Staff
Alena Ziuleva
Director
Alena is passionate about collaborative community development, which she believes is the most effective and efficient approach to the improvement of the quality of life and poverty reduction. With her wisdom and guidance, she exerts a positive influence far and wide. Alena holds a master’s degree in Social Work from McGill University.
Valérie Laramée
Executive Assistant
As an active West Island community member, Valérie has invested herself in many resident-led projects and activities throughout the years. She hopes to help achieve and preserve social equality and opportunity for all West Island residents.
Ryan Simonyik
Project Coordinator, Collective Impact Project
Ryan has been involved in defending tenants’ rights in the Greater Montreal area for the last few years. He has experience in building community capacity and organizing in pursuit of giving tenants’ the tools to exercise their housing rights to the fullest. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University in Political Science and a graduate diploma in Community Economic Development.
Roxana Stoleru
Project Manager, Poverty Reduction & Social Inclusion
Roxana Stoleru has been involved in supporting West Island art community for over ten years and is an advocate for sustainable living. Roxana has a Business Administration degree from the Academy of Economic Studies (Bucharest, Romania) and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Assessment from McGill University.
Marie-Ève Lemaire St-Gelais
Community Network Project coordinator, Food Security
Marie-Ève’s mission is to help build inclusive communities, resilient food systems and a healthy environment for present and future generations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Environmental sciences with a major in Global Food Security from McGill University.
Aïda Louafi
Project Coordinator, Comité logement Establishment Project
For several years, Aïda has been involved in many causes: accessibility to health and social care services, illiteracy, homelessness. She is enthusiastic to be able to work on the project of establishing a housing committee in the West Island, a cause close to her heart. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Montreal.
Lily Martin
Tenant Support Coordinator
Lily is a dedicated and compassionate advocate who has worked on projects regarding education, reproductive rights, climate justice, and affordable housing. She is committed to promoting and facilitating grassroots mobilization, community organizing, and popular education in order to advance social justice. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Latin American & Caribbean Studies from McGill University.
Vincent Vitulli
Concertation Coordinator
Vincent’s professional experiences as an educator, research assistant and program coordinator combined with his volunteer experiences in healthcare and human rights promotion, has shown him that community is at the heart of any sustainable and equitable social change. He holds a bachelor’s degree from McGill University in Hispanic Studies with a minor in Social Entrepreneurship. He is currently completing a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration and Governance at McGill University.
Board of Directors
Isabelle-Anne Bisson, President
Dr. Isabelle-Anne Bisson is an expert in environmental impact and community needs assessment, helping communities and organizations achieve sustainability. Dr. Bisson has over 20 years of experience as a scientific consultant, coordinator and manager of science and conservation projects globally. She has led projects for the United States’ Department of Defense and headed a program in Uganda for a United States Agency for International Development initiative. She completed a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Science at McGill University and a Ph.D. at York University. She went on to conduct post-doctoral research at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and at Princeton University. In 2014, she co-founded and is now solely running TerraHumana Solutions, which offers expert services in science and sustainability. Recently, she worked closely with northern Indigenous communities on the environmental challenges they face with ongoing development and she presently works with the Mohawk communities of Kanesatake and Kahnawà:ke in Quebec on various environmental and community projects.
Carine A.Dahab, Vice-President
Carine grew up in the West Island. Having earned a bachelor’s in sexology, her perspective of the world is unique in a way. She continuously is training and learning, while doing some volunteer work. A love story started with community work over a decade ago. She can connect dots quickly and her creativity has got her to create interesting collaborations within the WI.
Everything and everyone is connected. We just need to stop and see how. This is what makes a village. Let’s use our strengths for the betterment of it. As a new business owner, she works with the lens of intersectionality, community approach and mostly aims her services to BIPOC and new arrival communities. Let’s not forget, mostly and foremost, the human approach she uses. She’s learning to navigate this world with vulnerability and humaneness. She’s eternally grateful to the people who share and entrust their stories with her. These tools and approaches are the ones she wants to offer the TQSOI since she’s aware of the extra hurdles the south faces to get adequate access to services.
Mark Walford, Treasurer
Mark Walford has been on board of several West Island non-profits over the years, this includes Community Perspective in Mental Health (PCSM), the Table de Concertation en Santé Mentale, les Porte-voix du rétablissement and the Block Parents Pointe-Claire. Mark also has a large amount of experience working with, assisting and volunteering with a number of community organizations. This includes PCSM, as a peer support worker, as well as for the Pairs Aidants J’Écoute helpline. Mark is a leader and spokesperson of the West Island Citizens Group (WICG). Finally, he is no stranger to our local schools, where he’s helped run events and has been part of associations. Mark’s previous career was in banking, accounting and finance.
Sheila Laursen, Secretary
Sheila was a registered nurse before becoming a mother, homemaker, and community volunteer for many years before returning to work. When she did, it was in the field of community development.
Sheila was the first Co-ordinator of the West Island Community Resource Centre before beginning a 23 year career with the YMCA of Montreal, working as the Director of Community Programs for the YMCAs of NDG, West Island and Centreville before expanding her scope as Director of International Programs for the YMCAs of Quebec up until her retirement in 2010.
Since then, she has returned to West Island volunteer roles with her church, Child Haven International, the YMCA, Meals on Wheels, TQSOI, Corbeille de pain, and helping refugees and asylum-seekers. Now she sometimes misses the “free time” when she was working full-time!
Howard Nadler, Officer
Howard is passionate about community development. With a long history of working in the area of child welfare and with seniors, he believes that strong communities support families, children and vulnerable citizens. Howard holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science, a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Certificate in Health and Social Services Management. He has made a commitment to devote a good part of his retirement years to contributing to and strengthening West Island community organizations.
Kathleen Greenfield, Officer
Writer, editor, professor, program coordinator, and volunteer, Kathleen has occupied frontline and administrative positions in health and social services, academia, and in the community sector over many years. As Faculty Lecturer at McGill teaching academic and professional communication since the late 1990s, coupled with her dual roles of Community Relations Coordinator and Corporate Volunteer Program Coordinator at Volunteer West Island, as well as through her extensive volunteer involvement in the community, she recognizes the crucial importance of resource facilitation and advocacy. Throughout her remunerative and non- remunerative work, she makes knowledge of and accessibility to resources a priority.
Joan Lee, Officer
Joan is a community leader and youth mentor. Her excellent work ethic and passion for community work has been a guiding force in the West Island. Joan is the President of the West Island Black Community Association (WIBCA), a volunteer-led community organization. The recipient of the CBC BLACK Changemaker 2021 award, she also volunteers as a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Island who presented her with a Certificate of Recognition for being an outstanding Big Sister and demonstrating the values of the organization. She was also presented with a Certificate of Appreciation in December 2020 by Partageaction (West Island Community Shares) for her commitment to helping the West Island community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joan does the work she does to inspire the community and believes that Together we are stronger!
Campbell Stuart, Officer
Campbell Stuart is a partner with the law firm Colby Monet and former mayor of Montreal West. He is an environmental and community activist with Les Amis du parc Meadowbrook, Green Coalition, CRE Montréal, Santropol Roulant, L’Abri en Ville, Little Red Playhouse and others. He is the former ED of the Bukasa Island Community Development Project in Uganda and President and Director of the Legacy Fund for the Environment.
Mehmet Deger, Officer
President DORVAL Mosque.
