BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Megan Lukasewich, President

Born and raised up in Edmonton (Amiskwacîwâskahikan), Megan is grateful to live, work, play, and raise her family in Treaty 6 territory—the traditional and ancestral territory of First Nations and the historical Northwest Métis Homeland.

She has a particular interest in health equity, community engagement, and public policy. Her passion for community building, human rights, and social justice have led to a career in participatory research and social policy. The focus of her work is meaningfully including communities made vulnerable and oppressed and repressed populations in decisions that impact their wellbeing.  

Megan has a Master's in Public Health Sciences and a graduate certificate in Community-Based Research and Evaluation, from the University of Alberta. She loves spending time outside hiking, biking, and gardening.

Andrew Lam, Vice President

Born in Hong Kong and having immigrated to Edmonton (amiskwacîwâskahikan), Andrew is passionate about equity and devotes his professional and personal life to supporting important causes.

Andrew is particularly interested in immigrant integration, affordable housing, employment equity, and civic participation.  He has worked in academia and research to explore employment equity in Canada with Dalhousie University, Queens University, and Bucknell University.  Professionally, he works to support newcomers and refugees settle and integrate into Canadian life through program development, public policy, and research.

In his free time, Andrew is often camping, travelling or enjoying Edmonton’s River Valley. He is also passionate about food and is often found exploring the local food scene with his dog, Bliss.  

Andrew is excited to be a part of the Board of Directors at the John Humphrey Centre and in his next steps taken in advocacy and human rights.

Kevin Zentner, Treasurer

Kevin Zentner is a human rights advocate based in Edmonton, Alberta. Having worked directly with individuals who live with disabilities and trauma, Kevin brings universal design principles to policy development, strategic planning, and programme delivery. 

A graduate of the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce, a certificate in Sustainability, and a certificate in Leadership, Kevin works for Canada's largest general contractor, PCL Construction, where he develops software to improve safety and sustainability on construction projects. Kevin has served as a board member for the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Business Alumni Association, and the University of Alberta's Social and Environmental Responsibility Committee and General Faculties Council Committee on the Learning Environment. 

Kylie Dwyer, Secretary

Kylie is a human rights advocate based in Treaty 6 territory, passionate about human rights-related issues surrounding employment equity, social inequality and disability rights. Professionally, Kylie has honed her skills in the public sector for nine years, specializing in inclusive hiring and developing strategies to recruit and retain equity-deserving groups in the workforce. Her work is a testament to her ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including nonprofit organizations, service providers, employers, and advocates, to develop effective strategies and solutions. 

Kylie graduated from MacEwan University with a degree in Sociology, holds a certificate in Human Resources and Labour Relations, and has a CPHR designation. She is currently completing her master’s degree in equity studies.

Darcy Bemister, Director

Born and raised in Treaty No. 1 territory (in and around Winnipeg), Darcy is a white settler, first-generation law student at the University of Calgary. In the past, Darcy was an accomplished agricultural researcher but his passion towards ameliorating injustices and social inequality prompted him to switch paths.

He is a volunteer caseworker with Student Legal Assistance, and when not buried in case law, he spends his free time with his wife and dog.

Syed Abbas Mehdi, Director

Syed Abbas Mehdi is part of “Future Fields”, a Cellular Agriculture Startup in Edmonton that is tackling climate change and resource depletion by developing sustainable growth media for the cellular agriculture sector. Abbas moved to Edmonton as a Transfer Student in the Biological Sciences Program at the “University of Alberta”. He participated in the University “Non-Profit Board Student Internship” (NPBI) Program under the mentorship of Norm Mcleod and Neha Ahmed at the “John Humphrey Centre” (JHC). Abbas joined the Board of Directors at JHC in 2020 after concluding his Non-Profit Board Internship. Abbas has volunteered and supported organizations to address issues of xenophobia, health inequity and economic exclusion. 

Abbas is also active in the Edmonton startup ecosystem as a member of “Edmonton Advisory Council on Startups” (EACOS) that supports and consults the tech-enabled startup community. He is also a co-founder of the “YEG Startup Community Awards”. He hopes to use his experience to support the mission of JHC and continue to build on the legacy of his JHC mentors.

Tibetha Kemble (Stonechild), Director

Dr. Tibetha Kemble (Stonechild) is nêhiyawipwâtinâhk and a registered member of the Piapot First Nation (Treaty No. 4). Tibetha currently serves as the Indigenous Project Lead for the Accelerating Clinical Trials Consortium, and is a proud wife, mother, and small business owner. Dr. Kemble recently completed her PhD in Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education. Dr. Kemble is an accomplished Indigenous leader who has held several senior leadership positions across a wide variety of sectors including higher education and the federal and provincial public service. Dr. Kemble is deeply committed to serving her community and currently serves as a Director on the Boards of the John Humphreys Centre for Peace and Human Rights, ACTUA, and Kickstand.

The focus of her work, both personally and professionally, remains focused on addressing systemic barriers and redressing the legacies of colonialism across the health and education systems that are distinct to Indigenous peoples and communities in what is now Canada.

Sheila Robert, Director

Sheila Robert, B.A., M.A. Growing up in Coalhurst, Alberta, traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Sheila witnessed the disparity and racism experienced by Indigenous Peoples. This disparity motivated her to find a deeper understanding of colonialism and oppression. Sheila has her Master of Arts in Native American Studies, specializing in Treaty law and the negotiation and implementation of Treaty #7, from the University of Lethbridge.

In Sheila’s professional career, she advocates for Indigenous social justice, particularly on matters related to de-colonization, raising the voices of Indigenous women, and addressing racism experienced by Indigenous Peoples. Through her personal and professional life, Sheila’s paradigm has been informed by knowledge shared with her by Blackfoot and Cree Elders.

Sheila’s other passions include animal rescue, floral artistry, and experiencing other cultures through travel, food, and art.

Mastullah Ashah Mwanga, Director

Ashah is an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda, a Muslim women’s rights International Lawyer, a scholar and an established researcher in the field of feminism, laws, access to justice, human rights, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Rights among others. She is a PhD Human Rights Fellow. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) (International women rights), from Georgetown University Law Center. She is also an alumna of the Leadership & Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA) Fellow at Georgetown University.

She also holds a second Master’s degree; M.A. in Human Rights. She holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre (LDC-Uganda’s Bar course), a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies (B.A DVS). Ashah is a 2017 Global Change Leader (GCL) having been selected by the Coady International Institute of St. FX University as a young woman with immense contributions to women’s human rights advocacy and access to justice.

She is the founding Executive Director of the Islamic Women’s Initiative for Justice Law and Peace (IWILAP). She has led a team that has undertaken ground-breaking legal advocacy work including undertaking major constitutional litigations that have challenged governments for failing to provide basic human rights. Ashah is also the newly appointed Executive Director of the Alliance of Inclusive Muslims (AIM)-Africa where she also sits on the Board as the Global Director of Family Law Reform. She is a Master Trainer of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence with the Regional Training Facility of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLRR-RTF) for 12 countries in the Great Lakes region which role has built her capacity to conduct research, monitor human rights violations and conduct advocacy.

Her 14 years of human rights advocacy and legal aid experience give her the capacity to make use of the sheer numbers and powers to mobilize large constituencies. Usually, her strategies are more often than not, those that have to do with the shifting of deeply held norms against women and are not only focused on changing laws and policies.

Christine Rapp (Special Advisor)    

Christine practiced law for more than 30 years in general commercial areas. She brings to the Board legal context in matters relating to governance, legislative interpretation and contracts as well as personal experience developed through her volunteer Board memberships.  Christine has served on a variety of Boards/Committees including the Law Society of Alberta, Legal Education Society of Alberta, Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Student Finance Board, Alberta Funeral Services Regulatory Board, Canadian Federation of University Women, and SEVEC ( Experiences Canada).  She is currently on the Executive of the Association of School Business Officials of Alberta, a member of the University of Alberta Senate and a throws official with Athletics Alberta.  Christine has been an active volunteer with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights for more than 20 years.