News and Events

Discover the latest developments and upcoming events of the Collaborative.

Submit a News Item
Submit an Event

News & Events

Photo of Tom Parker

, BA, B.Ed.

Grants and Office Manager

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Ernest Asamoah

, PhD

Program Officer (West Africa), Ghana

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Titilayo Soremi

, PhD

Titilayo Soremi is an Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream) at the University of Toronto Scarborough

Photo of Lynda Donnelly

Program Assistant, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Centre for International Experience, University of Toronto

Photo of Katherine Beaumont

Senior Director, Global Learning Opportunities and International Student Success

Centre for International Experience, University of Toronto

Photo of Penina Lam

, PhD

Senior Director, International Relations, Africa

University of Toronto

Photo of Edwina Apaw

, CPA, MBA, PhD

Program Manager, Africa

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Timothy Kinoti

, PhD Candidate

Learning Facilitator

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Angel Motsamai

, MBA, PhD

Program Officer (South) South Africa

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Edward Nkole

, CPA, CMA

Senior Planning and Budget Officer

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Profile

Tom Parker, BA, B.Ed.

Grants and Office Manager

Office of the Vice-President International

Tom Parker is the Grants and Office Manager with the Office of the Vice President, International, at the University of Toronto where he leads the administration of grant funding programs and administrative processes for the office.

Tom has led projects and managed staff teams for seven years. Prior to OVPI, Tom supported Indigenous communities in northern Canada with locally delivered housing and economic development initiatives. Tom completed his MPA from Western University, specializing in Canadian municipal politics, and holds a B.Ed. and B.A. Outside of work, Tom enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his son.

Email Address
international@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Ernest Asamoah, PhD

Program Officer (West Africa), Ghana

Office of the Vice-President International

Ernest is the Program Officer for West Africa, Office of the Vice President International, University of Toronto.

Ernest coordinates University of Toronto’s projects and programs in the West Africa subregion. Ernest previously worked with KPMG as Manager where he managed the Firm’s business development Unit in Ghana and contributed significantly to increasing the service lines and revenue of the Firm. Prior to that, Ernest was Program Officer with World Vision International, Ghana where he was responsible for  the planning and implementation of youth trainee sponsorship, child protection and donor relations. He led and improved donor retention and deepened donor relations. Ernest joined the U of T from Regent University College of Science and Technology, a private University College affiliated to KNUST as the Dean, School of Business, Leadership and Legal Studies. He developed industry relevant and demand – driven postgraduate programmes and short courses to beef up the academic programmes of the College, strengthened industry -academic relations. Ernest chairs the Ghana Research – Industry Collaborative Steering Committee.

Email Address
ernest.asamoah@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Ghana
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Titilayo Soremi, PhD

Titilayo Soremi is an Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream) at the University of Toronto Scarborough

She holds a Master’s degree in International Development from the University of Sussex, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Exeter. Her doctorate thesis examined the involvement of the European Union in the policy transfer of renewable energy policy to West Africa and applied the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) to analyse the policy narratives of the actors. Titilayo has worked with the Energy Policy Group and the Nexus Network at the University of Sussex. Her research interests include global public policy transfer, policy narratives, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She has published articles in the International Review of Public Policy, Policy design and Practice, the Global Journal of Social Sciences, and the Canadian Journal of African Studies.

Email Address
titlayo.soremi@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Public Policy
Profile

Lynda Donnelly

Program Assistant, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Centre for International Experience

Lynda Donnelly is the Program Assistant for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Toronto located in the Centre for International Experience.

She is pleased to be able to play an important role in providing administrative support during the scholarship recruitment stage and offer her dedicated care and guidance to new scholars during their pre-arrival preparations and onboarding at UofT. Lynda is from England and has worked as an administrative professional in various industries. At UofT she held a term position in the Office of the Vice Provost, Students and short-term assignments in The Office of the Provost and The Office of the Governing Council.  Lynda loves to travel and so shares in the excitement and enthusiasm of the new Foundation graduate scholars, as they prepare for international studies in Canada.

Email Address
lynda.donnelly@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Mastercard Foundations Scholars Program
Profile

Katherine Beaumont

Senior Director, Global Learning Opportunities and International Student Success

Centre for International Experience

Katherine Beaumont is an international educational professional with over 25 years’ experience in the field working with universities, communities and corporations across the globe.  Her focus in the work has always been innovative opportunities for participants that lead to meaningful engagement and a deeper understanding of self, systems and others and the ability to affect change.

Email Address
katherine.beaumont@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Mastercard Foundations Scholars Program
Profile

Penina Lam, PhD

Senior Director, International Relations, Africa

University of Toronto

Dr. Penina Lam is the U of T’s Senior Director of International Relations, where she leads strategic engagement and development of partnerships with Africa.

 She also leads the implementation of the Africa Health Collaborative, designed to facilitate talent development and entrepreneurship among African youth. She oversees the Secretariat team and works in close partnership with colleagues across U of T, with African institutions, and the Mastercard Foundation. 

As a scholar-practitioner, she’s passionate about research and programs that foster access to and equity in education, health, and employment opportunities.  Prior to joining U of T, she worked as an Organizational Development (OD) consultant at the World Bank, in healthcare and education sectors. She’s experienced at engaging with diverse stakeholders to design, develop, and deliver impactful learning and talent development program.

Her academic career has spanned research, faculty, staff, and senior leadership roles working with African, Canadian, and US institutions. Dr. Lam holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & OD, with a focus on Human Resource Development.

Email Address
penina.lam@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Governance
Executive Steering Committee
Profile

Edwina Apaw, CPA, MBA, PhD

Program Manager, Africa

Office of the Vice-President International

Edwina is the Program Manager for the Africa Health Collaborative within the Office of the Vice-President, International.

Previously from the U of T Scarborough where she served as Manager, Administrative Operations & Business Officer for the Department of Management and Manager of Operations & Project Management for the Office of the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean.

She has experience leading multidisciplinary teams and brings a breadth of knowledge on managing departmental operations, human resources, project management and administration of financial resources. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and PhD in Business Informatics & Systems Science from Henley Business School, University of Reading, U.K.

Email Address
edwina.apaw@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Timothy Kinoti, PhD Candidate

Learning Facilitator

Office of the Vice-President International

Timothy Kinoti holds the role of Learning Facilitator, Africa at the University of Toronto (U of T), where he oversees all aspects of Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Adaptation within the Mastercard Foundation Health Collaborative initiative in Africa.

Collaborating closely with colleagues at U of T and African Higher Learning Institutions, he draws upon 16 years of professional experience dedicated to research, impact measurement and program design; with a strong focus on development financing, youth employment initiatives, entrepreneurship, education, gender, and healthcare. He is an accredited Development Finance Fellow from the European Investment Bank (EIB). Before joining U of T, he contributed to the education portfolio and led the social protection program at World University Service of Canada within the refugee context and supported national education programs in Kenya at RTI International.

Email Address
timothy.kinoti@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Kenya
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Angel Motsamai, MBA, PhD

Program Officer (South) South Africa

Office of the Vice-President International

Dr. Angel Motsamai is a Program Officer: Southern Africa, at the University of Toronto.

Her key roles involve establishing partnerships with Africa-based industries with the purpose of creating work integrated learning opportunities for African scholars studying at the University of Toronto. She is also responsible for establishing and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders in the Southern Africa region.

Prior to joining the University of Toronto, Dr. Motsamai contributed her skills and knowledge to the University of KwaZulu Natal, where she held the position of Principal Project Coordinator. In this role, she was responsible for managing various academic projects, including the Entrepreneurial Champions Program, an initiative by the South African government through the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs.

Her other previous employment includes the Mangosuthu University of Technology, where she worked as a Project Officer. Her duties included placement of students with industry, establishing partnerships with organizations and government. Prior to this, she worked at the Durban University of Technology, as a Senior International Relations Officer. Her tenure there involved fostering international collaborations and partnerships, which enhanced the university’s global presence and academic exchange opportunities.

Dr. Motsamai’s educational background is anchored by a robust foundation in business administration. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, which provided her with a comprehensive understanding of business management principles. Further advancing her expertise, she pursued and completed a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), which has equipped her with the skills to conduct high-level strategic planning and decision-making.

Email Address
angel.motsamai@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
South Africa
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Edward Nkole, CPA, CMA

Senior Planning and Budget Officer

Office of the Vice-President International

Edward Nkole is a seasoned professional who, since March 2022, has been dedicated to his role as the Senior Planning and Budget Officer at the Office of the Vice President International (OVPI).

His responsibilities encompass providing invaluable financial management counsel, ensuring meticulous preparation of financial reports for the Foundation, and fostering collaborative partnerships both within and outside the organization.

Edward’s role is marked by dual reporting, where he effectively liaises with the Senior Director, International Relations, Africa for the Mastercard Foundation Grant. Furthermore, he holds a pivotal position as the finance lead within OVPI, reporting directly to the AVP International Engagement and Impact.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Edward’s true passion lies in the realm of education. With a remarkable twelve-plus years of experience in the university sector, he brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to the table. Edward Nkole is a dynamic individual who continues to make a significant impact in the field of international relations and education.

Email Address
edward.nkole@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Africa Secretariat