Skip to main content

Meet the Board of Directors

Our directors encourage active participation of all alumni to strengthen Concordia’s reputation and outreach worldwide.

Print
President
Linda Donnini, BSc 91
Linda Donnini, BSc 91

Linda Donnini is an executive sales and marketing leader and has occupied several management positions within the automotive, manufacturing and retail industries.

She began her career in fashion retail but soon switched into manufacturing and distribution of electrical parts. The latter has acted as a stepping-stone in her career, allowing her to build and strengthen her business knowledge. After spending 17 years in the automotive aftermarket, she accepted a role at the AIA (Automotive Industries Association) until she was lured into the corporate world for an office supply distributor. She now works for a large distributor of Health and Safety Equipment, Tenaquip.

Her leadership, professionalism, knowledge of the market and the challenges it poses as well as her commitment to customer service have earned her the respect of her colleagues, as well as the trust of her customers.

Linda is recognized as an important asset for the companies she has worked for and as a driving force in the industry. Her strong business acumen combined with her extensive technical background has helped shape the very accomplished business woman she is today.

In addition to her Concordia degree, she has completed an executive training course at HEC Montreal. As well as being the President of the CUAA, she also sits on other volunteer boards. She has been involved in and has managed several political campaigns and is a proud founding member of the Villa Maria Foundation. Born and raised in Montreal, Linda now resides on Nun’s Island with her husband Mike Wilson, and enjoys the multi-ethnicity of Montreal.

Corporate Secretary 
Miranda Melfi, BComm 86
Miranda Melfi

Miranda is Vice-President, Human Resources and Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Birks Group Inc.  Birks Group is a public company trading on the NYSE American stock exchange. Birks was founded in 1879 and has become Canada’s premier retailer and designer of fine jewellery, timepieces and gifts.  Miranda has been with Birks Group since 2006 and as head of the legal and human resources departments, she is responsible for all legal affairs and human resources matters of Birks Group.

Before joining Birks Group, Miranda was with Cascades Inc., a publicly-traded pulp and paper company for eight years and held the position of Vice President, Legal Affairs and Corporate Secretary, Boxboard Group. Prior to joining Cascades, Miranda was Vice President, Legal Affairs and Corporate Secretary at Stella-Jones Inc., a publicly-traded wood products company.  Miranda began her career as a corporate commercial and securities lawyer at Fasken, a large business and litigation law firm, founded in Canada in 1863.

Miranda holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Major: Business Administration; Minor: Marketing) from Concordia University and obtained her B.C.L. and Juris Doctor degrees from McGill University.  She was called to the Quebec Bar in 1991.  Miranda is also a Fellow of The Chartered Governance Institute of Canada (formerly The Institute of Corporate Secretaries and Administrators).

Miranda has significant business acumen and a good understanding of how strategies and decisions impact a company's performance. Her BComm and B.C.L. and Juris Doctor degrees have enabled her to hold executive positions in public companies and apply her business and legal knowledge and experience to tackle matters from both a business and legal perspective.

Miranda was a Finalist in the Small-mid Market Excellence Category of the ZSA Quebec General Counsel Awards in 2016 and 2018.

President, Loyola Alumni Founding Chapter
John Limeburner, BComm 68
John Limeburner, BComm 68

John has previously served as McGill University Treasurer and Executive Director. In addition he holds 25 years of experience managing the school endowment as Advisor to the Vice-Principals of Administration and Finance and University Advancement.

Over the years, John has served on the boards and committees of the Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO), RCGA (Golf Canada), the RCGA Foundation, the Quebec Golf Association (now Golf Quebec), the Cornwall Heart and Stroke Foundation, as well as the St. Ignatius of Loyola parish. Limeburner holds a Bachelors of Commerce from Concordia University.

Immediate Past President  
Kim Fuller, BFA 96
Kim Fuller

Kim Fuller is founder of Phil, where since 1999 she has successfully helped hundreds of charities and foundations get their message to the masses – to do good, even better. Her experience working with local, national and international charities combines over 25 years in graphic design, multimedia, online marketing and fundraising, with a lifelong passion for volunteering in the community.

When she is not in the office she volunteers her time and expertise as a speaker, author, and mentor at several local and national organizations. Kim was appointed to Concordia University's board of governors in 2021 and has been an active CUAA board member since 2015. She continues to enjoy her role on the CUAA, engaging with alumni both near and far.

Executive Vice-President
David B. Kierans, BA 75
David B. Kierans

David is a partner in Gowling Canada WLG’s Montréal office. David Kierans practises in corporate and commercial law with particular emphasis on secured lending, project finance, aviation finance, real estate finance and acquisition and asset-backed financing.

Among other activities, he has acted for financial institutions with respect to mortgage loan investments (both term and construction financing), equity investments in real estate, disposition of assets, and structured financing transactions involving aircraft, public and para-public infrastructure programs. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the American Bar Association. David has been recognized for professional competence in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2021 and Best Lawyers in Canada 2022.

Vice-president
Nura Jabagi, MBA 14, PhD 21
Nura Jabagi, MBA 14

Nura is a two-time JMSB graduate as well as Concordia Public Scholar alumna. Since 2012, Nura has been an active member of Concordia’s community. Among her various roles, she has served as President for the John Molson Doctoral Student Society and the John Molson Women in Business Club. Nura holds a PhD and an MBA from the JMSB, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economics with Distinction from Queen's University, and a Graduate Diploma in Marketing from McGill University.

Nura is an Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems (MIS) at Laval University. She is an expert in the Future of Work, and is dedicated to understanding how advanced technologies, like managerial algorithms, are changing the way we experience work. She also is an advisor at Deloitte in Human Capital Consulting. Nura is a public speaker and expert in her field. She has been published in Business Horizons and the Journal of Managerial Psychology, and her editorials and opinions have been featured in the Globe and Mail, the Montreal Gazette, as well as Le Devoir and La Presse to name a few.

Nura leads the Philanthropy committee of the CUAA , and she is an active member of the CUAA’s EDI task force.

Treasurer 
Bhavna Grover, BComm 01
Bhavna  Grover

Bhavna began her accounting career at PwC in Montreal and then relocated to New York City and has worked at not-for-profit companies for the last 15 years. Bhavna’s ability to communicate with ease and connect with people of diverse backgrounds in countries all around the world has led to a successful career in internal audit. Along the way, the work trips fed her passion for personal travel and she continues her journey at 70 countries and beyond.  

Bhavna was actively involved in several of Concordia’s student associations, from organizing and winning the first accounting case competition to wrapping up her final year as president of Concordia’s accounting association. Her commitment and involvement with the Concordia community continues as an active team member of the Concordia University Alumni Association – New York Chapter. 

Lesley Antoun, BEng 95
Mario Ciaramicoli

Lesley Antoun is a seasoned professional with an engineering degree, a business degree and more than 25 years of strategy, governance and program management experience with leadership teams and boards.

Three years ago, she established an independent consulting and advisory practice with clients as varied as multinationals, private enterprises, a Crown corporation, First Nations organizations, and a university. 

Central to Lesley’s work are strong ethics and high personal integrity. She helps organizations improve their overall performance by co-creating strategic plans, governance, communication, and performance management tools, always leveraging her vast experience as well as best practices.

Brandon Montour, BA 20
Brandon Montour

Brandon is Kanien’kehá:ka from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with Great Distinction from Concordia University. Presently, Brandon is in his third year at McGill University’s Faculty of Law where he is President of the Indigenous Law Association.

During his time at Concordia, Brandon was a member of the 61st Garnet Key Society. Recognized for his contributions to student life and the university community, he was the 2019 recipient of the Outstanding Student Leader Award, the Volunteer Recognition Award, and he was recognized as an Arts and Science Scholar for his academic record in Political Science.

Brandon has experience working in both the public and private sectors. Before becoming a Ministerial staffer to the Honourable Marc Miller on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Brandon interned at a leading national law firm on Bay Street in Toronto where he was a part of the international trade and litigation team.

In his First Nations community, Brandon has experience working with the Mohawk Council and the Court of Kahnawake on justice related matters. In 2019, he was unanimously appointed by the Mohawk Council to serve as Chairperson of the Kahnawake Cannabis Control Board where he oversaw the regulatory development of cannabis in his community.

Nichola Dyer, BA 85
Nichola Dyer, BA 85

A seasoned international economic development professional with many years’ experience in Africa, Nichola recently retired from the World Bank Group after 26 years of service. Highlights of her career include establishing the office in Gabon, leading the ethics office, developing greenfield engagements on disability and excluded minorities, and managing the $1.5b Global Agriculture and Food Security Program.

Now independent, Nichola has remained actively engaged on the sustainability agenda. She is actively involved in promoting the role of aquatic foods, especially seaweed, in the food system, and in that context organized and moderated several events leading up to the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. Since 2021 she has been serving as Senior Advisor to the Safe Seaweed Coalition on partnerships, engagement, and communication. She also recently completed a consultancy with the Environmental Defense Fund, supporting their development of a climate resilient food systems strategy.

Nichola is passionate about giving back and volunteers in a variety of roles. She serves on the board of a Washington DC-based non-profit theater company, co-chairs the Margaret McNamara Education Grants South Africa Program, and mentors professionals in several countries.

She leads the CUAA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force and serves on its Nominating Committee.

Susannah Tam, MBA 82
Susannah Tam

Susannah Tam has always been active in promoting Canada-China trade and knowledge exchange. From 2016-2020, Susannah oversaw all financial & tax issues at Montdorex Pharma Inc as their Chief Financial Officer. Before that, Susannah was Managing Director, Financial Advisory Services (China focus) at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, after spending 4 years as CFO at Metafoam Technologies, based in Canada & China.

Susannah sits on advisory council for fund-raising for Contemporary Norman Bethune Fellowship Endowment Fund, an initiative of MUHCF and Montreal’s Chinese community. In 2014, Susannah founded Canada China Heart to Heart Foundation whose mission is to promote medical knowledge exchange between Canada and China.  Susannah holds an MBA from Concordia University, specializing in Finance and Operations Research.

Fatoumata Camara, BA 12
Fatoumata Camara

Fatou is a thoughtful leader in the spaces of inclusion, equity and belonging. She combines her lived experience with her academic and professional qualifications to foster a welcoming and intersectional culture in workplaces and schools. Deconstructing unconscious and internalized biases, Fatou promotes respectful spaces where creativity can thrive.

Her love for building meaningful lasting relationships and dismantling career barriers led her to pursue a career in HR and Inclusion. She is currently the Senior HR Manager for IG Wealth Management Eastern Canada offices. In this role Fatou creates organization wide presentations, working documents and toolkits to address unconscious biases and help leaders engage in difficult conversations around social justice. Fatou is the recipient and nominee of multiple awards including Canada’s 2022 Top 100 Black Women to Watch, Prix Femmes d’affaires du Québec 2022 and Concordia University Alumni Association Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion award.

In 2015, Fatou founded the Black-led non-profit Young Athletes of Montreal. The organization seeks to promote inclusion and excellence through sports in young Black high school students in Montreal. The organization has held a series of seminars inviting young participants to gain knowledge on financial literacy, personal development as well as workshops on inclusion and belonging in schools.

As the French designate for the Black Professional in Tech Network Fatou facilitates group training programs on inclusive leadership. She also plays an advisory role for Canadian companies who seek to attract, hire and retain black talent.

Fatou provides mentorship to self-identifying Black, Indigenous and women of colour on career advancement through Accelerate Her Future. In her spare time she is also a steering committee member of the Montreal chapter of She Said So, a global community of women and gender minorities in the music industry. Fatou brings an intersectional lens to the organization’s mission to connect and empower underrepresented communities towards a more equitable industry.

Fatou is an energized Diversity, Equity and Inclusion champion. She loves to work with teams to solve problems that others find overwhelming.

Alexandre Davidson, BComm 16
Alexandre Davidson, BComm 16

Since joining RBC Royal Bank of Canada in 2014, Alexandre occupied various roles within the Credit Management and Recoveries department. He recently transitioned into a new role as a Business Account Manager, where he is responsible for Small Business lending and business development.     

Alexandre graduated from Concordia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy. While completing his undergraduate studies, he was very involved in Concordia’s student community, competing in several business case competitions and participating in various student-led initiatives. Alexandre is passionate about numerous social and educational causes, supporting them through different fundraising efforts. He is also a member of the Concordia University Young Alumni Council.

Hussain Shorish, BA 17, MA 18
Hussain Shorish, BA 17, MA 18

Hussain is an experienced government relations and public affairs professional with a passion for solving complex public policy issues. He brings nearly a decade of experience navigating complex regulatory, political, and procedural aspects of government decision-making at all levels of government.

Currently, Hussain is a Senior Associate, Government Affairs at Invenergy. He communicates the company’s corporate positions on government legislation, regulation, and procurement policy across Canada. Previously, he worked at a government relations firm and within the Government of Canada as a trusted advisor to senior executives.

Hussain holds a B.A. in Political Science and Journalism and an M.A. in Public Policy and Public Administration from Concordia University. As a student, Hussain actively promoted Concordia and was the Vice-President, Finance of the Political Science Student Association and President of TEDxConcordia.

Hussain currently volunteers as a Board Director for the Government Relations Institute of Canada.

Hanna Vineberg, BA 88
Hanna Vineberg

Hanna is the Canadian Leadership Talent Acquisition Manager for Reitmans Canada Limited, Canada’s iconic fashion retailer. A key business partner to the leadership team, talent team and employees, her mission is to enhance Reitman's employer brand, talent acquisition best practices and methods and to engage with exceptional talent building a high performance organization.

Before that she worked for Randstad Canada as the vice-president of Strategic Markets. In her spare time she works toward advocating, educating, and empowering parents, children and young adults with learning disabilities. Since 2010 she has held a position as the Vice President of the board of the Montreal Center for Learning Disabilities.

Back to top

© Concordia University