Board of Directors
Executive
Simone Philogène, CHAIR
Simone is President of CCNM Press & CCNM Enterprises. She has over twenty-five years of experience across the public, private, non-profit and education sectors. Her career has included roles as Vice President Corporate Communications in the financial services sector and Executive Director Communications in international healthcare in Asia and Latin America as well as Canada. She previously served on the board of Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto.
Mariama Dramé, VICE-CHAIR & chair of nominating committee
With over 15 years of experience, Mariama Dramé is a seasoned Human Resources Executive and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advocate. With experience in global companies, her understanding of the importance of DEI related issues helps her design practices and initiatives that support a more human and inclusive work environment. Mariama is a board member of Vues d’Afrique and sits on the Restructuring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (REDIAC) of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA).
Janet Riehm, Treasurer & Chair of Finance Committee
Janet is Owner and Principal Consultant of Janet Riehm Consulting, advising charities and non-profit organizations internationally. A CPA and CGA, she has provided strategic and financial services to a variety of clients in communities extending from First Nations in Canada to rural development in communities in Africa. She is also a former Crossroader having volunteered in Botswana in addition to having served as a member of the Finance Committee at Crossroads. She joins Crossroads, providing over 25 years of experience in the non-profit sector.
Julianne Osberg, Chair of Governance Committee
Julianne is Senior Counsel in the Legal Department at Shell Canada. She is a skilled corporate lawyer with over 26 years of experience in a wide variety of commercial law areas. She currently volunteers with the Shell Women’s Network and at an immigration law clinic at the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association. Julianne previously served on the board of the Alberta Seventh Step Society.
Heather Shapter, Secretary
Heather brings more than 20 years of non-profit leadership experience to Crossroads with extensive program and business development experience. Heather started her career in the development sector as a Project Manager for CARE Canada, and later served as the Women’s Economic Empowerment Advisor for BRAC in Bangladesh. She also spent two years in Haiti as Save the Children USA’s Women’s Economic Opportunity Specialist. Since then, Heather has worked in senior-level roles for Prosper Canada, Global Impact and has managed large scale volunteer team initiatives.
Directors
sandra nkusi
Sandra is a former Crossroader, having served as a Social Performance Officer with Pro-Rural in Bolivia in 2013. Her experience with Crossroads helped to develop her interest in the field of monitoring and evaluation and all these years later, Sandra uses her expertise with data analytics and research and evaluation design to work with a diverse range of stakeholders interested in using evidence to support their decision-making. She is currently a Senior Associate with Blueprint, a research and evaluation firm in Toronto.
PATRICIA ERB
Patricia Erb was the Interim Executive Director of Crossroads International from December 2018 to May 2019. She has worked with Save the Children throughout countries of Latin America for 23 years before taking up the role of President and CEO for Save the Children Canada in 2011 until the end of 2017. In the mid-1970s, Patricia, was kidnapped and tortured by the Argentine Junta. Patricia has been recognized by both government and human rights organizations for her contribution to the process of truth, memory and reparation in Argentina. She has also done extensive work on issues of decolonization, cultural preservation and communal well-being with Indigenous Peoples in Latin America, particularly in Bolivia and Canada. She is also known for her work with women’s grassroots organizations and gender transformation.
LISA R. LIFSHITZ, Co-Chair of Risk Committee
Lisa R. Lifshitz is a partner at Torkin Manes LLP and is currently the Chair of its Technology, Privacy and Data Management and Emerging Technology Groups. Lisa a prolific writer and speaker on technology/privacy law issues and is recognized nationally and internationally for her expertise. Being a volunteer and giving back to the community has always been an important part of Lisa’s life, and she has served as a director on a number of boards.
FELIX ZOGNING
Félix is an Associate Professor at Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), where he trains Chartered Professional Accountants. He specializes in finance, accounting, entrepreneurship, the governance of public and private sectors, as well as mergers and acquisitions. His volunteer experience includes serving as the President of the Board of Directors of Vues d’Afrique in Montreal, the most important African film festival outside Africa.
Divya Khurana
Divya is a lawyer who practices criminal and civil litigation. Her criminal practice consists primarily of work as an Agent for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada where she conducts prosecutions for federal criminal matters. She also has experience working in civil litigation handling human rights and employment law matters. She is the past Vice President of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto, the largest diversity bar association in Canada and is also the founder of SABA Toronto’s women’s committee. Divya has a passion for advocacy and community involvement and volunteers with numerous other organizations and Boards.
Fabien Lanteri-Massa
Fabien is an attorney specialized in Bank Financing and Project Financing at the law firm Blake, Cassels and Graydon, LLP. He has been involved in numerous financings in Canada, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Other areas of expertise include renewable energy and infrastructure projects, as well as public-private partnerships (P3). Fabien has extensive international development experience with points of focus on Africa, gender equality and sustainable development.
Jean Olemou
Jean is Co-Founder and Principal of GreenDev Inc., an impact investing firm dedicated to advancing the circular economy in Africa, the Americas, and Europe. He has extensive experience working on financing mandates in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure sectors globally. Jean is a community-minded leader with a track record of serving on boards and advisory committees to advance sustainable development goals in Canada and globally.
Vanita Varma
Vanita is a senior non-profit executive with over 20 years of experience in organizational leadership, strategic and operational planning, change management and social innovation. Having lived and worked in over 3 countries in Asia and Middle East, Vanita is passionate about engaging diverse community stakeholders and leading multi-sectoral partnerships towards collective goals on social change. Currently, she is the Interim Chief Executive Officer at WellFort Community Health Services and is a coach and mentor at Ryerson University and University of Toronto.
SHERI MARTINELLO, Co-Chair of Risk Committee
Sheri is a retired vice president with Crawford & Company (Canada), a global loss adjusting firm. Sheri has over 30+ years of experience in the insurance industry, with many years in various levels of operational management, in addition to managing corporate claims-risk management programs for Fortune 500 companies. Sheri’s most recent role involved working with clients in the highly regulated London insurance market. She is a former committee member for the local CIBC Run-for-the-Cure and current committee Chair with the Insurance Institute of Ontario.
Leadership
Administration
Heather Shapter
Executive Director
heather@cintl.org
Philanthropy and Public engagement
Wanjiro Ndungu
Senior Manager, Philanthropy and Public Engagement
wanjiro@cintl.org
Program
Christine Messier
Program Director
christinem@cintl.org
Finance
Alex Perdue
Director, Finance and Administration
alex@cintl.org
