MICHAEL MESSENGER – President and CEO

Michael provides leadership to World Vision Canada’s relief, development and advocacy work, supporting the world’s most vulnerable children. His keen interest in the most fragile regions has taken him to countries such as South Sudan, Central African Republic and Afghanistan, where he has met children and families who were living on the margins. Michael first joined World Vision in 1990 and was involved in early advocacy efforts in Canada and Geneva. In 1995, Michael moved to attend law school and then practiced law for nine years in Halifax. As a partner at Cox & Palmer, he developed a broad litigation practice and served as chief counsel to a high-profile public inquiry on issues of youth justice. During this time, Michael was a member of the Board of Directors of World Vision Canada. He returned to a staff leadership role at World Vision in 2007, serving as Vice President for Public Affairs and Executive Vice President before assuming the role of President and CEO in 2015.  As President, Michael supports strategy realization, leadership development, and external engagement with key partners and stakeholders like media, churches, donors, other humanitarian organizations and government. Beyond his role in Canada, Michael plays a significant role in supporting international strategic initiatives with the World Vision Partnership.

Michael holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, a J.D. in law from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University. He has been involved with numerous non-profit and church boards. He and his wife, Yvonne, have two adult children and live near Toronto. They attend Trinity Church Streetsville. In his spare time, Michael runs marathons with Team World Vision, raising awareness and funds for children so they can reach their God-given potential.

Follow Michael on Twitter (@mjmessenger)

Michael Messenger, World Vision Canada CEO and President and part of our leadership team.

 

Senior Leadership Team 

  Sumair Mirza, Chief Operating Officer

SUMAIR MIRZA - Chief Operating Officer

Sumair Mirza has been Chief Operating Officer of World Vision Canada since November 2018. Sumair brings over 20 years’ experience to his role, including his two years’ service on the World Vision Corporation in a volunteer governance role. Sumair is passionate about evolving the way the organization creates and shares real impact and adapts to market changes to sustainably fundraise and effectively engage Canadians and public and private partners to help the world’s most vulnerable children reach their full potential, by fighting poverty and injustice.

Sumair firmly believes in the power of creative people, leveraging data insights and meticulously designed digital products to achieve successful business outcomes; his strengths include leading diverse teams, improving and innovating business processes and strategy, and building industry-leading digital products and services.

Prior to joining World Vision Canada, Sumair founded Convergent Labs, a digital consulting agency, to accelerate organizational innovation via a multi-dimensional approach leveraging a distinctive mix of digital, business, and creative disciplines. Before this role, Sumair was Chief Operating Officer at Element Fleet Management where he helped lead the company during a time of significant growth. And in addition to his experience as a COO and digital entrepreneur, Sumair spent over 12 years with GE Capital holding roles in Marketing, Product Management, Business Development, Operations, Consulting, Sourcing, IT, and Commercial Excellence. Sumair has further honed his expertise through executive courses at acclaimed institutions such as GE Crotonville Management Institute, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, MIT Sloan, and University of Cambridge.

Sumair, his wife, and their children live in Richmond Hill and attend Toronto Swatow Baptist Church in Scarborough. Sumair embraces fitness and health, actively participates in his children’s sports activities, and when he can find the time, is an avid soccer player.


Judi Hesp, Vice President of Programs and Policy at World Vision Canada


JUDI HESP - Chief People Officer

Judi brings over two decades of transformative experience in People & Culture leadership. With a CHRE designation and a proven track record across diverse industries, she passionately guides our teams in creating exceptional workplace experiences and fostering a culture of shared success. Throughout her career, Judi has been a catalyst for change, leading global teams through cultural transformations and technology implementations with her empowering and collaborative leadership style. Her vision centers on fostering an inclusive workplace where every individual thrives, driving continuous improvement in our people strategy to uphold innovation and excellence. Outside of work, Judi finds inspiration and community at Mountainside Church in Dundas, Ontario, reflecting her commitment to personal growth and making a positive impact beyond the office walls.


Anita Tong, Chief Finance and Administration Officer at World Vision Canada


ANITA TONG - Chief Finance and Administration Officer

Anita joined World Vision Canada 15 years ago and has led several teams, including financial planning and analysis, corporate performance, and efficiency innovation. As World Vision Canada’s Chief Finance and Administration Officer, Anita leads our finance, accounting and shared services functions, including our customer care and legal teams. A Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Accountant, Anita previously held finance leadership roles at Allstream and Ernst & Young LLP. Anita holds a BA (Honours – Chartered Accountancy Studies) and a Masters in Accounting from the University of Waterloo. Anita enjoys spending time with her family which includes serving at their church on the finance and risk committee, and in outreach programs.


Kevin Andrews, Vice President, Brand & Marketing


KEVIN ANDREWS - Vice President, Brand & Marketing

Kevin brings over 20 years of experience in Brand and Product Marketing leadership, with a passion for purposeful brands that connect with their customers in authentic and meaningful ways. He has developed a broad range of marketing expertise across both technology and consumer package goods industries having worked for leading organizations including Microsoft Canada, Sharp Electronics Canada, LG Canada, and most recently the #1 and #2 consumer packaged goods brands in Canada (President’s Choice ™ and no name ™) for Loblaw Companies Ltd.

Kevin accompanies his extensive work experience with a strong educational background including a BBA from the University of Toronto with a Marketing major and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.  Kevin is also actively involved as alumni at both University of Toronto and Schulich School of Business programs, volunteering his time to guest-lecture on various Marketing topics to the next generation of Marketing leaders.


Claudia Berloni, Vice President of Programs and Policy


CLAUDIA BERLONI - Vice President, Programs and Policy

Claudia is the Vice President of Programs and Policy where she provides leadership to our global portfolio of programs. In this role she oversees our impact delivery, technical excellence, public sector revenue acquisition and advocacy and government engagement functions. During her 18 years working in the international development and humanitarian sector, Claudia has supported operations and programming in over 30 countries. She has held various leadership positions in program management, design, and strategic planning. Claudia brings her extensive experience developing strategic partnerships, serving on several advisory groups for multi-stakeholder collaborations, and sits on the Kentro Christian Networks board of directors. She has an Honors bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Toronto and holds several post-graduate certifications. Claudia has a strong commitment to community service and worships at All Saints Catholic Church with her family.


Martin Campbell, Vice-President of Marketing


MARTIN CAMPBELL - Vice President, Strategy and Innovation

Martin Campbell is an award-winning digital entrepreneur and expert in growth strategy and tech for good. Martin founded a leading digital agency for charities, delivering digital fundraising and online products. He then served as a director at Convio and Blackbaud Europe before founding the successful big-data startup “Ormsby Street.” Martin now serves as VP of Strategy and Innovation at World Vision Canada, where he leads the organization’s annual and multi-year strategy development, and the innovation team, who create the next generation of products and services to Canadians and the children and communities we serve.


Sumair Mirza, Chief Operating Officer


ROCKWELL DUNDAS -  Vice President, Philanthropy and Partnerships

Rocky leads our Philanthropy, Engagement, and Partnerships team at World Vision Canada, where he leverages his extensive business development experience in non-profit and for-profit sectors. He is a focused leader passionate about creating vehicles for transformation and social impact. He has served in various pastoral and lay leadership roles across Canada for over thirty years. Rocky holds a Bachelor of Education from Tyndale University and an MBA from Norwich University in Change Management and Organizational Leadership. He is a lifelong learner who seeks new opportunities to grow and develop his skills and knowledge. He is also an entrepreneurial founder, executive member and investor in team development initiatives that aim to reach new markets and audiences. Rocky is proud of his Indigenous heritage as a member of the Métis nation and is an active member of Newmarket Alliance Church in Newmarket.


Joshua Folkema – Vice President, Product


JOSHUA FOLKEMA - Vice President, Product

Josh Folkema leads our Product team and is an executive product management professional with over 20 years of experience in strategic development and data-driven decision-making. His extensive work in over 40 countries within the development and humanitarian sector has provided him with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by the most vulnerable populations. Josh has led high-performing teams, improved digital initiatives, and strengthened product portfolios. He holds a BSc from Calvin University, a Master's from York University, and has completed executive education at Queens University, Harvard, MIT Sloan, and Product Faculty. Josh is dedicated to his community, serving as a board member for Scott Mission and attending the People’s Church.


Selby Mong – Vice President of Digital & Information Technology


SELBY MONG - Vice President, Enterprise Technology & Transformation

Selby leads our Enterprise Technology & Transformation where he leads our technical, data, research, agile and process transformation teams. He has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, primarily in the financial services sector, having spent most of his career in the financial industry, specifically in business process outsourcing. His expertise in delivering applications and IT services brings a wealth of experience and perspective to the organization. Selby has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a minor in Business from Concordia University in Montreal. He is also an active volunteer at St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish in Toronto, which he attends with his family.

 

Board of Directors 

  • Patrice Boileau | Director General, City of Beaconsfield, Montreal, QB
  • Rebecca Chan | Vice-President, Head of Legal for Asia Pacific, Assurant
  • Drew Fitch | Retired professional accountant and past public company CFO and CEO, Calgary, AB
  • Deborah Holbrook, Chair | Lawyer, Pickering, ON
  • Michael Kamel | Partner, Strategy & Business & Corporate Strategy, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Montreal, QC
  • Steven Kroeker | Chief Investment Officer, Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, Calgary, AB
  • Rob Meikle, Vice-Chair​ | Director, Innovation for CEO Global Network and Pastor of Kingdom House Christian Centre, Brampton, ON
  • Suanne Miedema | President, Miedema's Board Consulting Inc., Concord, ON
  • Peter Neufeld, Secretary | Senior Vice President, HR, Spinmaster, Toronto, ON
  • Rebekah Powell | Legal Counsel, Director of Employee & Labour Relations at Shannex Inc., Halifax, NS
  • Alison Williams | Retired from BMO Capital Markets, Toronto, ON
  • Eva Wong, Treasurer | Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Borrowell, Toronto, ON