Our Staff

Israt Ahmed is Senior Community Planner at Social Planning Toronto, coordinating civic engagement initiatives and building resident leadership. She coordinates city-wide campaigns and local initiatives to make the city equitable, accessible, and affordable for Torontonians. She holds an MA and a PhD from the University of Sussex. She has taught courses on diversity, civic engagement, community development, and social planning at the University of Toronto, York University, and Ryerson.

Mel Choubak is a social justice researcher, policy analyst, and educator with a PhD in Applied Social Psychology and a background in Education. Her work has advanced systemic change across non-profit, public, and corporate sectors, with a focus on improving policies, programs, and practices to support underrepresented and marginalized groups. Her leadership and contributions have advanced socio-economic justice by addressing employment inequities, lobbying for inclusive legislation, conducting workplace and institutional audits, and fostering systemic reform in ways that honour intersectional identities. Mel will be leading the Fairness for Shelter & Drop-in Workers project, funded through the Metcalf Foundation.

Before joining Social Planning Toronto, Anna spent fifteen years working as an arts and culture journalist, contributing to a range of magazines and newspapers. Her experiences led her to witness firsthand how intersecting social and economic crises—including a lack of affordable housing and weakening labour protections—determine who gets to participate in a city’s creative scene. She is excited about working with SPT to build a more equitable Toronto. Anna is the author of the novel Good Girl (Flying Books) and the picture book Margot and the Moon Landing (Annick Press).

From grassroots organizing to nonprofit leadership, Jin has supported and led change efforts in communities, organizations, and nonprofit sectors, and collaborated with residents and decision-makers across the city. Jin has over 25 years of experience in the public and nonprofit sector, with experience in policy development, civic engagement, settlement, housing, women’s and 2SLGBTQ+ health. She has also worked as a facilitator, consultant and coach, in adult education, and community arts, and was co-editor of HanKut: Critical Art and Writing by Korean Canadian Women. She serves on the Executive of the Social Planning Network of Ontario, on the Steering Committee of the Toronto Nonprofit Network, and on the Policy Committee of the Ontario Nonprofit Network. 

Kanaka is a non-binary, Tamil migrant, and settler in T’karonto. Their ancestral roots are based in Valvettithurai, Eelam. As an educator with a background in Political Science, they have spent the last 15 years working in the nonprofit sector, on the front lines, in management roles, and as a consultant. Kanaka’s sector experience is diverse and includes Food Security/ Food Justice, Settlement, Youth and Education, Community Development, as well as working in public institutions. In all their working spaces, their queer communities, and their earth working communities, they are a practitioner of deep listening and care work. These two things allow them to reflect, learn, and make connections, while ensuring that everything we do centers our relationships with each other.

Sharma conducts community-based, action-oriented research and supports stakeholder engagement. Currently, her work focuses on academic streaming, access to recreation for equity-seeking groups, and community use of public spaces. A social worker by training, Sharma is dedicated to addressing the root causes of social injustices.

Mercedes Sharpe Zayas is a community planner committed to movement building and economic justice in the urban form. She cultivated her participatory planning practice as the Planning Coordinator for the Parkdale People’s Economy. She has also worked as a Lead Strategist with Evenings & Weekends Consulting, a Policy Research Intern at the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division, a Research Assistant for the Metcalf Foundation’s Inclusive Local Economies Program, a Graduate Research Assistant with The Public Studio, a Consultant with the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust, and a Co-Facilitator with the Power Lab. She holds a Master of Science in Urban Planning from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Anthropology from McGill University. Mercedes will be leading SPT’s Community Wealth Building Initiative, a partnership with the Atkinson Foundation, aimed at mobilizing community leaders to strengthen and advance community wealth building practices across Toronto through shared learning and collective advocacy.

Shannon Spencer is a Toronto-based community planner passionate about creating more inclusive and equitable cities. She earned her Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Planning (Honours) from the University of Waterloo and her Master of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto. Shannon has worked across local, municipal, and provincial levels for the past five years, contributing to community-driven planning initiatives in neighbourhoods like Lawrence Heights and Little Jamaica. Her approach centers on meaningful collaboration with residents, grassroots organizations, and various partners to develop strategies that authentically reflect communities' lived experiences.

Stacia Stewart is a community visionary, researcher, and change-maker with more than 27 years of experience in health equity, community wellness, and developing community-led initiatives across the health, education, and social services sectors. She has worked at the local, provincial, and national levels, leading interdisciplinary teams, shaping public policy, and advancing equity through research, stakeholder engagement, and culturally responsive program design. Her work spans maternal and child health, gender-based violence prevention, newcomer settlement, and LGBTQ+ inclusion, with a proven record of strengthening community initiatives and driving systemic change. Beyond her professional work, Stacia is a proud parent of three and a dedicated community mentor.

Beth Wilson is our lead on policy and research at Social Planning Toronto, starting at our organization in 2002. She has a Master of Social Work (MSW), Policy, Organization and Community.

Melissa Wong is an experienced strategist and organizer with a passion for social justice and equity. For nine years, she worked at the municipal level for a Toronto City Councillor, leading campaigns and advancing policy to improve the lives of the city’s most vulnerable residents, including the initiation of the Downtown East Action Plan and the development of the Indigenous Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Melissa’s career in the community and non-profit sector has been dedicated to supporting intersectional gender equality and gender equity. In 2017, Melissa co-founded Women Win Toronto, a program to support and train progressive women to run for elected office. Prior to her work at city hall, Melissa held roles at the Toronto Women’s City Alliance and the North York Women’s Centre.

Saroja is a planner of Venezuelan and Indian-Tamil descent with over a decade of experience in resident engagement in Toronto's diverse neighbourhoods. She is dedicated to reducing barriers to civic participation through local governance, and has worked with numerous community groups and networks across the city to organize around systemic issues, including racial and migrant justice, alternatives to policing, equitable planning and housing equity. She holds a Master of Arts in Human Geography from the University of Toronto.