Meet the Team
External Consultants
The IMARA project is funded by Public Health Agency of Canada
Meet the Team
External Consultants
The IMARA project is funded by Public Health Agency of Canada
Christiana is a Nigerian-Canadian young woman, who is an active and passionate community worker, eager to support the wellness of Black youth through mental health initiatives. She is a mental health advocate and facilitator, constantly uplifting and encouraging Black youth to excel and express their best selves. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto, where she studied Psychology and Visual Studies. As an administrative assistant, she provides support with development, planning, recruitment and outreach, as well as creative direction. Christiana is frequently exploring innovative ways to expand project activities and promote the overall wellbeing of Black youth within the community.
Our IMARA Youth Advisory Committee is composed of Black youth ages 15+ from both Anglophone and Francophone communities. We have grown together as a small village, feeling safe and comfortable enough to call each other family. We have folks from Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Jamaica, the Gambia and other communities. The Youth Advisory Committee is dedicated to supporting and leading this initiative to improve the education and awareness of Black mental health into the community.
Lilia Esi is a social advocate, community organizer, life coach, and life skills facilitator. As an African Centered Rites of Passage Elder, she has completed and developed numerous workshops. She is a speaker, consultant, leader, and creator of young woman circles & groups (Toronto-Ghana, West Afrika). Amongst all her accolades Lilia Esi is the co-Founder Akuesi Consulting.
Neil’s consulting practice focuses on strategic planning, stakeholder consultation and evaluation. Neil brings several years of extensive leadership in the higher education and non-profit sectors.
Carine Diverlus (Mental Health Consultant), MEd, Registered Psychotherapist, Founder of Pieces to Peace Psychotherapy and Wellness
Carine Diverlus is a Registered Psychotherapist, wellness consultant, and founder of Pieces to Peace Psychotherapy & Wellness. She has lived experiences as a Haitian, immigrant woman. As a Black women’s therapist, Carine utilizes her educational and personal expertise to cultivate paths towards healing.
Winnie Diverlus (Francophone Mental Health Consultant), M.Ed, Pieces to Peace Psychotherapy and Wellness
Winnie is an Early Childhood Educator (M.Ed, birth to age three) and behaviour professional (Child and Youth Care, Autism and Behavioural Science), and child development specialist specializing in the Montessori pedagogy, and child and youth development. Valuing her interdisciplinary roots in psychology, sociology and cultural studies, Winnie is a parent education fellow, doubling as a positive parenting coach and possesses a decade of experience in facilitating and implementing various educational and developmental programs with children and adolescents.
Simone Donaldson is the CEO, Founder, and Principal Consultant at Agapé Lens Consulting and Therapy. I have devoted 15+ years as a Registered Psychotherapist to racialized communities and mental health.