Board of Directors

Representing the Caribbean territory, Guyana, Amanda’s passion for volunteering has truly allowed her to understand the vital importance of benevolence as a unifying force for human beings. Following immigration from Guyana to Canada, Amanda’s parents triumphed in their long battle against poverty. Wisdoms such as kindness, compassion and community arose from this experience, which are values that she aims to personify in her everyday encounters. 

As a board member, Amanda’s objective is to promote the unification of individuals from various regions of the Caribbean and establish a space free of judgment on the basis of race. While she understands the importance of biculturalism, her love for Caribbean food, music and the various dialects is evermore. She is a recent graduate of the University of Ottawa and currently holds her Bachelor of Health Science with much pride, as it is a token of her hard work coupled with the sacrifices of her parents. Amanda’s genuine intention is to encourage her fellow Caribbean-Canadians to take pride in their heritage. 

Michael Jodah is a Guyanese-Canadian environmentalist, social entrepreneur, academic, housing advocate and developer. Michael’s commitment to environmental sustainability and social justice is due largely in part to their mother, an immigrant who raised them as a single parent and got Michael involved in volunteering at a young age. Throughout their academic and professional career, Michael has been an advocate for student needs on campus, promoting sustainability, healthy lifestyles and student extra-curricular involvement. 

Michael has presented at international and national conferences on issues relating to education and sustainability. Michael has over a decade of experience in positions of leadership and management, serving as an Executive Director, President, Board Member and Office Manager for various organizations. Michael has been the recipient of over 20 awards and scholarships for his professional and academic work. Michael is currently completing their PhD in Education.

Bhonita is a queer Indo-Caribbean woman born and raised the the Jane-Finch area. She is passionate about the collective liberation of equity-seeking groups via the abolition of oppression and injustice. Her community work is based in practices of activism, justice, equity, and social change. Her journey is marked by extensive work with the Ontario Public Interest Reaearch Group and a dedication to making a positive impact, while simultaneously being rooted in an anti-oppression and sustainability framework.

Rafeena Bacchus has over 15 years of experience in civil litigation. She started her legal practice as being recognized as the first woman of colour called to the Bar in Prince Edward Island, after having clerked for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island. She has been called to the Bar in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario. Her career has been balanced between acting on behalf of insurance companies and working on behalf of the under-represented in the fields of human rights and social justice. 

Rafeena was a Partner at a prominent insurance defence firm that she called home for over a decade. She has been involved in thousands of insurance matters as counsel for her insurance clients including complex tort MVA, occupier liability, product liability, property damage and oil spill matters. She has successfully argued before various levels of court and attended numerous out of province matters representing her insurer clients.  Rafeena currently serves as Vice Chair and Adjudicator at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. 

Alanna D. Sarju obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at McMaster University in 2012, and subsequently obtained her honors Bachelor of Law from the University of Leicester in 2016. She is also certified in Alternative Dispute Resolutions and Family Mediation.

Alanna completed her legal training at one of the largest female-led full-service law firms in Newmarket, under the mentorship of the principal solicitor and now Federal Deputy Chief Prosecutor. Her legal training exposed her to Civil Litigation, Criminal Defence, Labour Law and Estates matters.

Alanna is Managing Partner of Sarju Eliyas Law Professional Corporation, a boutique law firm largely focusing on Real Estate, Corporate, Immigration, Estates and Civil matters.

Alanna has a sound appreciation for diversity and offers a global perspective in her approach to legal matters.  She believes that the best way to serve clients and the community at large is to understand their unique needs. 

Beyond the scope of law, Alanna has a keen passion for knowledge and continuously seeks to learn the unfamiliar. In her spare time, Alanna enjoys travelling, sporting events and supporting local businesses. 

My name is Rebecca Singh and I am the GCH Community Outreach Director. I was born and raised in the Jane and Finch Community and am a recent graduate of the Community Worker program at George Brown College with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and Psychology at York University. I have a passion to work with people, for people. To do this, I’ve always prioritized understanding social issues that impact our daily lives. Prior to joining the GCH team, I valued the space to discuss ethno-specific issues in the Indo-Caribbean which has in-turn allowed me to build deeper connections within culturally diverse communities like my own. 

Using my knowledge and skills gathered through my academic, professional, and lived experiences being a Guyanese-Canadian myself, I hope to amplify GCH’s mission and values towards creating a space for Guyanese-Canadians to have in the GTA where social services are readily available and community members are able to self-advocate and empower each other. Most specifically, through collaboration, partnerships, and working alongside one another in positive and meaningful ways.

My name is Jillian Rahim and I was born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario as a first-generation Canadian-Guyanese. I teach secondary school in the public sector in addition to dancing, performing and teaching a variety of Indo-Caribbean dance styles like Bollywood, Chutney and Soca. 

I am a huge advocate for more culturally relevant spaces as they directly affect our quality of life and affect how our parents, elders, and even we will navigate the future. It is my pleasure to join GCH as a Co-Chair of Communications and Events and I look forward to organizing many great events to serve the voices of our community and beyond. 

My name is Joshua Rajaram. I was born, raised, and went to school in the Jane and Finch area. I just recently completed a diploma in Media Communications, and a postgraduate certificate in Music Business. I am currently serving on board of Guyana House TO as the Communications Director. 

Before taking on this role I was an executive assistant intern for a non-profit company by the name of Manifesto. Manifesto Community Projects is an organization that focuses on building community and culture. My primary role was to research and develop programs for passionate green creatives that aspire to get into the media and music industry within the greater Toronto area. I am currently working as an operations assistant at an independent music label as well.

Bria is a Master’s of Environmental Studies candidate and is a co-founder of HOUSE and the York University Affordable Housing Committee. Bria’s studies focus on equitable planning, Black Feminist Geographies, and counter cartographies.

She brings with her three years of experience in social planning, research, and community engagement.  Her role is to work alongside incoming members of HOUSE in establishing committees, finding funding sources, and providing urban planning support.

Rosanna currently sits as a Board Member for the Guyana Community House (GSH). Her passion for community development and providing safe spaces is what led her to GCH. Rosanna is completing her Master of Education with a specialization in Higher Education focusing on enhancing the student experience to equip students to become career-ready for graduation. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from York University and a post-graduate certificate in Project Management from Humber College. She is passionate about experiential education and promoting it through the lens of equity and the UN SDGs to create inclusive opportunities for students to develop professional skills in the classroom. 

Rosanna looks forward to cultivating relationships to build a safe space for the Caribbean community to share experiences, best practices, increase affordable housing and develop resources for physical and mental health needs. 

Troy Budhu is a passionate community organizer, artist, scholar and problem solver with a particular focus on community economic development. Over the last 13 years, he has worked on strengthening his and other marginalized communities by connecting youth to postsecondary opportunities, creating partnerships for workforce development, advocating for community benefits agreements, stimulating economic development and building authentic community engagement and leadership.

 Troy is currently working on multiple projects, including a collective impact project aimed at bridging education to employment, the development of the Jane-Finch Community Hub and Centre for the Arts, and a local redevelopment project. 

Caitlin's dedication to community development and her passion for creating positive change are truly remarkable. We're thrilled to have her on board, and we can't wait to work together to make a lasting impact in our community.