How does public policy get created? 

Michelle joined the federal public service through the Advanced Policy Analyst Program, a rotational development program that includes placements at the three central agencies. Over the course of her career, Michelle has had the opportunity to work on a wide range of files, including mental health, youth employment, pharmacare, and coordination of the federal Budget. In 2017, she was selected to participate in Canada Beyond 150, a Government of Canada leadership and skills development program, where she explored innovative policy tools through a project on reconciliation.

Michelle also serves as a Director on the Board of the Education Foundation of Ottawa, whose mission is to remove economic barriers to successful learning and participation in school.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University and a Master of Public Policy from Simon Fraser University.

Recently, Sakariya has worked to shift educational pipelines and inclusion efforts with his alma-mater, Ivey School of Business as a member of the EDI Council and a founder of BSIC (Black Students at Ivey Collective). He’s been able to help Ivey revamp their EDI strategy and partner with the private sector to implement transformative programming to Black students and advocate on their behalf to administration.

Sakariya is passionate about distributing opportunity and access to disenfranchised communities, especially those experiencing housing. Previously, he’s been part of a group of 10 young people across Toronto who worked on a Youth Engagement Strategy to help the city of Toronto how it can engage with disenfranchised and disinterested youth in their 20-year plan.

Additionally, he’s been involved as a Youth Fellow in the City of Toronto and has been featured on CBC Radio on numerous occasions regarding his work representing his community at various levels in Toronto.

Her passion for equitable education and social policy stems from her work running Mikinakoos (Little Turtle) Children’s Fund in coordination with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority.

Prior to joining Teach For Canada, Deanna worked as a Policy Analyst in the Privy Council Office, providing briefings for the Prime Minister and senior government officials on key Indigenous priorities. Key priorities included support of the permanent bilateral mechanisms established between the Government of Canada and First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation leaders from across the country, as well as the examination of relevant federal laws, policies, and operational practices related to Aboriginal and treaty rights, international human rights standards, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.Deanna has also worked within Health Canada’s Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program. Often having her feet ‘in two different canoes’ – one eager to advance Indigenous policy in Canada, and another striving to center Indigenous methodologies and experiences in research and practice – Deanna brings an interdisciplinary perspective to her work.

Deanna received her Bachelor of Education with distinction from Western University, and is concurrently a SSHRC Doctoral Scholar, studying First Nations education governance. She is also undertaking a Master of Public Health in Indigenous Health at the University of Toronto. Deanna is a 2022-23 Action Canada Fellow.

Originally from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Scott is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Immediately after graduating from Georgetown, Scott worked at Goldman Sachs Inc. in New York City. Scott was recognized as the 2018 Telus LGBTQ Innovator of The Year by The Inspire Awards, a 2019 Young Impact Leader by Future of Good, and a 2022 Changemaker by The Globe and Mail. Scott has contributed to or been featured in The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, Forbes, Future of Good, The Chronicle Herald, and The Georgia Straight. He has also appeared as a commentator on CBC News Network and BNN Bloomberg.

Ian grew up in a farming community in central Alberta: for the first ten years of his life his parents had a dairy farm and since then they have farmed bison. His grandparents immigrated to Alberta from the Netherlands.

Ian now lives in Montreal. In addition to his overseas experience, he has also lived, worked and studied in Moncton, New Brunswick; Gatineau, Quebec; and in Ottawa and Toronto. He is a board member at Citizens for Public Justice, a faith-based public policy and advocacy organization, and has also been involved in refugee sponsorship initiatives in Ontario and Quebec.

Throughout his postgraduate studies, Anh-Khoi’s commitment to drive positive impact through science remained undaunted as he engaged in science communication, science education, and science policy initiatives. With a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion, his work aimed to make science and research more accessible by inspiring the next generation to pursue science careers, improving physics educational curriculums, and improving policies in support of the next generation of researchers.

Anh-Khoi is a recipient of McGill’s Clark Science Executive Leadership Fund in 2020 which financed his enrollment in McGill’s mini-MBA program, and he is a past-President (2021) and current member of the Board of Directors for the student-led non-profit Science & Policy Exchange. In his spare time, he enjoys playing sports and exercising.

Joshua graduated with First Class Honours and the University Medal in Sociology from Dalhousie University and the University of Kings College in Halifax, and holds a Masters Degree in Social and Political Thought from York University in Toronto. Between degrees, he interned at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where he assisted in the preparation of UNESCO’s strategy in the fight against racism and discrimination.
Following his Masters, Joshua participated in the Parliamentary Internship Programme in Ottawa. He is a dedicated father, a volunteer board member with Springtide, a grassroots organization dedicated to helping people lead change through politics with their integrity intact, and enjoys jogging, cooking and playing basketball.