Our Staff
Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh
Executive Director
Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh is the Executive Director of the Black Health Education Collaborative and an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Public Health Division at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
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Sume provides strategic consultations to organizations as principal of Another World Lab. She holds a Master of Health Sciences in Health Promotion and Global Health from the University of Toronto. Hailing from Cameroon, she is grateful to live, work and play in Turtle Island and is committed to working towards decolonial futures.
Rosie Mensah
Program Manager
Rosie is a Toronto-based Registered Dietitian and Food Justice Advocate.
Rosie obtained her Master of Public in Nutrition and Dietetics from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Her experience includes being a member of the FoodShare Toronto Board of Directors and serving on Canada’s first Food Policy Advisory Council.
In 2020, Rosie developed the CEDAR course and co-founded Dietitians for Food Justice. Rosie applies an intersectional lens to her work and advocates for, leads, and develops programs and services to address the health needs of racialized communities.
Raha Mahmoudi
Program & Project Coordinator
Raha Mahmoudi holds a Master of Public Health from McMaster University. Her research interests in the social determinants of health, health equity, and justice are informed by community work and research in child and youth mental health, food security, belonging, and culturally responsive healthcare.
She is driven to collaboratively transform health education, research, services, and systems in ways that advance Black flourishing and wellness.
Javiera-Violeta Durán Kairies
Research & Administrative Assistant
Javiera-Violeta is an undergraduate student of Latin American descent at the University of Toronto pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto with majors in Biology and Medical Anthropology.​ She is an administrative and research assistant with the Black Health Education Collaborative.
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Her research interests include cultural safety and social determinants of health, She has worked on projects that aim to educate health professionals on decolonization and anti-racism to provide just and equitable healthcare services.
Zahra van Gaalen
Administrative Assistant
Zahra van Gaalen is a second-year Honors Health Sciences student at Carleton University. She is specializing in Global Health.
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Zahra has been a leader in the creation of the BIPOC Health Hub project (associated with the University of Toronto's Summer Mentorship Program) since 2022. She is passionate about health communications, and the ways digital media can be used to make health research more accessible to marginalized communities. Her research interests are in social determinants of health, and maternal health for Black and immigrant populations.
Robert Chin-See
Research Coordinator
Robert Chin-See is a first year Master’s student in Health Sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University under the supervision of Dr. Todd Coleman studying substance use and addiction. Robert is a research assistant in different population health projects and enjoys supporting research activities with actionable intent.
With a fervent commitment to improving the health of vulnerable populations, his interests span community-based participatory research and advanced epidemiological methods. Beyond academia, he finds solace in writing relating to science fiction, fantasy, and surrealism. He also is trying to learn a new language and is interested in travelling.
Janelle Olughor
Research Assistant
Janelle Olughor is a Nigerian-Canadian student enrolled at the University of Calgary, pursuing her degrees in Psychology and Sociology. She is deeply invested in the growing field of health policy, approaching it through a lens of equity, diversity, and innovation.
Janelle is motivated by a profound awareness of the challenging barriers to healthcare within her community and committed to narrowing the disparities in healthcare access and equity.
As a research assistant, she hopes to further develop experience within policy, activism, and leadership to ignite change in her global community. These values assemble to create harmony within herself, her story, and her future as a health policy researcher.
Aliyah Fraser
Research Assistant
Aliyah Fraser is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University's Health Sciences program, currently pursuing a master's degree in applied health services research from Saint Mary’s University. Alongside academics, Aliyah excels on the women's basketball team and is a dedicated student-athlete.
Currently working as a Graduate Research Assistant at Dalhousie University, Aliyah is working on several impactful projects in relation to Black, Queer and Trans determinants of health.
In her free time, Aliyah enjoys spending time with family, cooking and working out.
With a blend of academic achievement, athletics and research experience, Aliyah strives to participate in meaningful research related to Black health.
Ashley Wilkinson
Research Assistant
Ashley Wilkinson is a Health Sciences PhD student at the University of Northern British Columbia. She holds a Masters degree in Health Sciences with a specialization in Indigenous & Northern Health from Lakehead University.
Her research is focused on community health and social issues for marginalized groups across diverse urban, and rural/remote geographies, and she is passionate about health equity, anti-racism, and the health of racialized communities.
In addition to her academic work, she actively volunteers with harm reduction and homeless-serving organizations.
Tiya Samuel
Research Assistant
Tiya is a Master of Public Health in Black Health student at the University of Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Global Health, with a specialization in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from York University. Tiya is deeply passionate about addressing critical issues related to Black women's health, the social determinants of health, and global health disparities. Her academic and professional journey is driven by a commitment to improving health outcomes for Black communities. Her work aims to address health disparities and promote equity within Black communities while using an intersectional, Black feminist lens.
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Malikah Rowe
Research Assistant
Proud graduate of Carleton University in 2023, earning an Honours BA in Human Rights and Social Justice alongside a minor in Sociology.
Malikah is furthering her education at Humber College, pursuing an Ontario College Diploma in Community and Justice Services. Her academic journey reflects her dedication to understanding and addressing societal issues, impacting Black, LGBTQ2S+, and other marginalized populations.
With an unwavering passion for social justice, Malikah is eager to apply her knowledge and skills to make a positive impact within communities and beyond.
Taeja McKoy
Research Assistant
Taeja McKoy is a diligent, passionate, and dedicated researcher with experience collaborating in community-based research projects that address the needs of diverse populations.
She has used her primary and secondary research skills to conduct evaluations of elementary school boards, post-secondary institutions, and community health centres.
Taeja specializes in qualitative research and uses the tenets of Critical Race Theory to guide her anti-racist, intersectional research with the goal of uplifting marginalized communities. Taeja has worked with Black students, seniors, and community members to understand their experiences and advocate for services and programs that meet their needs.
