Previous Board of Directors 2010-2011

Board of Directors – 2010/2011

ONTARIO

• David Comerford (President) is an international development project management and evaluation specialist with experience in over 20 countries. As a Middle East specialist he has a functioning knowledge of spoken and written Arabic and has visited, lived and studied in many countries in the Arab region including Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. In addition, he has worked with stakeholders in, and conducted missions to, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Laos, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Africa, Guatemala, Georgia and Russia. Much of this work has focused on initiatives in the formal and informal education and skills training sectors. He has held senior positions both overseas and in Canada with Oxfam-Quebec, El Taller International, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and CUSO. He currently works as an independent consultant and a Senior Advisor with Integrated Development Enterprise Associates (IDEA) in the National Capital Region. Mr Comerford is married and has four boys. Fully bilingual in French and English, he is a graduate of political science and international development from the University of Ottawa in Canada.

• Doug Daniels (Vice-President) worked at Canada ’s Department of External Affairs, IDRC, FAO and the Department of Cooperative Development in Uganda. He brings extensive experience to NCCAR acquired while working in every continent and region on development issues related to education, health, agriculture, economics and research. He has published three books and more than 50 articles concerning international affairs and development. He has been and/or is on the following boards: Advisory Board, Canadian Journal of Development Studies, International Board of Governors, Society for International Development (Development ( Rome ); Vice-President, International Book Bank (US); President, SID Ottawa; and CODE.

• Imad Al-Sukkari (Treasurer) has extensive knowledge on the political and social dynamics in the Middle East. Mr. Al-Sukkari recently completed his Master of Arts in International Relations specializing in diaspora relations in North America more specifically the Arab diaspora. Al-Sukkari has experience working for the Parliament of Canada advising a number of MPs on issues pertaining to the Arab politics. In addition, he was the founder of the Carleton International Relations Society and was an active writer and editor at the Charlatan newspaper, Carleton University’s Campus Newspaper. Mr. Al-Sukkari served on a number of executive academic committees most recently the McMaster University Planning and Budge Committees as the graduate representative. Being born and raised in the Middle East gives Mr. Al-Sukkari a robust understanding of issues impacting the Arab street. He is also fluent in English and Arabic.

• Michel De Salaberry is a former Canadian Ambassador to Egypt , Iran and Jordan. He also served as former Deputy Director, Middle East Division, Chief of Staff to the Minister for Constitutional Affairs, and Director, Middle East Relations Division at Foreign Affairs Canada. Since retirement in January 2005, he returned to active service as Canadian Government representative in  Southern Afghanistan  for part of 2007. He is now engaged in a number of civil society activities with L’Arche communities of the mentally handicapped in both Gatineau and Bethlehem-Azzarieh, Future Generations Canada (community development in Bamian province, Afghanistan), and the New Day Foundation for cultural dialogue between Canada and Iran.

• Peter Larson (Secretary of the Board)  has an extensive history of research and consulting in public service management. He has wide experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He specializes in strategic planning, executive development and machinery of government. Organizations he has worked with or consulted to include Public Policy Forum, Canadian Conference Board of Canada,  Le Droit, Southam Newspapers and several Federal departments and agencies. He has also worked internationally on projects for the Commonwealth Secretariat and the UNDP. He is a board member of the National Capital Chapter of the Canadian International Council, and serves as the Chair of its Middle East Study Group. Peter graduated in Economics from the University of Western Ontario in 1968.  He also holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina, and obtained a Ph.D. in Political Economy from Université de Grenoble, France. In addition to English, he speaks fluent French and Spanish and passable Italian.

• Dr. John Menzies a practicing physician in Pembroke Ontario He finished his medical studies in 1982. Since then, Dr. Menzies served with the Canadian military as a Doctor in Canada and Europe, and completed his Radiology training in Ottawa. He is married and has four sons.

• Linda Belanger is a retired public servant. She has been involved in the Palestinian Human Rights movement since 2002 and has had a number of articles published in the Palestine Chronicle, Counterpunch and Dissident Voices.

QUEBEC

• Rula Odeh is a director of consulting at a firm catering to non-profit organizations, healthcare and research and growing small and medium size enterprises. Rula has played a leadership role in several organizations advocating for Canadian policies in the Middle East based on human rights, equality and freedom. Her interest in Canadian media’s representation of Canada ’s foreign policy in the Middle East and related current affairs has resulted in a CBC ombudsman review of a biased news report, several published letters-to-the-editor, an opinion piece in a major national paper, as well as numerous appearances on TV and radio. Rula has participated in regular interactions with parliamentarians and diverse community organizations.

ALBERTA

• Ahmad Jawad (Vice-President) is the President of Intellimedia Inc., a technology solution and consulting firm located in the Edmonton Research Park . He has a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta and an MBA from Athabasca University. Ahmad has served on many non profit boards as president of the Canadian Arab Professional and Business Club in Edmonton, previously served on the board of the World Lebanese Cultural Union in Edmonton and the Alberta Association for Media Awareness.

• Bob Aloneissi is an Edmonton based lawyer who has practiced criminal defence law since 1988. His passion is vigorous defence of those whose liberty is at stake. He served as Managing Partner for his firm, one of the largest criminal defence firms in Western Canada, and teaches at the Bar Admission course for prospective new lawyers. Born and raised in Edmonton, Bob values involvement in his community . He has served as an executive member on a number of boards and associations and was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal recognizing his volunteering and his charitable works. Bob’s other passion is peace and justice both at home and abroad, particularly in the Middle East. He is active in mobilizing and advocating for policies that will achieve those goals.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

• Gail Miller is a Social Worker in a Psychiatric Unit. She has an MSW and MBA. In 2002, she started to learn Arabic and from then on became increasingly interested in the Middle East. Gail is passionate about human rights and was involved with Amnesty International in the past. Today she is a member of the Autistic Society of BC and recently co-authored a children’s book.