AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
At the international level, the members of the Board of Directors – known as the International Board – provide guidance and leadership for the Amnesty International movement worldwide. Every year, a Global Assembly is convened, where representatives of each section come together to discuss strategies and policies, vote on International Board members, and share ideas and knowledge to guide the international movement.
There are more than 80 Amnesty International offices worldwide. Canada has two branches – the English Branch in Ottawa and the Francophone Branch in Montreal.
AMNESTY CANADA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Agapi Gessesse, Board Chair
Agapi Gessesse is a powerful, influential and fearless changemaker. For more than a decade, Agapi has worked to enhance the lives of marginalized youth through her work with Toronto Community Housing and United Way Greater Toronto. She is currently the Executive Director of the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals.
Agapi was born and raised in Toronto by a refugee mother. Her commitment to community development stems from her lived experience, which propelled her to obtain a Master’s Degree in Social Justice. She is a visionary leader who tirelessly addresses economic issues affecting BlPOC, their families, and their futures. She speaks and writes on topics such as diversity and inclusion, workforce development and youth engagement.
In 2023, Agapi was honoured with the Leadership Award at the acclaimed BBPA Harry Jerome Awards for achievement in the Black community. She was also named a YWCA 2023 Woman of the Year and received an Afropolitan Canada Award at the 2023 Women of Diversity Summit.
Geneviève Thériault-Lachance, Vice-Chair
2-year term: Elected June 2024 – Current term concludes June 2026Geneviève Thériault-Lachance is a lawyer based in Quebec that specializes in corporate accountability. She is particularly interested in corporate ethics and the connection between corruption and human rights violations.
She worked for several years in London for an organization that sought to bring justice to victims of corporate abuses in sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to leaving for London, she practiced as a trial lawyer in Montreal. She appeared regularly before the highest provincial and federal courts. She also acted as a legal consultant for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), where she drafted applications for victims and an amicus curiae brief to ensure the protection of the rule of law in impeachment procedures in Latin America.
Geneviève has a Master of Laws (LLM), with distinction, from London University College (UCL), where she was the sole recipient of the Sir Frederick Pollock scholarship. She regularly writes legal blogs for the legal publisher Éditions Yvon Blais of Thomson Reuters, is a founding trustee of Publish What You Pay (PWYP) UK and a member of the Committee of Integrity Protection For the Sport and Leisure Federation of Quebec.
Fariha Khan, Treasurer
2-year term: Elected June 2024 – Current term concludes June 2026Fariha has over a decade of management and technology consulting experience, during which time she strategized, designed, and developed actionable solutions to global and emerging challenges in the public, private, and social sectors. She has led innovation programs at different scales and complexity, monitored progress towards strategic plans, and provided governance to manage resources effectively.
Fariha graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce and a dual-degree Global Executive MBA (Cum Laude) from Rotman at the University of Toronto and SDA Bocconi School of Management. She holds a CPA.
Her advocacy for social justice is driven by her lived experiences in the East and West and social impact work in developing countries. She has championed the rights of others through both grassroots activism and international organizations. She is particularly interested in preventing human rights violations in conflict zones, examining public policy and legislation that curtail civil liberties, protecting the rights of refugees, and promoting intersectional justice. With a life-long approach to learning and applying novel ideas, Fariha is passionate about meaningful action at Amnesty International Canada.
Aisha Ryan, Director
2-year term: Elected June 2024 – Current term concludes June 2026Aisha Ryan is an experienced human rights researcher and consultant currently based in Islamabad where she designs and implements development projects across Pakistan. She has worked on social impact and human rights projects in Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Guinea, Senegal, and Australia.
Aisha holds an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Oxford (St Antony’s College) and an HBA in International Relations and Health Studies from the University of Toronto. Her MPhil dissertation investigated political extremism in Pakistan and associated violations of freedom of conscience and religious belief.
Aisha is particularly passionate about minority rights, corporate responsibility & accountability, Indigenous rights, and the right to health. She is fluent in English and French and speaks basic Urdu.
Declan Sander, Director
2-year term: Elected June 2025 – Current term concludes June 2027Declan Sander is a finance student at the University of Calgary and co-founder of BirchBark Health, a nonprofit focused on expanding access to culturally safe healthcare in rural Indigenous communities through data infrastructure and local capacity building.
He works in venture capital, advising and supporting early-stage companies on capital strategy, financial operations, and growth planning. His prior experience includes roles at RBC Capital Markets and Alpaca VC, where he developed a strong foundation in deal execution, portfolio support, and institutional fundraising.
Declan serves as President of Best Buddies at the University of Calgary and contributes to national governance at Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada as Treasurer of the National Youth Council and Board Observer.
Haris Ahmad, Director
2-year term: Elected June 2025 – Current term concludes June 2027Haris Ahmad is a medical student at Toronto Metropolitan University and a long-time advocate for equity, youth empowerment, and human rights. An immigrant and community builder, Haris brings over a decade of grassroots organizing and nonprofit governance experience to the board.
His leadership within Amnesty International Canada spans local, national, and international spaces. Haris has served as Co-Chair of the National Youth Action and Advisory Committee (NYAAC), Co-Chair of Amnesty Calgary, and member of the People Power Strategy Committee. He co-developed the National Youth Strategy Advisory Committee (NYSAC), helping shape organizational priorities based on youth feedback, and currently serves on the Americas Regional Forum Committee, working to strengthen global solidarity and collaboration across the region.
Haris has led national summits, strategic planning sessions, and global consultations on civic space, racial justice, and the right to health. Beyond Amnesty, he co-founded Zero Food Waste, a nonprofit redistributing food to underserved communities, and directs Stars for Scholarly Youth, a charity supporting at-risk youth through tutoring and mentorship.
He is committed to people-powered change and ensuring Amnesty reflects the courage, care, and diversity of the communities it serves.
Lana Verran, Director
2-year term: Elected June 2025 – Current term concludes June 2027With over two decades of involvement in Amnesty International, Lana brings deep experience in governance, strategic leadership, and people-centered activism. Having served in a variety of roles—including Director-at-Large, Board Chair, and Global Assembly Chair—Lana has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead through complexity with a steady hand. Her governance contributions span 14 years, during which time she contributed to critical organizational shifts such as the adoption of a movement wide one-entity-one-vote model, the introduction of Core Standards, and the adoption of Amnesty’s sex worker policy. Whether preparing for regular meetings or responding to urgent, unforeseen issues, she remains a collaborative and dependable presence, committed to strong governance and shared leadership.
Lana’s engagement extends beyond national borders, reflecting Amnesty’s global reach and collaborative spirit. She has represented the Canadian section at multiple International Council Meetings, Global Assembly’s and Chairs Forums and has held leadership roles on key global committees. These experiences have deepened an understanding of Amnesty’s global governance and reinforced a dedication to fostering a movement that is resilient, representative, and rooted in human rights principles.
Professionally certified in Human Resource Management, Lana brings significant expertise in organizational change, inclusive workplace policy, and strategic HR leadership. She has managed diverse teams across sectors, led major change initiatives, and championed equitable governance practices. Her approach is grounded in empathy, clear communication, and a deep belief in people-powered movements. As a longtime member, activist, and donor, she remains deeply invested in Amnesty’s mission and its future. Lana views the role of the Board not only as a governance body but as a vital connector—ensuring decisions remain accountable to the people and communities most impacted by our work.
Laurin Liu, Director
2-year term: Elected June 2024 – Current term concludes June 2026For years, Laurin has worked for international philanthropies and NGOs, where she has played a behind-the-scenes role in strategic communications, supporting activists defending basic rights around the world and campaigns for international justice and accountability.
Laurin was a Canadian Member of Parliament between 2011-2015 and served as the youngest female Parliamentarian in Canadian history. While in office, she served as deputy critic for Environment, Science and Technology and International Trade and tabled multiple bills, including Bill C-409, for the automatic enrolment in the guaranteed income supplement for low-income seniors and Bill C-620, to expand health and safety protections for interns in federally regulated industries. She also pushed for a responsible and ethical foreign policy on various Parliamentary committees, including action on climate change, stopping the use of cluster munitions and arms exports to repressive governments, and ensuring the inclusion of human rights and environmental protections in trade deals.
Laurin holds a master’s degree in human rights from the London School of Economics and speaks English and French. She was raised in Montreal, Quebec.
Saad Hammadi, Director
1-year term: Elected June 2025 – Current term concludes June 2026Saad Hammadi has served in leadership positions of international media and human rights organizations during more than two decades of his professional experience. He is the Policy and Advocacy Manager and a Fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, where he manages among others the case studies of human rights implications in technology governance. He is also an advisor to the Tech Global Institute, a global tech policy think tank focused on reducing equity and accountability gaps between technology companies and the global majority.
Saad has served on the staff of Amnesty International’s international secretariat between 2018 and 2025 leading global campaigns, communications and advocacy on freedom of expression and information, technology and human rights, the right to privacy, data protection and refugee rights in South Asia. Among his responsibilities were managing partnerships with UN agencies and civil society organizations, human rights projects and case files of rights-holders, and advocacy with government policymakers.
Saad was a Research Fellow at Project Ploughshares, a Canadian peace and arms control research institute, between January and May 2024. In 2023, Saad served as the Communications Adviser to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan. Saad spent 15 years of his career as a journalist working for among others the British newspaper The Guardian and the US-based news organization The Christian Science Monitor.
Vanessa Dib, Director
2-year term: Elected June 2025 – Current term concludes June 2027Vanessa Dib is an activist with Amnesty Canada, specifically a member of the Refugee Migrants Group. She has a background in political science from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in development studies from the University of Cambridge.
Vanessa currently leads partnership development at a leading not-for-profit, Skills for Change, in Toronto, and has co-founded her own educational non-profit agency, Side by Side Agency, to provide free tutoring and mentorship services to grade K-12 students in Canada which ran from 2020 to 2022. Previously, she worked as a strategy consultant supporting clients in the public sector.
AMNESTY STAFF LEADERSHIP
Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General
Ketty serves as Secretary General for Amnesty International Canada’s English-Speaking section. She oversees the organization’s domestic and international human rights mandate and is its lead representative.
A global human rights activist and advocate, Ketty holds in-depth expertise and lived experience in forced displacement, at-risk human rights defenders, civic space in conflict and political transitions, and the global intersections of gender, race, and human rights. Before seeking asylum in Canada in 2015, she braved police violence as the lead organizer of women’s peaceful protests for democratic change in her country, Burundi.
In her previous roles, Ketty has led research, advocacy, and communications strategies with women peace activists in several conflict and post-conflict countries, including Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Myanmar, Uganda, and Guatemala. Her work is rooted in people power, public accountability, and a feminist, decolonial approach to human rights.
Ketty studied international relations and is a former journalist and published poet. She lives in Ottawa with her two teenage daughters.
Kassandra Churcher, Executive Director
Kassandra has enjoyed a long and significant management career, including supervising the operations and management of all primary and secondary schools throughout the Inuit territory of Nunavik in the north of Quebec, as well as being the National Executive Director for the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS). She played a leadership role in developing opportunities for funding and support of the 24 community-based Elizabeth Fry Societies across Canada, which are responsible for delivering programs and services to at-risk and criminalized girls and women.
Kassandra is committed to fostering an ARAO intersectional feminist approach in her writing, advocacy, work, and life. She currently lives in Hudson, a small community outside of Montreal, where she volunteers as Vice President of the Elizabeth Fry Society.
Kassandra graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Ethics, holds a Master of Arts in Education from Concordia University in Montreal, and is completing a PhD in Culture and Values in Education from McGill.
Cian Mc Sweeney, Director of Finance & Operations
Cian Mc Sweeney joined Amnesty International’s Finance & Operations team in June 2022, where he serves as the Director. In this role, he works with the Finance, Facilities, and Information Technology and Systems teams responsible for oversight and governance of finances, office management, and digital and technology strategies. Before this, Cian held progressive finance roles in the for-profit industry in Canada and public accounting firms in Ireland.
Cian graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems from University College Cork (Ireland) and holds Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designations in Ireland and Canada. With a proven track record of managing complex operations and finances, driving organizational growth and impact, and growing and leading high-performing teams, Cian is committed to developing and implementing strategies that will enable Amnesty to achieve its goals.
David Matsinhe, Director of Policy, Advocacy & Research
David Matsinhe is the Director of Policy, Advocacy and Research (PAR) at Amnesty International Canada. Until 2023, he was the Lusophone Senior Researcher at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International in the East and Southern Africa Regional Office. Previously, he served as World Bank Senior Advisor in Public Finance at Mozambique’s Ministry of Education and Social Development and Assistant Professor in Global Development and Social Innovation at the University of Johannesburg.
David holds a PhD in Political Sociology from the University of Alberta, where he was a Canada Graduate Scholar of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. He is completing an MPhil in International Law at the University of Cape Town.
David is the author of Apartheid Vertigo: The Rise in Discrimination Against Africans in South Africa. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at Carleton University and a Research Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Marie-Helene Boubane, Director of Fundraising
Marie-Hélène was promoted to Director of Fundraising in July 2022. She has held many positions at Amnesty International, including Manager of Fundraising Programs, Major Gifts and Legacy Giving, Annual Giving, Legacy Giving, and Supporter Services.
Marie-Hélène has fundraised for international organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and CARE Canada in various positions, from Direct Marketing to Monthly Giving and Institutional Fundraising.
When not working with her wonderful colleagues at Amnesty, she is a fierce advocate for mental health, especially when it comes to neurodivergent populations.
Marie-Hélène graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University. She joined the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) in 1999. She has held a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation since 2015.
