News and Events

Discover the latest developments and upcoming events of the Collaborative.

Submit a News Item
Submit an Event

News & Events

Photo of Wisdom Mawuenyefia Amenyo

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Toronto

Photo of Asmaa Habini Balagha

Master Scholar

Amref International University, University of Toronto

Photo of Celestine Nema

Program Coordinator, Entrepreneurship & Work Integrated Learning - Management Department; Projects Lead - African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge, The BRIDGE, University of Toronto Scarborough

Photo of William (Bill) McConkey

, PhD

Academic Director, New Venture Program, and Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

African Impact Challenge, The BRIDGE, University of Toronto Scarborough

Photo of Katherine Rouleau

, MDCM CCFP MHSc FCFP

Professor, Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Photo of Jennifer Wilson

, MD

Lecturer at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Photo of Jamie Rodas

, MPH

Administrator at the Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Photo of Tom Parker

, BA, B.Ed.

Grants and Office Manager

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Mohammad Tahvili

Creative Studio Lead

ICUBE, University of Toronto Mississauga

Photo of Ernest Asamoah

, PhD

Program Officer (West Africa), Ghana

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Profile

Wisdom Mawuenyefia Amenyo

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

In my vision for Africa’s youth, positivity reigns, and ground-breaking ideas are the norm.

I see a future where avenues for talent, knowledge, and skills flourish, particularly in health, education, and energy. As a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, I’m on the path to becoming a frontline changemaker, contributing to these transformative avenues. The satisfaction lies in collaborating with interdisciplinary, impact-driven individuals united by the goal of uplifting Africa. The Scholar experience goes beyond academics, instilling professionalism, social responsibility, and robust networking. Embarking on my MEng in Biomedical Engineering, specializing in Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Mechanics, and Clinical Engineering Instrumentation, feels like turning dreams into reality. The support and coaching from colleagues, faculty, and administration create a nurturing environment that ensures dreams become tangible achievements.

Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Ghana
Programs
Biomedical Engineering
Master of Engineering (MEng)
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Profile

Asmaa Habini Balagha

Master Scholar

Amref International University

As a Mastercard scholar at the University of Toronto, I value the opportunities given to me and the exposure that the institution is giving me, in order to grow in the profession of health administration, improve my expertise and develop networks that will help me in my professional career hence making me be a better health administrator in the health care industry.

Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Kenya
Programs
Master of Health Administration (MHSc)
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Profile

Celestine Nema

Program Coordinator, Entrepreneurship & Work Integrated Learning - Management Department; Projects Lead - African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

Celestine Nema is a Program Coordinator for Entrepreneurship and Work-Integrated Learning at The BRIDGE, an entrepreneurship accelerator in the Management Department at the University of Toronto, Scarborough.

She also acts as the Projects Lead for the African Impact Initiative, a University of Toronto partner that runs the African Impact Challenge, a startup incubator program that  supports young African entrepreneurs to create viable solutions for the most pressing challenges within their communities. Celestine’s career spanned public service for almost a decade before pivoting her career to focus on her passion for entrepreneurship, youth education, and youth development.

Email Address
celestine.nema@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

William (Bill) McConkey, PhD

Academic Director, New Venture Program, and Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

African Impact Challenge

UTSC grad Professor Bill McConkey spent two decades in the early-stage venture world before returning to the University of Toronto, Scarborough to join the Department of Management, teaching courses in Operations, Product Management and Entrepreneurship.

Bill has supported countless students as they launched new ventures, whether in the classroom, through co-curricular initiatives or co-op terms. Bill is involved in several student organizations, including MCC The Management Consulting Club, LIVE Competition and the department’s new Sales club. Bill is Academic Director of the campus’s New Venture Program, and sits on the Board of Advisors and Board of Directors of a number of Canadian companies.

He and his wife Monica and their five children – and new puppy – live in Stouffville, Ontario.

Email Address
bill.mcconkey@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

Katherine Rouleau, MDCM CCFP MHSc FCFP

Professor, Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Katherine Rouleau is a family physician and global health expert. She has practiced and taught team-based family medicine at St-Michael’s Hospital in the St-Jamestown neighborhood of Toronto for over 25 years.  At the University of Toronto, she is director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Family Medicine and Primary Care, and Global (Primary Health Care -PHC) lead in the Office of Health System Partnerships with the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM).

Her academic, clinical and leadership interests center on collaboration to improve health equity and address the complex health needs of individuals and communities impacted by adverse determinants of health through high-quality comprehensive primary care at the core of PHC-oriented health systems.

Her past leadership and administrative roles include founding director of the Besrour Centre for Global Family Medicine at the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP), vice-chair Global Health and Social Accountability at the DFCM and technical officer for PHC at the World Health Organization headquarters.  

Email Address
kartherine.rouleau@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile

Jennifer Wilson, MD

Lecturer at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Dr. Jennifer Wilson, MD CCFP(EM), FCFP, DIM&PH, MPH FCM-AS is a comprehensive family physician who practices emergency medicine in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada.

She is a Lecturer at the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the University of Toronto, mentoring medical students and residents in her community practice. Dr. Wilson is the Director of International Partnerships at the Leyaata Hospital in Savannah Region, Ghana, West Africa where she has been involved in teaching, training, and capacity building since 2007. In 2023 Dr. Wilson was honoured to accept the position as Faculty Lead for the academic collaboration between the DFCM and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) under the umbrella of the African Health Collaborative. In the Spring of 2024, Dr. Wilson completed a Master of Public Health Family and Community Medicine (Advance Standing) with a Collaborative Specialization in Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.

Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile

Jamie Rodas, MPH

Administrator at the Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Jamie Rodas, MPH, is an administrator at the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM), University of Toronto, where she has worked for 9 years. She holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health.

Jamie has over a decade of experience in project coordination, project management and advocacy in the fields of global health, health equity, and healthcare system strengthening. She has supported and fostered active collaborations with multiple stakeholders internationally and locally in Canada.

Jamie is the DFCM point person for the Africa Higher Education Collaboration and Project Coordinator for the DFCM. She supports the integration of all DFCM activities with the AHEC and long-term collaboration with the AHEC.

Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
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

Mohammad Tahvili

Creative Studio Lead

ICUBE

Mohammad Tahvili is a serial entrepreneur who has founded a number of companies in different sectors such as digital marketing, sustainability, diversity, and accessibility, all tied to social innovation and helping others shine.

His diverse background includes an HBSc in Computer Science and Entrepreneurship which helped him grow and help many small businesses with his technical skills. Additionally, he has over seven years of experience in app & website development, business development, branding and marketing that he is using to this day to help as many small businesses as possible to sustainable grow and scale their businesses.​

Email Address
mohammad.tahvilli@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
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