About us

Jack Jedwab

President and CEO

Jack is President and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in Canadian History from Concordia University. Prior to 1998, he served as executive director of the Quebec branch of the Canadian Jewish Congress. He is an author and contributor to academic publications, government reports and newspapers across the country in the fields of immigration, multiculturalism, diversity, human rights and official languages. Following three decades of wide-ranging research on public opinion and demographics, he is regularly consulted by media and government bodies alike for his expertise and insights on issues of import in the public sphere. He has taught and lectured at McGill University, the Université du Québec à Montréal and Concordia University, offering courses ranging from public policy to the history of immigration and minority groups, to sports in Canada.

James Ondrick

Senior Director

James has a B.A. in Political Science from McGill University and an M.A. in Public Policy and Public Administration from Concordia University. His past experience spans the community, non-governmental and political sectors. Since joining ACS in 2001, he has played a fundamental role in the evolution of the organization through the creation and development of key networks and partnerships. James oversees the coordination and programming of ACS-Metropolis’ national conferences, seminars, forums and other events.

Sarah Kooi

Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships

Sarah Kooi is the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS) & The Metropolis Institute. In this role, she advances the organization’s mission to foster a deeper understanding of Canada’s social and cultural landscape through strategic collaboration and innovation. Her portfolio includes partnership development, grant writing, strategic operations, project management, and human resources. Sarah helps coordinate national research initiatives, publications, and events that bring together academics, policymakers, and community partners. She is dedicated to building innovative projects and sustainable partnerships that enhance ACS’s research capacity and organizational impact. With a strong background in administration and project management, Sarah is passionate about connecting people, ideas, and evidence to drive meaningful work on issues such as migration, integration, and housing in Canada.

Paul Holley

Director of Research and Evaluation

Paul Holley, Ph.D., is Research & Evaluation Director at the Association for Canadian Studies and Metropolis Institute. An applied sociologist and survey researcher with more than 25 years of experience, he leads national and community-based research on immigrant integration and inclusion, most notably through the Canadian Index for Measuring Integration and Inclusion (CIMII), a national data platform that measures immigrant outcomes across economic, social, civic, democratic, and health dimensions. His work also includes research on anti-racism, Indigenous housing and well-being, community resilience, and the social determinants of (mental) health. He works to make complex data more accessible by centralizing evidence into practical data hubs, dashboards, and knowledge tools for the settlement and community sectors.

Chris Surtees

Director of Learning and Operations

Chris leads the organisation’s learning initiatives including uMetropolis, directs communications and organizational operations, and oversees the organization’s web infrastructure, including server maintenance, website management, and web security. He has a background in the sciences, holding a BSc in Marine Zoology from the University of Newcastle, UK. He has further qualifications in online education and learning management systems, and is a confident content creator. Chris worked as both a teacher and a senior manager before moving into the field of e-learning.

Michele Vitale

Senior Research Analyst

Michele earned his PhD in Human Geography from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2016. He also holds a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Iowa and a Master’s degree in Rural Sociology from Auburn University. His research sits at the intersection of health geography and public health, with a focus on issues such as barriers to healthcare access, immigrant health, health behaviors, food insecurity, and mental health. Since joining the ACS and the Metropolis Institute in 2023, Michele has primarily contributed to the development of two major research initiatives: the Canadian Index for Measuring Integration and Inclusion (CIMII) and the Nunavut Inuit Sustainable Housing Index (NISHI).

Chloe Peel

Events Communications and Experience Coordinator

Chloe holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Concordia University, where she explored the intersections of public discourse, gender and sexual identity, and media representation. During her studies, she co-organized an academic conference showcasing the work of her peers. Before joining the Association for Canadian Studies & The Metropolis Institute, Chloe worked in the federal public service, where she developed and implemented communication strategies to support internal change-management initiatives. In her current role, she contributes to ACS-Metropolis’ communications activities and supports the planning, organization, and execution of conferences and events.

Randy Boswell

Special Advisor

Randy Boswell is an associate professor with Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication. He was previously a longtime writer and editor with the Ottawa Citizen and Postmedia News, pioneering a national beat focused on Canadian history and identity. He has guest edited a number of editions of Canadian Issues/Thèmes canadiens over the past decade with the Association for Canadian Studies. He continues to publish feature stories, political commentary and more as a freelance journalist.

Corinne Prince

Special Advisor

Corinne retired in July of 2023 after almost 33 years with the federal government including time with the CRTC, the Secretary of State, Human Resources Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Over her career, Corinne led the growth and transformation of a number of federal programs including the Canada Student Loans Program, the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, Labour Mobility programming, the Going to Canada Immigration Portal, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the National Occupational Classification system, Labour Market Information, Career Information, Essential Skills programming, the Settlement Program and the Resettlement Program. She also led legislative changes to the Canada Student Loans Act, the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, and the Official Languages Act.

Eunice Anteh

Research Knowledge Mobilization Specialist

Eunice has an interdisciplinary background in public health, refugee & migrant issues, social innovation, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, program development, and data analysis. She holds a Master’s in health sciences from the University of Lethbridge, Canada and a Bachelor’s in Health Services Administration from the University of Ghana. Eunice is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Studies at Heriot-Watt University, UK. Eunice has interest in social justice, engages advocacy and collaborative actions with local and international organizations for positive impact.

Hongshu Wang

Research Data Analyst

Hongshu completed a Master of Arts in Sociology and an Honours Specialization in Sociology at Western University. He is interested in conducting quantitative research, and has experience researching factors that influence immigrants’ political participation in Canada. He is currently contributing to research and analysis of two ACS-Metropolis major projects: the Canadian Index for Measuring Integration and Inclusion as well as Nunavut Inuit Sustainable Housing Index.

Galia Pakman Arrojo

Communications Assistant

Galia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and French from McGill University, where she concentrated in comparative politics and international law. She supports ACS-Metropolis’s community engagement and public education efforts by sharing research, events, and publications with its audience. During her studies, she contributed as a writer and peer reviewer to several campus news and academic publications. Her experience in education with immigrant and international youth, most recently through a provincial language integration program, reflects her commitment to multicultural environments and social justice.

Catrina Tapley

Chair of the Board — Ottawa, Ontario

Catrina Tapley was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) effective August 19, 2019, and held that role until her recent retirement. Previous roles included Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Operations), Privy Council Office (2017-2019), Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Economic and Regional Development Policy, Privy Council Office (2016-17) and Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (2014-2016). She also has held positions with Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

Jane Badets

Ottawa, Ontario

Jane was recently retired as Assistant Chief Social, Health, and Labour Statistician at Statistics Canada. Throughout her career, Jane was responsible for a wide range of social statistics derived from census, survey, and administrative data sets, including statistics on demography, education, labour, income, health, justice, ethno-cultural origin, language, immigration and Aboriginal Peoples. She was also responsible for Statistics Canada's Microdata Access Program, including the Research Data Centres.

Farid Rohani

Vancouver, British Columbia

Farid Rohani is a successful entrepreneur, senior executive, and community leader. In addition to his many interests and business activities, Farid has volunteered for and led many large organizations as a committed and active citizen since coming to Canada from Iran as a young boy. Farid has held several important management positions, both locally and internationally.

Marika Warner

Toronto, Ontario / Winnipeg, Manitoba

Marika Warner is the Director of Research and Evaluation at MLSE LaunchPad, a developmental sports facility for youth facing barriers in downtown Toronto. Marika's portfolio focuses on program evaluation, longitudinal research, and university partnerships, emphasizing positive youth development and corporate social responsibility in professional sports.

Dr. Srilata Ravi

Edmonton, Alberta

Srilata Ravi is a Francophone Literature and Cultures Professor at the University of Alberta's Campus Saint-Jean. She is also Director of IMELDA, Institut Marcelle et Louis Desrochers pour le Patrimoine et les recherches transdisciplinaires en francophonies canadiennes et internationales. Before joining the University of Alberta in July 2010, Dr. Ravi worked at the National University of Singapore (1994-2003) and the University of Western Australia, Perth (2004-2010). Her teaching and research interests include French and Francophone comparative literary and cultural studies and postcolonial and diaspora studies. She has published extensively on Francophone postcolonial studies, island literature, Indian Ocean cultures, and Franco-Canadian topics.

Xiaoyi Yan

Ottawa, Ontario

Nicholas Bakopanos

Montreal, Quebec / Ottawa, Ontario

Nick is currently studying at the University of Ottawa, in the third year of the LL.L. program.

Neelam Sahota

Surrey, British Columbia

Neelam Sahota is a senior executive with over 20 years' progressive experience in financial management, strategic planning, risk management and operations in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. The cornerstone of her career has been taking a strategic approach to developing innovative business strategies to maximize collective impact. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (FCPA, FCGA) and an alumnus of the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. Neelam has extensive experience in board governance, having served in several capacities. She is currently Governor of the Board of Simon Fraser University (Chair of the Finance and Administration Committee), Co-Chair of the Surrey Local Immigration Partnership, a member of the Advisory Board of OMNI TV at Rogers Communications and Solid State Industries. She has served as Chair of the Board of Surrey Libraries and Treasurer of the Immigrant Employment Council of BC. Neelam received the BC Libraries Trustees Association (BCLTA) Provincial Trustee of the Year Award in 2021 and the Surrey Board of Trade Community Leader of the Year Award.

Dr. Jean-Philippe Warren

Concordia University

Jean-Philippe Warren holds the Concordia University Research Chair in Quebec Studies and is a professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Jean-Philippe Warren is the author of over 200 public and scholarly articles. He has published works on a wide variety of subjects related to the history and sociology of Quebec society.