“MOSAIC helps us fill our vacancies right away. The individuals that we have hired have worked out very well.”
Empowering immigrants
and refugees
Empowering immigrants
and refugees
Board of Directors
MOSAIC's Board of Directors is responsible for the overall management of the organization through its role in policy development and program evaluation.
The board restricts its activities to the following:
Through the Executive Director's monthly report, the Board of Directors is informed and appraised of key operational matters and personnel decisions. The Board of Directors recommends and approves global policy decisions, and respond to matters in the community that affect the overall operation of the organization.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2009-2010)
Brook Greenberg (President)
Karimah Es Sabar (Vice President)
Bark Kong (Treasurer)
Gabrielle Smith (Secretary)
MOSAIC Committees and Project Compositions
MOSAIC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bark Kong is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator with 15 years experience in not-for-profit health care. He is currently Director of Corporate Financial Planning and Reporting for the Fraser Health Authority, responsible for developing and leading the organization in its planning and reporting processes. Previously, Bark worked in public accounting, specializing in business valuations and litigation accounting.
Bark was born in China and immigrated to Canada with his family at a young age. He has volunteered as a treasurer for Information Services Vancouver, British Columbia's largest provider of information and referral services.
Brook Greenberg, a lawyer, practices commercial litigation at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in Vancouver. After growing up in Prince George, B.C., Brook went on to earn his undergraduate degree in history from Carleton University and his law degree from the University of British Columbia. Upon graduation, he served as a law clerk at the B.C. Court of Appeal before joining Faskens.
Brook is responsible for the pro bono program at his firm and regularly supervises poverty law clinics run by the UBC Law Students Legal Advice Program. His interest in supporting effective and pragmatic community service providers led to his involvement with MOSAIC.
Carlos Ivan Molina, born in Santiago, Chile, and trained in electrical engineering, Carlos Ivan Molina immigrated to Canada in 1975 following the onset of Pinochet’s brutal dictatorship. He went on to attain a Master’s of Education from Simon Fraser University and diplomas in Social Work and Business Administration.
Carlos has held a variety of jobs spanning a wide spectrum of industries; he has worked as a project engineer and construction superintendent in Alberta’s petrochemical industry, an immigration officer for the Department of Employment and Immigration, a community development consultant for Canada’s HRDC, and, finally, Manager of International Education at the B.C. Institute of Technology.
An avid volunteer, Carlos has served a number of Edmonton-based community agencies, offering aid to immigrants and refugees through his social work and immigration advocacy skills.
Gabrielle Smith. During her 14-year career in human resources, Gabrielle Smith, CHRP, has recruited many immigrants to various Canadian companies and helped numerous skilled workers relocate to B.C. These experiences played a key role in sparking her keen and ongoing interest in immigration support services. Born in Victoria, B.C., Gabrielle graduated from Simon Fraser University and BCIT. She currently acts as HR manager for Seaspan Ship Management Ltd. Her volunteer experiences include activities with the United Way and the 24 Hour Relay for the Kids.
Jeff Brooks, having worked in the substance abuse field and for the Vancouver Health Department, Jeff Brooks recently retired after 11 years as the City of Vancouver’s director of social planning. After attaining a master’s degree in counselling psychology, Jeff began his 35-year career in health and social planning, working with an array of government and community groups in policy and program development. Areas of special interest include aboriginal issues, at-risk youth, childcare, housing, addiction and mental health.
Currently, Jeff volunteers with the Urban Native Youth Association and the Chief Dan George Centre.
Karimah Es Sabar. A specialist in biochemistry and neurochemistry, Karimah Es Sabar’s career in life sciences has seen her work in over 60 countries, holding senior management positions in such corporations as Sanofi Pasteur and Boots. Now, as president of LifeSciences BC, she acts as a primary spokespeople for the province’s life sciences sector, representing it in key public policy discussions and advisory committees.
Karimah has served on several boards, including the Aga Khan National Economic Planning Board (Canada) and Aga Khan National Health Board (Canada and Kenya). She acts as chairperson of the Aga Khan Women’s Portfolio, and is a member of the World Business Academy, Canadian Management Association, and Women of Spirit (Kenyan Chapter).
Kyle Hyndman was born in Nova Scotia, grew up on Vancouver Island and has lived in France, the UK and Hong Kong. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from UBC in 1996 and a law degree in 1999. Since 2000, he has practiced immigration and citizenship law with McCrea & Associates in Vancouver. He is the Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s BC Immigration Section, a volunteer and clinic leader for the Western Society to Access Justice and a member of the board of directors of the People’s Law School. He has been invited to speak on immigration legal issues by community groups, social service agencies, educational institutions and the media. He is a frequent lecturer and course chair for the Canadian Bar Association and the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC.
Maneesh Nanda’s career began as a utility operator with Skeena Cellulose, a pulp mill in Prince Rupert, B.C. After four years, he decided to pursue his passion for international business, taking courses and working as a marketing assistant for Air Liquide.
In 2000, Maneesh became an International Trade and Market Advisor for the provincial government, working closely with the Government of India, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and Vancouver-based consulates, as well as joining various Team Canada, World Economic Forum and provincial trade missions to China, Europe, the U.S., India, Japan and Taiwan. He also developed provincial marketing plans targeting South Asia, organized knowledge seminars and formed successful joint ventures between several Indian and Canadian companies.
Maneesh currently acts as Vice President of a company he co-owns – Ideas to Action Ventures – consulting and marketing for companies interested in doing business internationally.
Dr. Mehran Kiai is the Director of Enrollment Services in Simon Fraser University. He has over 25 years of experience in education, engineering, and senior level management in the private and public sectors. He is experienced in the post-secondary sector as a faculty member, program manager, department head, director, and dean in educational institutions in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and B.C.
As a senior partner for 12 years in an engineering consulting firm, he provided engineering services and technology integration solutions to the construction, architectural, manufacturing, and service industries. He provided leadership in multi-disciplinary projects for a team of consultants, engineers, and technicians. He is a civil engineer and a graduate of the Executive Development Program at Queen’s School of Business. He obtained his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University in the United States.
Mehran immigrated to Canada in 1982 and has since maintained a strong interest in education, orientation and advocacy with the purpose of integrating skilled immigrants into Canadian society.
Paula Fairweather’s experience in corporate sponsorship, marketing, and project and partner management has spanned two decades and four countries: Spain, South Africa, the U.S. and Canada. It’s also allowed her to develop partnerships for non-profit organizations, corporate sponsors and government in the areas of education, arts, culture, tourism, technology and sports. She currently manages projects for non-profit clients, and recently worked on the international travelling exhibition Totems to Turquoise: Native North American Jewellery Arts of the Northwest and Southwest, co-presented by the Bill Reid Foundation and Vancouver Museum.
Paula volunteers to support adult literacy, Nordic ski racing and international jazz festivals.
Sai W. Chu, CA, has 19 years financial experience and is Chief Financial Officer of Seaspan Ship Management Ltd., management company for Seaspan Corporation, a leading global containership company recently listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Sai’s parents immigrated from China to Brazil, where he was born. His family then immigrated to Vancouver in 1969, where he was raised and educated.
Sai’s volunteer experience includes activities with the United Way and SUCCESS. He has an interest in immigrant support services, as many of his Seaspan co-workers are recent immigrants to Vancouver.
Susan Witter has worked in the Public Post Secondary Education system for the last 25 years. She has spent her career working in three public colleges in British Columbia including 12 years as President of Douglas College. She has also worked in a number of International Leadership Development projects in China, Thailand, Jordan and Syria.
Susan has a long standing passion for assisting students who have a low educational attainment or who are educationally disadvantaged. She has led the development of a number of new program initiatives at Douglas College for new immigrants, special needs populations and literacy learners.
Susan has served on a number of Boards including the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, the YWCA of Canada, the Vancouver YWCA, and the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, which she currently serves as chair of its board of directors.
Willie Clarke-Okah. During the 1970s, educationist and development anthropologist Dr Willie Clarke-Okah worked in the NGO sector, serving CUSO in Nigeria as its country deputy coordinator. Later, as a federal public servant with the Canadian International Development Agency, he handled portfolios dealing with project management, program delivery, and policy analysis and advice.
With an academic background in business, politics, and education, Willie arrived in Vancouver in 2006 from Jamaica, where he was the counsellor and head of the Canadian High Commission’s Development Assistance division. He came to Vancouver to accept a position as education specialist, higher education and policy development in the Commonwealth of Learning, an intergovernmental organization. Willie is a citizen of both Nigeria and Canada; he has lived in the latter for over 33 years. He has a strong interest in issues related to multiculturalism and diversity.
MOSAIC Committees and Project Compositions (2009-2010)
Executive
Brook Greenberg
Bark Kong
Karimah Es Sabar
Gabrielle Smith
Eyob Naizghi
Finance
Brook Greenberg
Bark Kong
Carlos Ivan Molina
Sai W. Chu
Eyob Naizghi
Awards
Brook Greenberg
Gabrielle Smith
Eyob Naizghi
Nominations
Brook Greenberg
Eyob Naizghi
Gabrielle Smith
MOSAIC
1720 Grant St., 2nd Floor
Vancouver BC V5L 2Y7
Phone: 604 254 9626
Fax: 604 254 3932
mosaic@mosaicbc.com
