Ben André joined the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada) as its Executive Director (ED) in April 2018. Mr. André has over 15 years of experience in the Canadian non-profit sector, having served as an executive director for several organizations. He has also been legal manager for large corporations, and was also an entrepreneur. He holds a LLB and a Master’s degree in Law.
Donna Miller is the Director of Operations & Engagement at CDF Canada, where she oversees a diverse portfolio including International Human Resources, International Safety & Security, Health & Safety (HQ), Risk and Contract management, as well as Fundraising and Donor Engagement. Since joining CDF Canada in 2014, Donna has held various leadership roles within the organization.
With a passion for making a difference, Donna’s greatest fulfillment is managing CDF Canada’s Women’s Mentorship Program. Through this initiative, she has had the privilege of witnessing countless inspiring stories from program graduates worldwide, highlighting the transformative impact the program has had on their lives.
Donna’s professional journey spans across multiple sectors, where she has held numerous executive positions and contributed her expertise to non-profit Boards of Directors. Her focus on reducing poverty, empowering women and girls, and combating violence against women underscores her commitment to creating positive change on both local and global scales.
Amyn Hyder Ali is Director of Finance with CDF Canada and started in March 2018. At CDF Canada, Mr. Hyder Ali is accountable for the financial and risk management operations, including development of a financial strategy. He is also responsible to ensure the implementation of financial controls, policies and practice to achieve organizational goal.
Mr. Hyder Ali brings with him extensive finance experience in the non-profit/charity organizations sector in the senior financial management role. He has managed grants; accounting processes, budget and planning, forecasting and monitoring the budget by variance analysis.
Sanjeev Singh is the Director, Program Development with CDF Canada. Mr. Singh has been responsible for strategic, operational, and technical assistance for a multimillion-dollar portfolio across 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
Mr. Singh brings over 25 years of professional experience in management consulting, international development, policy, and program management. He has collaborated extensively with NGOs, governments, the private sector, funding agencies, and multilateral organizations.
He has worked with and consulted organizations such as World Education Inc, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), The European Commission, The German Technical Agency (GTZ), Cuso International, and CDF Canada.
Mr. Singh has a Bcom degree from the University of South Africa and an MBA from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. Over the years, Mr. Singh has served on many different Boards.
Jimmy Agbayani is Senior Programme Development Specialist at CDF Canada. Mr. Agbayani develops project proposals and concept notes in response to the development priorities of donors, multilateral finance institutions, governments, and the private sector. He also supports business development and project implementation. Joined in 2021, he is currently involved in project identification and project development activities in selected countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Before joining CDF Canada, Mr. Agbayani worked in international development for over 30 years in the education and social development sectors involving foreign-assisted projects in 18 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Sharon Alexanian joined CDF Canada in 2007 and served as its Finance Assistant for six years before moving into the accountant position for the organization and has been the Manager of finance for the last three years. Before joining CDF Canada, she worked for Accenture Business in Enbridge billing.
Mohammad Alqawasmeh joins the team in the position of Finance Officer. He has extensive experience with international organizations coupled with a BA in accounting and an MBA from the University of Newcastle in Australia. Mr. Alqawasmeh’s years of experience in accounting and auditing, including the non-profit sector will be an asset to CDF Canada. He has also worked as an external auditor for Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mariel Edwards-Carreau is the Fundraising & Engagement Coordinator at CDF Canada, where she crafts impactful campaigns that inspire donor engagement and build lasting connections. Drawing on her expertise in digital communications, donor stewardship, and strategic outreach, Mariel ensures that CDF’s story resonates across platforms, enhancing the organization’s reach and supporting its mission of sustainable development. With a background in financial management, program development, and nonprofit growth, she takes a holistic approach to communications and fundraising that strengthens both donor relationships and program impact.
Beyond her role at CDF, Mariel is committed to advancing causes related to food security, environmental sustainability, and social equity. Her experience in project management, web development, and digital design fuels her passion for leveraging creative tech solutions to address challenges in the nonprofit world.
Gerald Rucchin is the Marketing and Communications Officer and he manages CDF Canada’s traditional and digital marketing platforms. He promotes CDF Canada’s programs, fundraising campaigns, and international development efforts.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Rucchin has been a radio newscaster/reporter and newspaper journalist who produced and delivered compelling stories to the public. In addition, he has experience as a writer and communications specialist in the automotive, financial services and higher education industries. Mr. Rucchin’s responsibilities have included publication management, brand journalism, newsletters, event management, and relationship building.
Mr. Rucchin has a diploma in Broadcast Journalism from Fanshawe College, a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree from Western University and a Master of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent University.
Alisa Gehrels is a Project Manager at CDF Canada, currently leading the VOICE for Women and Girls Program, an initiative dedicated to empowering women and girls through capacity-building and co-operative development. In her role, she oversees the program’s implementation, working closely with in-country teams, technical advisors, and volunteers to support sustainable impact in areas such as financial inclusion, women’s entrepreneurship, prevention of GBV, and community-led governance.
With over a decade of experience in project development and management, Alisa draws on expertise in partnership management, monitoring and evaluation, and results-based management. She collaborates with local and international partners to address development challenges through cooperative systems, helping communities strengthen economic stability, gender equity and social inclusion, and resilience.
Her commitment to creating meaningful, inclusive change is underscored by her past work with diverse communities in Canada and abroad, where she helped develop programs that bridge economic and social gaps. Before joining CDF Canada, Alisa consulted with various non-profits, working with ethno-cultural communities to design, implement, and evaluate programs in mental health, settlement, and economic empowerment.
Carly Moir is a Program Officer at CDF Canada, where she oversees program development including its design, implementation, and evaluation of CDF Canada’s international project in Malawi. She works with staff from Headquarters and the Country Office to ensure the project is moving forward efficiently.
Prior to CDF Canada, she worked as a Rural Youth Engagement Coordinator and Community Development Worker. In addition, she has completed international internships in both Eswatini and Zambia. She brings experience in project development, monitoring and evaluation, and community development.
Ms. Moir holds a Certificate in International Development from Humber College and an Honour’s Bachelor of Sport Management degree from Brock University.
Lynne Surette is Program Assistant at CDF Canada, responsible for the logistics of the volunteer program, ensuring qualified candidates are successfully mobilized to their specific mandates. She also supports in the managing of the annual Women’s Mentorship Program.
Before joining the CDF team, she worked for many years in the local and national film industry as a casting agent. Having trained in professional theatre, she was also co-director of a school for performing arts. Her interest in ecological sustainability led her to work as outreach coordinator in a not-for-profit environmental organization overlooking the health of rivers and watersheds in New Brunswick. Lynne is fully bilingual in French and English.
Samantha Torres is the Program Officer at CDF Canada and she is responsible for supporting the successful implementation of international projects in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Senegal and Ghana. She works with staff from Headquarters and the various Country Offices to ensure that project cycles are moving efficiently, and work towards improving best practices within the projects.
Before joining CDF, Ms. Torres worked in project management, community development and gender-equality implementation in Canada and internationally. Having worked in a global context, her passion stems from working with local communities in order to find empowering solutions and transform the future for the better.
Ms. Torres holds a Bachelor’s degree in international development, with a specialization in Environmental Studies, and a Project Management Professional Certificate from the University of Toronto. She is fully bilingual in English and Spanish. She was also on the board of directors of a non-profit organization based in Toronto that worked towards empowering marginalized community members through food security.
Daniella Durham plays a pivotal role in overseeing CDF Canada’s volunteer program. Her responsibilities encompass the entire volunteer lifecycle, from recruiting new volunteers to ensuring their successful integration into CDF Canada’s global programs. Before joining CDF Canada, Ms. Durham’s genuine interest and passion inspired her to engage in meaningful volunteer work abroad, which led to volunteering in South America and later in Northern Peru. Her experience allowed her to form strong connections with volunteers, hearing their inspirational stories about how volunteering abroad profoundly impacted their lives. Ms. Durham holds a bachelor’s degree in international development from York University, and attributes her academic success to the insights gained from her volunteer experience. Having personally navigated the excitement and challenges of living abroad, she is eager to offer guidance and support to volunteers embarking on their global assignments, ensuring that each volunteer’s journey with CDF Canada is a rewarding and enriching one.