paris Sud. He also holds a Master II Recherches in "Arab, Muslim and Semitic Worlds" from the Université de Provence.
Dr. Benyahia’s expertise encompasses a wide range of areas, including the fabric of violence, counter-discourse strategies, the rights of religious minorities, ethics, and spiritual diplomacy. His skills include global expertise and development, peace administration strategies, pedagogical programming, and the ability to provide expert reports to religious and public institutions. Fluent in French, English, and Arabic, Dr. Benyahia is a sought-after speaker and consultant, contributing to numerous international conferences and media outlets. His work continues to bridge cultural divides and promote a more inclusive and peaceful world.
Dr. Caroline Leblanc
Caroline Leblanc, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher dedicated to defending the rights and dignity of individuals living in situations of exclusion. Grounded in a critical perspective informed by social justice, she examines institutional practices, public policies, and systemic structures that sustain oppression and marginalization. Her work focuses particularly on the experiences of street-involved individuals, who are too often rendered invisible in public spaces and excluded from decisions that directly impact their lives. With a multidisciplinary background, Caroline holds a master’s degree in social work and a doctorate in community health from the Université de Sherbrooke. She has received numerous scholarships and awards in recognition of her social commitment and the excellence of her work. Currently, she leads a partnership-based research project on mortality in the context of homelessness in Quebec. In addition, Caroline serves as a consultant, supporting community and public organizations in meaningfully engaging people experiencing homelessness in the co-construction of knowledge and in developing inclusive, human rights-based practices. Caroline brings a collaborative and transformative vision to her work, aiming to foster living conditions that uphold the right to dignity, security, and justice for people living in situations of exclusion.
Yann Toma
Born in 1969, lives and works in Paris and New York.
Yann Toma, an artist and researcher, is an artist-observer residing at the UN permanently. He places his work and reflection at the frontier of artistic and civic expression. He puts it in the context of current political and media events. Both artist and life president of the Ouest-Lumière company, he has been developing the Energie Artistique (EA) concept since 1991. Since 1991, he has reinvested the reactivated memory of the former Ouest-Lumière electricity company to create a symbolic network dedicated to producing and disseminating artistic energy. He is involved in issues of climate change and energy, in which the artist engages in processes of revelation and takes a stand with his body, making contact with certain hidden and open senses that the public itself can pick up on but which it continually loses sight of as a result of its conditioning, notably by failing to perceive the masses of natural influxes that ensure our relationship with nature. He is also a co-founder of the Maximalism movement.
His works, held in prestigious collections such as the Centre Pompidou and the Neuflize’s Bank, question the notion of energy, the impact of art on society, and the importance of ethics. His projects involve a shared production process, with the public playing a crucial role in generating the artwork and redistributing energy between artist and viewer.
Yann Toma, an artist and researcher, is an artist-observer residing at the UN permanently. He places his work and reflection at the frontier of artistic and civic expression. He puts it in the context of current political and media events. Both artist and life president of the Ouest-Lumière company, he has been developing the Energie Artistique (EA) concept since 1991. Since 1991, he has reinvested the reactivated memory of the former Ouest-Lumière electricity company to create a symbolic network dedicated to producing and disseminating artistic energy. He is involved in issues of climate change and energy, in which the artist engages in processes of revelation and takes a stand with his body, making contact with certain hidden and open senses that the public itself can pick up on but which it continually loses sight of as a result of its conditioning, notably by failing to perceive the masses of natural influxes that ensure our relationship with nature. He is also a co-founder of the Maximalism movement.
His works, held in prestigious collections such as the Centre Pompidou and the Neuflize’s Bank, question the notion of energy, the impact of art on society, and the importance of ethics. His projects involve a shared production process, with the public playing a crucial role in generating the artwork and redistributing energy between artist and viewer.
Roxane Saumier
Roxane Saumier, Executive Director of Collège Nouvelles Frontières, is a trained French teacher. With over fifteen years of management experience, she brings a visionary, proactive, and strategic approach, always focused on student success. She notably led the implementation of the Victoria Program, designed to support students with unique learning profiles. Deeply convinced that every child deserves support in reaching their full potential, she acts with both rigor and compassion to create an inclusive and stimulating educational environment.
Dr. Mario Aguilar
Mario I Aguilar is Professor of Religion and Politics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and founding Director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics (CSRP) at the same university. He studied philosophy in his native Chile and later theology at KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) in Belgium. After serving as Director of Save the Children Fund (Canada) in Kenya/Somalia he was trained in social anthropology, history of African and African legal systems at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London where he completed his PhD on Oromo systems of thought and conversion to Islam within the relations between Kenya/Somalia in colonial times and the Somali Civil War. In 1994 he started work in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the extension of genocides with his works: Being Oromo in Kenya (1998), Theology, Liberation and Genocide (2009) and his work on 22 Truth Commissions including South Africa, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Argentina.
On rights and constitutionalism, he has worked on the constitutions of Kenya, Uganda, Somaliland, Morocco, Algeria, and India and has proposed the absolute primacy of law in the prevention of genocide, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Thus, he had examined historically ethnic and political violence in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, see his work Interreligious Dialogue and the Partition of India (2018). In his later work he has been closely associated with Vatican efforts for peace and dialogue, human rights and migrations, genocide and violence in Iraq and the Yazidi genocide, see the XIV Dalai Lama: Peacekeeping and Universal responsibility (2021), Pope Francis: Journeys of a Peacemaker (2022), and Nadia Murad: Yazidi and World Peacemaker (2025).
He is the international coordinator of the project “Burying the Dead” on topologies of dead, inhumations and the movement of tombs in Colombia, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Somalia, and the Commonwealth Cemeteries. He is the editor of the Bulletin of Vatican Diplomacy. His next book will be a biography of Pope Leo XIV. He has been a diplomat for Chile and advisor to the British Foreign Secretary on the consultation on sexual violence in war.
On rights and constitutionalism, he has worked on the constitutions of Kenya, Uganda, Somaliland, Morocco, Algeria, and India and has proposed the absolute primacy of law in the prevention of genocide, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Thus, he had examined historically ethnic and political violence in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, see his work Interreligious Dialogue and the Partition of India (2018). In his later work he has been closely associated with Vatican efforts for peace and dialogue, human rights and migrations, genocide and violence in Iraq and the Yazidi genocide, see the XIV Dalai Lama: Peacekeeping and Universal responsibility (2021), Pope Francis: Journeys of a Peacemaker (2022), and Nadia Murad: Yazidi and World Peacemaker (2025).
He is the international coordinator of the project “Burying the Dead” on topologies of dead, inhumations and the movement of tombs in Colombia, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Somalia, and the Commonwealth Cemeteries. He is the editor of the Bulletin of Vatican Diplomacy. His next book will be a biography of Pope Leo XIV. He has been a diplomat for Chile and advisor to the British Foreign Secretary on the consultation on sexual violence in war.
Dr. Havva Guney-Ruebenacker
Dr. Havva Guney-Ruebenacker is a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School where she teaches Comparative Family Law. She specializes in American family law, Islamic law and comparative law, and works as a consultant and expert witness in divorce litigation matters involving spousal support, marital property and child custody issues.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker’s received her S.J.D from Harvard Law School and her doctoral research is focused on classical Islamic law and modern Islamic legal reforms in the areas of slavery and family law with a comparative examination of modernization of American family law in the area of no-fault divorce and its economic consequences. In her book manuscript, Towards Islamic Legal Realism: Rethinking Slavery, Marriage and Divorce in Islamic Law, she develops a new Islamic legal critique that challenges the legitimacy of both slavery and women’s inequality in traditional Islamic law, advances a new theory for a universal abolition of slavery in Islamic law and offers a concrete reform proposal to achieve women’s equality in divorce and post-divorce property rights in Islamic law.
As a Visiting Assistant Professor at Boston University Law School, Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker taught Comparative Family Law and Islamic Law. She also served as a Graduate Fellow at Oxford Center for Islamic Studies at University of Oxford and at Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. She was a Visiting Fellow at the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School and an Associate Research Scholar at the Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization at Yale Law School.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker studied both major schools of Islamic law, the Sunni and the Shia, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where she graduated from a special Qur’anic studies high school (Madrasat Tahfidh al-Qur’an al-Karim) and received a B.A in Law from the University of Tehran in Iran. She holds an LLM degree from Harvard and an LLM in European Union law and European legal history from University of Cambridge. She is fluent in Turkish, Arabic, and Farsi.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker’s received her S.J.D from Harvard Law School and her doctoral research is focused on classical Islamic law and modern Islamic legal reforms in the areas of slavery and family law with a comparative examination of modernization of American family law in the area of no-fault divorce and its economic consequences. In her book manuscript, Towards Islamic Legal Realism: Rethinking Slavery, Marriage and Divorce in Islamic Law, she develops a new Islamic legal critique that challenges the legitimacy of both slavery and women’s inequality in traditional Islamic law, advances a new theory for a universal abolition of slavery in Islamic law and offers a concrete reform proposal to achieve women’s equality in divorce and post-divorce property rights in Islamic law.
As a Visiting Assistant Professor at Boston University Law School, Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker taught Comparative Family Law and Islamic Law. She also served as a Graduate Fellow at Oxford Center for Islamic Studies at University of Oxford and at Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. She was a Visiting Fellow at the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School and an Associate Research Scholar at the Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization at Yale Law School.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker studied both major schools of Islamic law, the Sunni and the Shia, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where she graduated from a special Qur’anic studies high school (Madrasat Tahfidh al-Qur’an al-Karim) and received a B.A in Law from the University of Tehran in Iran. She holds an LLM degree from Harvard and an LLM in European Union law and European legal history from University of Cambridge. She is fluent in Turkish, Arabic, and Farsi.
Marie-Ève Brunet Kitchen
Marie-Ève Brunet Kitchen has been dedicated for nearly 20 years to defending the interests of children and families in Quebec. Unanimously appointed by the National Assembly as the first Commissioner for the Well-Being and Rights of Children in April 2025, she is now focused on creating this institution, which has the mandate to promote the well-being and respect of children’s rights and to ensure the protection of children’s interests in Quebec.
Co-founder of the "La Station" intergenerational center in Nun's Island, former municipal elected official, and senior leader of non-profit organizations, she began her career working on school perseverance and crime prevention in Montreal.
Elected as a municipal councilor in Montreal from 2013 to 2017, she led numerous initiatives in favor of the city’s youth, notably creating the first “Youth Councils in boroughs” and supporting children’s voices during the celebrations for Montreal’s 375th anniversary. She also undertook a unifying effort to change the realities faced by politicians in balancing family and work life, leading to historic legislative change regarding the lack of parental leave for municipal elected officials.
As head of the Quebec Federation of Family Community Organizations from 2018 to 2021, she enhanced the organization’s visibility, solidified its expert status, and significantly increased funding for all family community organizations in Quebec. She then joined the Association of Intermediate Housing Resources of Quebec, where she led a large strategic consultation resulting in a revision of the internal structure and a repositioning in its government relations.
From 2022 to 2025, she was principal consultant at Centraide of Greater Montreal, supporting senior management in a strategic transformation leading to a new position on societal influence. She was also appointed by the federal government to the Advisory Committee on Federal Judicial Appointments.
Marie-Ève has served on several boards of directors, including those of the CIUSSS of Centre-South of the Island of Montreal and Tourisme Montréal, and has chaired Théâtre de la LNI, Concertation Montréal, and TANDEM. Winner of the 2022 Grand Prize for Emerging Business Leaders (director category) and finalist in the 2021 Arista competition, she was also recognized by Châtelaine magazine as an inspiring woman for her contribution to improving access for youth and women to politics.
Co-founder of the "La Station" intergenerational center in Nun's Island, former municipal elected official, and senior leader of non-profit organizations, she began her career working on school perseverance and crime prevention in Montreal.
Elected as a municipal councilor in Montreal from 2013 to 2017, she led numerous initiatives in favor of the city’s youth, notably creating the first “Youth Councils in boroughs” and supporting children’s voices during the celebrations for Montreal’s 375th anniversary. She also undertook a unifying effort to change the realities faced by politicians in balancing family and work life, leading to historic legislative change regarding the lack of parental leave for municipal elected officials.
As head of the Quebec Federation of Family Community Organizations from 2018 to 2021, she enhanced the organization’s visibility, solidified its expert status, and significantly increased funding for all family community organizations in Quebec. She then joined the Association of Intermediate Housing Resources of Quebec, where she led a large strategic consultation resulting in a revision of the internal structure and a repositioning in its government relations.
From 2022 to 2025, she was principal consultant at Centraide of Greater Montreal, supporting senior management in a strategic transformation leading to a new position on societal influence. She was also appointed by the federal government to the Advisory Committee on Federal Judicial Appointments.
Marie-Ève has served on several boards of directors, including those of the CIUSSS of Centre-South of the Island of Montreal and Tourisme Montréal, and has chaired Théâtre de la LNI, Concertation Montréal, and TANDEM. Winner of the 2022 Grand Prize for Emerging Business Leaders (director category) and finalist in the 2021 Arista competition, she was also recognized by Châtelaine magazine as an inspiring woman for her contribution to improving access for youth and women to politics.
2024-2025 Cohort
Karina Montminy
Holding a diploma in advanced studies in international public law from the University of Montpellier, France, Ms. Karina Montminy began her legal practice in Guatemala with an NGO dedicated to defending human rights, particularly for indigenous people who were victims of rights violations during the civil war. She then held a project manager position at the Department of Management and Settlement of Disputes at the Ministry of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, where she was responsible for litigation in Quebec.
Desiring to actively contribute to the advancement of human rights and freedoms in Quebec, Ms. Montminy joined the Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission. She initially served as a regional representative and investigator, particularly within Indigenous settings. For the past 20 years, Ms. Montminy has been a legal advisor at the Research Division, an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and sociologists. Through the numerous projects she has worked on over the years, including briefs, statements, public positions, presentations, and publications, she has been dedicated to advocating for the rights of children, women, indigenous people, and individuals with disabilities.
Desiring to actively contribute to the advancement of human rights and freedoms in Quebec, Ms. Montminy joined the Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission. She initially served as a regional representative and investigator, particularly within Indigenous settings. For the past 20 years, Ms. Montminy has been a legal advisor at the Research Division, an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and sociologists. Through the numerous projects she has worked on over the years, including briefs, statements, public positions, presentations, and publications, she has been dedicated to advocating for the rights of children, women, indigenous people, and individuals with disabilities.
Dr. Yacouba Cissé
Dr. Yacouba Cissé is currently a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, Ambassador of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire to the Republic of Austria and Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the United Nations Office and others International Organizations in Vienna. He is an expert in the international law of maritime boundary delimitation and other law of the sea issues, with numerous publications to his credit in this field. He holds a bachelor's degree and a master’s degree in public international law from the University of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). He also holds a master's degree in science and management of maritime affairs from the University of Rimouski in Quebec and a doctorate in law from the University of Ottawa (Canada) with congratulations from the jury and the Paris Bar Prize.
Dr. Cissé is a member of the Abidjan Bar and was Director of the International Civil Service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d'Ivoire.
As a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, he is a member of the Study Group set up by the Commission to address the issue of sea-level rise and its implications for international law. He is the Special Rapporteur on ‘Prevention and repression of maritime piracy and armed robbery at sea’. This subject is part of the Commission's long-term programme and received broad support from delegates attending the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He currently chairs the Group of the Francophone Ambassadors (GAF) accredited to Vienna, Austria.
Dr. Cissé is a member of the Abidjan Bar and was Director of the International Civil Service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Côte d'Ivoire.
As a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, he is a member of the Study Group set up by the Commission to address the issue of sea-level rise and its implications for international law. He is the Special Rapporteur on ‘Prevention and repression of maritime piracy and armed robbery at sea’. This subject is part of the Commission's long-term programme and received broad support from delegates attending the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He currently chairs the Group of the Francophone Ambassadors (GAF) accredited to Vienna, Austria.
Dr. Prativa Baral
Dr. Prativa Baral is an epidemiologist and a faculty associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She operates at the intersection of global health policy and advocacy, while investigating risks of health emergencies, early warning and surveillance systems, and health systems resilience, particularly during crises. She is also the co-founder of Let Science Connect, a science communications training consultancy targeting researchers and experts.
Over the past few years, she has collaborated with and consulted for OpenAI, the United Nations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the United Nations, the Global Pandemic Monitoring Board, the Canadian COVID Task Force and more, contributing to the pandemic research and policy response to COVID-19 at both domestic and international levels. She also regularly appeared on Canadian media during the pandemic, providing Canadians with practical and expert advice regarding COVID-19.
Dr. Baral is a sought-after speaker and expert panelist, frequently contributing to major domestic and global meetings, including at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos. Most recently, she led the secretariat of the expert panel convened by the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences to define Canada’s role in global health. Previously, she played a key role in drafting the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s framework for action on global health research.
Dr. Prativa Baral holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a master’s in public health in epidemiology from Columbia University and a bachelor’s of science from McGill University. She is a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar and a Canadian Institutes for Health Research Doctoral Foreign Student Award recipient. Fluent in French, English and Nepali, Prativa is a former nationally ranked chess player.
Over the past few years, she has collaborated with and consulted for OpenAI, the United Nations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the United Nations, the Global Pandemic Monitoring Board, the Canadian COVID Task Force and more, contributing to the pandemic research and policy response to COVID-19 at both domestic and international levels. She also regularly appeared on Canadian media during the pandemic, providing Canadians with practical and expert advice regarding COVID-19.
Dr. Baral is a sought-after speaker and expert panelist, frequently contributing to major domestic and global meetings, including at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos. Most recently, she led the secretariat of the expert panel convened by the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences to define Canada’s role in global health. Previously, she played a key role in drafting the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s framework for action on global health research.
Dr. Prativa Baral holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a master’s in public health in epidemiology from Columbia University and a bachelor’s of science from McGill University. She is a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar and a Canadian Institutes for Health Research Doctoral Foreign Student Award recipient. Fluent in French, English and Nepali, Prativa is a former nationally ranked chess player.
Dr. Jasmine Mah
Dr. Jasmine Mah is a resident doctor who cares for older adults in Geriatric Medicine. She operates at the intersection of medicine, research, and policy providing solutions for people to live, age and receive healthcare with dignity in the homes of their choice, even in the face of circumstances that limit their autonomy. She is committed to translating clinical and research findings in medicine into systemic change both in Canada and internationally. Dr. Mah's current research focuses on the impact of frailty and social vulnerability on clinical outcomes and healthcare resource use among older adults in Nova Scotia. To apply her learnings, she is also exploring potential solutions to improve the admission process for socially vulnerable individuals in hospitals.
Dr. Mah recognizes the challenges of bridging theory and practice. To help her colleagues make their work more accessible, she co-founded Let Science Connect, which provides research teams with support and workshops on science communication. Beyond Canada, Dr. Mah contributed to the development of a national plan on organ donation and transplantation in Greece. The project, presented to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in July 2021, continues to contribute to significant improvements in Greece’s transplant infrastructure.
Dr. Mah earned her medical degree from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and her PhD from Dalhousie University. She is a Canadian Medical Association Young Leader and recipient of the Association of Faculties of Medicine Learner Changemaker Award.
Dr. Mah recognizes the challenges of bridging theory and practice. To help her colleagues make their work more accessible, she co-founded Let Science Connect, which provides research teams with support and workshops on science communication. Beyond Canada, Dr. Mah contributed to the development of a national plan on organ donation and transplantation in Greece. The project, presented to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in July 2021, continues to contribute to significant improvements in Greece’s transplant infrastructure.
Dr. Mah earned her medical degree from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and her PhD from Dalhousie University. She is a Canadian Medical Association Young Leader and recipient of the Association of Faculties of Medicine Learner Changemaker Award.
Éloge Butera
Éloge currently serves as Director of the Dallaire Institute’s Africa Centre of Excellence on Children, Peace and Security, based in Rwanda. He leads a team that promotes child protection and works to end the recruitment and use of children as soldiers globally. A McGill Law graduate, Éloge has a distinguished career in human rights and public policy. Over the past decade, he has served as a leading advisor to some of Canada’s most distinguished parliamentarians including the Honourable Professor Irwin Cotler, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire (Rtd), former Senator and Commander of UN forces in Rwanda during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda, as well as the Honourable Ralph Goodale, former Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. A survivor of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda, Éloge tirelessly champions both the prevention of and accountability for mass atrocities and genocide around the world. He has spoken to dozens of audiences of all ages about his experience in Rwanda and the important role engaged citizens can play in preventing other genocides in our time. In 2013, Éloge was inducted as an Honorary Witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, established in 2008 to document the history and lasting impacts of the Canadian Indian residential school system on Indigenous students and their families and educating Canadians about the devastating legacy of this brutal assimilation policy. Along with Holocaust Survivor and fellow Honorary Witness Robbie Wiseman, he played the role of “survivor in solidarity” with residential school survivors and their descendants. He was proud to advance the Commission’s public-facing work and spearheaded a civil society effort to implement some of the Commission’s 94 calls to action. When not in Rwanda, Éloge lives near a beautiful river just outside Ottawa, Canada with his loving, brilliant life partner and their two young, active children.
Ariane Rémy Quevedo
Ariane Rémy-Quevedo is an experience lawyer based in Montreal, whose diverse background showcases deep legal expertise and the ability to navigate multicultural environments. Trilingual, she is fluent in French, English, and Spanish, enabling her to communicate and collaborate effectively across various contexts.
In 2018, Ariane earned her Civil Law Licence from the University of Ottawa, where she distinguished herself as a research and teaching assistant. As the coordinator of the Research Chair in Legal Pluralism and Comparative Law under Professor Pascale Fournier, she conducted extensive research in international law and general legal principles, reinforcing her commitment to advancing legal knowledge. Her involvement in studying Latin American legal systems further enriched her understanding of global issues in international law.
Ariane began her legal career at Dionne Avocats Inc. and Le Palier Juridique, where she gained solid experience in family law. Since October 2023, she has held the position of Employment and Labor Lawyer at CISSS de Laval. In this role, she uses her expertise to manage complex cases in the public health sector, providing strategic legal solutions tailored to the organization’s needs.
Ariane’s career path is marked by academic excellence, professional rigor, and multilingual skills, making her a versatile and accomplished lawyer.
In 2018, Ariane earned her Civil Law Licence from the University of Ottawa, where she distinguished herself as a research and teaching assistant. As the coordinator of the Research Chair in Legal Pluralism and Comparative Law under Professor Pascale Fournier, she conducted extensive research in international law and general legal principles, reinforcing her commitment to advancing legal knowledge. Her involvement in studying Latin American legal systems further enriched her understanding of global issues in international law.
Ariane began her legal career at Dionne Avocats Inc. and Le Palier Juridique, where she gained solid experience in family law. Since October 2023, she has held the position of Employment and Labor Lawyer at CISSS de Laval. In this role, she uses her expertise to manage complex cases in the public health sector, providing strategic legal solutions tailored to the organization’s needs.
Ariane’s career path is marked by academic excellence, professional rigor, and multilingual skills, making her a versatile and accomplished lawyer.
Raphaël Grenier-Benoit
Raphaël Grenier-Benoit, a collaborator at the Observatory on Human Rights at the UN, is a doctoral student at the University of Oxford Faculty of Law, where he conducts research under the supervision of Professor Richard Ekins. Fascinated by issues at the intersection of law, politics, and morality, his research focuses on constitutional interpretation and on the role of the judiciary in harmonizing law to social change. Before studying law, Raphaël worked for almost a decade in the media, notably as an actor in the Radio-Canada series “Les Parents”. He also co-developed and hosted a documentary series highlighting the community involvement of young francophones. Following those experiences, he obtained a bachelor's degree in civil law and common law at McGill University's Faculty of Law, and an MPhil in law (with Distinction) at the University of Oxford. While at McGill, he served as Executive Editor of the McGill Law Journal, worked as a law clerk for Judge Jean-Pierre Archambault of the Court of Quebec, and as a research assistant for Professor Mark D. Walters. In addition to his academic activities, Raphaël sits on the board of directors of the “Fête de la lecture et du livre jeunesse de Longueuil”, and is a member of the International Association of Young Lawyers.
Michelle Liu
Michelle Liu (they/them) is an uninvited third-generation settler based on the traditional land of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation. As a Queer, non-binary, racialized, and neurodivergent person, Michelle’s focus across their undertakings is on using their subject matter knowledge and lived experience to influence individuals, organizations, and systems to advance social justice. Michelle’s work is informed by various critical and anti-oppressive frameworks including decolonial, abolitionist, Queer, feminist, anti-racist, and intersectional frameworks.
Michelle is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng) in Ontario and a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario. Michelle’s speaking, activism, and policy advisory work has touched over 160 events, documents, and organizations. Michelle is also on the editorial team of the Canadian Journal of Women and the Law, a multidisciplinary and peer-reviewed publication of scholarship on the social, economic, and legal status of women, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons.
Michelle earned their Honours BASc and MASc in civil engineering (structural and cold regions engineering) from the University of Waterloo and worked in design and construction management for various consulting engineering firms. Michelle’s encounters with racism, homophobia, ableism, and gender-based violence in engineering inspired them to pursue their law degree (JD, Magna cum laude and Dean’s Award) and engineering PhD simultaneously at the University of Ottawa. While in law school, Michelle served two terms as the President of the Common Law Student Society, President of OUTLaw 2SLGBTQ+ Law Students Association, and member of the University Senate. Michelle has worked at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and Ecojustice Canada.
Michelle’s engineering PhD research, for which they received both the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship, uses sociolegal frameworks to understand the relationship between technological designs and the dominant norms in engineering such as masculinity and meritocracy. Michelle’s current priorities include becoming a professor of both law and engineering and to run a law practice advocating for equity-seeking people who experience discrimination in STEM workplaces.
Michelle’s volunteer work in both law and engineering has included serving as a Councillor (Board Member) of Professional Engineers Ontario, member of the Equity Advisory Group of the Law Society of Ontario, mentor with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers, Chair of the Waterloo Recent Engineering Alumni Council, member of uOttawa Law’s Recent Alumni Engagement Council, ambassador with the Ontario Network of Women in Engineering, and Co-Chair of the EDIA Task Force of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. Michelle also co-created and co-funds the Liu-Kennington Award for the 2SLGBTQ+ Engineering Community, the first university-level scholarship for 2SLGBTQ+ engineering students in Canada.
For their leadership, activism, and impact, Michelle has received over 20 awards from local and national institutions, including being named an EDI Leader in Engineering Workplaces by Engineers Canada in 2021-2022.
Michelle is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng) in Ontario and a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario. Michelle’s speaking, activism, and policy advisory work has touched over 160 events, documents, and organizations. Michelle is also on the editorial team of the Canadian Journal of Women and the Law, a multidisciplinary and peer-reviewed publication of scholarship on the social, economic, and legal status of women, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons.
Michelle earned their Honours BASc and MASc in civil engineering (structural and cold regions engineering) from the University of Waterloo and worked in design and construction management for various consulting engineering firms. Michelle’s encounters with racism, homophobia, ableism, and gender-based violence in engineering inspired them to pursue their law degree (JD, Magna cum laude and Dean’s Award) and engineering PhD simultaneously at the University of Ottawa. While in law school, Michelle served two terms as the President of the Common Law Student Society, President of OUTLaw 2SLGBTQ+ Law Students Association, and member of the University Senate. Michelle has worked at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and Ecojustice Canada.
Michelle’s engineering PhD research, for which they received both the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship, uses sociolegal frameworks to understand the relationship between technological designs and the dominant norms in engineering such as masculinity and meritocracy. Michelle’s current priorities include becoming a professor of both law and engineering and to run a law practice advocating for equity-seeking people who experience discrimination in STEM workplaces.
Michelle’s volunteer work in both law and engineering has included serving as a Councillor (Board Member) of Professional Engineers Ontario, member of the Equity Advisory Group of the Law Society of Ontario, mentor with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers, Chair of the Waterloo Recent Engineering Alumni Council, member of uOttawa Law’s Recent Alumni Engagement Council, ambassador with the Ontario Network of Women in Engineering, and Co-Chair of the EDIA Task Force of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. Michelle also co-created and co-funds the Liu-Kennington Award for the 2SLGBTQ+ Engineering Community, the first university-level scholarship for 2SLGBTQ+ engineering students in Canada.
For their leadership, activism, and impact, Michelle has received over 20 awards from local and national institutions, including being named an EDI Leader in Engineering Workplaces by Engineers Canada in 2021-2022.
Dr. Emmanuel Kattan
Dr. Emmanuel Kattan is Director of the Alliance Program, an innovative academic joint venture of Columbia University and three major French Higher Education Institutions: École Polytechnique, Sciences Po, and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University. He was previously Director of the British Council in New York, where he oversaw academic collaboration programs. He created partnerships with the Henry Luce Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation to launch initiatives connecting higher education institutions across the Atlantic. Before joining the British Council, Dr. Emmanuel Kattan was Senior Adviser at the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, where he managed strategic communications and engagement with academic communities. He also held senior positions at the Commonwealth Secretariat and at the Quebec Delegation in London, where he was in charge of academic relations programs.
A native of Montreal, Dr. Emmanuel Kattan studied politics at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar and earned a PhD from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris. He is the author of four books: an essay on the politics of memory and three novels.
A native of Montreal, Dr. Emmanuel Kattan studied politics at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar and earned a PhD from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris. He is the author of four books: an essay on the politics of memory and three novels.
Mélanie Vincent
Mélanie Vincent is a member of the Wendat Nation, holder of a multidisciplinary bachelor's degree from Université Laval (1998), a master's degree in justice and security administration from the University of Phoenix (Arizona-2009) and a scholarship from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations in Geneva and UNESCO in Paris (2004). Since 2007, Gestion MV Management has been offering management consulting services on Aboriginal issues, the organization of turnkey events focused on Aboriginal issues, strategic communications and organizational coaching related to the diversity and inclusion of Aboriginal peoples in Quebec. Executive Director of the First Nations Socio-Economic Forum in 2006, she then served as Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations QC-Labrador from 2007 to 2021. Between 2012 and 2019, she was responsible for deploying campaigns on class action claims processes, including the Sixties Scoop, across Canada. L'université Nipissing décernera à Jeannette Corbiere Lavell un doctorat honorifique en éducation. From 2012 to 2024, Mélanie was part of the coordination team responsible for protecting the rights and interests related to the heritage of the Wendat Nation in Ontario. She developed expertise in the repatriation of Wendat ancestors and artifacts. In 2017, Mélanie founded the KWE! Meet with Indigenous Peoples festival, aimed at fostering connections between Quebecers and Indigenous peoples in Quebec. Held annually in Quebec City KWE attracts over 20,000 visitors. She continues to serve as its Executive Director. Thanks to her experience and expertise in crisis communication management and emergency management, Mélanie is a trainer for the School of Indigenous Leaders at HEC Montréal.
Étienne Cossette-Lefebvre
Étienne Cossette-Lefebvre is a lawyer, a doctoral candidate in law at the University of Toronto, and an adjunct assistant professor and fellow in property law at Queen's University Faculty of Law. He is a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar (2021-2024) and a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Fellow in honour of Nelson Mandela (2021-2024). His dissertation offers innovative trans-systemic perspectives on the idea of self-ownership to explain a person's rights over their body, image, voice and personal information. He feels privileged to be a Jeune Boursier at Collège Massey.
Étienne obtained his B.C.L./LL.B. (Honours) from McGill University's Faculty of Law in May 2014. His time at the Faculty earned him several awards for excellence, and his name appears on the Dean's Honour Roll. He also received the Quebec Comparative Law Association's essay competition prize in the undergraduate category (2013-2014). During his post-secondary studies, Étienne continued his high-level training in classical piano.
After graduating from the Bar, where he earned the second-highest mark of his entire cohort (2014-2015), Étienne worked as a research lawyer at the Quebec Court of Appeal. In 2018-2019, he clerked for the Honourable Russell Brown at the Supreme Court of Canada. In 2020, he obtained a Master of Law degree from the University of Toronto. During the 2020-2021 academic year, he lecturer at McGill University's Faculty of Law and was an Associate Director of the Paul-André Crépeau Centre for Private and Comparative Law. His research interests include the law of persons, the law of property, the law of obligations, the law of succession, comparative law, legal theory and philosophy, and legal history.
Étienne obtained his B.C.L./LL.B. (Honours) from McGill University's Faculty of Law in May 2014. His time at the Faculty earned him several awards for excellence, and his name appears on the Dean's Honour Roll. He also received the Quebec Comparative Law Association's essay competition prize in the undergraduate category (2013-2014). During his post-secondary studies, Étienne continued his high-level training in classical piano.
After graduating from the Bar, where he earned the second-highest mark of his entire cohort (2014-2015), Étienne worked as a research lawyer at the Quebec Court of Appeal. In 2018-2019, he clerked for the Honourable Russell Brown at the Supreme Court of Canada. In 2020, he obtained a Master of Law degree from the University of Toronto. During the 2020-2021 academic year, he lecturer at McGill University's Faculty of Law and was an Associate Director of the Paul-André Crépeau Centre for Private and Comparative Law. His research interests include the law of persons, the law of property, the law of obligations, the law of succession, comparative law, legal theory and philosophy, and legal history.
Lydie Belporo
Lydie C. Belporo is a Senior Desk Officer at Global Affairs Canada. and a PhD candidate at the School of Criminology at the University of Montreal, where she is completing a thesis on the governance of disengagement from violent extremism in Sub-Saharan Africa. Holder of two master's degrees in international relations and international law from the University of Montreal, she coordinated the PREV-IMPACT project for the UNESCO Chair in the Prevention of Radicalization and Violent Extremism in Canada until 2020.
She then served as a research associate for the international study on the prevention of radicalization and violent extremism in the Francophone world, conducted in collaboration with the “Organisation Internationale de la francophonie”, published in 2022. Recipient of numerous academic awards and doctoral scholarships, Lydie has distinguished herself in the regional humanitarian law competition organized by the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and in the national literary competition on fair trade organized by the organization Aide Internationale pour l'Enfance in Quebec.
She then served as a research associate for the international study on the prevention of radicalization and violent extremism in the Francophone world, conducted in collaboration with the “Organisation Internationale de la francophonie”, published in 2022. Recipient of numerous academic awards and doctoral scholarships, Lydie has distinguished herself in the regional humanitarian law competition organized by the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and in the national literary competition on fair trade organized by the organization Aide Internationale pour l'Enfance in Quebec.
Sahar Ghadhban
Sahar Ghadhban, a collaborator at the Observatory, is a Canadian Foreign Service Officer with a decade of experience in international diplomacy, including postings at the Embassy of Canada to Lebanon, Russia, and a short assignment at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations in Geneva.
Before joining the Foreign Service, she worked with the UNDP Country Office in Tunisia and built her path through internships at the Embassy of Canada to Algeria, Syria, and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN in Geneva.
Throughout her postings, Sahar has led initiatives that foster cross-cultural understanding, including the creation of Women in Diplomacy networks in both Russia and Lebanon—spaces designed to build bridges across cultures and strengthen inclusive dialogue.
Sahar holds a master’s degree in public and international Affairs from the University of Ottawa. She is currently completing an Executive Master’s degree in international Strategy and Diplomacy at the London School of Economics (LSE) in London, UK, where her research explores Russia’s foreign policy as a revisionist power.
After eight years abroad, Sahar will return to Headquarters to take on the role of Deputy Director for Russia, Belarus, and Moldova.
She is fluent in French, English, Arabic, and Russian.
Before joining the Foreign Service, she worked with the UNDP Country Office in Tunisia and built her path through internships at the Embassy of Canada to Algeria, Syria, and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN in Geneva.
Throughout her postings, Sahar has led initiatives that foster cross-cultural understanding, including the creation of Women in Diplomacy networks in both Russia and Lebanon—spaces designed to build bridges across cultures and strengthen inclusive dialogue.
Sahar holds a master’s degree in public and international Affairs from the University of Ottawa. She is currently completing an Executive Master’s degree in international Strategy and Diplomacy at the London School of Economics (LSE) in London, UK, where her research explores Russia’s foreign policy as a revisionist power.
After eight years abroad, Sahar will return to Headquarters to take on the role of Deputy Director for Russia, Belarus, and Moldova.
She is fluent in French, English, Arabic, and Russian.
Benjamin Boutin
A graduate of Sciences Po Aix, Université Paris Saclay and École nationale d'administration publique du Québec, Benjamin Boutin is honorary president of “Francophonie sans frontières”, director of France-Canada, project manager for the French member association of the “Alliance G20 des Entrepreneurs”, member of the honorary committee of the “Association pour la Diffusion internationale francophone de livres, ouvrages et revues” (ADIFLOR), consultant, lecturer and associate lecturer at Université Jean Moulin Lyon III.
He has worked at France's Permanent Representation to the European Union, at the Centre de doctrine d'emploi des forces (now the Centre de doctrine et d'enseignement du commandement), at the Délégation aux affaires stratégiques (now the Direction générale des relations internationales et de la stratégie), at the French National Assembly (in the office of the deputy for Aisne, vice-chairman of the sustainable development commission and parliamentary secretary-general of La Francophonie), at the Quebec National Assembly (in the office of the leader of the official opposition) and at Radio-Canada. Associate researcher at the “Institut Prospective et Sécurité en Europe”, visiting professor at the “Centre d'études diplomatiques et internationales d'Haïti”, the “École des nouveaux métiers de la communication” and the “Université du Luxembourg”, he gives courses, seminars and lectures, and organizes and leads workshops, roundtables and symposia. He also appears in the media.
His areas of expertise and commitment are the Francophonie, Europe, geopolitics, political and parliamentary affairs, cultural dialogue, the cooperative movement and international cooperation for sustainable development and peace.
He has worked at France's Permanent Representation to the European Union, at the Centre de doctrine d'emploi des forces (now the Centre de doctrine et d'enseignement du commandement), at the Délégation aux affaires stratégiques (now the Direction générale des relations internationales et de la stratégie), at the French National Assembly (in the office of the deputy for Aisne, vice-chairman of the sustainable development commission and parliamentary secretary-general of La Francophonie), at the Quebec National Assembly (in the office of the leader of the official opposition) and at Radio-Canada. Associate researcher at the “Institut Prospective et Sécurité en Europe”, visiting professor at the “Centre d'études diplomatiques et internationales d'Haïti”, the “École des nouveaux métiers de la communication” and the “Université du Luxembourg”, he gives courses, seminars and lectures, and organizes and leads workshops, roundtables and symposia. He also appears in the media.
His areas of expertise and commitment are the Francophonie, Europe, geopolitics, political and parliamentary affairs, cultural dialogue, the cooperative movement and international cooperation for sustainable development and peace.
Jillian Boyd
Jillian Boyd is the Director of Digital Education at the National Judicial Institute (NJI). In Canada, the NJI is the primary provider of training services for the country’s 2,500 judges and continues to offer training programs and resources that help judges better serve the interests of Canadians. As an independent, judge-led organization, the NJI’s training program covers law, skills, and social context. Jillian is responsible for the online training program for Canadian judges, ensuring they have access to innovative, high-quality resources and on-demand products tailored to their needs, such as asynchronous self-paced courses, podcasts, webinars, resource centers, and electronic hearing binders.
Jillian is a bilingual lawyer and a member of the Ontario Bar. After completing her legal studies, she gained invaluable experience as a clerk to the Honourable Beverley McLachlin, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, and as a criminal and human rights lawyer at Scott & Oleskiw in Toronto. She is a Trudeau Foundation and Fulbright Scholar, holds a Master of Laws from Columbia University, and is an award-winning instructor at both Queen’s University Faculty of Law and Carleton University. Previously the Director of In-Person Education at the NJI, and with experience working with the NJI in international judicial training and institutional strengthening, Jillian brings to her role 15 years of experience working with judges, justice stakeholders, community members, academics, and experts in support of the rule of law and public confidence in our judicial system.
Jillian is a bilingual lawyer and a member of the Ontario Bar. After completing her legal studies, she gained invaluable experience as a clerk to the Honourable Beverley McLachlin, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, and as a criminal and human rights lawyer at Scott & Oleskiw in Toronto. She is a Trudeau Foundation and Fulbright Scholar, holds a Master of Laws from Columbia University, and is an award-winning instructor at both Queen’s University Faculty of Law and Carleton University. Previously the Director of In-Person Education at the NJI, and with experience working with the NJI in international judicial training and institutional strengthening, Jillian brings to her role 15 years of experience working with judges, justice stakeholders, community members, academics, and experts in support of the rule of law and public confidence in our judicial system.
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