Meet our Team

Staff

  • Fatima Ahmed

    Fatima Ahmed (she/her)

    Social Justice Program Manager

  • Desneige Frandsen

    Desneige Frandsen (she/her/kwe)

    Indigenous Youth Program Manager

  • Shelan Markus

    Shelan Markus (she/her)

    Executive Director

  • Samantha Lowes

    Accounting

  • Tanya Wall

    Tanya Wall

    Development Manager

  • Dana Murphy

    Executive Assistant

  • Nada Ibrahim

    Nada Ibrahim

    Program Facilitator and Coordinator - National

  • James Gaume

    James Gaume

    Program Facilitator - Alberta

  • Samantha Craig-Curnow

    Program Facilitator - Rama First Nation

  • Misko Banaishe

    Program Facilitator - National

  • Thomas Milne

    Program Facilitator - Rama First Nation

  • Shawnee Monchalin

    Program Facilitator - Vancouver

  • Brianna Morrison

    Program Facilitator - Toronto

  • Sarah Schmaus

    Program Facilitator - Saskatoon

  • Cara Marasty

    Program Facilitator - Saskatchewan

  • Vivian Sim

    Program Facilitator - Ottawa

  • Katie McKenzie

    Program Facilitator - Manitoba

  • Clare Mills

    Program Facilitator - National

  • Robert Bassett

    Program Facilitator - Siksika First Nation

  • Aisha Abawajy

    Program Facilitator - Toronto

  • Caitlyn Alegbe

    Caitlyn Alegbe

    Program Facilitator - Toronto

  • Jeff Rogers

    Jeff Rogers

    Program Facilitator - Halifax

  • Dan Rutabingwa Gakire

    Dan Rutabingwa Gakire

    Program Facilitator - Ottawa

  • Momina Naveed

    Program Facilitator - Toronto

  • Sam Gruppuso

    Program Facilitator - Ottawa

  • Kimora Harris-Taylor

    Program Facilitator - Toronto

Board of Directors

Black Youth Advisory Board

Indigenous Advisory Board

  • Samantha Craig-Curnow

    Program Facilitator - Rama First Nation

  • Danielle Davyduke

    Program Facilitator - National

  • Desneige Frandsen

    Program Facilitator - National

  • Misko Kicknosway

    Program Facilitator - National

  • Paul Porter

    Program Facilitator - National

  • Thomas Milne

    Program Facilitator - National

FOUNDERS

Co-founders Catherine McKenna and Yasmin Shaker started Canadian Lawyers Abroad - Avocats canadiens à l’étranger (CLA-ACE) in 2005 with a simple goal: to engage the Canadian legal community to positively change lives in Canada and abroad. CLA-ACE originated from the idea that Canadian legal professionals have a specific set of skills, and given the opportunity, can uniquely benefit and support communities in need.

In September 2015, CLA-ACE became Level (Égaliser), which marked an important milestone in the growth and development of our organization. ‘Level’ captures our long history of combating injustice, promoting equality in rights and opportunities, and changing lives through law.