Sabreena Delhon is the CEO of the Samara Centre for Democracy, Canada’s leading non-partisan organization focused on strengthening and protecting Canadian democracy. For over a decade she has directed multi-stakeholder research and public engagement initiatives that have made an impact across justice, academic, and non-profit sectors. Sabreena has appeared as an expert witness before Parliamentary committees on matters relating to political participation and frequently provides commentary about democratic engagement for various media outlets such as The Globe & Mail, CBC Radio, The Social and The Toronto Star. She is the host of Humans of the House, an award-winning podcast that explores the lived experience of former Members of Parliament, and Group Chat, a podcast about contemporary issues in Canada’s democracy. Sabreena is a Senior Fellow at Massey College and is a recipient of the Coronation Medal for service to Canada. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Alberta and an MA in Sociology from Dalhousie University.

Beatrice is an award-winning researcher, teacher and passionate advocate for participatory democracy. She has taught popular courses on youth democratic activism at Harvard University, the University of Sydney and New York University. She holds an PhD from New York University and a Masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and has received major grants to conduct research across Canada, the United States and Ethiopia.

In addition to her academic research and teaching, she has served on steering committees and provided her research and pedagogical expertise to a variety of non-profit organizations and educational publishers, including Students Learn Students Vote, Scholastic Books, and the Faculty Network for Student Voting Rights. She is one of the founders of the Student Vote Research Network. She is frequently asked to provide commentary on democratic engagement and civic participation for diverse media outlets.

beatrice@samaracentre.ca

Kate Evans is a Toronto-based editorial leader and podcast producer with more than a decade of experience creating and shaping public-interest content. She is the Director of Content and Media Relations at the Samara Centre for Democracy, where she leads content strategy across podcasts, digital platforms, and public-facing initiatives designed to make Canadian politics and democracy more accessible and engaging.

Previously, Kate was a Senior Producer at CBC Podcasts, where she led award-winning series including Split Screen, Uncover: Allison After NXIVM, and Podcast Playlist. She has also served on CBC Podcasts’ development committee, evaluating new projects and working with creators and production companies to shape programming and editorial strategy.

A lifelong podcast enthusiast, Kate has hosted podcast recommendation segments for CBC Radio and served as a judge for the National Media Awards Foundation’s podcast category. She has also taught podcasting and radio production at Humber College, including through its Global Summer School program, where she worked with students from around the world.

Alex is the Research Manager in Democracy & Technology at the Samara Centre for Democracy. His work focuses on technology's influence on Canadian democracy and civic engagement, digital platform governance, prosocial design, mitigating digital information threats, and enhancing digital media literacy. He currently leads the Samara Centre's VERIFIED project, and previously led the SAMbot project from 2022-2025. He is also a research fellow at the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance.

Alex is a graduate of McMaster University’s Master of Public Policy in Digital Society program, where his research focused on digital privacy law, digital democracy, and the spread of dis- and misinformation online, all within a Canadian context. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communications, Leadership, and Culture from the University of Prince Edward Island. Through holding previous working roles in research, communications, public affairs, and municipal government, Alex has had experience working within both the non-profit sector and public service.

Beyond online discourse, Alex is passionate about issues surrounding equity within public education, digital literacy, and youth civic engagement.

alex@samaracentre.ca

Emma CW Ceruti is the Executive Assistant and Operations Lead at the Samara Centre for Democracy, where she supports the CEO and the organization’s operations, coordination, and strategic work. Her professional experience spans nonprofit administration, research, communications, continuing education, and public scholarship. Prior to joining the Samara Centre, Emma worked with the University of St. Michael’s College Continuing Education, the Canadian Council of Churches, and the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness at Baycrest Health Sciences. Across these roles, her work has included coordinating complex projects, supporting organizational leadership, developing educational programming, and translating research and ideas for public audiences.

Emma holds a PhD in Theological Studies from the University of Toronto, an MA in Systematic Theology from Union Theological Seminary, and a BA from DePaul University. Her doctoral research brought disability studies, liberation theology, and Christian mysticism into conversation around questions of justice, power, and social change. She is also Co-Editor of The Canadian Journal of Theology, Mental Health, and Disability and Co-Host of The Mad and Crip Theology Podcast.

Aleksi Toiviainen is the Public Affairs Assistant at the Samara Centre for Democracy, where he develops and executes public affairs strategies to advance democratic renewal in Canada. His work focuses on youth civic engagement, with a track record of leading successful advocacy campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. Prior to joining the Samara Centre, Aleksi was the Co-Founder and General Coordinator of Vote16 Canada, a national campaign to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds. He previously worked at Crestview Strategy, one of Canada’s largest public affairs firms, and served as an advisor and parliamentary research assistant to a Canadian senator. Aleksi holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy, English, and Philosophy from the University of Toronto.

Sam is a Researcher at the Samara Centre for Democracy, where his work focuses on how technology shapes political participation.

He holds an M.A. in Labour Studies from McMaster University, where his research examined the formation of political consciousness in online forums. He also holds a B.A. in Political Science and Communication Studies & Media Studies from Carleton University. He has previously worked as a journalist and as a staffer in the Ontario legislature.

Sam is interested in designing institutions that promote mass democratic participation.

Sarah Morra is a Research Assistant at the Samara Centre for Democracy, where she conducts mixed-methods research on political participation, democratic institutions and youth engagement.

Beyond the Samara Centre, Sarah is an active youth advocate in her communities, with her work surrounding electoral reform, youth civic engagement, and greater youth representation in Canada. She serves as the chair of Vote16 Canada, where she has carried out her advocacy efforts through leadership of campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, including within the Senate of Canada.

Sarah is currently pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and European Affairs, with a minor in Science, Technology and Society at the University of Toronto.