Our Team

Board of Directors

Deborah K. van den Hoonaard
Chair of the Board
Dr. Van den Hoonaard is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Gerontology at St. Thomas University (Fredericton, NB). She has authored books on ageing, widows, and widowers. Her research reflects her belief that an aging population represents a major success of civilization. With her husband, Dr. Will Van den Hoonaard she has conducted a study on the experiences of Iranian Bahá'í refugees. They have also authored books together, The Equality of Women and Men: The Experience of the Baha’i Community of Canada, and The Essentials of Thinking Ethically in Qualitative Research. Both advocate the education of girls and women in Canada and abroad.

Uzma Mehreen
Vice-Chair of the Board and Co-Founder
Uzma Mehreen is a Family Counsellor, working at Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association. She holds a Master Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Calgary, and a Masters in Counselling from the University of New Brunswick, Canada.

Aamir Jamal
Managing Director and Co-Founder
Dr. Aamir Jamal is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. He holds a PhD in Social Work (International Social Development) and MBA. Dr. Jamal’s research emerges from a strong social justice perspective and is focused primarily on three areas: engaging men in gender justice; the effectiveness of International NGOs in the development sector; and Muslim youth, identity construction in context of global conflicts. His work, which is based on community-oriented approaches blended with a strong social justice perspective, has informed policy and practice for national governments and international agencies.

Usman Sadiq
Treasurer
Usman Sadiq, MBA, is an Instructor in the School of Business at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. He has over 16 years of hands-on experience in transforming business, improving performance, and helping businesses to manage risk and comply with regulations. Mr. Sadiq primarily served the banking industry, energy companies, and cross-functional experience supporting finance, entrepreneurship, outsourcing, supply chain, IT, and human resources functions. Since the beginning, he has reviewed CACEP’s finances to ensure there are enough funds to support this education initiative.

Will C. van den Hoonaard
Secretary
Dr. Van den Hoonaard is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. He has authored books on a variety of topics. He is Founding Member of the Canadian Interagency Panel on Research Ethics. With his wife, Dr. Deborah Van den Hoonaard, he has conducted a study on the experiences of Iranian Bahá'í refugees. They have also authored books together, The Equality of Women and Men: The Experience of the Baha’i Community of Canada, and The Essentials of Thinking Ethically in Qualitative Research. Both advocate the education of girls and women in Canada and abroad.

Liza Lorenzetti
Director, Fundraising and Community Outreach Committee Chair
Dr. Liza Lorenzetti is from Italian heritage, born in Mohawk Kanien’kehá:ka land (Montréal) and has been living in Mokhinistsis (Calgary) for many years, traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy and people Treaty 7 and Métis Region 3. She is an Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. Her research is community-based and informed by 30 years of social work practice focused on violence prevention, anti-racism, peace building and other social justice commitments. Liza, her daughter Parisa, and husband Arya are all involved in organizing and fundraising efforts for CACEP’s amazing work.

Cara Au
Director, Governance Committee Chair
Cara Au is a Masters student at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. She is interested in participatory approaches to research in migration, gender, and international development. Cara has a Bachelor of Social Work Degree from the University of Calgary and began working with CACEP as a social work practicum student.

Isra Safadi
Director, Media and Communication Committee Chair
Isra Safadi is the Marketing Manager for Bonita Runway Clothing and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Haskayne School of Business. She has a great passion for making a positive impact on her community through discussion, awareness, and advocacy. She has extensive experience working within the education, retail and health sectors, and is affiliated with international non-profits aimed at equality and integrity. Her business background allows her to have an objective and strategic approach in her explorations and humanitarian work.

Veronica Chirino, Director
Veronica is originally from Mexico City. She holds a Law degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She is Social Work Master student with a specialization of International Community Development at the University of Calgary. Veronica has been involved in different community-led projects in Calgary. Veronica believes in caring communities with an anticolonial feminist approach aiming for social justice. Currently, she works as a research assistant at the University of Calgary, and she is a community mobilizer for Alberta Men’s Network.

Ayub Ul Hasan Chishti
Director
Mr. Chishti is a pharmacist with over 35 years of hospital and retail pharmacy experience. He has served on the Boards of Pharmasave Atlantic, Associated Retail Pharmacies, and the Pharmacy Education Board of Canada (PEBC). Mr. Chishti continues to give talks to various health organizations and community groups on health topics. Above all he enjoys his day-to-day interactions with his customers, as a Pharmacist. Mr. Chishti lives in Fredericton with his family.

Field Team

Anees Ahmad Khan
Chief Executive Officer, Haashar Association (Organizational partner of CACEP)
Anees Ahmad Khan has worked as the Chief Executive Officer of a Pakistani NGO, the Haashar Association, since 2012. Mr. Khan has a Masters in Environmental Planning and Management from University of Peshawar, KP-Pakistan and has vast experience of implementing projects on Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Livelihoods, Education and Community Development. His work in collaboration with CIDA (CHF Canada), Misereor Germany, UNDP and Austrian Development Agency has been acclaimed by communities and donors. Currently, he supervises CACEP activities in Pakistan on behalf of Haashar Association.

Safina Gul
Program Coordinator, CACEP
Ms. Safina Gul has served the social sector for the last 14 years. She holds Masters degrees in Chemistry and International Relations. Ms. Gul has diverse experiences in the education, livelihoods and health sectors. She has engaged with CACEP’s vital work for the past 7 years. Ms. Gul’s main focuses are the coordination and execution of project activities and reporting. She is enthusiastic to support the most neglected and excluded segment of Pakistani society.