Board of Directors
Alysha Damji, MTeach Education
Secretary, Board of Directors
Alysha started with Peace by PEACE in 2005 at York University, as a volunteer in the classroom, and quickly fell in love with the program. She joined the executive team, as the Education Director in 2006. She was drawn to the program because of its safe, empowering and insightful curriculum. Alysha believes that Peace by PEACE not only inspires communities with hope, but also, gives students, teachers and volunteers, the valuable life skills that can help them engage positively in their classrooms and communities. Alysha is currently a part of STEP (Secondary Teacher Education Programme) and has obtained a Master in Arts and a Master in Education, while teaching youth from Grade 7-Grade 12. Alysha continues to see the extraordinary impact the program has on its students, teachers, and volunteers and she looks forward to the future impact it will make.
University of Toronto
2019-20 Executive Team
Maddie Diab
Campus Director
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Maddie is pursuing a double major in international relations and political science with a minor in diaspora and transnational studies. Her main interests lie in feminism and societal progression. Her favourite thing about Peace by PEACE is that we treat conflict as a fact of life rather than a negative situation.
Amna Nadeem
Campus Director
Amna is in her 4th year, double majoring in biochemistry and immunology. Her favourite things about peace by Peace is working with wonderful people and cultivating lasting friendships as well as the gratification of helping out her community
Rija Rizwan
Schools Co-Director
Rija is the new Schools Director! She in her fourth year completing a double major in English and Linguistics and her first year on the exec team. She loves how empowering Peace by peace is for kids and my favourite thing about the program is getting to know everyone and sharing their excitement when we play win-win games.
Schools Co-Director
Rachel is in her fourth year studying French and Philosophy. She believes that this program is such a great guiding tool for the younger generation on how to deal with conflicts. Her favourite thing about PeacebyPeace is that we have the opportunity to teach kids important life lessons that they can use for the future.
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Rachel Lee
Executive Assistant
Rachel is in her fifth year studying French and Philosophy. She believes that this program is such a great guiding tool for the younger generation on how to deal with conflicts. Her favourite thing about PeacebyPeace is that we have the opportunity to teach kids important life lessons that they can use for the future.
Armon Shahnavazy
Fundraising Director
Armon is in his fourth year at UofT. His interests include communting, as it takes up all his free time. His favourite unit is Unit 4: Inner Power, specially the way it explains positive self-talk which is an important reminder for people regardless of age :)
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Volunteers Director
Fahad is currently in his fourth year of undergrad at UofT studying biochemistry and physiology. The one thing he loves about Peace by PEACE is the important messages we spread to young kids across our program. These messages help build the future of the kids and help grow them into stronger, more confident individuals!
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Volunteers Director
Armon is one of the Peace Ball Co-Directors this year! His interests include commuting, as it takes up essentially all of his free time. His favourite unit is definitely Unit 4, Inner Power. The way it explains positive self-talk is an important reminder for all people - regardless of age. :)
Lamyah Moochhala
Peace Ball Director
Lamyah is in her third year at UofT, specialising in environmental geography. This is her third year with Peace by PEACE and her first year on the exec team. She enjoys hearing the kids give examples of how they applied concepts that they learned in the program towards their own lives.
Ishita Nagar
Peace Ball Director
Ishita Nagar is in her last year as a University of Toronto Student pursuing international relations. This is her third year with Peace by PEACE. Her favourite part about Peace by PEACE is working with the students and seeing their enthusiastic faces whenever they have a scheduled Peace by PEACE class
Jassica Han
Festival Director
Jessica is a third year life science student specializing in Environment and Health and majoring in Health and Disease. This is her first year on the Peace by PEACE executive team as one of the festival directors. She believes that Peace by PEACE is an amazing opportunity for both the children and the volunteers to grow as an individual and to be a person that is more compassionate to others.
Maryann Le
Festival Director
Maryann is in her fourth year at UofT majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Immunology and Physiology. This is her fourth year in Peace by PEACE and her first year on the executive team. She loves interacting with the students in the classroom and her favourite unit to teach is I-statements.
Ascenza Paolella
Curriculum Director
Ascenza is in her final year at U of T - Majoring in English and Minoring in History and Italian. This is her second year with Peace By Peace. She is passionate about Peace by Peace because it allows students to learn and acquire tools that will allow them to create healthy relationships throughout their life with empathy and respect. Her favourite part about Peace by PEACE is working with a team of dedicated volunteers as well as, being able to step into a classroom and build 1:1 connections with the students.
Danlin Zeng
Professional Development
Danlin is pursuing a double major in Physiology and Pharmacology with a minor in Economics. She loves how Peace by PEACE strives to educate youth on the importance of empathy, allowing youth to de-escalate conflicts that are very much inevitable in their lives.
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Finance Director
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Maria Alonso Novo
Marketing & Website Director
Maria is in her third year studying architecture at Uoft. This is her second year in the excec team. Her favourite part of Peace by peace is seeing how the kids respond to the activities and use the concepts learned in their daily interactions to improve realationships. Her favourite lesson is negotiating because it brings out the best in kids.
Glendon College
Executives
Melanie Biset
Campus Director
Melanie is currently in her fifth year at Glendon where she is pursuing her BEd. Melanie has been involved with Peace by PEACE throughout her University career, first as a Mentor and later as an executive team member, and is excited to be back this year as Co-Campus Director. Peace By PEACE has grown to be her passion as she has seen first-hand how much of a positive effect it has on children. She has so many amazing memories with this organization and is eager to create some more this year!
Campus Director
Nadia is a 4th year French studies student in the concurrent education stream. She hopes to teach primary French immersion. Involved with Peace by PEACE in first year as a mentor, second year as Mentors Director she is looking forward to her roll as Co-Campus Director after returning from a year abroad in Belgium.
Executive Assistant
Rikki is in her 5th year at Glendon studying Drama Studies with a minor in French studies and hopes to pursue a career in teaching and acting. She has been involved with Peace by PEACE since her first year as a volunteer. In her third year, she became the mentors director for two years and is now continuing her Peace by PEACE experience as Glendon's Executive Assistant. She believes that Peace by PEACE is an amazing program that shows students different ways to comunicate with others and encourages them to solve conflicts when they arise. Her favorite Peace game is Shake your Buns!
Marketing Director
Alexa is in her fifth year at Glendon College in the bilingual political science program. This is her first year being involved with Peace by PEACE and she is looking forward to being part of the team and continuing to grow the organization.
Schools Director
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Lisa is in her fourth year of studying French Studies and Psychology, having just come home from a semester and a half abroad in Belgium. She’s spent 2 years as a mentor for Peace by PEACE and is excited to join the executive team as Co-Schools Director. Her experience with Peace by PEACE is what inspired her to continue working with children post-grad after having spent 4 summers working at a children’s overnight camp. She’s excited to see what the next year holds for the program and the students.
Clare Ashford
Schools Director
Clare is in her fourth year of studying Psychology and History at Glendon. She has spent 2 years as a mentor with Peace by PEACE, and joined the executive team in her third year. Her favourite part of Peace by PEACE is seeing the impact the mentors, and the program makes on the lives of elementary school children. Clare is looking forward to diving into her new role as Co-Schools Director. Peace by PEACE has allowed Clare to follow her passion for working with children.
Lisa Macnevin
Curriculum Director
Lisa just completed four years of a French & Psychology double major, and is now entering her first year of Education. She has been volunteering for Peace by PEACE since her first year at Glendon, and this is her first time on the executive team. Lisa is very excited to apply her French language skills as the new Bilingual Co-Curriculum Director. Her favourite part of Peace by PEACE was going into the classroom and interacting with the kids every week, but she is looking forward to making the curriculum as good as it can possibly be.
Connor Boyd
Curriculum Director
Connor is in his fourth year of studying Communications and French in Glendon’s Concurrent Education program and has been mentoring with Peace by PEACE for the past three years. Using his experience as a trainer for the City of Toronto’s aquatics department, Connor assumed his role as Bilingual Co-Curriculum Director to help improve the program’s material and to train mentors. His favourite part of being a mentor was connecting with students, whether it was discussing serious themes in the program or just making jokes.
Community Outreach Director
Breton is in her fourth year of French Studies and Concurrent Education at Glendon. She is excited to return to the executive team once again this year as Community Outreach Director, after having fallen in love with the program over her course of study. Breton loves Peace by PEACE’s engaging approach to teaching conflict-resolution curriculum.
Breton McDonald
Community Outreach Director
Yuenne is in her fourth year of Psychology at Glendon, and has been mentoring with Peace by PEACE for the last three years. She believes in Peace by PEACE as a way of showing kids a way to deal with the problems that crop up in everyday life, and enjoys going into the classrooms whenever she can. It is her second year serving on the executive team and she is looking forward to her new position as one of the Community Outreach Directors at Glendon.
Mentors Director
Alexis is in her second year pursuing an iBA of French Studies and Concurrent Education with a minor in English at Glendon. Peace by PEACE continues to fuel her passion about creating a safe learning environment and as she aims to be a figure that youth can trust and reach out to whenever they need. Alexis believes Peace by PEACE is outstanding because it allows for students to undergo a critical and life changing conflict-resolution curriculum. She looks forward to growing alongside the incoming volunteers who share her passions and goals.
Marissa Buttigieg
Marissa is in her third year of her french studies program. Along with her french studies, she is also in the concurrent education program. She has been involved in different clubs at school and has been mentoring with Peace by Peace for two years and is now on the executive team. Her experience with children and other volunteer and work experiences will help her through her role as a mentors director this year. Her communication skills will help with organizing and helping out the mentors this year. She has loved her experiences in the classroom and cannot wait to be on the executive team to make sure that the mentors have a successful year in their classrooms.
Mentors Director
Vanessa is in her fourth year pursuing French Studies and Sociology in Glendon’s concurrent education program. She discovered and fell in love with the program 3 years ago and cannot wait to jump into her new role as Festival director. She believes in the importance of educating the youth on effective communication and conflict resolution skills and hopes to one day incorporate these teachings in her classroom. Vanessa loves connecting with the students and teachers and her favourite Peace by PEACE game is swamp boards.
Festival Director
York Keele
Executives
Alessia Picarelli
Campus Director
Alessia is currently in her fifth year at York University Keele Campus. She is working towards an honours degree in Law and Society and is also in the Concurrent Education Program. This will be her fifth year in Peace by PEACE and her fourth year as an executive. What she loves about the program is that not only do the students get to learn in a fun and exciting way but everyone is included and actively engaged in the program. She also loves the bonds that are built with the students and knowing that she made a positive difference in someone's life. Alessia created the first Peace by PEACE curriculum for high schools called the Vent2Me program. She is currently working on building this in collaboration with Peace by PEACE for years to come and expanding to more schools!
Kristina Issa
Education Coordinator
Kristina is in her third year at York University as a Kinesiology and Health Science major. This is her third year on PxP and her second year on the executive team. She hopes to help grow the program as well as see the program enter new schools. One of her favorite part of the PxP program is watching mentors enter training, develop their skills as leaders and then enter classrooms sharing their knowledge with the children. Her favorite PxP activity is swamp boards!
Saina Sefidbakht
Events Coordinator
Saina is going into her fourth year at York University as a Biology major. It is her second year on the executive team and this year she hopes to help the organization grow with brand new exciting ideas!
Lori Ann Calucag
Mentors CoDirector
Lori Ann is the Mentors Coordinator at Keele campus and is excited to be with the Peace by PEACE program for a fourth year. She completed her English degree at York University and is currently continuing her studies in Education I/S English & Visual Arts. Peace by PEACE has greatly influenced her approach to education due to the positive change it creates within the students; She integrates concepts like conflict resolution, self worth and learning through play in her teachings outside of the program. She also loves working to recruit and train new mentors to spread the light of Peace by PEACE onto university students.
Damia Uqaili
Curriculum Director
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Rachel Gopal
Organizational Development Coordinator
Rachel is going into her fifth year at York with a Sociology and English double major as well as being enrolled in the concurrent education program. This is Rachel's fifth year with Peace by PEACE and third year as an executive. Her favourite part of the program is not only that it helps members with professional development but also that the topics we teach aren't just for the targetted audience. Every year mentors and executives are able to learn from the curriculum and from each other. Conflict resolution and character development skills are for everyone which is something that makes being a part of our organization a fantastic experience.
Victor Pena
Curriculum Director
Victor is going into his fourth year of study in the English program at York. This will be his fourth year with Peace by PEACE and his first year on the executive team. His favorite part of the program is watching how the kids attempt to apply the concepts that are taught to them as the weeks progress. He is also looking forward to seeing how the kids like the new curriculum this year.
Roseanne Menezes
Festival Director
Roseanne is going into her third year, studying sociology in the concurrent education program. This is her second year being apart of the Peace By Peace family and her first year on the executive team. Fun fact: She participated in the Peace By Peace program when she was in grade 5 and is passionate about spreading the same excitement Peace By Peace brought her, to other students!
Kristina Issa
Campus Director
Alessia is currently in her fifth year at York University Keele Campus. She is working towards an honours degree in Law and Society and is also in the Concurrent Education Program. This will be her fifth year in Peace by PEACE and her fourth year as an executive. What she loves about the program is that not only do the students get to learn in a fun and exciting way but everyone is included and actively engaged in the program. She also loves the bonds that are built with the students and knowing that she made a positive difference in someone's life. Alessia created the first Peace by PEACE curriculum for high schools called the Vent2Me program. She is currently working on building this in collaboration with Peace by PEACE for years to come and expanding to more schools!
Maggie To
Education Coordinator
Kristina is in her third year at York University as a Kinesiology and Health Science major. This is her third year on PxP and her second year on the executive team. She hopes to help grow the program as well as see the program enter new schools. One of her favorite part of the PxP program is watching mentors enter training, develop their skills as leaders and then enter classrooms sharing their knowledge with the children. Her favorite PxP activity is swamp boards!
Varisha Memon
Events Coordinator
Saina is going into her fourth year at York University as a Biology major. It is her second year on the executive team and this year she hopes to help the organization grow with brand new exciting ideas!
Saina Sefidbakht
Campus Director
Lori Ann is the Mentors Coordinator at Keele campus and is excited to be with the Peace by PEACE program for a fourth year. She completed her English degree at York University and is currently continuing her studies in Education I/S English & Visual Arts. Peace by PEACE has greatly influenced her approach to education due to the positive change it creates within the students; She integrates concepts like conflict resolution, self worth and learning through play in her teachings outside of the program. She also loves working to recruit and train new mentors to spread the light of Peace by PEACE onto university students.
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Organizational Development Coordinator
Rachel is going into her fifth year at York with a Sociology and English double major as well as being enrolled in the concurrent education program. This is Rachel's fifth year with Peace by PEACE and third year as an executive. Her favourite part of the program is not only that it helps members with professional development but also that the topics we teach aren't just for the targetted audience. Every year mentors and executives are able to learn from the curriculum and from each other. Conflict resolution and character development skills are for everyone which is something that makes being a part of our organization a fantastic experience.
Cheyon Gnaneswaran
Curriculum Director
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Nabila Elahi
Curriculum Director
Victor is going into his fourth year of study in the English program at York. This will be his fourth year with Peace by PEACE and his first year on the executive team. His favorite part of the program is watching how the kids attempt to apply the concepts that are taught to them as the weeks progress. He is also looking forward to seeing how the kids like the new curriculum this year.
Juwayriya Mohamoud
Festival Director
Roseanne is going into her third year, studying sociology in the concurrent education program. This is her second year being apart of the Peace By Peace family and her first year on the executive team. Fun fact: She participated in the Peace By Peace program when she was in grade 5 and is passionate about spreading the same excitement Peace By Peace brought her, to other students!
Fatima Anwar
Festival Director
Monica is going into her third year getting her Bachelor of Arts as well as her Bachelor of Education majoring in Sociology and minoring in French Studies. This is her second year being apart of the Peace By Peace family and first year on the executive team. Monica is excited to work with her team and is looking forward to many more years of success for the program. She is looking forward to the upcoming year working with new people and creating new experiences. Her favorite peace by peace games are swamp boar