Board of Directors
Aqeel Saeid, Ph.D.
President
- Aqeel joined UNACTO in 2005 with a strong commitment to UNAC mission and vision for a better life on the planet. He became a president of UNACTO in 2008. Aqeel holds a PhD in Sociology, and has been an educator of Sociology, Psychology, and Criminology for nine years. He has also worked as a researcher in several academic institutions and research centers, including the Hitachi Survey Research Centre at the University of Toronto (Mississauga). Aqeel is involved in community-based work through his capacity as a board member of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST), problem gambling counselor at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and active member in New Horizons: Healing and Hope Coalition for children traumatized by war and immigration. Aqeel has recently become a full time professor at Humber Institute of Technology and Advance Learning.
Firoz Shroff
Past President
- Firoz has been a member of UNACTO since 2004 and served as President of the organization from 2005 to 2006. He is a philanthropist and social entrepreneur with over 35 years experience in the private and non- profit sectors. Firoz serves as a remote coach in Tulane University’s social entrepreneurship MBA program. He operates a socially drive private equity fund called Ibere as well as a social entrepreneurial turnaround firm, Seconsortium. His charitable work includes serving as the president of Homeland International Inc and as the founder, trustee and chairman of the Sasi Foundation.
international AT sasifoundation.org
Youel Y. Serkis
Past President, Chair of Refugee Committee
Senior Board Member, Only UNACTO Honorary UNA Member
- Youel Serkis is an experienced bank manager who worked in Iraq before moving his family to Canada and joining UNACTO in 1996-1997 as a volunteer. At UNACTO, he worked with president George Kotislus and was elected to the board as Treasurer, Chair of Fund-Raising Committee and Office Manager. During intervening years, Youel was elected as Vice-President to the Presidents- Shirley Farlinger, George Katislus, David Warner, Jonathan Papalidus, Gerry O’Pray, Jerrery Lam, and Firoz Shroff. In 2005-2006 he was elected President for two terms, and now serves on the board as an active Past President. Youel is the only UNACTO member honored as Honorary UNA member for his outstanding years of volunteer dedication to UNACTO. In his other volunteer work in Canada, Youel has been elected as Vice-President and as President for five years to the Assyrian Society of Canada in Mississauga. Youel has also served as Vice-President for four years at R.J. Smith Senior Social Club and Centre. As a youth, Youel represented Iraq as an international Olympic soccer and volleyball player, manager, and member of the Iraqi Olympic Committee. He is currently the senior board member and the chair of UNACTO Refugee Committee helping Canadian families.
Melinda Rooke
Past Vice President, Chair of Environment Committee
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Melinda started volunteering with UNACTO in 2004. She was actively involved in the pro tem committee and joined the board of directors in 2005. From 2006 to 2007 she served as Vice President of Community Outreach and Programs. After studying psychology at York University, Melinda Rooke worked in the non-profit and corporate sector in unique challenges: Communications Officer at the Social Planning Council of Peel; Systems & Finance Manager at the Toronto Humane Society to name a few. From 2002-2004 Melinda worked as a technical communications subcontractor for the Organization of American States Gender Mainstreaming Training Project, funded by CIDA which was nominated for an Export Canada Award in 2003. Currently for the past decade, Ms. Rooke has pursued her entrepreneurial goals running both a technical communications agency and a private property management/development company also involved in future urban retail/condominium development here in Toronto. In her other volunteer work, Ms. Rooke has been a board member of various nonprofits: Arts Interface, Robin Vocce Cooperative Apts, Homeward Family Shelter, and the United Way Action for Neighbourhood Change Pilot Project in Scarborough Village, as well as community working groups.
Larry Hebb
Co-Chair of Governance Committee
- Larry joined UNACTO as a member in 2006 because of interests in international affairs, communications and greater world unity. He has been a Director since 2007. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto in 1959 and a law degree from Dalhousie University in 1962, and was appointed by Ontario as a Queen’s Counsel in 1983. He practiced law with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt in Toronto from 1964 until retirement in 2001. Over the years, he has been associated with a number of business and community organizations; including the Toronto Social Planning Council, the Canadian Centre for Ethics & Corporate Policy, the United Way, East General Hospital, and the Canadian Bar Association.
Helen Kavouras Lopes
Co-Chair of Human Rights Committee
- Helen joined UNACTO due to an interest in human rights and has served as chair of the Human Rights Committee since 2006. She is a criminal lawyer who used to run her own defence practise. She now works as defence duty counsel for the provincial government working with young offenders in Toronto. Her interest in human rights issues extends to her other volunteer work including that with organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. She graduated with an honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in 2000 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2005. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2006.
Valentina Jovanovski
Co-chair of Governance Committee
- Valentina joined UNACTO in November 2007 because of a longstanding interest in international affairs and development. She is currently a research analyst for a corporate social responsibility company. Valentina has also volunteered with the Salvation Army Bethany Hope Centre and Rights and Democracy - Carleton Chapter. She has a Master of Arts degree in political science from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and geography from the University of Toronto.
Sheldon Hammah
Co-chair of Human Rights Committee
- Sheldon has been a member of UNACO since 2007. From 2007-2009 he played an active role on the organization’s Governance Committee, and joined the board of directors in 2009. He currently serves as the co-chair of the Human Rights Committee, where he is responsible for chairing monthly meetings and coordinating the organization’s human right awareness initiatives. Sheldon is a political science student at Ryerson University.
Ali Khachan
Chair of Youth and Education Committee
- Ali joined the UNACTO Board of Directors in 2009 and has been a volunteer with the Youth and Education committee since 2008. He is a Product Manager at a leading enterprise software provider for the financial and health-care industries. He gained extensive hardware/software experience as an Engineer at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in Toronto. His volunteer work includes co-founding and presiding over the Lebanese Student Society at the University of Toronto. Ali holds a Master of Applied Science and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto and the American University of Beirut, respectively.
Maher Sharawi
Treasurer
- Maher joined the UNACTO Board of Directors in 2009 because of his strong appreciation for United Nations programs and his believe that everyone has a role to play in bringing an end to human suffering. He has over eight years of accounting experience and currently works as the accountant for the Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT). Maher earned his bachelor of Commerce degree from Amman University in Jordan and is working toward his professional designation as a Chartered Accountant in Canada.
Dorart Piro
Co-Chair of Communications Committee
- Dorart became a member of UNACTO in 2007 because of an interest and desire to be more engaged in global issues. He joined the board of directors in 2009 and currently serves as a co-chair on the organization’s communications committee. Dorart volunteers as a peer tutor and is the founder of the World Community Club, a student initative devoted to raising awareness about local and global issues. Under his leadership the club organized a successful Christmas Toy Drive for Sick Children’s Hospital and are currently in the process of raising money to build a school in Africa. Dorart is a senior high school student at Dante Alighieri Academy. After high school he hopes to pursue medical studies and one day become a surgeon.
Michelle Bilek
- Michelle joined UNACTO in 2007 because she wanted to further the goals of the UN at the local level and educate our community on the UN agenda. She was previously a high school teacher with the Toronto District School Board but now works in long term are in Peel as a Community Resource Manager. Michelle is also the federal candidate for the NDP in her riding of Oakville as well as the financial agent for the federal and provincial riding associations of the NDP. Her other volunteer work includes serving on the board of directors for SAVIS (Sexual Assault and Victim Services), a Women’s Organization in Halton region, and as an active member with the Toronto Chapter of the Council of Canadians (since 2008). She is also a member of Oakville Green conservation organization, Greenpeace Canada, PETA and Habitat for Humanity. Michelle has an honors BA in Psychology and Sociology from McMaster University as well as an honors BA in Women Studies and a Bachelor of Education from York University. She is currently completing her Masters Degree in Women’s Studies from York University.