BOMA BROWN
Founder
Victoria
Originally from Nigeria, Boma has lived in Botswana and the United States, and is happy to call Victoria home. She founded SNIWWOC in 2014 after experiencing frustrations with the lack of culturally sensitive reproductive health support for racialized women in Victoria, BC. Boma leads SNIWWOC’s operations and strategic growth initiatives.
She is a member of the Victoria-Harbourside Rotary Club, where she volunteers on global projects focused on addressing gender-based inequities with the Rotary Foundation. She was recently awarded the 2020 BC Multiculturalism and Anti-racism Award and is a 2021 L’Oreal Women of Worth Award honoree.
In January 2023, Boma was appointed to the Inquiry Committee of the BC College of Nurses and Midwives. The Inquiry Committee reviews complaints or other information that could give rise to an investigation, directs the investigation process, and assesses whether remedial and/or disciplinary action is warranted.
ADRIANA ARANTES
Communications & Marketing Coordinator
Toronto
Adriana is ready to bring her marketing knowledge and passion for people and wellness to the SNIWWOC team as the Communications and Marketing Coordinator. Since her youth, Adriana has been a strong advocate for mental health. Connecting with people to understand their story, giving them the space to truly feel seen and heard, and empowered to better themselves and feel plentiful is a lifelong goal of hers. Adriana holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing and has built her marketing career with a focus on community building.
CATHERINE CARRIERE DER
Program Coordinator
Victoria
Catherine is a fourth generation Chinese Canadian from Guangdong Province, and was born and raised on the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. She holds a Undergraduate Degree in Pacific and Asian Studies and Indigenous Studies at the University of Victoria. Catherine has a passion for creating decolonized and culturally safe health and social services for marginalized communities through understanding the intersectional determinants of health and wellness for these communities. She is excited to learn, listen and create meaningful relationships within the SNIWWOC community.
KRISHNA YEMANY
Manager - Marketing & Events
Vancouver
Krishna is very excited to join the SNIWWOC team as the Marketing and Events Manager. She has devoted much of her life to finding small ways to make an impact within her community, whether it is local food programs or outreach work helping homeless teenagers learn business basics through an internship program that she helped create and teach during her time as a student at the University of Arizona. Krishna spent the last few years growing her career in the cosmetics industry working with luxury skincare and makeup brands as the Brand and Events Coordinator for Sephora, and in the medical esthetics industry as a skincare specialist. Krishna is very excited to return her focus back to a community based initiative and make an impact in the lives of women all over Canada!
JONI OLDHOFF
Workshop & Events Coordinator
Victoria
Joni is an Indigenous woman of Michel Callihoo Nation, Cree, and Haudenosaunee. She is an Early Childhood Educator with over a decade of experience. She is also the Founder and Administrator for Gentle and Connected Parenting of Victoria BC and a Full Spectrum Advocate. Dedicated to decolonizing learning spaces and creating accountability in the education sector, Joni has advocated for children and families throughout her career. She is passionate about creating bridges for marginalized families within our communities as well as addressing systemic racism in early learning.
Joni is deeply invested in Indigenous kinship and sees the well-being of families as the cornerstone to cultural revitalization and Indigenous sovereignty
NAWA AHMED
Manager - Operations
Vancouver
Nawa moved to Canada to complete her postgraduate degree in Business Administration at the University of Canada West. Before coming to Canada, Nawa worked as Program Manager at Mercy Corps Iraq. She is passionate about strategic planning and creating diverse and inclusive sustainable systems where everyone's voice is heard.
Nawa is responsible for managing SNIWWOC's Program portfolio and the team of volunteers across the country.
MAYA BLOOD
Administrative & Operations Coordinator
Vancouver
Maya is a first generation Jamaican-Canadian and currently a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning student at the University of British Columbia in the Indigenous Community Planning concentration. Maya is excited to be collaborating with such a strong team of leaders towards making meaningful change for racialized women across Canada. Maya brings to this role administrative and digital skills along with a passion toward the improvement of resources for racialized groups. Maya is dedicated to creating resilient and sustainable environments for BIPOC communities to thrive across Canada.
CJ Stafford
Content Designer
Toronto
CJ is a Queer Plains Cree person from Thunderchild First Nation. Taken in the Millenium Scoop, CJ one day hopes to visit their Nation. They are Reconnecting and healing by doing art and pursuing their 3-year Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design after completing their 2-year Diploma in Photography in 2022.
Board of Directors
KARI-ANN LEADBITTER
Board Member
Victoria
Kari-Ann is from Alert Bay, BC and has lived in Victoria for about 13 years. She is from Namgis First Nation and is still very active in her home community.
She works as a Manager of Aboriginal Support Child Development and lives in Sooke with her husband and daughter.
Kari-Ann converted and became a reform jew about 4 years ago.
ROSE HENRY
Elder & Board Member
Victoria
Rose is originally from Tla’amin Nation and has resided in Victoria for over 30 years. She has served on multiple boards of directors for public community service agencies like Together Against Poverty, The Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition, and the Capital Region Race Relations.
THERESA FRASER
Board Member
Victoria
Theresa is originally from Nova Scotia. Her ancestry is a mix of Mi'kmaw and African Canadian. She has lived in Victoria for 15 years and has varied experience supporting First Nations youth, families, and increasing youth cultural awareness.
MICHELLE BROWN
Board Member
Vancouver
Michelle is a marketing specialist that brings to SNIWWOC diverse experience in marketing, higher education, and IT/Tech. She led the initiative to bring SNIWWOC programs to Vancouver and has been marketing and promoting events and services since she joined the board in 2016. In her free time, she is an avid writer and poet and enjoys exploring reproductive justice through her work.