Board
Meet the WIAM Board for 2009-2011
Mireille Amehou has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baruch College and a Masters degree from the Weissman School of Public Affairs. She has worked with CUSO on development projects and volunteered with several development-oriented organizations in Geneva (Switzerland) as well as in Accra (Ghana) and in Douala (Cameroon). Originally from Benin (West Africa), Mireille is very passionate about women’s and children’s issues.
Anick Bizimana is a Senior Financial Analyst with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. She has also served with the Department of Finance. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Ottawa and has obtained the designation of a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Anick has also served as a Treasurer for the Department of Finance United Way Campaign, was a volunteer with the Junior Achievement of Ontario, and the Treasurer of the Burundi Youth Council, an organization of Burundian youth dedicated to promoting peace and improving youth conditions in that country. Anick’s interests include film, photography, traveling, reading and empowering youth.
Christopher Braeuel is a Senior Development Planner with the Canadian International Development Agency’s (CIDA) Afghanistan Task Force. His main interests are sustainable economic growth and environmental protection in developing countries. He has represented Canada as National Focal Point, Chief Negotiator and Bureau Vice-President to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and as an Advisor and Negotiator under the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Chris holds a BA from l'Université d'Ottawa, an MA in Public Administration from Carleton University, and a Graduate Certification in Project Management from the Shulich School of Business. He speaks English, French, Spanish and German and has travelled extensively across the globe in a professional, volunteer and personal capacity. In his spare time, Chris enjoys community volunteering, adventure traveling and playing Afro-Latin percussion.
Dave Depper is a producer, director and writer with over 29 years of experience in film and video production. He studied Journalism at Carleton U and film production at both the University of Waterloo and Conestoga College. Dave has produced hundreds of documentary and corporate projects while working in locations around the world. He currently runs his own production company, Sierra Visual Communications.
Zicky Hammud has been involved with WIAM since the late 1990s as a Board member and a member of the One World Film Festival Committee, and has been active in developing fundraising, promotional and organizational strategies for WIAM. With a Master’s degree in International Affairs, Zicky is a management consultant with the Federal Government and is based in Ottawa. He is multilingual and has travelled extensively abroad.
Mira Olah became an active member of WIAM's Board in 2009 and is involved in fundraising and program development activities. Her background is in Economic Development (she holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Quebec in Montreal) and she has worked in the fields of rural and housing development and economic consulting in both Canada and South-East Asia. Her passion for art, development and education has led to her involvement with WIAM and her present employment as a Design/Project Manager to the Federal Government.
Jen Peirce is new to Ottawa and is currently an MA student in international affairs at Carleton University. She has worked with youth in global education, with small development NGOs and as a translator in Canada, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Originally from Calgary, she studied international development at Dalhousie University and has traveled and volunteered in Latin America and West Africa. On study breaks, she likes to ski and swim. She joined the WIAM Board in 2007.
Carol Ann Pilon has worked both in French and English and has over 15 years experience in the television production industry. She is an accomplished documentary director whose films and series have been aired on SRC, RDI, TFO, TV5, Bravo and Canal Vie.
Paula Richardson completed her undergraduate degree in Gender and Development at Guelph, and an MA in International Conflict Analysis at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. She has volunteered and worked for several organizations including Youth Challenge International, The Otesha Project, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, The Global Change Game, The Caribbean Development Bank and the United Nations Association of Canada. She currently designs and writes projects as a Program Officer for CHF (formerly knows as the Canadian Hunger Foundation) in Ottawa. She is passionate about human rights, poverty alleviation and cultivating.
Emily Bishop currently works with the International Development Research Centre in the Peace, Conflict and Development program. She has Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and International Development from Trent University, and a Master of Arts in Conflict Studies at St. Paul University and the University of Ottawa. As part of her studies, she volunteered with several organizations in Canada and Ecuador. In addition to Emily's volunteer experience, she has worked in event planning, communications, and fundraising. She has many interests, including theatre, guitar, singing, photography, baseball, hiking, kayaking and travelling. She speaks English, French and Spanish. Emily joined the WIAM board in September 2009.