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In the Leadership under Fire virtual interview series, the Critical Internationalization Studies Network (CISN) brings current and past leaders of IHE to shed light on their experiences — good, bad, and somewhere in between. 

In the second episode of this series, Ms. Priscillia Tsuasam, (Doctoral Student, Memorial), will interview:

• Danai Bélanger (Director, Student Experiences, MtA)
• Rohene Bouajram (Associate Director, IBPOC Initiatives, UBC)
• Dr. Shetina Jones (AVP of Student Experience, UWindsor) will provide an opening statement 

CISN is collaborating with Memorial University’s International Development Week organizing committee and the Doctoral Seminar series of the Faculty of Education and Internationalization of Student Affairs, a CoP of CACUSS.

Dive into an insightful exploration of success, challenges, and empowerment at out Black Professionals Panel Discussion.

Join accomplished individuals from diverse fields as they share their journeys, insights, and strategies for overcoming obstacles. This engaging discussion offers a unique opportunity to gain inspiration and learn from experiences of Black professionals who have excelled in their respective careers.

Panelists include:

• Al and Karen Ferron — Founders of Ferron Family Farms. Al and Karen embarked on a bold journey in 2021, leaving city life in Ontario to establish their 137-acre family-owned farm in Carleton County, New Brunswick. Specializing in high-quality, grass-fed, and pasture-raised meat, they offer authentic goat meat, beef, lamb, pork, and chicken, complemented by imported West Indian and cultural goods. Al's Jamaican upbringing and Karen's Canadian experiences blend agricultural knowledge and marketing backgrounds. Ferron Family Farms promotes food sovereignty directly from the farm, inspired during the COVID lockdown, leading to their relocation with their four children to New Brunswick, prioritizing family and growth. They proudly established their farm dream as first-generation farmers. Al and Karen were honoured recipients of the 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Black Business Initiative-Atlantic.
   
• Shanyce Jones — Behavioural Connections. Bermudian-born Shanyce Jones found her calling as a behaviour interventionist working summers in the Child and Adolescent Services department at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute. After graduating from Warwick Academy in 2011, Ms Jones went on to complete her undergraduate psychology degree in 2016 at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax. Not long after, an opportunity presented itself to work with children with autism, and that sparked her interest in continuing in that field of work. After enjoying that experience, Ms Jones decided to pursue a master’s degree in psychology while also specialising in applied behavioural analysis at Capella University in Minneapolis. Ms Jones graduated with a master’s degree in 2018. Ms Jones’s area of expertise and focus has been working with neuro-diverse children and youth. “Neuro-diverse is anyone who has autism, ADHD, anxiety, maybe depression or any kind of trauma. They experience the world in a different way, and they learn in different ways as everyone does. But they learn in a specific way and they need specific programming that will help them succeed in life,” Ms Jones said. Four years ago, while working with a child psychologist in Canada, Ms Jones finally decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship. “In 2020 and when everything shut down, I was previously working with a local child psychologist in Halifax, and she would refer me clients. She shut down when Covid hit,” Ms Jones said. “And in the summer, in August, she decided she didn't want to continue with the programme, so I decided I could do it on my own. I have a master’s in psychology, so I opened my own practice, and that’s how it started,” In 2021, Ms Jones opened her consulting service, Behavioural Connections, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her business offers a variety of services including autism evaluations, developmental assessments and behaviour analysis evaluations.
   
• William Tarr — Royal LePage Atlantic. William holds a joint M.Sc. degree in Regional Development Planning & Management from the Technical University of Dortmund (Germany) and the University of Philippine Diliman (Philippines). William is the go-to person at the Newcomers Centre for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot project. He provides support to designated employers, helping them settle their newly hired foreign skilled staff coming to Saint John and developing settlement plans for employees that are already in Canada. William moved to Saint John in the summer of 2011 to join his family, and today he is very proud to call Saint John his home. Himself a newcomer, William brings to our team a wealth of experience not only from his successful settlement in Saint John, but also from working within the settlement sector for the past three years. He is very passionate about making Saint John an inclusive community welcoming people from all around the world and from all walks of life. Apart from helping newcomers to get a good start in their new community, William enjoys speaking on issues pertaining to immigration, refugees and cultural competency. When William isn’t working on Immigration and cultural competencies, he is helping newcomers to buy or sell a home. That’s is the commitment he made to guide homeowners and sellers to make great decisions.