Office Staff
Asher Trim-Gaskin
Executive Director
Contact:
Phone: 902-494-4037
Email: director.imhotep@dal.ca
Mansita M. Njie
Program Director
Contact:
Phone: 902-494-7884
Email: imhotep@dal.ca
Tehya Benjamin
Program Assistant
Contact:
Phone: 902-943-0362
Email: ilaprg@dal.ca
Wanda L. Colley
Finance & Program Director
Contact:
Phone: 902-494-4402
Email: admin.imhotep@dal.ca
Wanda L. Colley
Wanda Colley was born and raised in Beechville, Nova Scotia. She earned her Bachelor of Commerce (Accountancy) from Concordia University, Montreal, PQ; and a Diploma in IT and Computer Studies from Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS.
She is a self-published author of poetry and creative non-fiction, and has experience in systems development and support, financial management, and web development.
She has been honored to witness and to contribute to ILA’s growth.
Contact:
Phone: 902-494-4402
Email: admin.imhotep@dal.ca
Asher TRIM-GASKIN
Asher hails from the beautiful island of Barbados. His leadership qualities emerged as a delegate of the Global Youth Leadership Conference as an early teen. He is an avid sportsman–having represented the island in swimming and rubgy and he is a 23-year classical violinist–10 of which were spent as first violin in the Barbados National Youth Orchestra. In 2017, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a Certificate in Genetics from Dalhousie University. During his time at DAL he was President of the Caribbean Connection Student Society for two consecutive years and more recently, he was a Teaching Assistant for second-year Genetics and Diversity courses. To further satisfy his love for community development and leadership, Asher leads a youth group and plays violin in the band of his local church Deep Water. The 2018-2019 program year was Asher’s first year as the ILA Program Manager.
Contact:
Phone: 902-494-4037
Email: director.imhotep@dal.ca or asp.imhotep@dal.ca
Mansita M. Njie
Mansita Njie is a proud African from The Gambia, West Africa subregion. She completed her high school education in Gambia after which she moved to Canada to further her education at Dalhousie University. She graduated in 2019 with a double major in Environmental Sustainability & Society and International Development Studies with honours.
After her undergraduate, she landed a job as a junior Environmental and Social Analyst at a consultancy firm in Senegal and later became a tax officer in The Gambia. During her time as a junior Environmental and Social Analyst, Mansita became more purposed towards finding mitigation and adaption strategies to combat climate change and study the impacts of global warming on agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mansita is enthusiastic about making higher education more accessible and attainable for our youth and ensuring that they know the world is their oyster, anything they put their mind to, they can and will achieve. Her philosophy on life is to lead with kindness.
On her free time, you can find Mansita either reading a novel or designing or styling an outfit for her side business.
Contact:
Phone: 902-494-7884
Email: imhotep@dal.ca
Tehya-Benjamin
Tehya is an African Nova Scotian, who grew up in Halifax. She has recently completed her studies at the University of Ottawa, where she completed an undergraduate degree in Health Sciences with honors. Being an ILA alumnus, participating in these programs growing up helped Tehya find a love for STEM and opportunities to pursue it further in university.
With a passion for community health and research, Tehya is interested in furthering her studies in the healthcare field to positively impact the health and well-being of marginalized and vulnerable communities around her.
Having a love for sports and an elite athletic background, Tehya represented Nova Scotia’s national women’s artistic gymnastics team for 10 years. She then became a part of uOttawa’s cheerleading team throughout her studies. Tehya stays active now by competing for Nova Scotia’s Tumbling Team.
In her free time, Tehya loves to travel and try new foods with family and friends, with a good book by her side.
Contact:
Phone: 902-943-0362
Email: ilaprg@dal.ca
Culture of Growing Program (COG)
(Engaging African Nova Scotian Youth in Agriculture and Community Food Security)
To be staffed
Regional Program Coordinator – North PrestonMarie GREEN
Regional Program Coordinator – SydneyTo be staffed
Regional Program Coordinator – DigbyCadine JOHNSON FOSTER
Regional Program Coordinator – Truro
Alyssa ESTWICK
COG Mentor – Sydney- To be staffed
COG Program Mentor – Digby Rebecca BRITTEN
COG Program Mentor – TruroTo be staffed
COG Program Mentor – North Preston
Virtual School Program (VSP)
- Boris Bam NGES
VSP Coordinator Sarah ASTATKIE
VSP Tutor- Albert BADEY
VSP Tutor Declon DESOUZA
VSP TutorEugene KANKAM
VSP TutorMaddin LAFFIN-SANTIAGO
VSP TutorEzekiel LOTY
VSP Tutor
Tiara MULDER
VSP TutorAkuabata OKANYA
VSP TutorOluwakemi OLAROTIMI
VSP TutorEmmanuel SANYAOLA
VSP MentorJaiana SHARPE
VSP Tutor (Wolfville)Ebube SUNNY-EKHALUME
VSP TutorJoan USMAN
VSP Tutor (Wolfville)
After-School Program (ASP)
Theresa AFI
ASP Coordinator
- Hamidatu ALHASSAN
ASP Mentor
- Benjamin ALIMELE
ASP Mentor (Wolfville)
Jennifer DESMOND
ASP Coordinator (Antigonish)Chiamaka EKEADAH
ASP MentorRebecca BRITTEN
ASP Coordinator- Emmanuella ILUEBBEY
ASP Mentor Cadine JOHNSON FOSTER
ASP Coordinator- Bright KWAYKE
ASP Mentor
Maddin LAFFIN-SANTIAGO
ASP CoordinatorAfisemi NGEI
ASP MentorOmolola OSHIKOYA
ASP MentorJoshua PARIS
ASP MentorYasmin SERAFICO
ASP MentorTaja SCRIVEN
ASP CoordinatorEbube SUNNY-EKHALUME
ASP MentorWalid UMARU
ASP MentorArinze UZOEZIE
ASP MentorEve WEDDERBURN
ASP Mentor
FIRST LEGO League Program (FLL)
Oluwatobi OSHIKOYA
FLL Coordinator- Edward ADDO, Jr.
FLL Mentor Joyce ADEYI
FLL Mentor (Wolfville)Munir Al-TAHER
FLL MentorElisabet ASTATKIE
FLL MentorOluwadamilare BANKOLE
FLL MentorRosemary ETU-EFEOTOR
FLL Mentor (Wolfville)Nnaemeka NNADEDE
FLL MentorTemitope ONAFALUJO
FLL MentorGabriel ROBERTS
FLL Mentor
ILA Coding Program (iCO)
Kenose OSEDEME
ILA Coding CoordinatorOluwatoni ADENIYI
ILA Coding MentorOlamiposi OLAIYA
ILA Coding MentorEmmanuel SANYAOLA
ILA Coding Mentor
Young, Gifted & Black Future Physicists (YGBFP) Initiative
To be staffed
YGBFP Project ManagerBimpe AYOOLA
YGBFP Research Assistant
Young, Gifted & Black Science Fair (YGBSF)
Jeffrey LYN
Young, Gifted & Black Science Fair CoordinatorChibuike EKEADAH
Young, Gifted & Black Science Fair MentorWalid UMARU
Young, Gifted & Black Science Fair Mentor
2025/26 Student Internships
- Damini AWOYIGA
Outreach & Communications Specialist
Oluwatoni “Toni” ADENIYI
Social Media SpecialistOmesiri ERHEKPAINE
Logistics Officer (Fall)
