Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus
B.Sc.(Eng) (UWI), M.A.Sc., Ph.D. (TUNS), P.Eng., F.E.C. (Past-Board Chair)
Dr. Kim Borden-Penney
Dr. Claudette Bouman
Dr. Noreen Kamal
Associate Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University
Dr. Tobias Karakach
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University
Dr. Wilber Menéndez Sánchez
(Board Co-Chair)
Faculty, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)
Dr. Rita Orji
Dr. Oladapo Oyebode
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University
Mr. Damion Pollard
(Parent Representative)
Dr. Martin Tango
Professor, School of Engineering
Acadia University
Mr. Walter Watkins
Project Management Office – Engineer, Halifax Harbour Bridges
Mr. Matthew Thomas
(BSAC Representative)
Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus
In Memoriam – Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus, PEng, FEC
Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus, ILA President, is currently Head of the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University. He formerly served a one-year term as the Associate Vice-President Academic (Acting), and prior to this appointment, Dr. Cyrus was the Associate Dean of Engineering at Dalhousie University, responsible for Undergraduate Studies, and for coordination with the six Associated Universities that feed students to the eight undergraduate engineering programs at Dalhousie. In his role as Associate Dean of Engineering, he led a re-design of the engineering curriculum, and changed administrative procedures to improve efficiency.
He is a Fellow of Engineers Canada, has taught industrial engineering for 30 years, and held various administrative positions at Dalhousie University and the Technical University of Nova Scotia.
One of his research interests is optimization of operational processes, including those in academic environments. His expertise includes scheduling, routing, networks, information systems, seaport operations and manufacturing operations.
Dr. Cyrus is also President of Logix Consultants Limited, an industrial engineering consulting firm specializing in seaport information systems, manufacturing operations management, and information engineering.
Dr. Claudette Bouman
Claudette Bouman grew up in Barbados. She earned a BA in Arts and General studies and her teaching credentials at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill campus). She taught on the island for seven years. In 1986, she arrived in Canada to pursue graduate studies at UNB and then UBC. In 1990, Claudette married Thomas Bouman from Germany in Vancouver. They relocated to Saskatchewan for Thomas to work first in Swift Current then in Prince Albert. She assumed teacher and principal responsibilities in the public-school board of Prince Albert. Another move by Claudette and her husband brought them to Dartmouth, NS in 1998 where they raised two children. Claudette began her twenty-year teaching career with the Halifax Regional School Board in 1998 ending her career at Cole Harbour District High School. She is now happily retired.
Dr. Kim Borden-Penney
Dr. Kim Borden-Penney, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Acadia University. She is a descendant of Black Canadians and Indigenous (Mi’kmaq) in Nova Scotia (Scotians) whose roots reach back to late 1600. She received her doctorate from the University of Toronto. Her current research examines Black women’s leadership experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and their perceptions about opportunities for mobility and advancement to management and senior leadership positions.
The connections between race, gender, and leadership are difficult to find in Canadian literature. There is a marked absence of Canadian research on Black women’s lived experience in STEM fields in Canadian organizations and sectors. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of Black women’s lived experience, her research examines the multiple intersections of race and gender and how other identities inform Black women’s experiences and leadership practice in Canada. This research will contribute to the growing Canadian scholarship on Black leadership in corporate institutions.
RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS & ACADEMIC CONFERENCES
XII Decolonizing Conference- CIARS Speaking Out/Speaking up in Fugitive Spaces, OISE, University of Toronto – 9-11 November 2023. Panel Presenter: “Walking a Tightrope – Black Women’s Leadership Experiences in Corporate Canada” in the Racialized Leaders and Legacies session. Link: www.decolonzingconference.ca
Trauma, Tresses, & Truth: 2nd Virtual Conference Interrogating Black Women’s Natural Hair presented a paper titled, Can I Touch It? Black Women’s Hair in Corporate Canada. Featured on August 4 – 6, 2023. Examining the politics of Black women’s natural hair.
9th International Conference on New Findings in Humanities and Social Science: Kim Borden Penney, virtual keynote speaker, Walking a Tightrope: Women’s Leadership Experiences. It was featured on July 28 -30, 2023.
Congress 2023 of the Humanities and Social Sciences: Reckonings & Re-Imaginings. Canadian Sociological Association May 27- June 2023. Panel Presenter: Walking a Tightrope – Black Women’s Leadership Experiences in Corporate Canada in the session How Racism is Experienced I.Tuesday, May 30, 8:30 am to 10:00 am (Eastern Daylight Time). Link:
Women’s Economic Council: Breaking Barriers: Promoting Inclusive BIPOC Leadership and Economic Empowerment on May 9-11, 2023. Promoting leadership and economic empowerment for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC)! Exploring an intersectional lens and focusing on gender. This event brings together a fantastic group of experts, leaders, and advocates nationwide to delve deeper into the challenges and opportunities facing BIPOC leadership and economic empowerment. Event Speaker. Black Women’s Leadership on Corporate Canada: Banking on Equity: Bay Street and Black Women’s Leadership in Banks.
Canadian Black Scientists Network: BE-STEMM 2023 Conference: FEB 1 – 4, 2023. The Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN) exists to Elevate, make Visible, Celebrate and Connect Black Canadians in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine (STEMM) across sectors. Education and EDI-Focused Research. Feb 3, 2023. Panel Presenter: The Absence of Black Women Engineers in Leadership Positions.
6th International Conference on New Findings on Humanities and Social Sciences -hsconf.org. Poster presentation: Banking on Equity: Bay Street and Black Women’s Leadership in Banks, Aug 20 -22, 2021.
2021 International Leadership Association– Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Virtual Summit – A Call to Awareness, Advocacy, and Action for Inclusive Leadership, Poster presentation: Banking on Equity: Bay Street and Black Women’s Leadership in Banks, July 15th and 16th.
2020 Colloquium – Multiculturalism and Interculturalism a Constitutional Provision vs. an Abstraction, Center for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies, the University of Toronto, February 14, 2020: Panel Presenter: “Multiculturalism and the Language of Diversity: How it impacts Black women in the Canadian workplace.”
Congress 2019 – Canadian Sociological Association, Vancouver, British Columbia, Race and Ethnicity II: Pardon Me, that’s my seat: Navigating through racialized spaces. June 3, 2019. Panel Presenter: Hidden in Plainview: The Missing Pages of the Cultural History and Knowledge(s) of Africville, Nova Scotia, Canada”.
2019 American Education Research Association (AERA), Toronto, Canada: Queering Access, Inclusion, and Equity in Higher Education. April 6, 2019. Panel Presenter: Nonfinancial Barriers of Queer and Trans Young Black Women Transitioning to Post-secondary Education.
Protests & Pedagogy: The Legacies of Caribbean Student Resistance and the Sir George Williams Affair, Montreal, 1969 – Concordia University, Montreal, Feb 2019. Panel 5 Presenter: Black Canadians Histories & Geographies –“Hidden in Plainview: The Missing Pages of the Cultural History and Knowledge(s) of Africville, Nova Scotia, Canada.”
Ministry of Children and Youth Services: Access to Post-Secondary Education: Experiences of Black Youth in Ontario –Toronto, May 2018. Panel Presenter: Understanding Nonfinancial Barriers to Black Queer Youth Transitions from High School to College. Presented research findings on the experiences of queer and trans-Black youth concerning accessing post-secondary education in Ontario.
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) Conference – What is Anti-racism Good For? University of Toronto, Canada, March 2017. Topic: Institutional Transformation (Culture, Structure, Policy, Governance and Leadership). Panel 4 Presenter: Navigating the Spaces of Higher Learning: Race, Place, Sexuality and Disability. “A Playground for Butches and Sissies: Anti-racism and School Climate Policies in Toronto and New York City.”
Loudspeakers Conference – Race & Toxic Masculinity in Academia, Concordia University, Canada, February 2017. Panel 2 Presenter: “Queer Women of Colour Scholars in Canadian Academic Settings – The Role of Race, Sexuality, and Gender.”
10th Annual Decolonizing the Spirit Conference – Role of Indigenous Discourse and Innovative Technologies to Catalyze Development and Human Wellness, Embu University College, Kenya, July 2016. Theme: Decolonizing Higher Education. Panel 2 Presenter: “Challenging the Multicultural Mosaic – Anti-Racism and Decolonizing Canadian Classrooms.”
PUBLICATIONS
Banking on Equity: Bay Street and Black Women’s Leadership in Banks, Kim Borden Penney: Doctoral Thesis, June 2022.
Chapter 8: Understanding Sociocultural Factors of Canadian Newcomer Queer and Trans Young Black Women’s Transitions from High School to Post-Secondary Education, Munroe, Tanitiã, Lance T. McCready, and Kim Borden Penney. Queer, Trans, and Intersectional Theory in Educational Practice: 135.
Task Force on Race and Indigeneity – Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education: publication date December 4, 2018, University of Toronto. Working Group Report – Student Recruitment, Admissions, Success, and Retention.
Guest Appearances, Workshops & Webinars:
Acadia University Launch Box Series: Panelist – Women in Business Learning from Local Leaders- Nov 15, 2023. This event was a 90-minute panel and reception featuring female entrepreneurs/leaders from various industries who will discuss the different challenges and successes they have faced in business. This event is hosted in collaboration with the New Student Women in Business Society.
Skills For Change Spotlight Series, Anti-Black Racism: A Year in Review and Launch of the Black Leadership Institute on Social Action for Change on May 25, 2021, from 11:00 am -12:00 pm Toronto, Canada: Event speaker panelist. Black Leadership Institute on Social Action for Change was a program to create community leaders who eventually lead programs or initiatives that benefit their communities. The program provided a 10-week leadership training to Black youth and adults, equipping them with the skills needed to lead in this new and progressive Social Action and Change environment.
George Brown College – Black Student Success Network, Toronto, Canada: Guest Speaker – Careers in Financial Institutions and Black Wealth on March 24, 2021, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm with Kim Borden Penney. Black Student Success Network BSSN is a @gbcollege-driven initiative that seeks to increase retention rates among black students through mentoring, tutoring & educational workshops.
Royal Bank of Canada – Trading Book Modernization Portfolio, Capital Markets, Toronto, Canada: Black History Month titled “How Can We Be the Change”: Presented preliminary doctoral research findings on Banking on Equity: Bay Street and Black Women’s Leadership in Banks, Friday, February 19, 2021, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm with Kim Borden Penney and a discussion on Black history in Canada.
Skills for Change Workshop: Anti-Black Racism and its Impact on LGBTQ2S+ communities on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, from 11–12 pm a discussion with Dr. Wesley Crichlow and Kim Borden Penney on historical & current impacts of systemic racism and Anti-Black LGBTQ2S.
Ontario Peer Development Imitative: Black Mental Health Matters on July 21, 2020, from 12:00 –1:30 pm. This workshop shared personal life experiences of how racism affects mental health in the workplace and discussed anti-Black racism and how it impacts mental health. Presenters Brooke Chambers and Kim Borden Penney are seasoned facilitators who have delivered anti-oppressive, anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion training and workshops to senior management and staff across many sectors.
Dr. Timothy Bardouille
Dr. Tim Bardouille is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science at Dalhousie University. He teaches physics courses and does human brain imaging research. His research group at the Biosignal Lab is developing new ways to acquire and analyze medical imaging data that help us understand the human brain. This interdisciplinary research combines physics, mathematics, computer science, psychology, and neuroscience to non-invasively investigate how brain areas “talk” to each other. They are finding new ways to look at how communication in the brain can change with learning and development, and with brain injury or disease.
Dr. Claver Diallo
Dr. Diallo Ph.D., P.Eng., is Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has taught at Dalhousie University since October 2007. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Applied Science degree in Industrial Engineering, and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Laval University, Quebec, Canada. He is a senior member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering (IISE), a member of the Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS) and a member of Engineers Nova Scotia. His current research is focused on production and distribution systems design within the Industry 4.0 context which includes hyperconnected logistics networks, smart production planning and control, sustainable supply chain management, and reliability engineering & predictive maintenance.
Dr Barb Hamilton-Hinch
Dr. Barb Hamilton-Hinch is from the historical African Nova Scotian communities of Beechville and Cherrybrook. She is the mother of three amazing boys. Dr. Hamilton-Hinch is currently employed at Dalhousie University as the Associate Vice President of Equity and Inclusion and an Associate Professor in the in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University teaching in the Recreation and Leisure Studies Division as well as the Health Promotion Division. Her work examines the impact of structural, systemic and institutional racism on diverse populations, particularly people of African descent.
At Dalhousie University Dr. Hamilton-Hinch holds a number of positions she is the co team lead for the Health of People of African Descent Research Cluster with Healthy Populations Institute, she is one of the founders of Imhotep Legacy Academy (ILA-a program that is developed to increase the number of students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), co-chair of Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS a program to increase the number of students of African descent in Health), co chair of the Faculty of Health Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a number of other committees. She was previously employed as the Black Student Advisor at Dalhousie University, a position she was actively involved in developing in the late 80’s.
Dr. Rita Orji
Prof. Rita Orji is a Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology and a Computer Science Professor at Dalhousie University, Canada where she directs the Persuasive Computing Lab. Her research at the intersection of technology and human behaviour focuses on designing interactive technologies to empower people, improve lives, and contribute to solving many societal problems. Specifically, technologies that integrate into people’s daily lives and support them to achieve various self-improvement goals. She applies her work to tackle real-life problems in various domains including improving a wide range of health and wellness objectives such as mental health, healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, sexual and other health risk behaviours. She has won millions of dollars from competitive grant funding from agencies and governments around the world to support her work. With over 200 peer-reviewed papers, Prof. Orji has won over 60 prestigious awards and recognitions nationally and internationally in recognition of her work in this area. Recently, she was named among the Top 150 Canadian Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Top 60 African Women in STEM, Top 100 Canada’s Most Powerful Women, Top 100 Nigeria’s Leading Women, and admitted into the Royal Society of Canada. She is a renowned speaker who has delivered 15 keynotes and over 100 invited talks and other presentations.
She is a recognized STEM diversity ambassador who is passionate about inspiring the next generation of youths and female tech leaders, promoting research excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM. Prof. Orji also consults and serves as a board member for many agencies.
Prof. Orji graduated as a top student with First-class honours standing in all her studies and was recognized by various governments including the Nigerian, Turkish, and Canadian Governments for her outstanding performance. She is a highly sought-after speaker and mentor who broke the barriers of growing up in a disadvantaged background and making a great impact on the global stage.
Mr. Matthew Thomas
Matthew is a dedicated community leader, entrepreneur, and mentor with a passion for empowering young people and building community. Hailing from the vibrant African Nova Scotian community of East Preston, he learned the value of service and community from an early age. Matthew holds a BA in Criminology from St. Mary’s University and a Master of Divinity from Acadia University. With years of experience connecting with students and young professionals, Matthew hopes to bring, restorative, creative, and fun approaches to advising, helping students navigate challenges and achieve their goals. He is known for his commitment to building authentic relationships and serving as a resource for those he works with. When he’s not advising, Matthew can be found on the baseball and football field coaching his son’s team, taking long walks with his dog Quincy, or exploring new restaurants around the city.
