Samya Hasan
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Samya has been working with the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians since 2015 and has been the Executive Director since 2017. Through her role at CASSA, Samya sits on various advisory bodies including the Coalition Against Anti-Asian Racism Canada, Ontario Provincial Police Hate Crime Advisory, Peel Provincial Police Hate Crime Advisory, Colour of Poverty – Colour of Change Steering Committee, Toronto Non-Profit Network Steering Committee, and various academic and research advisory groups.
Samya received recognition from the Toronto Metropolitan University in 2020 for her work on civic engagement as their “Democracy Superhero”. Samya was also selected as CivicAction’s “DiverCity Fellow” for 2020-2021.
Prior to her employment at CASSA, Samya worked at the Affordable Housing Office at the City of Toronto as a Research Associate and Policy Consultant. During her time at the Affordable Housing Office, she worked on various housing-related portfolios supporting low-income and marginalized communities including Toronto Community Housing, and Affordable Homeownership. As a Toronto Urban Fellow for the City of Toronto, Samya worked at the Municipal Licensing and Standards division, conducting by-law reviews of business industries in Toronto.
Samya attained her Master of Public Policy degree and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Toronto. She is currently enrolled in a second Masters program in Islamic Studies.
Farhat Hasan
FINANCE MANAGER
Farhat is the Finance Manager at CASSA. She has a Masters degree in Farhat is the Finance Manager at CASSA. She has a Masters degree in Business Administration with specialization in Finance and over a decade of experience in accounting in the corporate and non-profit sector. Farhat manages all aspects of financial record keeping including budgets, financial reports, payroll, bank reconciliations, cash flow analysis and more. She also assists with the annual audit and updates the management about the fundraising needs of the organization from time to time.
Gurbinder Jaspal
HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST
Gurbinder is the Human Resource Generalist for CASSA. She is a result-oriented professional with plenty of experience in HR operations. She is skilled in encompassing diversity & inclusion, talent and culture strategies, performance management, employee engagement, consulting, talent acquisition forecast, and planning; design and implementation of policy and procedures in consideration of provincial and federal legislation. She has successful experience in working with complex business environments. She can swiftly align organizational values to its structure, systems, and operational processes. Before CASSA, she was managing the Human Resources operations for Accor Plus and currently also working as a Business Partner, People and Culture with The MRG Group.
Qurat Al Ain
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR
Qurat Al Ain has been working with the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians since 2022. She is the Executive Assistant and Membership Coordinator at CASSA. She has done Diploma in Accounting and Business, Certification in Audit and Taxation (UK) (ACCA).
Qurat Al Ain creates and coordinates engagement activities for staff. Maintain membership documents and databases. Research and secure new memberships where possible and answer membership inquiries. Support the HR Generalist and Executive Director with recruitment, hiring, and team-building activities. Scheduling meetings and taking minutes. Assist with meeting preparation with the Executive and Board of Directors. Liaise with external stakeholders. Arrange informative sessions based on the requirements of the members. She is also an Administrative Assistant of the Toronto Non-profit Network.
Qurat Al Ain is also supporting the Data For Change project.
Mahdiba Chowdhury
PROJECT MANAGER – HEALTH PROMOTION & EQUITY
Mahdiba Chowdhury is a dedicated health equity advocate and Project Manager for Health Promotion & Equity at CASSA. A graduate of the University of Toronto, she specialized in Mental Health Studies and focuses on ensuring equitable access to culturally and linguistically appropriate healthcare services for South Asian communities.
Mahdiba was the Lead Coordinator of the South Asian Vaccine Engagement Collaborative, a key component of the City of Toronto’s Vaccine Engagement Team. In this role, she oversaw vaccination outreach initiatives, managed partnerships with community organizations, and ensured effective communication strategies to increase vaccine accessibility and acceptance within targeted populations. She also led mental health and cancer screening initiatives through the High Priorities Community Strategy. Currently, she is actively raising awareness of honour-based violence and developing training programs for its identification. As the Coordinator of the Racialized Health Working Group, Mahdiba collaborates with community stakeholders to address health disparities affecting racialized populations, fostering an inclusive dialogue on culturally competent care and policy changes. Since 2020, she has coordinated CASSA’s Annual Health Equity Summit, a pivotal event that brings together diverse voices to discuss health equity issues, share innovative solutions, and empower communities to advocate for their health needs.
Before joining CASSA, she served as a Qualitative Research Analyst at the University Health Network, investigating barriers to accessing living donor kidney transplants within the South Asian community and developing ethnocultural education materials in partnership with community organizations.
In addition to her professional commitments, Mahdiba is a talented freelance graphic designer and web developer, collaborating on impactful projects with organizations such as CASSA, Mindfully Muslim, and Safe Mind, Safe Body.
Samaha Kureshi
COOMUNICATION COORDINATOR/PROJECT COORDINATOR-COALITION FOR RACIAL EQUITY IN EDUCATION
As a recent graduate from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a minor in Health and Society, Samaha is passionate about research in immigration in Canada, specifically the struggles immigrants face based on their ethnicity, religion, gender, and education, as well as the education of girls in South Asian nations. As a member of CASSA’s communication team, Samaha is responsible for the newsletter, podcast, and blog posts. Aside from her communications role, she is also the project coordinator for the Coalition for Racial Equality in Education at CASSA. Outside of CASSA, for the past three years, she runs a small business with her sister.
Ridah Asghar
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Ridah Asghar joined the CASSA team in June 2022. After graduating from Ryerson University with a Bachelors in Policy and Governance, Ridah began her fundraising career working at Islamic Relief and the Scarborough Health Network Foundation where she gained a wealth of experience in fundraising, event planning, donor relations and direct marketing. She is passionate about driving social change for the rich diversity of communities that CASSA serves. As the Director of Development, she is dedicated to advancing the organization’s mission by implementing the annual fundraising plan to help secure funds for CASSA to continue building diverse and inclusive communities in Canada.
Tanzina Tahereen
POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHER
Tanzina is a Post Doctoral Researcher (part-time) at CASSA. She is currently leading a project on the experiences of South Asian International Students in Ontarian Post Secondary Institutions, supervised by Dr. Elizabeth Buckner, University of Toronto, which is jointly funded by CASSA and Mitacs. She completed her BA in English and MA in Applied Linguistics and ELT from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She also earned an MA in Advanced Linguistics (Comparative perspectives) with Great Distinction from Ghent University, Belgium. Then, she completed her PhD in cultural studies from Queen’s University, which focused on the politics of the standardized testing system in Bangladesh. Tanzina is currently the Associate Director of Faculty Curriculum at the Office of the Dean, Liberal Arts and Professional Studies at York University. In this role, she oversees and engages in the overall curriculum development process in undergraduate and graduate level in the Faculty. Prior to joining York, Tanzina taught for 7 years as a tenured faculty member at a renowned University in Bangladesh. Here in Canada, she has also taught in various contract positions. She published in peer reviewed journals and presented in multiple national and international conferences. Her research interest lies in social justice education, inclusive curriculum, internationalization, educational policies, anti-racist and anti-oppressive pedagogies, politics of education, South Asian studies, and postcolonial studies.
Amber Qureshi
South Asian Social Justice Network – Alberta Lead
I moved from Pakistan to Canada in 2007, bringing with me a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master’s in Arts. After settling in Canada, I expanded my qualifications with diplomas in Social Work, Addiction & Community Services, and Immigration Consulting. Over the past 15+ years, I have worked across various levels of social services, from grassroots organizations to mainstream agencies.
I have contributed to community leadership by serving on the boards of Maskan Women Shelter and the Calgary Single Mothers Society. I also enjoy teaching and currently instruct ACSW and CYSW courses at a community college. Throughout my career, I have developed a strong ability to build partnerships and foster meaningful collaborations My commitment to collaboration earned me the United Way Bhayana Family Award.Continuous learning is important to me, and I hold additional designations as a Registered Professional Recruiter, Talent Management Practitioner, and Change Management Practitioner. As an immigrant, I am passionate about supporting South Asian communities and helping individuals and families thrive.
In my free time, I love painting, cooking, traveling, exploring fashion, and spending time with my loved ones.
Zahra Haider
South Asian Social Justice Network – Quebec Lead
Zahra Haider is the Quebec Lead for the South Asian Social Justice Network at CASSA. Based in Montréal, Zahra is a writer and community advocate with a background in Women’s Studies, focusing on the intersections of gender, identity, and the South Asian diaspora.
Her journalistic work has been featured on global platforms including the BBC, CNN, CBC, and VICE World News, where she has been a prominent voice in conversations surrounding class, gender equity, and social justice. A dedicated community facilitator, Zahra has led impactful writing workshops at the Centre for Gender Advocacy at Concordia University and within Montréal’s Parc-Extension community.
In her role at CASSA, she focuses on strengthening community ties and driving local advocacy to support the South Asian community across Quebec. She is a member of the Rang Collective and the Quebec Writers’ Federation.
Lakhdeep Singh
Anti-Hate Coordinator
Upon completion of a Master’s Degree in Education, Lakhdeep Singh went on to become certified as an International Language Instructor. He has held various positions in academia, such as Elementary School Teacher, Language Assessment Officer, ESL Teacher, College Instructor, and IELTS Invigilator.
Lakhdeep Singh has a passion and purpose for front-line leadership in the field of DEI, focusing on Anti-Racism, Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion. He has worked with school boards across North America during New Teacher Induction Programs in both public and private schools. Recent projects include Indigenous Themed Logos in Township Facilities, 12 Calls to Action on Reconciliation, and 2023 Hate Crime Report, working with Ottawa Police Service, Toronto Police Service, York Police Service, and Peel Police Service, focused on transparency in reporting standards and protocols that promote the dignity and respect of all. Lakhdeep Singh is a seasoned instructor with experience at Conestoga College for 6 years in the School of Community Services across numerous disciplines, including early childhood education, social service worker, and criminal justice programs.
Lakhdeep Singh’s recent roles in the field of DEI include Vice President of Equity Education with unlearn, Program Facilitator with The Mosaic Institute, Chief Diversity Officer at Milton Public Library, and more recently he accepted the role of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Pearl Street Communications. He is a soccer fan, player, and coach who is dedicated to the game and is known to score goals with his head and his feet!
Mithila Karnik-Adarkar
South Asian Social Justice Network – BC Lead
Mithila Karnik-Adarkar is an immigrant who has called Port Coquitlam home since 2018 and is widely recognized for her leadership in community building, multicultural engagement, and equity-driven initiatives. A former Port Coquitlam City Council candidate (2022), she is the Founder and President of The South Asian Collective Society, which delivers the city’s largest and only Diwali Festival of Lights and its first-ever Holi celebration, both supported avidly by elected officials and community leaders.
Mithila is also the organizer of Port Coquitlam’s first International Day of Dance (2025), Co-Founder of The Level Up professional mentorship series, and Co-Founder of The Make A Fuss Movement for International Women’s Day – advancing women’s empowerment through panels, workshops and sport.
She serves on the Mayor-appointed Community Mosaic (EDI) Advisory Roundtable for the City of Port Coquitlam, current advisor on the Tri Cities Local Immigration Partnership roundtable and was a Member-at-Large on the Seniors Focus Committee for the City of Port Moody. An Adopt-a-Spot volunteer, local indie children’s author, and two-time winner of Port Coquitlam’s May Days Flash Fiction Competition, her work bridges culture, storytelling, and civic impact. She has also served as a mentor with Didihood, Low Entropy Foundation and Immigrant Employment Council of BC.
Her contributions have been recognized through multiple community grants, nominations for the PoCo Volunteer Awards (2023, 2024, 2025), and a nomination for the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award of Excellence (2024).
