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.
Anne-Estelle Taranu
Executive Assistant
Having grown up in various neighbourhoods of the West Island, Anne-Estelle appreciates the value of a strong community and what it brings to its families. As an entrepreneur, she started a family-based yoga studio and wellness company that provides holistic wellness to families as well as a place to bring the local community together. With a professional background in administration, human resources & marketing, her goal is to be part of an inspiring team working towards community-based solutions.
Camille Rivet
Project Coordinator, Food Security Dossier
Camille has always been interested in community development and it was her work with people living in vulnerable situations that led her to take an interest in the issues of food security. She holds a master’s degree in sociology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Université de Montréal.
Alexandra Laham
Project Coordinator, Housing Dossier
Communications Coordinator
Alex is committed to working and collaborating with the community to find housing solutions for the West Island. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environment from McGill University and a master’s in Urban Planning from Université de Montréal.
Piotr Boruslawski
Housing Liaison Agent
Piotr has been working in the West Island community sector since 2017 and has wealth of knowledge and expertise in the fields of housing and communications. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning from Concordia University.
Pierre-Romain Destruy
Food Security Liaison Agent
With an educational background in Industrial Engineering and Project Management, Pierre-Romain acted as Director of Production in the cosmetic industry for 4 years before deciding to reorient his career towards the community sector.
Nat Pace
Housing Project Coordinator
Nat is passionate about social justice and implementing forward-thinking, community-based solutions to housing issues. They hold a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Cultural Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University and a master’s degree in Urban Planning from McGill University.
Jia Chen Mi
Housing Project Assistant
Having grown up in the West Island, Jia is excited to put his passion for community engagement and urban design to work in the community. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from McGill University. Jia is actively working on his contract mandate to explore the opportunities and strategies to establish a comité logement for the West Island.
Board of Directors
From left to right: Antoinette Scarano, Francis Deroo, Françoise Girard, Daria Nardozza, Alena Ziuleva, Franca Kesic, Isabelle-Anne Bisson, Marla Newhook, Tessa Trasler, Ruth Greenbank, Tania Charon, Giovanni Farinacci, Ian Candfield
Isabelle-Anne Bisson, President
Co-founder of TerraHuman Solutions and Baie d’Urfé citizen
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 (www.terrahumanasolutions.com), 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.
Franca Kesic, Secretary
West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped (WIAIH)
Franca Kesic is the Coordinator of Community and Volunteer Relations at WIAIH. A graduate from Concordia University (BA in Applied Human Sciences with a specialization in Therpaeutic Recreation), Franca has over 15 years of experience working with families who have a child/adult with an intellectual disability or autism. Franca is passionate about working collectively with the community to help advocate and improve the quality of life of families living on the West Island.
Françoise Girard, Officer
After an international career of over thirty years in the United Nations system (UNESCO), Françoise has been living in the West Island since 2016. Her experience is mainly based on project development and management as well as fundraising, and also includes communication (media, web…), publications, event organization and translation.
In addition to her participation in the TQSOI, she is a volunteer at the Fritz Garden in Baie d’Urfé (vegetable garden for food banks).
Stephanie Trenholm, Officer
Literacy Unlimited
Stephanie Trenholm is a retired ‘family medicine’ nurse. With many years of volunteer experience in the elementary and secondary public school systems, she has served consecutive terms on school governing boards and on numerous other committees, always advocating for families. She has been a Literacy Unlimited tutor for adults since 2008 and served a six year term on their board directors.
Joining the TQSOI in 2014, she represents Literacy Unlimited, advocating for adults with low literacy and the daily challenges that they face. She has also served on the TQSOI’s Social Development Committee since 2015 and participates in the TQSOI Poverty and Social Exclusion Committee. In all her volunteer work she is guided by her desire to advocate for families and to be a part of the positive change that she wants to see in our community.
Ian Candfield, Officer
CIBC Wood Gundy
Ian is a long time West Island resident living in beautiful Baie d’Urfe.
As an Investment Advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy he runs a full- service investment business catering to High Net- Worth Individuals and to Corporations. He is passionate about Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), which allows him to align his personal beliefs with his investment choices. He is a member in good standing of the Responsible Investment Association of Canada.
Ian holds a Bachelor’s of Commerce degree from the University of Guelph and a Certificate in Accounting and Finance from McGill University. In addition to his Life Insurance license, he holds the Financial Management Advisor (FMA) designation. He also specializes in the 50 plus market and is currently seeking certification for the Elder Planning Counsellor (EPC) designation.
Ian is committed to making a difference in his community. He is currently an assistant coach for the U 14 Pointe – Claire Boys Intercity A Soccer Team and is coaching the West Island Stars, an Elite Spring Hockey Team. In addition, he supports the Crusade Against Cancer – a West Island charitable organization.
Daria Nardozza, Officer
West Island Network
Daria grew up in the West Island of Montreal (Beaconsfield) and currently resides in Vaudreuil-Dorion with her family. In 2005, she graduated with a Bachelor of Religious Education in Counselling and in 2010, she completed her M.A in Global Urban Ministry, studying the social effects of globalization and urbanization and how churches could better meet the needs of changing cities.
Daria began working part-time with the West Island Network in 2017 with a hope to see more unity among West Island churches and greater community impact through church collaboration, both with each other and the community. She has been involved with the TQSOI for a couple of years, specifically with the Poverty Reduction and Food Security Committees.
When not working, she gets to enjoy toddler life with her 4-year-old son, playing soccer and volunteering at his co-op pre-school being some of the best parts. She also enjoys all things food, running and hiking mountains with her husband Matthew.
Tania Charron, Officer
Director of AJOI
Tania has been involved with AJOI (a non-for-profit) since 2010. Before that, she did an internship during her undergraduate degree in psychoeducation at the University of Montreal at the Maison des enfants de l’Île de Montréal (2009) and worked as a tutor in the educational environment La Source in south-west Montreal (2012). At AJOI she worked as an Outreach Worker (2010-2011), as a Development Officer (2016-2017) and as Director (2017 to present).
Between 2011 and 2016, Tania worked for the Montreal Youth Center (now part of the CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal) as an educator for teenagers who had been removed from their families and placed under the protection of youth in shelters and group homes. During this period, she volunteered for AJOI, writing the annual reports and spending two years on the Board as Secretary (2014-2015) and then as President (2015-2016). As Executive Director of AJOI, and also behind the creation of Ricochet (the first ever residential resource for young people with residential instability in the West Island), Tania has extensive experience in the non-for-profit sector.
Giovanni Farinacci, Officer
Giovanni was born into a family of real estate professionals and began working as a licensed broker at the age of 18 years old. He later went on to fine tune his negotiating skills and further develop his sales abilities by working in the high-end luxury automotive industry, retiring as Director of Mercedes-Benz at age 52. It wasn’t long before he decided to return to his early passion for real estate and was soon hired by the “elite” of Westmount, becoming a top-selling broker for Liza Kaufman`s Team from Sotheby`s International and later with Marie-Yvonne Paint at Royal Lepage Heritage. He has taken the best marketing strategies from both camps, thus creating a win-win strategy for his clients. He has a lifetime of experience and expertise in sales, negotiations, and marketing.
Roya Jaffari, Officer