Salomé believes in the power of travel to foster community and cultivate cross-cultural understanding. Salomé’s journey to Canada started in 2017 for a Bachelor’s in Hospitality & Tourism Management and a minor in Caribbean Studies.

Salomé’s diverse upbringing, born in Belgium to French and German roots and a youth spent living across Europe and the Caribbean, is what fuels their passion for building intercultural connections and supporting newcomers’ sense of belonging. Fluent in English, French, and Italian, with some Spanish and German, Salomé enjoys exploring new languages in their spare time.

With ten years of experience working in the settlement sector, Prianka has dedicated her time to mitigating the structural and systematic barriers newcomers face. Prianka emphasizes the importance of building collaborative and mutually beneficial partnerships to ensure organizations are well-positioned to support newcomers on their path to success in Canada. Prianka holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Counselling and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Mojoyin was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and immigrated to Canada in her early teenage years. In her professional journey, she has extensive experience in volunteering and various associated programs. Mojoyin’s passion for inclusion and helping others has led her to actively create and participate in various initiatives to impact the community positively.

Nabil is a recent graduate with a degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science. His interests lie at the crossroads of Artificial Intelligence and Language.

Gaurav is a generalist and entrepreneur at heart. In the last 15 years, he has built multiple companies and has had varied professional experience in diverse industries including software engineering, web design and development, music and media.

Gaurav led the team that designed and developed the new Canoo access pass app and heads product and marketing at the ICC. Gaurav immigrated to Canada from India in 2020.

Bilingual Events Specialist. 

Maria-Jesus is a multilingual Communication, Events & Marketing Specialist with a Public Relations Degree from Humber College and over 15 years of experience. She became a fluent polyglot at the age of seven, speaking Spanish, French and English and grew up on three continents, making her a natural communicator and globe-trotter. Through her travels, she has learned the importance of cross-cultural communications and international affairs. She is passionate about people & cultures, culinary & Astro tourism, and the healing arts.

Natalia holds a BA in International Relations and possesses a strong background in project management, event management, fundraising and research. She has worked in a variety of environments that include non-profits, as well as local and national governments and embassies.

Natalia was born in Mexico, and after having first visited Canada as an exchange student, she has called Canada home since 2016. Before coming to Canada she lived and worked in Serbia and Montenegro. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Serbian.

Natalia is passionate about languages and understanding how they reflect the cultural richness of the nations that speak them. She loves trying international cuisines and learning about the stories behind each dish.

Vidah is a first-generation Canadian, currently finishing her undergraduate degree at The University of Toronto, specializing in Bioethics and minoring in English studies. Growing up in a Filipino-Iranian household, she understands how empowering it can be when cultures collide. Vidah is adamant about providing the best bi-lingual assistance (in both English and French) to any inquiring Canoo members and partners.

Jenna completed her Masters in Museum Studies at the University College Cork in Ireland. Having worked in a variety of museums and galleries in Canada and Ireland, she is passionate about building community connections through art and culture. 

Jayani completed her undergraduate degree at Carleton University in Anthropology with minors in African Studies and American Sign Language. Additionally, during her undergrad, she was involved in many extracurricular activities that involved student support/engagement and research. With her parents immigrating to Canada from Sri Lanka, making her a first-generation Tamil Canadian, Jayani has and continues to explore the meaning and experience of being a part of a diaspora. She strongly believes in the power of community and will take any opportunity to learn something new. Working with and supporting newcomers’ sense of belonging is a role she holds near and dear to her heart.
In her spare time, Jayani loves to cook, read, spend time with her friends/family, travel, and tend to her many plants.