Our Staff

National Director

Raihanna Hirji-Khalfan has over 20 years of experience advancing disability justice, anti-racism, equity, and anti-oppressive practice across nonprofit and public sectors. She previously served as the Accessibility Officer at McMaster University, where she supported the University’s accessibility program and compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Raihanna is a seasoned facilitator with experience designing and delivering community-centred training and capacity-building initiatives, and in developing and managing programs alongside marginalized communities. She holds an undergraduate degree in law, an MSc in Business, an MA in Critical Disability Studies, and an LLM in Canadian Common Law.

Operations Manager

Chantaine Green-Leach is an accomplished Operations Specialist with expertise in the tech and innovation sector, focusing on empowering newcomer entrepreneurs to thrive in diverse and dynamic environments.Chantaine has also successfully delivered high-impact events for organizations like Visa Canada, the City of Brampton, and Angel Investors Ontario, combining strategic planning with a commitment to inclusivity and excellence in every initiative. At the University of Waterloo, she played a key role in introducing support services for racialized students, fueling her passion for creating meaningful institutional change. Chantaine remains dedicated to creating inclusive spaces and opportunities that empower others to advocate for themselves and succeed. 

Researcher

Rayanne Banaga is a community counsellor and educator with a background working extensively with black and racialized communities in anti-oppression and anti-colonialism education, youth empowerment, community-oriented mental health, and community-based research. She believes in a collaborative approach to learning, healing, and caring for one another and uses transformative and restorative frameworks to reflect this in her work. Rayanne is deeply interested in imagining and building a world that centers on the self-determination and liberation of marginalized communities.

Business Development Specialist

Karen Clarke is a Business Development Specialist with over 20 years of experience in the labour market sector. She has spent much of her career supporting people with disabilities in accessing and sustaining meaningful employment, and is deeply committed to advancing more inclusive and equitable workforce systems. Karen brings a thoughtful, systems-level perspective to her work, along with an entrepreneurial lens that helps her think creatively about sustainability and impact. She is especially interested in building approaches that connect research, leadership, and practice to create lasting systemic change.