NSWC Staff
Meet our team.
Michelle Dodds
Executive Director
Michelle is honoured to have worked as the Director of the North Shore Women's Centre since 1999, following an MA in Women's Studies from Simon Fraser University and community work in women's social justice and advocacy organizations. She is passionate about gender equity, and creating accessible community spaces and learning opportunities that facilitate social change. Michelle has enjoyed living on the North Shore since 2006. She can be reached at michelle@northshorewomen.ca
Maryam Saroei
Resource Centre Coordinator
Maryam is the Resource Centre Coordinator for the North Shore Women's Centre. She first got involved with the NSWC in September, 2009, and has lived on the North Shore since 2007. Maryam loves movies and spending time with her friends, and is passionate about women's rights and social justice. She is also a proud cat mom! Contact Maryam for inquiries about the NSWC's operations, programs, and our drop-in resource centre at maryam@northshorewomen.ca
Golnaz Yazdi
Safety and Justice Programs Coordinator
Golnaz is the Safety and Justice Programs Coordinator at the NSWC. As a sociology graduate from Simon Fraser University and lifelong feminist, she is passionate about the safety and rights of women and children.
Golnaz is the overseeing staff member for the North Shore Coordinating Committee to end Violence Against Women in Relationships (NS VAWIR), and the NSWC point of contact for the Farsi language Parenting Support Group. Please reach out to her by email at golnaz@northshorewomen.ca or nsvawir@northshorewomen.ca
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Sydney Dawson
Fund Development and Communications Coordinator
My name is Sydney (she/they), and I am a lifelong North Shore resident. I completed my Honours B.A. at Western University, and an M.A. in Linguistic Anthropology at UBC, researching the role of algorithms in social justice discourse. My work background includes areas such as harm reduction, transitional/supportive housing, LGBTQ+ youth outreach, and education. I am passionate about exploring how technology and social media can be used to advance feminism and equality accessibly.
I have worked as the Fund Development and Communications Coordinator at the North Shore Women's Centre since 2022. Please reach out to me by email (sydney@northshorewomen.ca) for inquiries about NSWC communications (emails, social media content, website, graphics and promotional materials), fund development (fundraising, donations, tax receipts, etc.), the Sexual Assault Prevention in Bars and Restaurants (Angel Shot Code) Initiative, or to say hello!
Maria Teran
Young Women's Empowerment Programs Coordinator
My name is Maria and I have been working as the Youth Empowerment Program Coordinator at the Centre, since 2022. I was born and raised in Ecuador and moved to Vancouver for university. I studied Political Science with a minor in Economics at UBC. I am currently pursuing a diploma in Strategic Political Communication. My work focuses on gender equality, gender-based violence prevention, and youth empowerment. In my free time, I love to read, dance, listen to music and have long conversations with friends and family. I love traveling and trying new food.
Feel free to contact me at maria@northshorewomen.ca, I will be happy to answer any questions or read your thoughts about our youth empowerment programs.
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Sheila Prawirasoetisna
Resource Centre Assistant
My name is Sheila and I'm the Resource Centre Assistant. I am originally from Jakarta, Indonesia and moved to Vancouver to study Psychology at UBC. I first got involved with NSWC in 2023 to help plan our 50th Anniversary International Women's Day Celebration and Benefit. I couldn't help but fall in love with the centre, so it only made sense for me to work at the centre after I finished my studies. Whenever you drop by the centre please don't hesitate to come say hello and introduce yourself! You can reach me by email for resource centre related inquiries at sheila@northshorewomen.ca
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Gabriela Ruzickova
Volunteer Programs Coordinator
Hello, my name is Gabriela, and I'm the volunteer coordinator at the NSWC who is responsible for taking care of dedicated volunteers here at the center. I got first involved with Women's Centre beginning of 2023 as a volunteer in the "Fresh Food Program". Since I started to volunteer, I really felt a strong connection to the centre and I am delighted to be part of this wonderful team of women. My great passion is about women's rights and personal freedoms, and the domestic & cultural basis of women's oppression. For thirty years I was devoted to working with exceptional individuals as a life skills worker and home support worker.
I am an enthusiastic, lively professional working in both team-based and independent capacities and enjoy creative problem solving on multiple projects. I am also a thinker and my growing interest is in people's lives and concerns. My origin is Slovakian, and I have lived here in beautiful Vancouver since 1992. You can reach me by email for volunteer inquiries at gabriela@northshorewomen.ca.
Oreofeoluwa Adeyonu
Researcher and Project Coordinator Gender Based Violence Prevention in High Schools
Oreofeoluwa completed her BSc (Hons) in International Relations and Diplomacy from Afe Babalola University. Following this she pursued a Masters in Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies from Simon Fraser University where her area of focus was women's rights in Nigeria and the influence of culture and religion on our understanding of sexuality. In her career her main focus is gender based violence prevention for girls and women, creating spaces of inclusion for refugee and migrant women, and mental health in minorities.
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Oreofeoluwa has worked as the Project Coordinator & Lead Researcher - Gender Based Violence Prevention in High Schools at the North Shore Women's Centre since June 2022. Please reach out to Oreofeoluwa at oreofeoluwa@northshorewomen.ca for any inquiries about the evidence based prevention programs we are offering.
Yasmin Vejs Simsek
Community Research and Engagement Project Coordinator - Gender Based Violence Prevention in High Schools
Yasmin (she/her) works with the North Shore Women’s Centre as the Community Research and Engagement Project Coordinator under the WAGE funded grant to bring sexual violence prevention programs to high schools on the North Shore and beyond.
Yasmin has recently completed her MA in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University. Outside of working to reduce gender-based violence, she acts and writes children’s books, as well as trying to better her community through book club initiatives and planning Vancouver’s annual International Women’s Day March.
Dana Puli
Young Women's Empowerment Summer Program Assistant
Dana was born and raised in Victoria, B.C and moved to Vancouver to pursue a Political Science degree and minor in Law and Society at UBC. Dana is excited to be a part of North Shore Women's Centre and to help assist in empowering youth! In her spare time, you can catch Dana either volunteering or taking dance classes. Dana will be working at the NSWC on our Summer Empowerment Camps until the end of summer!
Torkan Behnam
Interim Resource Centre Coordinator
Hello everyone! My name is Torkan and I came to Canada one and a half years ago. I started my career in my home country with UNHCR in a humanitarian program with a BA in Social Sciences and MA in Social Communications. I then continued working with various embassies, including the British and Australian ones, as a visa officer.
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I believe everyone has a life mission, and mine is to dedicate myself to helping people in need on different levels. A significant part of this desire is my deep care for empowering women.
The passion to make a positive impact in the community was strong, but as a newcomer, I wasn't sure how to find the right place to channel this energy. However, I firmly believe that when you aim for something and wholeheartedly want to make a beneficial impact, the right path appears before you, and your unique journey begins.
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My beautiful story with the North Shore Women's Centre started on a sunny summer day in mid-July 2023. I walked in and offered to care for their plants as a volunteer. My passion for nature and plants led me to exactly where I was looking! It didn't take long before I became involved in different volunteer programs.
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The more time I spent at the center, witnessing their positive impact on the community, the greater my enthusiasm grew to be part of this wonderful team. The North Shore Women's Centre truly makes a difference and saves lives every day. We laugh with our clients and cry with them during difficult times. This is the essence of a real family. NSWC is a house of humanity, support, dignity, awareness, empathy and kindness. That is why every time I come to the center, I don't walk with my legs, I fly with my wings. I feel a strong sense of purpose, coming to my second home.
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Christina Casperson
Health and Wellness Program Coordinator
Christina is honored to have been involved with the North Shore Women's Centre since 2020 as both a volunteer fundraiser and more recently as the Health and Wellness Support Group facilitator.
With a BA in Communications, a GDBA from Simon Fraser University, and an MA in Counselling Psychology, Christina is deeply committed to supporting women’s mental and physical health through a holistic mind-body approach.
Having lived on the North Shore her entire life, she is passionate about fostering a supportive and thriving community for women. In her free time, Christina teaches yoga and enjoys long forest walks with her dog, Micki.
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For inquiries related to the Health and Wellness Program, email Christina at nswchealthandwellness@gmail.com
