STEERING COMMITTEE

Charmaine Lyn leads the Office of Community Engagement in its mandate to support and promote community-engaged scholarship, community-based research and community-engaged learning at Concordia. She is the administrative lead on the university’s strategic priority to “embrace the city".

She also serves as one of two special advisors to Concordia’s provost and VP of Academic Affairs on Indigenous Directions.

Lyn is an experienced university administrator, having led admissions and recruitment for two professional programs at McGill University. As a first-generation university attendee and a lawyer by training, Charmaine has a particular interest in dismantling unnecessary barriers to higher education for marginalized populations.

Prem Sooriyakumar holds the position of knowledge broker in Concordia University’s Office of Research. He advises on, and manages, the development of knowledge mobilization activities on- and off-campus; identifies knowledge transfer opportunities for researchers and research users; designs and implements knowledge mobilization projects and activities; and liaises with community partners accordingly.

Acting as a catalyst for partnered research collaborations, project outcomes include the forging of new partnerships, delivery of digital media on various platforms, and the co-development of new approaches to knowledge generation and translation.

Prior to joining Concordia, Sooriyakumar’s work in film documentaries — e.g., as a producer in his own studio, as well as at CBC— has always been focused on finding disruptive and innovative ways of engaging diverse publics.

Paul Simard is principal director for Advancement and Alumni Relations at Concordia’s Faculty of Arts and Science. He works with alumni, friends and partners to find meaningful connections within the university for them to engage with, support and enhance the student experience.

Simard works closely with the dean and faculty members to develop programs and platforms that allow for collaborations that link cutting-edge research, an innovative student body and a passionate alumni community with the real world.

An active member of the social business and not-for-profit community, Simard sits on the board of Salon 1861, a co-creation community space, and Pour 3 Points, a non-profit that works with high school coaches and focuses on keeping at-risk youth in school. He is also a philanthropic advisor to the CEOs at Plus1 and Artistri Sud.

Karen McCarthy is a communications and media relations strategist with more than 20 years of experience in the education, health care, social welfare and policing sectors. She has led national public and media relations initiatives, including the launch of national health reports and oversaw the communications portfolio for the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative.

She has held senior leadership roles at the Canadian Nurses Association and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is currently the director of Institutional Communications at Concordia University.

McCarthy is currently a member of the board of directors of Montreal’s English-language Centaur Theatre and is involved in community theatre with Theatre NDG’s latest production.