International Conference on Refugee & Newcomer Well-Being (June 2026). Register

Prior to serving with the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Haji was the executive director for the Africa Centre, from 2019 to 2023. He held various positions with the Government of Alberta through 2014 to 2019 including Manager, Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy, Manager, Primary Health Care, and Policy Analyst, Primary Health Care. He also worked as the programs coordinator for the Edmonton Multicultural Coalition. Mr. Haji has been very active in the community and has volunteered his time at several Edmonton-based organizations. He is the co-founder and a board member of the Federation of African Canadian Economics, was a board member for the Centre for Race and Culture, Edmonton Multicultural Coalition . Mr.Haji also sat on the community impact council for the United Way Alberta Capital Region., and the Community Housing Affordability Collective in Calgary Mr. Haji received the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee medal in 2023. He was born in Somalia and holds both an undergraduate degree from the University of South Africa, and a master’s degree in public health, with specialization on global health from the University of Alberta. Mr. Haji is married and has three children. Mr. Haji is proud to be the first person of East African descent to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, and the first black Muslim elected to this position.

As the CEO of Stimbok Corporation, she spearheads initiatives that foster sustainable development in entrepreneurship, healthcare, and food security. Under her leadership, Stimbok operates in multiple African countries, including Cote D’Ivoire, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Nigeria, directly impacting underserved communities.

Through his work in the financial industry, he focuses on expanding access to practical financial education that helps families make more money, save more, protect their assets, and plan confidently for the future. Rommy is part of the World System Builder (WSB) community, a financial literacy movement across the United States and Canada with a mission to help educate 30 million families by 2030. Rommy has personally committed to helping educate and impact 1,000 families in 2026, empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to build long-term financial security.

She is a distinguished leader in strategic communications with extensive experience across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Dayo brings a powerful blend of leadership, vision, and communication expertise, helping to strengthen partnerships that connect humanitarian needs with impactful business and development initiatives. Passionate about building global connections, Dayo is known for her ability to amplify voices through innovative campaigns, storytelling, and community engagement. She has a proven track record of promoting African and Caribbean businesses on national and international platforms, fostering cross-border collaborations, and advancing opportunities that contribute to Africa’s economic growth and global visibility. Her professional expertise spans corporate communications, media relations, reputation management, diplomatic communications, stakeholder engagement, international relations, education, documentary and film production, and project management. Through her work, Dayo advocates for accessibility, community impact, and inclusive development, using powerful storytelling to inspire change and mobilize action. At LHI, Dayo supports the organization’s mission to empower newcomers, refugees, and vulnerable communities by strengthening communications, expanding partnerships, and sharing impactful stories from the communities LHI serves around the world.

He brings more than 17 years of experience in community socio‑economic development, designing, managing, and scaling multi‑funder programs across Canada, Africa, and Europe. Abdoulaye holds a master’s degree in Microfinance, Entrepreneurship and Business Development from Nancy University (France), a Project Leadership and Management certificate from NAIT, and specialized training in entrepreneurship for emerging economies from Harvard University (EdX). He has led multimillion‑dollar initiatives that delivered measurable outcomes for newcomers, youth, and equity‑deserving populations. Most recently, he managed blended entrepreneurship and workforce‑integration programs that achieved strong placement and business start‑up rates while building partnerships with employers, postsecondary institutions, community organizations, and government agencies. He previously directed large provincially funded pre‑trades and employment programs and oversaw international youth entrepreneurship and civic engagement programs with Oxfam Québec. Skilled in organizational diagnostics and governance coaching, Abdoulaye has strengthened boards, led strategic planning, and implemented results‑based monitoring and evaluation systems. His advocacy helped secure North Edmonton’s first new francophone elementary public school and attracted significant capital and program funding. Fluent in English and French, conversant in three African languages, and with basic proficiency in Arabic, his vision is to reposition the Africa Centre as a trusted, high‑impact hub advancing equitable opportunities for African‑descent communities at municipal, provincial, and federal levels.

leader, and community development professional with over 10 years of experience advancing youth empowerment initiatives across Africa and Canada. He currently serves as Manager of Programs – Youth Development at the African Canadian Civic Engagement Council (ACCEC), where he leads employment, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement programs that support African-descent and newcomer youth in building sustainable economic pathways. Kelvin holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education and has completed Project Leadership training from NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology), equipping him with strong program design, implementation, and stakeholder management expertise. He has led entrepreneurship development initiatives through the ANZA Entrepreneurship Program, mentoring and equipping aspiring entrepreneurs with practical business skills, leadership capacity, and growth strategies. Through initiatives such as the TIMBUKTU Trailblazer Employment Program, he works closely with employers, community partners, and institutions to strengthen workforce integration, economic mobility, and social participation. Kelvin’s leadership approach is rooted in culturally responsive, community-led solutions that move youth beyond short-term interventions toward measurable, sustainable impact.