Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2026) - The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, (CCDI) welcomes Dahabo Ahmed-Omer and Robert Zhu to its Board of Directors. They will contribute to CCDI's mission of building a more inclusive Canada. By adding complementary expertise on its board, CCDI aims to strengthen governance to support its long-term national impact and capacity to support evolving workplaces and communities with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, (DEIA) education.
Strategic Board Appointments
Sartaj Sarkaria, President and Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) of CCDI, stated: "As the DEIA landscape evolves, we remain committed to continuous growth and learning. By strengthening the leadership capabilities needed to create meaningful social change, we are leading through example."
Dahabo Ahmed-Omer is the CEO of the BlackNorth Initiative, a leading Canadian organization advancing economic opportunity and combating anti-Black systemic racism. Her expertise is in employment equity, anti-racism, diversity, and organizational transformation and she has experience serving in the federal public service. Under her leadership, BlackNorth Initiative has expanded its national impact through partnerships with corporate, government, philanthropic, and community leaders across Canada. Ahmed-Omer affirmed: "Equity is not an aspiration. It defines the future of leadership. I am honoured to join CCDI's Board as it drives transformational change and advances more inclusive workplaces across Canada."
Robert Zhu is a Partner at Roots Strategies, a national Indigenous affairs agency. His expertise is in stakeholder engagement, government relations, strategic advisory services and cross-cultural engagement. He has experience supporting Indigenous economic development initiatives and building partnerships that create shared value for their communities, industry, and investors. He advises clients across Canada to navigate complex political and regulatory environments creating pathways for long-term growth and collaboration. Zhu declared: "I'm honoured and grateful to join CCDI's Board, and I look forward to working with the team at CCDI to help build a more inclusive and more equitable Canada."
Soula Courlas, CCDI's Board Chair, highlighted the broader significance of the appointments: "We look forward to the new directors' contributions, strengthening both the Board and CCDI while extending our impact across organizations, communities and governments to advance positive change for all."
The strategic Board appointments of Dahabo Ahmed-Omer and Robert Zhu will support the next phase of leadership development so that CCDI can continue serving as Canada's trusted centre for DEIA, a hub of knowledge, learning, collaboration and practical solutions to advance diversity, equity, and justice.
Dahabo Ahmed-Omer
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10536/309228_photo_dahabo_ahmed_omer.jpg
Robert Zhu
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10536/309228_5a37a18d5497095f_002full.jpg
For media inquiries, please contact:
Melanie Anthony
Bilingual Communications Manager, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
communications@ccdi.ca
About Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion is a national charity established in 2013 with the mandate to build a more inclusive Canada. CCDI offers a comprehensive suite of bilingual services including webinars and conferences, community of practice events, research and resources on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the workplace, the Canadian Certified Inclusion Professionals (CCIP.D) certification, the See Different youth education and ambassador programs, and networking opportunities throughout the year. We are committed to educating workplaces, schools, and communities on DEIA and to shaping the national dialogue towards a more equitable and just society for all. More info: https://www.ccdi.ca
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/309228