Chair
A Canadian diplomat, Erin Koenig has worked and lived in Latin America, Europe and Africa over the past two decades. Currently posted to the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, Erin has previously served overseas in Ethiopia and Peru. Her professional experience also includes working at the Privy Council Office’s Foreign & Defense Policy Secretariat, UNESCO HQ in Paris and the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in San José, Costa Rica. Erin holds a B.A. w. Distinction in Latin American Studies (University of Alberta) and M.A. w. Honours in Human Rights (University of Copenhagen). A proud partner and mother of two, Erin also serves as a mentor with the Canadian International Council (CIC), coach with Fora: Network for Change, and has her own photographic practice.
In both professional and volunteer capacities, Erin is committed to advancing human rights while making organisations stronger by eliminating systemic barriers, holding space for diverse voices, and creating concrete opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Vice-Chair
Ye Hee (Leona) resides on Treaty 6 Territory (Edmonton, Alberta) and is a human security advocate, a senior military officer within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and graduate of the Master in Human Security & Peacebuilding Program. Leona is passionate about contributing to a more just and inclusive society by building community and by progressing the rights of LGBTQ2+, women, and racialized peoples. Of Korean heritage, Leona is actively committed to anti-racist practices and fusing the beauties of Western and Eastern cultures into her leadership.
Leona has deployed on domestic and expeditionary operations ranging from supporting the Vancouver 2010 Olympics (Operation Podium), leading the logistics programs for flood and fire relief operations within Canada (multiple Operation Lentus missions) and leading platoons or units in Afghanistan (Operation Athena) and Latvia (Operation Reassurance). Leona is happily married to the love of her life and has two beautiful children.
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Chapter Engagement & Membership
Isabelle Côté is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her work examines the role of demographic factors in general, and (internal) population movements in particular, on intrastate conflict and contentious politics in Asia and beyond. She received her PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto and was a postdoctoral fellow at KITLV (Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies) in Leiden, Netherlands. Prior to that, she held various guest researcher positions in China, Indonesia, Denmark and Sweden. She has published in numerous journals in Political Science and Security, including PS: Political Science and Politics; Democratization; Civil Wars; Ethnopolitics; Studies in Conflict and Terrorism;andhas been on the executive board of the Canadian Council for Southeast Asian Studies, the ISA-Political Geography and Demography section and President of the Atlantic Provinces Political Science Association (APPSA).
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Chapter Engagement & Membership
Colleen Bell is a faculty member in the Department of Politics at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research and teaching focus on international theories, and critical security and war studies. She is currently working on projects examining international policing, feminist foreign policy, and the role of public relations in military operations. She is excited to serve on the board of WIIS and looks forward to meeting more women in the field. She also hopes to promote and celebrate the work of (especially junior) scholars and to contribute to professional and career development events and initiatives. She is an editor of the journal Critical Studies on Security.
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Social Media & Communications
Teanna has over two years of experience working at Global Affairs Canada, ranging from managing Canada's relations with several European countries to advancing Canada's trade policy priorities in major multilateral fora. Building on her professional expertise, Teanna is currently pursuing a Masters of Advanced International Studies at the Vienna Diplomatic Academy. Teanna holds a B.A. with Distinction in French and Political Science from Simon Fraser University.
Beyond her academic and professional pursuits, Teanna is deeply committed to making a positive impact through her volunteer engagement. She actively supports initiatives that promote gender equality and empower women in the field of international security. As she continues to grow in her career, Teanna remains committed to making organisations stronger by breaking down systemic barriers and creating opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Member-at-Large
A Fulbright scholar and women rights advocate, Nadia Noori has lobbied for equality in society in all her roles, which have included working for the Embassy of Canada in Kabul on Women Peace and Security (WPS) and Women and Girls Rights and Empowerment (WGRE); senior Gender Justice Advisor to the second vice-president in Afghanistan; and as a consultant with UNDP in Afghanistan. Drawing on her diverse educational and vocational experiences, Nadia founded a non-profit organization promoting youth social engagement through running Model United Nations (MUN) conferences and youth symposiums on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Nadia believes that equality and inclusion should be a priority for every society. She holds an MBA , from Southern Illinois University, and a BA in Business, with a major in Operations Management and Minoring in International Law. She has taken and delivered training on a range of topics, including Gender Based Violence (GBV) and gender inclusion. Nadia speaks four languages: English, Dari, Pashto, and German. In her free time, Nadia volunteers and enjoys painting, reading, and swimming.
Member-at-Large
Udoka Owie is an Associate Professor of Law; and Senior Research Associate at the Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada and has also held the Distinguished Harry Arthurs Fellowship at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. She obtained both her PhD in International Law and LLM (Distinction) in International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom where she started her teaching career. She obtained her LL.B (Hons) law degree from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus and her B.L (First Class Hons) from the Nigerian Law School and has been called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, where she has been in active legal practice since 2003. She has authored many articles and papers in human rights and international law including in the areas of international peace and security, as well as women, peace and security.
Member-at-Large
Marie-Claude Savard is a researcher with the Canadian Research Institute on Humanitarian Crises and Aid and a lecturer on international aid and management at UQAM and Université de Montréal. Having obtained an undergraduate degree in cultural anthropology from McGill University and a Masters in Project Management from UQAM, she completed in 2023 her PhD in management with a citation of excellence. She specializes in feminist and decolonial critical theory and international assistance. She also has 15 years of experience working for a variety of international aid organizations, and currently serves as the Senior Manager of Strategy, Development and Innovation at Cuso International.
JENNIFER POWER, Legal Advisor
Jenn is the Senior Council, Regulatory Affairs at Nova Scotia Power in Halifax. Jenn completed her legal education at Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. While there, Jenn demonstrated her commitment to her community while gaining invaluable advocacy experience. She interned with the Projects Abroad Human Rights Office in Cape Town, South Africa and also completed (with Honours) a clinical term at Dalhousie Legal Aid Service.
Prior to attending law school, Jenn served nine years as a Naval Warfare Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, achieving the rank of Lieutenant (Navy). She earned her Naval Officer Professional Qualification and specialized in Information Warfare. Jenn earned the General Campaign Star South West Asia medal for OPERATION ARTEMIS, an anti-terrorism mission intercepting illicit drugs in the Arabian Sea.
