Board of Directors

Sameer Esmail is currently completing his Masters of Management at the University of British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a concentration in International Diplomacy, Security, and Peace Studies, also from UBC. He is an open-minded and collaborative leader who cares deeply about advancing human rights and the ideals of global citizenship around the world. Sameer is passionate about digital government, international affairs, and transportation policy. Sameer currently works on the Open Government team within the Office of the Chief Information Officer at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. He has previously worked at Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa.

Sameer was Canada’s Head Delegate to the 2022 G20 Youth Summit in Indonesia, playing a key role in drafting the Y20 Communique that was presented to G20 leaders. Sameer also represented Canadian youth at the 2021 OECD Forum with Young Diplomats of Canada. As an active student leader, Sameer has served as the President of UBC’s Student Alumni Council. Sameer has worked to improve financial literacy by co-leading the UBC’s chapter of PennyDrops, a national student-run non-profit organization. Sameer represents the BC branches of the United Nations Association in Canada on the National Board of Directors.

Koyali Burman is an accomplished community engagement and economic development strategist. She has a decade of expertise in research, strategic planning, monitoring, and evaluation locally and internationally. She is an experienced researcher and educator for sustainable local and international development. She has a background in community Originally from India, she holds a Master of Arts in Adult & Higher Education from UBC. She has held various board of directors and advisory positions in Canada, advising strategic paths and advancing development causes. These have included sustainable local economic development; gender-sensitive strategy for ICT in open Schooling; Entrepreneurship a strategy for local economic development; mentorship for women and girls; Global Citizenship and workplace diversity and inclusion. She holds a leadership position and have spoken about international migration and community economic development in Vancouver and India.

In 2018, she received a prestigious Pan Asian Recognition award for her leadership role in supporting Pan Asian communities in British Columbia, with a curiosity about the global community. Koyali is passionate about supporting the United Nations Association in Canada and support the Sustainable Development Goals to build strong, safe, and resilient communities that will be inclusive and innovative for decades to come.

Dariel Filwood is the Communications Coordinator for the United Nations Canada Vancouver Branch. Passionate about making a difference in the world through human rights and education; Dariel is currently pursuing her Master’s of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia with a focus on humanitarianism and diplomatic relations. After graduating with her BBA in 2016, Dariel incorporated her tutoring business, Tutor Wing, where she predominantly works with newcomers to Canada from South Korea. After having the opportunity to travel to South Korea, she became interested in pursuing her graduate education in the hopes of working towards a peaceful and compassionate future between the global community and North Korea. Furthermore, she wishes to utilize her education in policy to advocate for minority rights, equal opportunity in education and jobs, as well as alliances between all genders, races, and income levels.

Lauren (she/her) was born and raised in Montreal and moved to BC to pursue her MSc in Geography from the University of Victoria, focusing on drought analysis in Victoria’s water supply. She worked as a research assistant at Natural Resources Canada and conducted research in Taipei through a scholarship. Her summers were spent researching in BC’s Coast Mountain glaciers.

Lauren has over four years in public sector service. Previously a Senior Policy Analyst in Indigenous Relations for a regional district, she is now the Acting Program Manager of Relationships in Indigenous Relations. She also worked as an Environmental Specialist for a First Nation.

She holds certificates in Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta), Negotiation (Osgoode Hall Law School), and Indigenous Cultural Safety Training (BC Provincial Health Services Authority).

Lauren has volunteered as an Advisory Member for UNAC-Vancouver, a Trip Lead for Bitches n’ Barrels, and an English teacher for newcomers at the Intercultural Association of Victoria.

She enjoys both urban and natural settings, having biked from BC to California, run multiple half marathons, and enjoys surfing and skiing. Lauren speaks English, French, and has been learning Spanish for over two years.

Rosio Godomar was born in Peru and now lives in Vancouver, Canada. She is a nutritionist and keen amateur photographer, having worked with UN World Food Program and UN Food and Agriculture Organization for more than 20 years. Additionally, Rosio worked in humanitarian and emergency programs in Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Sudan, Ethiopia and Liberia) and the Middle East (Iraq), as well as South Asia (Pakistan and Afghanistan). She has studied nutrition in Lima, Peru and Germany, with an MSc in Human Nutrition from the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In 2014, Rosio started the Education Girls Network (EGN) initiative to sponsor young female students from under privileged rural families in Maryland County, Liberia, West Africa, to complete their education in order to become teachers. This initiative was created based on the challenges facing girls who want an education in Liberia. Rosio changed course and from 2011 to 2017 worked as the food service supervisor in the Burnaby Hospital with Fraser Health. Currently Rosio volunteers as a mentor with MOSAIC Workplace Connections Program in Vancouver, in addition to the Treasurer of the Board of the United Nations Association, Vancouver Branch.

Jessica Steele (she/her/elle) is a climate justice activist, ocean conservationist and youth engager, striving to tread lightly and with intention on the unceded, traditional and ancestral lands of the Coast Salish Peoples. After completing a BSc in Biology (Specialization in Marine Biology) from UVic in 2015, Jessica did an International Youth Internship Placement (IYIP) with the Institut Africain de Gestion Urbaine in Dakar, Senegal where she worked on waste management projects. In 2017, Jessica joined Ocean Wise Conservation Association’s national ocean education initiatives working as an Educator on the Mobile Programs team and as a Program Coordinator for Ocean Bridge/Portail Ocean. She is currently a Sr. Referrals Analyst with səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) where she upholds Indigenous Rights through Consultation on environmental assessment projects.

Jessica sits on the PWRDF National Youth Council and on the KAIROS Canada Ecological Justice Circle. In 2018, she attended the UNFCCC’s COP24 on behalf of KAIROS Canada and she is part of the British Columbia Council for International Cooperation (BCCIC)’s delegation to the 2020 UN Oceans Conference (postponed due to COVID-19). Jessica loves jumping in the ocean, riding her bike, summer picnics and backpacking backcountry trails.

Soon-Lan is an educator in higher education. She is certified as a Career Development Practitioner, Human Resources Management, and has completed an Essential Skills Practitioner Training Certificate. Soon-Lan currently holds a Master of Arts in higher education administration and leadership at the Royal Roads University. Soon-Lan focused on learner-centred education and learner’s learning experiences as an educator, instructor and career development facilitator.

Soon-Lan has facilitated the Sustainable Employment and Environmental Directions (SEED) program for three years, a federally funded program designed to help vulnerable youth at-risk find and keep employment. Soon-Lan believes that continuous learning and a positive attitude are key aspects of her career philosophy.

Born and raised in South Korea, Soon-Lan has moved to Canada in 2007. As a refugee committee member, Soon-Lan supported refugee families from Syria and Burma through settlement and community services. Soon-Lan dedicated her time to supporting immigrant youth through the Vancouver School District and is currently a mentor to professional immigrants through the Immigrant Employment Council of BC. Soon-Lan continues to expand her contributions so her footsteps will be meaningful.

With over 20 years of marketing, media and communications experience, Alfred represents the next generation of social entrepreneur in Canada. Educated at Oxford, he has created and managed integrated marketing campaigns for international brands in New York, London, LA and Hong Kong.

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Patsy George is a retired public servant and social worker with an MA in Social Work and two Honorary Doctorates of Law from the University of the Fraser Valley and the University of British Columbia, respectively.

Patsy has specialized in community development, working across Canada from Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia prior to arriving in BC in 1975. She was the Director of Immigrant and Settlement Services for BC before she retired. Patsy has served on the Immigration and Refugee Board and was appointed to the commission responsible for reviewing government policies and laws of Family and Children’s services.

As the president of the International Council on Social Welfare, she represented Canada at various UN summits, forums and conferences, contributing to the development of international agreements, protocols to fight poverty, enhance social cohesion, human rights and international development. For her volunteer work, the Senate of Canada, City of Vancouver, M.O.S.A.I.C., United Way and others, have recognized Patsy. She holds both the Queen’s the Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada. She is a past president of UNAC-V, Vancouver Branch.

George Somerwill started his career in the media and communications world working for the BBC World Service in Africa in the early seventies. In 1976, he joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), eventually as executive producer of a top daily current affairs radio programme, spending three years as a producer in the CBC’s Paris office. During his journalism career, George travelled to some of the world’s worst trouble spots – Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, to cover the revolutions and the 1984 famine. Following a brief stint with the Canadian International Development Agency, in the early nineties, George joined the NGO CARE International, working in communications and fundraising for emergency programming in Zimbabwe, Somalia and Rwanda. It was while working with CARE in Angola that he was recruited by UN – DPKO in 1996 to work on demobilization in UNAVEM III.

While taking up a humanitarian post with the Oil-For-Food Programme (OFFP), George was recruited to be the Baghdad spokesperson and Head of Public Information for the OFFP. A stint with UNICEF in Pakistan followed as the world’s attention focused on Afghanistan which was followed by a return to DPKO and the Horn of Africa, serving in the public information office of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. In 1994 George joined the fledging UNMIS in Khartoum as the Chief of Public Information, a challenging assignment unto itself. George ended his UN career in 2011 with the UN Mission in Liberia serving as Director of Public Information. George has an MA in Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (University of York, UK), and is married with one son.

Deirdre is a long-time public school teacher and tech enthusiast. She has dedicated her personal and professional life to promoting global awareness. Even as one person in the face of unimaginable global issues, Deirdre believes she can make a positive difference.

Deirdre’s professional life is centred around assisting people to meet their potential, and has included time with the BC Ministry of Education and a stint as a Faculty Advisor in Professional Development Programs at Simon Fraser University. Currently, she has the role of Indigenous Success Teacher at her urban secondary school. Her work with Model United Nations education, videoconferencing and staff development resulted in receiving a National Technology Innovation award, VANOC Olympic Committee recognition, Social Studies Teacher of the Year and the Gibbard Memorial Award. 

Her alma mater is the University of British Columbia where she earned a BA in International Relations and an MA in Curriculum Studies. 

She loves the sport of rowing but was pleasantly surprised to discover the joy of hiking and beautiful views under Covid-19 restrictions.

Joy Ruiz holds a BA in Mass Communication, took up Accounting through, Simon Fraser University, in addition to Real Estate from University of British Columbia. Overall, Joy has dabbled in a variety of work; MOA, Photography, French Cuisine with Wine Pairing, and is working towards an extended diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership at Pearson, UK and a MBA at Bucks, New University in England. Joy is currently the owner/manager of Shoppe in Style and Lente Photography, and works with the VGH in various departments. Joy has finished some certificate courses at Yale and Harvard University and is continuing her studies towards Early Education/Leadership at Harvard. Joy is also pursuing her Master’s Degree in the field of Psychology and Behavior.

Her interests include promoting women’s rights, being a spokesperson for education in the Greater Vancouver area, and working with Habitat for Humanity in the Philippines with former Presidents Carter and Gloria Arroyo. Joy has extensive experience in the financial sector, and was very active with “Life in the Spirit” and “Tuloy sa Don Bosco,” helping those less fortunate, specifically vulnerable demographics such as children who cannot afford education in the Philippines. Joy and her family have also been helping the people affected by calamities through partnerships and sponsorships with Philippine National Red Cross.

Rhiannon Dominy-Pergentile started volunteering at an early age with a varied selection of organisations in capacities such as volunteer coordinator, public relations and chairperson. These included Roots & Shoots, Free the Children, Me to We, Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International in addition the United Nations in Canada, Vancouver Branch. Throughout her work, Rhiannon explored her passion for social and environmental justice, looking to create a unique career path for herself.

Gaining diplomas in criminology and forensic anthropology from Camosun College, Rhiannon gained a BA in Justice Studies from Royal Roads University. Her professional life has fostered the development of her executive administrative and HR toolbox. Presently, she works as a public servant with the BC Government Criminal Courts, aiming to further pursue education in the fields of investigative journalism, public policy and emergency preparedness. When not working or further her knowledge-base, you can find Rhiannon deep into one of a dozen books she has on the go, or out exploring the beautiful sights the West Coast has to offer.

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