Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building Team

The SPCB team works collaboratively with campus partners to provide strategic implementation advice and support to mobilize and sustain the integration of equity, antiracism, and inclusive excellence principles and practices across organizational ecosystems, and build capacity for individual and systems change.

Silvia D’addario, PhD

Director

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Silvia has over ten years of progressive experience in leadership roles in the post-secondary sector, holding roles focused on advancing equity, diversity, global citizenship education and community inclusion.

Maï Yasué, PhD

Equity & Inclusion Strategist

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Maï has 13 years of experience as a faculty member in conservation at a small teaching-focused university. Within various leadership roles (eg. Head of Social Sciences) she chaired the first diversity and equity committee, helped develop faculty hiring policies, revised faculty review processes, developed admissions procedures, hired and mentored faculty and taught over 50 student-centered and engaging classes. Her degrees are in Zoology (Oxford) and Geography (UVic) and her post-doc was at UBC in the Institute for Oceans and Fisheries.

Diana Alhany

EDI Programs Assistant Work Learn

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Diana supports the latest Equity & Inclusion Office projects, with a focus on projects that involve the campus community.

Tasha Nijjar

Equity Education Strategist (On Leave)

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Tasha works with the facilitation team to offer workshops, training, and resources around social justice, and creating welcoming and inclusive spaces on campus.

Marisa Ortiz

EDI Programs Assistant Work Learn

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Marisa is a summer Work Learn student in her fourth-year of a Bachelor of Science degree. She is studying Statistics, Life Sciences, and Earth and Ocean Sciences.

Ajay Puri

Equity & Inclusion Strategist

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Ajay supports JEDI (Justice, Equity, Decolonization / Diversity, and Inclusion / Indigeneity) work on campus and in our communities.

Rachael E. Sullivan, PhD

Equity Education Strategist

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Rachael develops inclusive educational workshops, helps to facilitate campus-wide engagements, including the Inclusive Washroom Project, Conflict Theatre, and Positive Space: Foundations online course.

Madison Tardif

Equity Education Strategist

Campus: UBC Vancouver
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Madison aims to foster an equitable and inclusive community at UBC Okanagan through the delivery of programs and initiatives that focus on mutual respect, diversity, and intercultural understanding.

Jenica Frisque, MA, MSc

Equity Education Strategist

Campus: UBC Okanagan
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Jenica Frisque is passionate about fostering inclusion at UBC Okanagan through the delivery and facilitation of programs, and conversations that raise awareness of and embed the values of equity, diversity, intercultural understanding and mutual respect in the fabric of the campus and the wider community.

Manish Kumar

Inclusion Project Assistant
Team: Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Building

Manish coordinates and leads the Equity Ambassadors volunteer program at the UBCO Equity & Inclusion Office, as well as support workshop facilitation & Queer Orientation.