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Jesse Dias
Co-Founder & Director of Volunteer Management
Jesse is a member of the University of Calgary's Law school class of 2023. Jesse's interest in bettering the planet around him brought him together with Orest Ndabaneze who together Co-Founded the Jua School.
Orest Ndabaneze
Co-Founder & Director of Community Relations
Orest's story is the inspiration for Jua. He is currently aiming to pursue a Masters degree in social work with a goal to improve community development in at-risk communities.
Shelby Parkinson
Director of Development & Funding
A graduate from Mount Royal University's International Business program, Shelby's desire to improve the lives of people in financially vulnerable communities along with his connections to other members through soccer is what brought himself and Jua together.
Rohin Nazari
Director of Finance
Rohin comes from a developing country, which is one of the reasons he felt like he needed to be part of Jua's mission. He is passionate about learning, sports and building meaningful relationships. Rohin believes that creating a better future for the younger generation is the responsibility of everyone and this organization is a perfect way for him to help mold that future.
Jessica Lortie
Director of Marketing & Communications
Jessica holds a Marketing Degree from the University of Calgary. She has experience with data analytics, digital marketing, and brand strategy through her work in the Commercial Real Estate industry. She volunteers with numerous Calgary non-profits focused on female economic empowerment and etho-cultural community advocacy.
Jill Stewart
Director of Production
Jill is a successful real-estate agent here in Calgary. She is a biological mother to three children and a second mother of more kids than she can count, Jill's loving nature and compassion for helping children drew her into the Jua school as a project.
Ryan Eriksen-Mckenzie
Director of Customer Experience
Ryan has a passion for education and working with vulnerable populations is what drew him to the Jua Team. He has spent the last 9 years working for Canada's largest non-profit health organization. He hopes to bring his skills and passion to the Jua foundation and help to create a stronger future for Burundi and beyond.
Chris Pitman
Product Acquisition Specialist
Chris's history in Africa, his coffee farm and tireless work ehtic make him and interal part of the Jua team. His experience in the business world provides great value to our school. He is a successful member of the Royal Lepage Benchmark team and his dedication to his clients is widely recognized.
Aurora Lumi
Director of Operations & Strategy
Born in Kosovo, Aurora came to Canada as a refugee in 1999. She holds a degree in Finance from the University of Calgary and works as a Growth Manager. Her passion for Jua stems from believing that all children should have access to education regardless of gender or socioeconmic status.
Kale Mah-Vierling
Director of Growth
Kale is a graduate from the University of Calgary’s Business School. He works for a Calgary-based fintech as the Growth, Analytics, & Economics Lead. His desire to leverage business acumen to drive positive change in the world is what drove him to Jua.
Vanessa Pitman
Product Acquisition Specialist
Vanessa's creativity, organization and history in Africa make her an invaluable member of the Jua team. Her desire to improve the lives of children in the poorest country in Africa brought her and Jua together.
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