Our Team

Scroll down for our bios.

Louise Adongo (she/her)

Co-Executive Director

Full speaker bio: Louise Adongo (PDF) | Louise Adongo (Word) | View on LinkedIn

Louise Adongo is a bold and grounded leader with 10+ years’ experience in systems change, policy and evaluation. She brings care and intention to uncovering the roots of tangled problems, thus enabling shifts to greater resilience, sustainability and impact.

The pandemic has taught us that we need to re-envision the way our communities work: I believe that co-creating more nimble, transparent and creative institutional spaces is key to this reinvention. 

Shreetee Appadu (they/them)

Project Lead, Between the Bridges

Shreetee Appadu is the project lead for Between the Bridges. Shreetee is a queer, bisexual, non-binary settler of colour from Mauritius who moved to K’jipuk’tuk  (Halifax) in 2017 for their studies. They have a background in environmental studies and are passionate about environmental justice, intersectionality, and community care. They are the alumni rep for the Racialised Student Academic Network (RSAN) which is an independent autonomous network of/for Indigenous and Black students/alumni and students/alumni of colour at Saint Mary’s University. Before starting this position with Inspiring Communities, Shreetee worked at South House which is a sexual and gender resource center where they organized events and workshops focusing on the wellbeing of racialized students and 2SQTBIPOC joy and relationships. Shreetee loves to read and dance and is always dreaming of ways to create an alternate world where communities’ needs are met and all are living in balance with nature.

Bobby Jay Aubin (they/them)

Youth Outreach Worker

To help youth reach their goals, Bobby is responsible for providing outreach, advocacy, accompaniment, mentoring, referrals, programming including activities for youth aged 12-24 in the Town of Digby and Digby County, in partnership with local schools, organizations and community groups.

Pour aider les jeunes à atteindre leurs objectifs, Bobby est responsable de la sensibilisation, de la défence des droits, de l’accompagnement, du mentorat, des références, de la programmation, y compris des activités pour les jeunes âgés de 12 à 24 ans dans la ville de Digby y compris le comté de Digby, en partenariat avec les écoles locales, les organisations et les groupes communautaires.

What excites me about the upcoming year is connecting with youth and, by working closely with them in their everyday lives, creating relationships that will see youth thrive. Working in the youth field for the past 30 years has allowed me to see their potential; I encourage conversations which allow them to seek answers that they never knew existed inside them. Seeing the growth that happens is similar to watching a freshly planted garden flourish over the course of the summer. By applying the right ingredients, our youth can and will flourish, knowing someone cares and wants to see them succeed.

Isaac Barnie

Isaac Appiah Barnie is originally from Ghana, where he worked as an educator, researcher, and data entry clerk. Isaac is a skilled communicator, adaptable, collaborative, and extremely organized.

Isaac’s enthusiasm for accounting and finance has been the driving force behind his whole career. He has always had a natural affinity for numbers and enjoys the challenge of solving complex problems. Although Isaac’s expertise lies in the realm of numerical analysis, his academic interests extend far beyond the confines of spreadsheets. His dedication to helping others and improving his community is shown in his love of teaching and his volunteer activities.

Isaac is currently completing a Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Saint Mary’s University, where he has been trained generate innovative solutions to complex problems.

I am excited to contribute my innovative thoughts and unique perspectives to Inspiring Community, which will help the organization discover new and creative ways to tackle social challenges and create a lasting positive impact.

Charlene Boyce (she/they)

Senior Manager, Communications and Technology / Digital Presence

View on LinkedIn

Charlene Boyce is responsible for storytelling, and communicating the learnings, stories and experiences of those engaged in social change across the Atlantic Provinces and beyond. She brings a commitment to radical honesty and an appreciation for the value of design. Her toolkit includes oral history, analysing narrative for deeper meaning, writing for many purposes and media, graphic design / illustration, meeting design and facilitation and social media community building. She brings her inner geek to bear in guiding the organization in technology adoption and platform management. Charlene has a graphic design diploma from NSCC, a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in Atlantic Canada Studies.

Amber Clark

Administrator (Digby)

Amber Clark is the office administrator with Turning the Tide and Inspiring Communities. She is responsible for a wide range of tasks including organizing meetings, maintaining digital and physical filing systems, supporting with onboarding and training, and providing general support to the organization and employees. 

The thing I most enjoy about my work with Inspiring Communities is collaborating with others in the organization. If I could instantly be good at anything I would want it to be learning languages and communicating. 

Kjeld Mizpah Conyers-Steede (he/him)

Director, Strategy and Partnerships

Kjeld Mizpah (KJ) is a seasoned systems thinker with an impressive track record in social innovation. He brings a strong focus on areas such as community-centric strategic planning, human-centered design, organizational culture, and governance reviews, as well as expertise in the realm of organizational change management. Throughout his career, KJ has been at the forefront of community projects, leading and collaborating on initiatives that tackle the most complex and pressing issues within our society. His expertise lies in the realm of public policy programming, strategic planning and lobbying, where he excels in crafting solutions for what he refers to as the “big hairy” policy challenges. KJ’s approach is characterized by a commitment to human-centered strategies and a forward-thinking perspective, often employing the lens of strategic foresight to break free from conventional cause-and-effect governance.

In his role as a facilitator, KJ has a unique ability to foster collaboration and establish critical psychological safety, which proves essential in dismantling barriers to community-centric policy and program development. KJ has assisted businesses, organizations, and government departments in tackling their most formidable challenges. His goal is always to ensure that the results of any endeavor carry a community-centric perspective.

Sarah DenHartogh (she/her)

Project Lead

Sarah Denhartogh is Inspiring Communities’ project lead at North Star Rising. Sarah is a passionate advocate for building equitable and inclusive communities. She believes wholeheartedly in fostering collaboration and dialogue.

As an advocate for equity and community empowerment, I strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive. Guided by passion, and a deepening understanding of systemic inequalities, I live to challenge and help to dismantle barriers that hinder progress. I dream of our communities building a new future of justice, reconciliation and healing.

Kayley Dixon

Communications & Events (Dartmouth)

Morgan Dunn (she/her)

CBYF Coordinator

Morgan has a passion for working with youth and young adults. She leads the CBYF (Communities Building Youth Futures) project with the Turning the Tide initiative. She has lived in Digby for much of her life. She graduated from Acadia University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Community Development. Morgan has worked with many communities both locally and internationally throughout her undergraduate degree. She has had the opportunity to travel to Ghana, Ecuador, Honduras and Peru, working with and learning from local residents during these volunteer experiences. Morgan has experience in facilitation and leadership, and has volunteered her time with the Acadia Community Development Council, and summer camps in Digby and Kings County.

Shelley Fashan (she/her)

Community Engagement Specialist

Evelyn Headley (she / her)

Community Engagement Specialist

Carmelita Johnson (she/her)

Community Coordinator

Carmelita is an NSCC graduate and hails from the African Nova Scotian community of Southville in Weymouth, NS.  She has previously worked for NSCC, BEA-Regional Educators Program, and Digby SchoolsPlus.  Carmelita has spent over 23 years working in the public school system as an ANS Student Support Worker in Digby and Annapolis County.  Her passion is working to improve inequities within systems that directly affect historically marginalized communities. She is a firm believer in connecting with people spiritually (mind, body, soul). Being authentic and speaking from her own Africentric perspective has been the key to Carmelita’s personal and professional growth and success.  She enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.

I am excited to bring my knowledge and experience of working with the ANS community to support the current work inspiring communities is doing to improve the overall quality of marginalized communities.

Des Ong (she/her)

Communications Coordinator

Originally from Manila, Philippines, Des came to Canada in 2019 and completed her post-graduate studies in Business Management in 2021. Des was also one of the participants of the Northside Changemakers Program. Before coming to Canada, Des was working in advertising, public relations and was also a creative entrepreneur. Currently, Des also volunteers for Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership specifically supporting the Immigrant Advisory Table.

“As a person of color and a newcomer in Canada, I am excited to see how I can contribute to the communities we serve here in Cape Breton and across the province through the IC network!”

Manal Salha (she/her)

Director, Finance and Operations

Manal Salha brings to Inspiring Communities an overabundance of qualifications, having served as chief accountant to several firms in Kuwait. In alignment with the Board Treasurer, she manages all things financial for the organization. As a new Canadian, she brings valuable insights and an international perspective.

---

Our Evaluation Consultants are Nancy Carter and Sara Bateman.