BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is a dynamic mix of professionals, founders, businesswomen, and students, each dedicated to realizing our vision of empowerment and equality. With diverse backgrounds and extensive business experience, our board directors generously contribute their time and expertise to guide and shape our organization’s future. Together, we’re forging paths, breaking barriers, and making meaningful change in our communities.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is a dynamic mix of professionals, founders, businesswomen, and students, each dedicated to realizing our vision of empowerment and equality. With diverse backgrounds and extensive business experience, our board directors generously contribute their time and expertise to guide and shape our organization’s future. Together, we’re forging paths, breaking barriers, and making meaningful change in our communities.
Chidi is the Bestselling Author of Coming to Canada: The Ultimate Success Guide for New Immigrants and Travelers. He is an award-winning banker with seventeen years of experience. He is currently a Manager with Mirka Care Services Inc and sits on the City of Edmonton Red Tape Roundtable. He served as the Director of Humanitarian Services for the Igbo Cultural Association of Edmonton, Client Service Representative at Edmonton’s Food Bank; the Chairman, Edmonton Igbo School Board, and a Director of the Edgemont Community League in
Edmonton Alberta. Chidi has been featured on Fox, NBC, CBS, and ABC. He has a Master of Arts in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick, England, a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from Abia State University in Nigeria, and a Certificate in Disability Studies from Bow Valley College Canada. He enjoys reading, walking, public speaking, and mentoring.
Peter is the managing counsel of Arizen Law. When Peter is your lawyer, you have at your disposal a vast set of skills, training, and experiences. Peter’s analytical and research skills, understanding of complex issues and passionate advocacy draw ceaselessly from this deep well of knowledge and experience. Peter has advanced university degrees in diverse areas from medical sciences, through computer science to the laws. He has worked as a university teacher and researcher, as a senior software architect and as a community leader. Having obtained legal training both from London, England and from Alberta Canada, and having worked at a company that produces online legal forms for several jurisdictions across the world, Peter is acquainted with the laws of several jurisdictions across the world, including the United Kingdom, the
European Union, Australia, New Zealand, India, the United States, and most Canadian jurisdictions. Peter has lived in Edmonton for over 14 years with his wife Idongesit. They have three children. Before that, Peter has lived, studied, and worked in Nigeria, Jamaica, England, and the United States.
Sandra is an Engineer with many years of experience working in academia and industry. She worked as a Reliability Engineer in Alberta Oil Sands and as a University Lecturer. Sandra is passionate about new immigrants and immigrant youths, a group she considers an aggregate of talents that must be developed to ensure a strong future both for the immigrants and their new country. She has amassed huge volunteer hours working with young people. Sandra was a Project Lead for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP 24), where she worked with youths across the globe on the dynamics of climate change, eco-anxiety and youth involvement in environmental sustainability. She also served as a member of the Edmonton Energy Transition and Climate Resilience Advisory Committee. Sandra is currently a doctoral candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and lives in the city of Edmonton with her family. In her free time,
she loves to spend time in the countryside relaxing, reading, and appreciating nature’s serenity, beauty, and calmness.
Nneka Otogbolu is the Director, Strategic Initiatives and Equity Advancement at the Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF). ECF connects donors to causes they care most about. As well as providing strategic leadership to the Foundation, Nneka strives to improve the Foundation’s capability to partner with equity-deserving organizations and charities that support marginalized communities in Edmonton. By fostering a culture of equity and reconciliation, she collaborates with various local charities and non-profits. Prior to this role she was the director, communication and equity strategy at ECF. Prior to ECF, she was the executive director of a community-focused science charity in Vancouver Island, BC. Before coming to Canada, Nneka spent more than 15 years in increasingly responsible positions in the Nigerian banking system, specializing in small and medium-sized businesses. Nneka holds an MSc. in International Management from the University of Hertfordshire and an MBA from Vancouver Island University. Both degrees were awarded Distinctions. She has led several teams across different industry sectors. She is also a co-recipient of the Canadian Bureau of International Education’s Elizabeth Patterson Award for Internationalization for her work in her community on Vancouver Island.
Chinedu started his career teaching parasitology and immunology at the medical school of a Nigerian university. He was also a lecturer at the University of Technology, Jamaica, where he taught Medical Microbiology and Immunology. He moved to the private sector by accepting a position with the Regulatory Affairs Team of Baxter Corporation and Apotex Inc. both in Canada, where he was involved in the compilation of data required for registration and approval of biologics, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. Chinedu is currently the global regulatory affairs senior manager for the Regulatory Affairs Department of Champion Petfoods LP, executing and implementing regulatory strategies in more than 92 countries. Chinedu is certified by the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Scientists. He has a Master’s degree in Cellular Parasitology. He also has post-graduate certificates in Regulatory Affairs from Humber College, Infection Control, and Laboratory Quality Management from the University of British Columbia. He lives in Edmonton, Canada with his family and continues to volunteer as a board member of the Pet Food Association of Canada and the College of Opticians of Alberta (COA).
He is also a Senator at the University of Alberta.
Chukwuma (Chuks) holds a Master of Science in Corrosion Control Engineering from the prestigious University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. He also has a doctorate in Materials Engineering from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He has managed several pipeline integrity and direct assessment projects, including ECDA, SCCDA and ICDA. Chuks has authored more than 40 corrosion technical papers and has conducted research for the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI). He is a Professional Engineer in Alberta, NACE Certified Corrosion Specialist, and a Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion (ICORR).
Uchenna is a health care and business professional living in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband and children. She completed a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration (MBA) before obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alberta. A banker turned Registered Nurse (RN), Uchenna has acquired a diverse wealth of experience in both the private and public sector. As an RN for over 12 years, she has worked in various settings ranging from community, acute care medicine and surgery nursing to critical care specialties including the Emergency Department and her current role in Psychiatric Intensive Care. Uchenna is driven by her sense of compassion and love for humanity especially children and youths. She is passionate about health education and disease prevention. She strives to use her knowledge and experience from the medical field to spread awareness and create a positive impact on the health of future generations. Beyond her work as an RN, Uchenna facilitates conversations on health and wellness forums and abides by the idea that health is wealth. She also organizes marriage talks and forums to promote family connections and unity. She is an entrepreneur, a counsellor and recipient of various awards including Circle of influence Award in health promotion. Uchenna is an astute writer and the best-selling author of “The Secret to Defeating Diabetes Using African Recipes”. Uchenna enjoys spending time with her family, reading, singing and listening to music.
Gleen holds a Bachelor of Science, Major in Legal Management from the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines Masters in Management for the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines.
CAREER / BUSINESS
Mutual Funds Representative / Senior Marketing Director / Independent Broker – World Financial Group Financial Controller – DoubleTree by Hilton and Home2 Suites West Edmonton and Mayfield Dinner Theatre Financial Controller – Ramada Hotel and Conference Centre (Kingsway), Edmonton, ABAdvisor, Strategy Management – Globe Telecoms Inc., Philippines (https://www.globe.com.ph) LProduct / Channel Manager – Bank of the Philippine Islands, Banco de Oro Universal Bank
ORGANIZATIONS
Board of Director, Chair – Communications Committee – Philippine Business Society of Alberta (https://www.pbsalberta.com/)
Lead Couple, Marriage Preparation Ministry – St Thomas More Parish, Edmonton,
ABFormer Co-Chair, School Advisory Council at Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, Edmonton, AB (https://archbishopjosephmacneil.ecsd.net/)
AWARDS
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal Award
Tony Surtida is the current president (2nd term) of the Council of Edmonton Filipino Associations (CEFA), the longest running Filipino umbrella organization in the city. He is a respected Filipino community advocate. A career sales professional, he sold cars in Edmonton for over 30 yrs. Now semi-retired, he enjoys his newfound freedom with a number of different community projects. He enjoys going on long road trips where he immerses himself with the beauty of the land around. He loves working with people and will lend a helping hand when and where he can. He lives with his longtime partner; has a daughter, and two granddaughters.
Director
Director
Director
Nneka Otogbolu is the Director, Strategic Initiatives and Equity Advancement at the Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF). ECF connects donors to causes they care most about. As well as providing strategic leadership to the Foundation, Nneka strives to improve the Foundation’s capability to partner with equity-deserving organizations and charities that support marginalized communities in Edmonton. By fostering a culture of equity and reconciliation, she collaborates with various local charities and non-profits. Prior to this role she was the director, communication and equity strategy at ECF. Prior to ECF, she was the executive director of a community-focused science charity in Vancouver Island, BC. Before coming to Canada, Nneka spent more than 15 years in increasingly responsible positions in the Nigerian banking system, specializing in small and medium-sized businesses. Nneka holds an MSc. in International Management from the University of Hertfordshire and an MBA from Vancouver Island University. Both degrees were awarded Distinctions. She has led several teams across different industry sectors. She is also a co-recipient of the Canadian Bureau of International Education’s Elizabeth Patterson Award for Internationalization for her work in her community on Vancouver Island.
Uchenna is a health care and business professional living in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband and children. She completed a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration (MBA) before obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alberta. A banker turned Registered Nurse (RN), Uchenna has acquired a diverse wealth of experience in both the private and public sector. As an RN for over 12 years, she has worked in various settings ranging from community, acute care medicine and surgery nursing to critical care specialties including the Emergency Department and her current role in Psychiatric Intensive Care. Uchenna is driven by her sense of compassion and love for humanity especially children and youths. She is passionate about health education and disease prevention. She strives to use her knowledge and experience from the medical field to spread awareness and create a positive impact on the health of future generations. Beyond her work as an RN, Uchenna facilitates conversations on health and wellness forums and abides by the idea that health is wealth. She also organizes marriage talks and forums to promote family connections and unity. She is an entrepreneur, a counsellor and recipient of various awards including Circle of influence Award in health promotion. Uchenna is an astute writer and the best-selling author of “The Secret to Defeating Diabetes Using African Recipes”. Uchenna enjoys spending time with her family, reading, singing and listening to music.
Gleen holds a Bachelor of Science, Major in Legal Management from the Ateneo de Manila University, PhilippinesMasters in Management for the Asian Institute of Management, PhilippinesCAREER / BUSINESSMutual Funds Representative / Senior Marketing Director / Independent Broker – World Financial Group Financial Controller – DoubleTree by Hilton and Home2 Suites West Edmonton and Mayfield Dinner Theatre Financial Controller – Ramada Hotel and Conference Centre (Kingsway), Edmonton, ABAdvisor, Strategy Management – Globe Telecoms Inc., Philippines (https://www.globe.com.ph) LProduct / Channel Manager – Bank of the Philippine Islands, Banco de Oro Universal Bank
ORGANIZATIONS
Board of Director, Chair – Communications Committee – Philippine Business Society of Alberta (https://www.pbsalberta.com/)
Lead Couple, Marriage Preparation Ministry – St Thomas More Parish, Edmonton,
ABFormer Co-Chair, School Advisory Council at Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, Edmonton, AB (https://archbishopjosephmacneil.ecsd.net/)
AWARDS
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal Award
Tony Surtida is the current president (2nd term) of the Council of Edmonton Filipino Associations (CEFA), the longest running Filipino umbrella organization in the city. He is a respected Filipino community advocate. A career sales professional, he sold cars in Edmonton for over 30 yrs. Now semi-retired, he enjoys his newfound freedom with a number of different community projects. He enjoys going on long road trips where he immerses himself with the beauty of the land around. He loves working with people and will lend a helping hand when and where he can. He lives with his longtime partner; has a daughter, and two granddaughters.
