National & Provincial Summit on Migrant Workers
National and Provincial Summit on Migrant Workers’ Services Delivery Models and Road Map
Opal Chaikwang
Support Counsellor
Opal is a bilingual Support Counsellor at The Neighbourhood Orgaization Workers Support Services, dedicated to supporting Thai migrant workers across Ontario in understanding their rights and accessing vital services. She also brings experience working with Myanmar temporary foreign workers in Thailand’s fishing industry, where she promoted labour rights and advocated for the protection of workers’ human rights
Colin W. Martin
Colin W. Martin is a Mohawk Nation member from the Six Nations Reserve in Grand River Territory, Ontario, Canada. He is a Traditional Longhouse follower and has Faithkeeper responsibilities at the Sour Springs Longhouse. He is responsible for the learning, teaching and maintenance of the traditional ceremonial cycle. He is a former Police Officer for the Six Nations Police Service of 22 years of service.
Ahmed Hussein
TNO Chief Executive Officer
(CEO)
Ahmed Hussein has been the CEO of TNO-The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) multi services agency
in Toronto since February 2014. Before undertaking this position, he held various management positions
in the organization for the last 20 years.
Amy Martin
Mayor, Norfolk County
Amy Martin, Mayor of Norfolk County is currently serving as Chair of the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus—a regional body representing municipalities with extensive agricultural lands and shared priorities in rural development and economic sustainability.
Berenice Vega Rauda
General Manager
Berenice Vega is a seasoned manager with over 15 years of experience across the non-profit, government, and private sectors in Canada, China and Mexico. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Trade Relations from Universidad Latina de America in Mexico.
Nawal Al-Busaidi
Vice- President Community Programs
Nawal Al Busaidi is a visionary executive leader with nearly two decades of experience driving impactful programs in multicultural non-profit social services. With a strong track record of managing complex, government-funded initiatives, Nawal Al Busaidi has dedicated her career to advancing immigrant and refugee integration, fostering community capacity, and building sustainable partnerships that address emerging social challenges.
Juan Gabriel Morales Morales
Head of the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico to Canada
He is currently serving as the Head of the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico to Canada. In this capacity, he serves as coordinator of Mexico’s consular network in Canada and he is the lead for issues related to immigration labour mobility, including the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.
Stefan Larrass
Senior Policy Advisor
Stefan’s primary objective at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is to see thriving farm workplaces across Ontario. As part of his work, he assists growers with compliance through written guidance and webinars, as well as by partnering with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council to promote HR best practices. He also supports the association in navigating and responding to changes in government labour policy.
Denise Faguy
Director Marketing and Operations
Denise is the Director Marketing and Operations with Farms.com. She has close to 40 years of communications and public relations experience – the last 25 with Farms.com. Farms.com’s vision is to be the essential partner to our global agriculture and food industry customers; by exceeding their expectations through value-added & integrated information-driven services and solutions enabled by technology.
Timothy Bernard
Outreach and Marketing worker
Timothy Bernard is a dedicated Outreach and Marketing worker at the Worker Support Division of TNO, where he champions the rights and well-being of migrant workers. Originally from Saint Lucia, Timothy came to Canada as a migrant worker and has since earned permanent residency, proudly relocating his family to Essex.
Hugo Velazquez
Director
Hugo is a former Coordinator of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program for Mexico in Vancouver and current Director of Family and Settlement Programs
Iris Solorzano
Program Manager
As Program Manager for the Migrant Workers Program and the provincially funded programs for temporary residents—BC Newcomer Services Program (BC NSP) and BC SAFE HAVEN Program—Iris leads a dedicated team serving diverse newcomer communities across British Columbia.
Nudrat Rahman Sheikh
Migrant Services Manager
Nudrat Rahman Sheikh (She/Her) is the Migrant Services Manager at Bridges Niagara, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the social, cultural, and economic well-being of temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) and immigrants in Canada. With over two decades of leadership experience in international education, she has worked extensively with diverse communities, equipping her with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals adapting to new environments.
Daniel Quesada-Rebolledo
Program Coordinator
Daniel Quesada-Rebolledo has worked alongside migrant workers for over a decade, building outreach programs across Eastern Ontario. His efforts have focused on supporting farmworkers in Northumberland, Prince Edward County, and Durham Region through culturally responsive services, rights-based education, and community-building initiatives.
Scott Small
Director, Resettlement Programs
Scott has a been on a long journey learning the art of saying hello and goodbye in many places. Joining Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services in 2022, as Director, Resettlement Programs, Scott has continued to casually and formally refine this skill.
Dany Zakharia
Director of Finance and Administration
Dany Zakharia is the Director of Finance & Administration at Workforce WindsorEssex, where he leads the organization’s financial operations and administrative services. A key member of the leadership team, Dany brings nearly a decade of experience in nonprofit financial management, compliance, and strategic planning.
Hector Diaz
TeaMWork Project Lead
Hector Diaz is a Project Lead with the TeaMWork Project. Having worked several years with the Consulate of Mexico in Leamington providing immediate aid and support to farm labour populations, Hector uses his experience with the migrant and temporary foreign worker populations in Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, and Sarnia-Lambton to support outreach and engagement through the TeaMWork Project and Workforce WindsorEssex.
Suddhodan Raj Baidya
Associate Director
Suddhodan Baidya has 16 years of experience in the settlement sector in BC. Born in Nepal, he completed his university education in China and speaks fluent English, Nepali, Mandarin, and Hindi. He holds a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, a Master’s in Business Administration, and a Certificate in Career Development Practice.
Fernando Borja
Director General
Fernando Borja is the director general of FERME Québec, a leading organization representing agri-food companies across Quebec. With a strong focus on addressing labor shortages in the sector, Fernando Borja has spearheaded innovative pilot programs to recruit and integrate foreign workers, notably from Guatemala, into the Quebec agricultural workforce.
Jessica Juen
Program Manager
Jessica Juen is a committed advocate for migrant workers, with over 15 years of experience in the sector. After immigrating to Canada, she began her career with Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) as a volunteer in 2008. Jessica now manages the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Prairie Community Support program, where she oversees partnerships across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Théa Demmers
Secretary, Board of Directors and Executive Council and volunteer
RATTMAQ is an organization that advocates for the rights of migrant agricultural and food processing workers in Quebec. Our main goal is to inform them of their rights, obligations, and responsibilities. Additionally, we aim to support them regarding immigration, health, education, and francization. We also aim to promote and defend their interests with the Quebec government as well as the federal government.
Jennifer Dagsvik
Director and Assistant Professor
Jennifer has been an immigration and refugee lawyer since 2007. She co-founded the Newcomer Legal Clinic in 2021 with the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association and the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. Jennifer is researching how migrants and refugees access legal help in Northwestern Ontario.
Terry Hubbard
Terry’s career included: 5 years Police, 30 years Fire; 8 year member of the Critical Incident Stress Team and 10+ years of ongoing related work post-retirement. Her official retirement was as Communications Coordinator for the Burlington and Oakville Fire Departments. The accreditation earned from NENA was R.P.L. – Registered Public Safety Communications Leader.
Enrique Martínez
Fr. Enrique Martinez is a priest in the Anglican Church, with a strong academic foundation and a deep commitment to social justice rooted in Christian values. As an immigrant himself, he understands the emotional and cultural challenges faced by immigrants and workers—being far from family, loved ones, and their communities. It is through these personal experiences that he felt called by God to a vocation grounded not only in human service, but in spiritual justice and transformation.
David Cazares Garrido
Outreach Coordinator
David Cázares Garrido was born in Querétaro, Mexico, and graduated with a degree in Law. Since 2022, David is the Outreach Coordinator at Kamloops Immigrant Services, where he leads initiatives and programs that help the TFW community access the resources and services they need. David has proven to be a professional committed to justice, education, and social integration, both in Mexico and in Canada.
Amelia Cassimatis
Bilingual Engagement Manager
Amelia is the Bilingual Engagement Manager with Agriculture Wellness Ontario (AgWO) with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Ontario Division. Amelia has a background supporting adults with disabilities and various accessibility needs.
Lynda Kohler
Executive Director
Lynda is the Executive Director at Grand River Community Health Centre (GRCHC) with experience leading the International Agricultural Worker (IAW) program as the previous Manager of the IAW program in Brant, Norfolk and Haldimand which is implemented through a partnership with Norfolk Family Health Team.
Nancy Garner
Executive Director
Nancy Garner, a native of Niagara, is the Executive Director of Quest Community Health Centre in St. Catharines. Quest CHC provides primary and allied healthcare to individuals experiencing barriers to care such as individuals who are homeless, live with mental health and addiction challenges, 2SLGBTQIA+, Seasonal Agricultural Workers and low income seniors.
Eduardo Huesca
Project Manager
Eduardo Huesca has worked directly with migrant/ temporary foreign agricultural workers across Ontario for close to 20 years providing information and support on occupational health and safety issues. He is a project manager with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) and currently manages OHCOW’s federally funded TNO-WSS project, and OHCOW’s TeaMWork Project.
Althea Riley
Chief Liaison Officer
Mrs. Althea Riley currently serves as the Chief Liaison Officer of the Jamaican Liaison Service (JLS), an arm of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS), with responsibility for the oversight and support of Jamaican workers employed in Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP). In this role, she leads a dedicated team of officers who work across various Canadian provinces to ensure the well-being, rights, and interests of Jamaican farmworkers are protected and upheld.
Shirley Wall-Mayers
Assistant Liaison Officer Consulate General of Barbados Barbados Liaison Service
I am very passionate in developing strong relationships in everything that I do both professionally and personally. During the past 34 years I have enjoyed travelling all over Canada securing job opportunities for persons from Barbados and assisting employers in Canada to source employees when they have Labour issues.
Benny I. Reyes
Director of OWWA
Currently serving as the OWWA Welfare Officer and Officer-in-Charge of the Migrant Workers Office at the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto. With over 40 years of dedicated service to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Mr. Reyes has extensive experience in migrant welfare services, demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting Filipino migrant workers.
Alondra Morales
First Secretary and Consul
Alondra Emperatriz Morales Cú de Maltez is a Guatemalan diplomat with over 15 years of experience in migration, human rights, and consular affairs. She currently serves as First Secretary and Consul at the Embassy of Guatemala in Canada. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, she has held key positions focused on refugees, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling.
Ana María Rafael Istupe
Vice Consul
She serves as Vice Consul at the Consulate General of Guatemala in Toronto, where she is responsible for migration and cooperation affairs at the Mission. She specializes in labor migration, diplomacy, and international relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations, an Interuniversity Master’s Degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from Madrid, Spain, and a diploma in Human Rights and National and International Mechanisms for their Protection from the Guatemalan Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office.
Doug Pasco
Manager, Prevention Programs and Services
Stacey Gomez
Executive Director
Stacey Gomez is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Migrant Worker Rights Nova Scotia. Since 2021, the Centre has provided outreach, rights education, support services, and community-building initiatives to over 7,000 migrant workers across the province.
Jennifer Ng
Senior Manager, Refugee & Migrant Worker Programs
Tania Vanessa Casco
Former Consul of Honduras in Canada
Tania Vanessa Casco is the former Consul of Honduras in Canada and a key proponent of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) initiative for Honduras. With extensive diplomatic experience and a strong commitment to ethical labor migration, Tania has been instrumental in opening legal and secure pathways for Honduran workers seeking opportunities abroad, particularly in Canada.
Francy Munoz
Program Director
Francy Muñoz is a dedicated legal professional with over 13 years of experience at the Windsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic, where she currently serves as a Paralegal and Director of the C.A.R.E. for International Workers Program that assist Migrant Workers in understanding and exercising their legal rights and promote their overall health and wellness in collaboration with 9 community partners.
Scott Florence
Executive Director
Scott Florence is the executive director of the Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre. A licenced paralegal with a focus on employment law, labour law and human rights, he is a tireless champion of workers rights. He also works with the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic on the Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Project. In addition to being a social justice warrior, Scott is also a player with oddhawks performance company and teaches improvisation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Email: nationalsummittfwp@tno-toronto.org
Phone number: 647-391-1096