Dr. Megan Conway
President and CEO
Megan Conway loves sparking creativity, curiosity and capacity across teams, organizations and networks to mobilize social change. With twenty years of diverse leadership roles in government and the charitable, voluntary and academic sectors, Megan has been recognized for her ability to scale innovation, to use evaluative thinking to build and adapt programs, and as a systems change champion.
Dr. Conway earned her PhD at the University of Waterloo in Urban Planning with a focus on community development and scaling social innovations across sites and scales. Megan is most proud, professionally, of her efforts to create systems that enable youth participation, equity and achievement. Starting as a volunteer in Regent Park, she spent over a decade as a senior leader within Pathways to Education—launching the Kitchener program and then becoming the National Vice President of Programs and Research. She is also the Co-Founder of the Laurier School in the Community, a unique service-learning offering option at Laurier. Megan spent eight years as the Academic Chair of Health and Community Programs at Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley where she launched a Rural Enterprise Hub and managed a diverse professional team of 100 faculty to enable student success.
Currently Megan serves as an Executive in Residence at Capacity Canada and as a Fellow at Carleton University’s School of Public Administration and Policy where she leads international research on charitable sector capacity building and place-based change. Megan loves the snow and any chance she can to get on to a bicycle. She lives with her husband and two young children in the Ottawa Valley.
Martha Aynalem
Chief Financial Officer
Harar Hall (they/them)
Policy and Research Coordinator
Harar v.a. hall (they/them) is a researcher, policy specialist and facilitator raised in Tkaronto/Toronto and currently living in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. They have a Masters in Conflict and Conflict Management from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Over the last several years they have honed their expertise at navigating the complex intersections of policy, equity, and social justice, with a focus on co-creating transformative strategies that redefine the status quo.
Heather Montgomery
Membership and Programs Director
Anita Newling
Intergenerational Initiative Manager
Alyson Olsheski
Marketing and Communications Manager
Alyson has over 13 years in communications and relationship management throughout the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Her education, work and volunteer experiences have taken her from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, the Ottawa Valley and Toronto with a focus on event management, community outreach and volunteer engagement.
Alyson has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Sociology from St. Francis Xavier University, a Post-graduate Certificate in Public Relations from Humber College and a Graduate Certificate in Sport and Event Marketing from George Brown College.
She currently resides in Waterloo, ON where she enjoys exploring the local markets and trails. Alyson understands the importance of building connection and empathy and loves to see how volunteering strengthens communities across the country.
Judith Oviosun
Shaminda Perera, MEd.
Farrah Rooney
Manager, Corporate Citizenship
Farrah Rooney is a social impact strategist driven by a passion for building resilient communities through meaningful corporate partnerships. With a diverse background in business development, non-profit leadership, and corporate social responsibility, Farrah is positioned to lead initiatives that connect companies with the communities they serve. Her 15 years of experience span consulting roles with hundreds of charities across North America, where she developed and executed strategic programs that have significantly increased both impact and revenue.
Before joining Volunteer Canada, Farrah served as the Chief Operating Officer at a technology company dedicated to the non-profit sector. In this role, she oversaw business operations, driving organizational growth through strategic planning, process optimization, and data-driven decision-making.
Farrah holds a BA and a BFA from Simon Fraser University, along with a Graduate Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability from the University of Toronto. A lifelong volunteer, Farrah is deeply committed to empowering others, whether through her work on the board of an animal rescue organization or as a mentor with The Scotiabank Women Initiative Mentor Program, where she helps women grow their businesses, advance their careers, and invest in their futures.
Originally from Vancouver, she engages actively in her local community in Toronto, combining her professional expertise with her personal passions. When she’s not driving social purpose projects, Farrah can be found advocating for animals, exploring the arts, or enjoying the vibrant cultural landscape of her city.
Renata Rusiniak
Renata Rusiniak is an employer brand builder fueled by a desire to foster connected corporate cultures and extra-engaged employees. With a blended background in human resources, marketing, communications, and environmental social governance (ESG), Renata is well-positioned to engage audiences with authentic storytelling about people, programs, and social impact. With over 20 years of corporate experience, Renata has worked across multiple business sectors including cybersecurity (eSentire), finance (Manulife), technology devices (BlackBerry and L3-Harris), and food (Cadbury-Schweppes) within Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Renata holds an honours BA from the University of Waterloo and a Certificate of Community Involvement from Boston College Centre for Corporate Citizenship. She is a certified Corporate Social Responsibility Practitioner and believes that investing in people and the planet paves the way for profits. Originally from Hamilton and currently residing in Guelph, ON with her husband and two sons, Renata is active in her local community. She currently advises on the Strategy Committee for the Guelph Community Foundation, and mentors social enterprises at Innovation Guelph. Previously, Renata has served as the Board Chair of the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, held Board Director roles with Leadership Waterloo and the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, mentored with Women in Communication and Technology (WCT), served as a member of the University of Waterloo Alumni Council and volunteered her time in the equine community with Equine Guelph. Renata is an avid skier, equestrian, and general advocate of all things outdoorsy.
Jason Shim
Chief Technology Officer
Jason Shim brings 18 years of experience in the digital and technology sector to Volunteer Canada. Jason has led multiple organizational digital-first strategies that bolster operations, marketing, fundraising, and program delivery.
Jason has previously served as Director of Digital Strategy and Transformation at Pathways to Education Canada, where he led technology and innovation. He led Pathways to become one of the first charities to issue tax receipts for cryptocurrency donations and co-authored the book Bitcoin and the Future of Fundraising with Anne Connelly. Jason’s passionate about helping organizations harness technology to make a difference in the world.
Salimata Tounkara
Communications Coordinator
Salimata is a dynamic, bilingual professional who studied International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa, and has a background in content creation, social media management, and strategic communications from her roles at the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, Plan International Canada, and Save the Children Senegal. At the Diversity Institute, Salimata played a key role in supporting the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), a national network aimed at supporting diverse women entrepreneurs. Her responsibilities included creating bilingual content, coordinating events, writing blog posts, designing promotional materials, and managing social media accounts.
Salimata also has a blend of experience working with children and youth, and she did a lot of volunteer work at orphanages and schools in small communities across West Africa. She enjoys doing Mindful Art and painting activities with children, allowing them to tap into their creativity and imagination. Her volunteer work brings her joy, knowing she is making a fun and meaningful difference in the lives of others.
David Vandenberg
Manager, Corporate Citizenship
David Vandenberg is a community builder and social impact specialist focused on strategic partnership development that drives actionable results for stakeholders. David has held roles at Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, Burlington’s Emergency Meal Program, and Crestview Strategy.
David is experienced in non-profit management, government relations, strategic planning, and DEI best practices. He has advised and consulted elected officials, various levels of government, and organizations on a wide variety of community engagement strategies, major projects, policy design, and fundraising campaigns.
David is presently a Director of the Halton Women’s Place, an Advisory Board member of the Compassion Society of Halton and advising the City of Burlington on their Housing Task Force.
David holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from McMaster University, a Not-for-Profit Leadership and Management Certificate from Mohawk College, was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in 2021 and was awarded the Platinum Jubilee Medal of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by the Government of Canada in 2022 for community service.
Charitable Registration Number: 898232343 RR0001