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News & Events

Photo of Lily Afsaw

Student Life Officer, Mastercard Foundations Scholars Program

Centre for International Experience, University of Toronto

Photo of Lynda Donnelly

Student Life Coordinator, 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 Tak Koguchi

Senior Regional Lead

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Suying Hugh

, EdD

Program Manager, Mastercard Foundation

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Saima Zulqarnain

Program and Business Development Manager

Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto

Profile

Lily Afsaw

Student Life Officer, Mastercard Foundations Scholars Program

Centre for International Experience

Lily Mesfin Asfaw is the Student Life Officer at the University of Toronto’s Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Lily, who is Ethiopian and born and raised in Rwanda, moved to Canada to pursue a BA in Political Science and Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice at the University of British Columbia (UBC). After her studies, Lily transitioned to full-time work at UBC in their International Student Advising office and later became Program Assistant in their Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. There, she developed a strong interest in helping international students, particularly African students, acclimate to Canada which she continues to do in her current position. In her role as Student Life Officer, she organizes co-curricular programming to help scholars adjust to living in Canada, manage their studies, and foster community.

Email Address
lily.asfaw@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Mastercard Foundations Scholars Program
Profile

Lynda Donnelly

Student Life Coordinator, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Centre for International Experience

Lynda Donnelly is the Student Life Coordinator 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

Tak Koguchi

Senior Regional Lead

Office of the Vice-President International

Tak is Senior Regional Lead (Africa) and Co-lead for the Health Ecosystems Pillar in the AHEHC for the University of Toronto (U of T). 

As Pillar Co-Lead, his role focuses on establishing collaborative certificate and short course programs to train professionals in a wide range of disciplines critical for sustainable and equitable health-sector growth in Africa. As member of the collaborative’s Secretariat, he plays an active role in supporting the network’s collective activities and governance.  In his capacity of Senior Regional Lead, he is responsible for growing U of T’s engagement with Sub-Sahara Africa. Tak is a graduate of U of T (BA) and York University (MPPAL).  

Email Address
tak.koguchi@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
HECO Pillar Co-Lead
Profile

Suying Hugh, EdD

Program Manager, Mastercard Foundation

Office of the Vice-President International

Suying Hugh is the Program Manager for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

In her role, Suying oversees the day-to-day management of the scholarship and the students. A dedicated student life professional, Suying’s many years of experience focuses on enhancing the student experience and more specifically the international student experience. Her research interests focus on migration and the movement of talent. As the Program Manager of the Scholars Program, she understands the commitment of the scholarship to developing human capacity in Africa.

Email Address
suying.hugh@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
HECO Pillar Co-Lead
Profile

Saima Zulqarnain

Program and Business Development Manager

Institute for Management & Innovation

Saima Zulqarnain is the Program and Business Development Manager for IMIx Executive Programs, a department housed at the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI).

With over 16 years of experience in executive education, she excels in program management, strategic marketing initiatives, and fostering collaborative partnerships across a diverse group of faculty, administrators, students, and stakeholders. Within her current role, Saima oversees a comprehensive portfolio of certificate programs, including the Mastercard Foundation-funded Certificate of Effective Healthcare Management.

 
Before joining the University of Toronto in 2008, Saima worked at LUMS University’s executive education department in Lahore, Pakistan. During her time there, she was at the helm of several large-scale international programs offered by LUMS with partners including INSEAD, the Darden School of Business, the World Bank, and the International Human Resource Development Corporation (IHRDC). Saima holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (BA). She currently lives in Oakville, Ontario with her husband and son.

Email Address
imi.executiveprograms@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
IMIx