Generous Futures: Dismantling Anti-Asian Racism

Krishan Mehta is the Assistant Vice President, Engagement at Toronto Metropolitan University, where he leads alumni relations, special fundraising campaigns, and other strategies to engage different communities in support of the university. Previously, he held a variety of senior fundraising, alumni relations and marketing roles at Seneca College and the University of Toronto. Krishan is also the Director of the Fundraising Management Certificate Program at Toronto Metropolitan University and a professor in Carleton University's Philanthropy and Non-Profit Leadership Graduate Program. Krishan recently completed his PhD from the University of Toronto where he studied the philanthropy of immigrants in Canada. He serves as a board member of CanadaHelps.org and the TELUS community grants board. He was recently named 2020 Outstanding Fundraiser of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Toronto Chapter, the largest AFP chapter in the world.

Janice Fukakusa is Chancellor, Toronto Metropolitan University. She serves as a corporate director with extensive banking and financial services experience. She previously served as RBC’s Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer and a member of RBC’s Group Executive, from which she retired in January 2017 following a distinguished 31-year career.  

 Janice currently serves on the boards of corporate and not-for-profit organizations. She is a director on the Boards of Brookfield Asset Management, Cineplex, Loblaw, Riocan, and works with various not-for–profit and charitable organizations including Chairing the Boards of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre Foundation, SHEEO and as Chancellor of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

In 2007, she was inducted into Canada's Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame and, in 2016 she was named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker magazine for the fourth consecutive year. She was also selected as Canada's CFO of the Year by Financial Executives Canada, PwC and Robert Half in 2014. 

Janice has the professional designations of Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator. She was appointed Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (FCPA) in 2011. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts from University of Toronto and holds a Master of Business Administration from Schulich School of Business York University and in 2016 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from York University.

Sabina Vohra-Miller has an MSc in clinical pharmacology and toxicology. She previously worked in biotech as a scientific advisor. In 2016, she retired from her role in biotech and with her husband, she co-founded the Vohra-Miller Foundation, a philanthropic endeavor with the goal of making systemic, sustainable, and meaningful changes to healthcare in Canada.

Sabina is the founder of Unambiguous Science, which is a fact-based, educational resource that aims to make science accessible and approachable. She is also the co-founder of the South Asian Health Network, a grassroots volunteer-based organization focusing on culturally appropriate health education content and advocacy to address structural inequities in health care within the South Asian community. She is also Vice-Chair of the board at Lymphoma Canada and a Director of the board at The Stop Community Food Centre. She sits on the Advisory Committee for the Institute for Pandemics at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. 

Sabina’s passions include both science education, especially countering vaccine mis- and dis-information, as well as promoting and advocating for health equity and access to healthcare. As a first-generation immigrant and woman of colour, she believes strongly in community-based approaches that help build a more resilient and equitable Canada for everyone.

Dr. Joseph Yu Kai Wong, C.M., M.S.M., B.Eng., M.D., D.Sc., is a Canadian physician and philanthropist.  He is locally and nationally recognized for his leadership in social activism for over 40 years, for causes such as cultural and racial inclusivity and education; geriatric care; refugee relief; international natural disaster relief; and health care research.

Dr. Wong founded the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care in 1987, now Canada’s largest non-profit geriatric centre with 4 facilities serving over 20,000 seniors a year.  He is the Founding Chair of ALPHA Education, an organization dedicated to raising awareness of the Asia-Pacific theatre of World War II through educational curricula.  Dr. Wong also served as Chairman for the United Way of Greater Toronto from 1990 to 1992, where he was instrumental in the multicultural transformation of the organization to reflect the changing diversity of the city.

Dr. Wong was awarded the Order of Canada in 1993, the highest civic honour in the country.  He was the winner of the 2005 Power of Humanity award, presented to him on behalf of the Canadian Red Cross by former Soviet President and Nobel Peace Laureate Mikhail Gorbachev.  He was named Man of the Year in 1986 by the Toronto Star; one of Toronto's most influential people in 1991 and 1992 by Toronto Life magazine; and one of the 180 most influential people in Toronto's history by the Toronto Star in 2014.  In 2017, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General.

His other community involvement and honours include: Founding National President, Chinese Canadian National Council, 1980-1983; Hon. Chair of United Way of Greater Toronto, 1994-2000; Award of Merit, City of Toronto, 1986; Humanity Award, Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, 1994; Lifetime Achievement Award, CivicAction, 2017.