Board of Directors

Roger is a resident of Oshawa and a seasoned finance professional with considerable experience in the banking, health care and non-profit sectors. He has served in various leadership roles in Canada and abroad and adopts a hands-on approach to financial management.

His experience in financial management, policy development, budgeting, corporate governance and human resource management blends well with the needs of CDCD as the organization looks to the future. Roger is involved with various boards and board committees across Durham Region and has significant experience working with diverse communities including seniors, children, newcomers and persons experiencing food insecurity. He has been recognized for his ability to lead multidisciplinary teams while seeing the broader impact of financial decision-making.

Roger is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA Ontario) and also holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland and a Bachelor of Commerce from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario.

In his spare time, he runs, listens to music and helps those in need.

Portia has lived in Durham Region for several years. She completed a BFA at York University and holds both CHRL and PMP designations. Her employment background includes several years in the financial services industry, consulting services and the public education sector.

She currently works at Centennial College, where she is a Human Resources professional with expertise in talent acquisition, employee development and change management and process improvement. She is also a certified facilitator in Crucial Conversations.

As a first-generation Canadian, she has a strong understanding of challenges faced by new immigrants and is excited to provide support to CDCD and its many programs.

Portia’s volunteer work includes several years of leadership as a head coach to rep-level girls’ basketball teams. In her spare time, she is passionate about travel, listening to music and playing in various soccer and basketball leagues.

Melissa has been a resident of Pickering for 19 years. She is committed to providing support and leadership to non-profits and charities and has spent many years volunteering and giving back to the community. She currently sits on a Board dedicated to developing leadership skills in children and has provided mentorship to young early-career women.

An HR professional with a career spanning over 20 years in both the public and private sectors, Melissa is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Malcolm HR Consulting, a Pickering-based HR consulting business providing services to small and medium-sized businesses.

Melissa graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Human Resources from Ryerson University and holds a High Honours Business Administration diploma with an HR specialization from Seneca College. She is also a member in good standing with the Human Resources Professionals Association.

In her spare time, Melissa loves to travel, spend time with family and friends, and volunteer. She looks forward to contributing to CDCD and adding value as a Board member.

Rishab is from Oshawa, Ontario. He has an engineering degree in the electrical discipline and holds P.Eng., PMP, CRM and OSWP designations.

He is passionate about continuing education in engineering, business analysis, risk management, project management and cybersecurity. His studies have included Mohawk College, Sheridan College, George Brown College, NAIT, the University of Alberta, the University of Toronto and York University.

His employment background includes several years in electricity distribution and generation, electrical systems design, construction management, risk management, project management and program management.

Rishab immigrated to Canada in 2006 and also brings 12 years of international experience. In his spare time, he enjoys walking, travelling, making videos, playing keyboard and Latin and West Coast Swing dancing.

With a Master’s degree in Public Health and over 24 years of management experience in humanitarian relief and development programs, Omar Almajdalawi has a passion for delivering results in complex project environments. He holds a PhD in Conflict and Development at Ghent University in Belgium, with research focused on humanitarian aid and dignity.

While managing large-scale programs and grant portfolios in partnership with local organizations, Omar has consistently achieved project and program goals in challenging environments. His budget management and donor experience includes ECHO, USAID, Danida, UN agencies, AusAID, the European Commission and SIDA.

Omar is an experienced leader in difficult operating environments with an ability to bring people together, maintain motivation and achieve results. He has more than 16 years of experience in training development and delivery, motivation, team building and leadership, and has managed teams of up to 72 staff.

While technically specialized in humanitarian aid and resilience, his experience spans development and relief sectors with a strong focus on community engagement, empowerment and social accountability. His experience also includes fundraising, networking, advocacy message development, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and establishing new funding relationships.

His project management specialties include establishing monitoring, evaluation and learning systems, including digital tools, as well as accountability and feedback mechanisms.

Omar has participated in establishing several non-profit organizations and has served on boards of directors, contributing to organizational development, stronger relationships with local communities and fundraising.

Ali has over 15 years of experience developing and leading teams at various stages of the IT development lifecycle. He spearheaded the growth of Durham College’s Cybersecurity Innovation Center along with its AI and Cybersecurity labs, and led the deployment of applications and infrastructure aligned with ISO 27001 and NIST frameworks while preparing processes for SOC 2 level clearances.

Ali has held senior roles at the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION), working on projects related to remote connectivity, technical training and enhancing access to critical applications.

As a seasoned member of the cybersecurity community, Ali has led the deployment of tabletop exercises for the Province of Ontario and delivered cyber training programs across various sectors. More recently, he was retained to lead the cyber training division of Youth Employment Services and programming designed to strengthen learners’ cybersecurity skills.

Ali is the host of various technology shows, including Power Hour, a panelist for forums including CISO Forum Canada, and an experienced lecturer at institutions across Canada.

Along with pursuing his PhD, Ali lectures in related courses at institutions including Seneca College, Georgian College, Toronto School of Management, the University of Fredericton and Algoma University.

Michelle Davis brings 25 years of progressive academic and frontline experience across the child welfare, gender-based violence (GBV), and social housing sectors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, and brings extensive expertise in transformational leadership at the community and organizational levels, including supporting and developing staff, senior leaders, and C-suite executives.

Michelle has extensive experience leading and supporting both remote and in-person teams ranging from 10 to more than 60 employees. Her combination of academic knowledge, frontline experience, and organizational leadership has also contributed to her work as a speaker and trainer.

Her professional experience includes serving as a Community Safety Advisor and leading community safety initiatives connected with major Toronto Community Housing Corporation redevelopment projects, including Regent Park, Allenbury Gardens, Dan Leckie Way, Rivertowne, Firgrove, and the West Don Lands.

Michelle developed comprehensive community safety plans covering 3,385 units across six large-scale communities for Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Her work has included community safety planning, organizational leadership, executive development, staff training, and the oversight of complex teams and community-based initiatives.