Meet the Team

Aliza Lakhani is responsible for the vision and execution of Northeastern’s first international campus, located in Toronto. She is driven by her passion to change the world of education, one lifelong learner at a time. She has deep expertise as a transformational leader within the finance, technology, and nonprofit industries. Prior to Northeastern, Aliza was head of business development and international at the DMZ, now the #1 ranked university tech incubator in the world. Under Aliza’s direction, the DMZ tripled annual revenue through corporate partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and expanded into global markets. Aliza has worked for years in revenue-generating, strategic, and advisory roles at RBC Capital Markets, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of Montreal in Toronto and New York. She started her career on the trading floor in fixed income sales and trading. Aliza serves on the advisory boards of C.D. Howe Institute Human Capital Council, #MoveTheDial, Wealthsimple Foundation and the Aga Khan Council for Canada. She was previously chair of the board of directors for the Rexdale Women’s Center. Aliza holds a Bachelor of Mathematics with distinction from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from New York University Stern School of Business.

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As Toronto’s Associate Dean and Campus Administrator, Nenita works closely with the Dean to develop and guide strategic plans that enhance the overall mission of the Campus. She provides leadership to the Student Services and Career Services/Co-op teams while partnering with others from across the university system to ensure the successful delivery of programs and an exceptional student experience. Nenita also leads on innovating new programs and initiatives in collaboration with the academic colleges and the global network.

Nenita possesses a wealth of experience drawn from a diverse career in higher education. She joins us from Mohawk College, where she was the Associate Dean for Liberal and Administrative Studies. Prior to her time at Mohawk, Nenita spent 9 years at Toronto Metropolitan University (previously Ryerson University) as a Program Director overseeing all the Faculty of Arts programs and courses delivered through the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. She is also very familiar with the U.S. higher education landscape and has held various academic and administrative roles at Harvard University.

Nenita has a Doctorate in Philosophy and Masters in the History of Art and Architecture from Harvard University. She completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a specialist in Art History and minors in History and German at Trinity College in the University of Toronto.

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Anna has been involved in international education for almost 20 years, managing international programs and developing retention and success programming for international students. Anna completed an MA in Intercultural and International Communications from Royal Roads University, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Immigration at Seneca College, where she also taught for many years. Anna has lived and worked overseas extensively and has been a student in five different countries, including Cuba and China. As a result, Anna enjoys the challenges of intercultural development as a way to deconstruct that which divides.

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Montse Sanzsole is responsible for the strategy and implementation of new and innovative initiatives and partnerships to better connect the regional campus priorities with the employment and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

For over 20 years, Montse has worked in the higher education sector (University of Waterloo) with employers, students, faculty and university staff to build relationships that fuel future career choices with purpose. Whether through co-op work terms, capstone projects, scholarships, donations or joint research initiatives, Montse uses her passion for people, conversation and connection to engage external partners from all industry sectors.

In joining Northeastern, Montse looks forward to continuing the growth of the university brand in Canada & beyond. With a world-class team at her side from campuses across the globe and a long-existing foundation at Northeastern, as a leader in work-integrated learning opportunities for students, the potential is limitless.

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Sam leads and supports the operations of the Dean’s office by providing executive administrative support as well as leading the strategy and execution of various special projects. In this dynamic role, Sam wears various hats, including connector, collaborator, leader, and executor.

Sam has several years of experience within the Ontario Public Service, specifically with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Sam holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Tourism and Environment from Brock University and has obtained a number of certifications, including Indigenous Cultural Competency, from the Ontario Public Service.

Outside of work, Sam enjoys spinning, taking waterfront walks and relaxing with her cats.

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In his role as Admissions Recruiter at Northeastern University in Toronto, Michael is responsible for driving program enrollments and initiatives through strategic partnerships with companies, professional associations, government entities, colleges and universities.

Prior to joining Northeastern, Michael worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years, helping individuals, families and business owners navigate the complexities of growing, preserving and transitioning wealth. Michael has held practice management, business development and advisory roles at TD Canada Trust, CIBC, Bank of Montreal and Fidelity. Recognized for leadership and helping others succeed, Michael is passionate about facilitating success in others and delivering an exceptional student experience.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Toronto.

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As the Associate Director of Community and Academic Partnerships, Deniz helps the campus to advance community engagement priorities by leading the development of collaborations with post-secondary institutions and community organizations. He earned his BA in English Linguistics from Hacettepe University in Turkey and completed his MA in Teaching English to Other Speakers of Languages (TESOL) at Western Michigan University in the United States. With more than a decade of experience as a culturally inclusive educator, Deniz has worked at language schools and universities, teaching a wide range of language skills to young adults, professionals, and immigrants with multicultural backgrounds. Prior to this role, Deniz worked as the first Global Learner Support (GLS) Specialist and provided global learners with language, academic, and cultural support services at the Toronto campus.

Being a community-minded leader, Deniz primarily aims to create a positive impact in the Greater Toronto Area through strategic initiatives and new academic pathways with peer institutions. Driven by diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, he is resolved to empower the community through authentic engagement and reciprocal relationships.

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As the Experiential Partnership Specialist, Charmaine builds meaningful relationships with industry partners. She connects organizations with students at Northeastern through work-integrated learning, co-op, and internships opportunities.

Charmaine joins us from the University of Toronto Career Services and Rotman Commerce Business School where she fostered employer connections to support career programming for over 60,000 graduate and undergraduate students. She has led industry-specialized programs, managed a database of 16,000+ employers, coordinated 150+ employer events on campus, and launched 200+ jobs daily. In the last 5 years, she has dedicated her time to building meaningful relationships with diverse partners including employers, community leaders, students, faculty and higher education professionals. Charmaine values collaboration and aims to leverage the unique strengths of partners to co-create curricular and co-curricular activities for students to build skills, gain experiences and create a purpose-driven career.

Charmaine loves spending time outdoors all year round! In the summer, you can find her camping, playing tennis or going for long walks with her dog. In the winter, she's on the slopes snowboarding with her partner, friends and family.

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FZ is seasoned HR Professional with over 14 years of experience in managing human capital, with a proven track record in providing HR leadership and strategy development in all areas of HR.

In her Capacity, she is the onsite go-to contact for all HR matters across Canadian campuses and remote employees at NU, responsible for leading and influencing all HR activities within scope. Also, she provides global mobility support across all Northeastern Campuses and global remote employees collaborating with local HR, Office of General Counsel, and multiple vendors to ensure legal and tax compliance, as well as a positive employee experience.

FZ has Spent 13 years within the financial services industry at the Western Union company where she held many positions at an international level, where she has served as a regional Head of HR for Middle East & Africa region, and joined Coopervision where she provided HR leadership and support to both the Canadian commercial organization and Specialty Eye Care Division.
FZ has Extensive experience working in complex business scenarios across multiple global locations. Dedicated work areas include : Global Mobility, Employee Relations and Engagement, Compensation & Benefits, Recruitment & Selection, Performance Management, Talent Management, Learning & Development, Policies and Procedures, HR Administration.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management and an MBA in Human Resources. FZ is an active member of the HRPA in Ontario and holds a CHRP & CHRL designations. She is trilingual ( English, French, Arabic ) and enjoys exploratory trips in islands.

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Matthew (Matt) Murray is the Associate Director of Operations for the Toronto Campus and leads the Toronto Operations team with the primary goal of delivering a best-in-class experience to our students. He is also responsible to lead all on/off campus events with external guests, including Northeastern Toronto’s annual graduation ceremony.

Matt earned his BA from the University of Toronto and is a seasoned operations professional with over 14 years of experience in higher education. Matt’s experience spans across various leadership positions within academic divisions overseeing events, budget planning, financial control, human resources, employee training, facilities planning and safety.

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As a Campus Operations Specialists at the Toronto campus Judith oversees day-to-day campus operations and provides front-line student support. She also coordinates and supports a range of virtual and on ground events.

Judith has a Master of Museum Studies degree from the Faculty of Information at University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Applied Science. Her professional work experiences include an internship in Collection Management, Co-curator and Exhibition Design for The National Ballet of Canada, and event management experience.

She is a baker, an amateur photographer that dabbles in event photography, and a true crime enthusiast.

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Kayla earned her Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Classical Studies from Western University. While there she was heavily involved on campus, from athletics to student services. She spent several years away from campus life, managing escape rooms in Ontario and teaching English in China, before returning to Canada and joining Northeastern. Here she hopes to help create a space where students and staff alike can flourish.

In her free time you can find Kayla paddling, reading, or playing games of all kinds.

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Noah Pizzirusso is the on site IT Support Technician. He is responsible for the IT needs that staff and students may have during their time at Northeastern University. Noah strives to always learn about new and existing tech in order to provide the best tech experience to staff and students.

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Anna has been involved in international education for almost 20 years, managing international programs and developing retention and success programming for international students.

Anna completed an MA in Intercultural and International Communications from Royal Roads University, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Immigration at Seneca College, where she also taught for many years.

Anna has lived and worked overseas extensively and has been a student in five different countries, including Cuba and China. As a result, Anna enjoys the challenges of intercultural development as a way to deconstruct that which divides.

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Stephanie earned her Honours Bachelor of Arts from York University, followed by her Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto (OISE). In April 2021, she completed her Master of Education from York University with a specialization in Postsecondary Education: Community, Culture and Policy. She is a strong advocate of lifelong learning and has experience in advising, teaching, counselling, leadership, and management.

Stephanie has worked with students of all ages from a vast spectrum of socio-cultural contexts, empowering them to be innovators, build resilience, and develop the tools needed for success. In her previous role as Student Services Advisor at Lambton College in Toronto, she gained extensive experience working with international students, leading orientations and teams, developing new initiatives, supporting extracurricular activities, and building a sense of community and purpose in the postsecondary environment. She is passionate about student engagement and experiential education and is grateful and excited to be able to help shape the Northeastern in Toronto student experience as the Director of Student Services.

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Nausheen completed her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and graduated with a Master of Education from University of Toronto. She has work experience in higher education as a Student Affairs Officer and in elementary school as a teacher's assistant in the Middle East.

Having lived in various countries and worked with students of all backgrounds has helped her develop a deep understanding of diverse student needs. Nausheen is passionate about providing personalized support and strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students, giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential. She is looking forward to bringing her varied experiences to her role at Northeastern University Toronto in the Student Services department.

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Hilda is the Wellness Program Specialist for Toronto Campus and serves as the campus’ main contact person to support students in their health and well-being through wellness programming, and ensures they have equitable access to the myriad of University and local community resources. Hilda is passionate about wellness and student development and studied Health Studies and Sociology at McMaster University and Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion at Centennial College. Hilda has been involved in shaping the student experience in residence life roles at McMaster University and the University of Waterloo, and loves the energy and sense of community that campuses have. In her recent role at the University of Toronto Mississauga, Hilda was responsible for the wellness programming and behavior management for students who lived in residence.

In her spare time, she likes to relax with a true crime documentary.
Hilda is a Disney and Marvel fan who loves dessert at any time of the day.

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Tamara holds a Master of Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Kinesiology and; Health Sciences and Latin American and; Caribbean Studies from York University. She also holds a Social Service Worker diploma from George Brown College and is certified in TESOL/TESL/TEFL teacher training. Additionally, Tamara is a Registered Social Service Worker (RSSW) and a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA).

Her work is inspired by her family’s immigration journey and stories from the Caribbean, as well as her life experiences growing up in the multicultural community of Parkdale, located west of downtown Toronto.

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Celeena is the Customer Service and Operations Assistant for OGS Canada. In her role, in addition to other responsibilities, she supports the OGS team with events and student inquiries, builds and maintains more efficient internal processes, and ensures that all information is updated across a range of websites.

Celeena came to Canada as an international student from Trinidad and has a Bachelor in Environmental Studies from York University with a focus on Sustainable Energy. As a result she is an avid supporter of all things conservation and sustainability. Previously she worked at a small-scale start-up as well as administrative and student-facing roles at York University. There she developed a passion for working in a higher education environment, with a focus on internal operations and helping students realize and reach their own goals.

In her free time she enjoys hiking, reading, going to concerts, trying all the incredible food in Toronto, and watching hockey – Go Leafs! Celeena’s passions and work are inspired by her own experiences as an international student, as well as growing up in the multicultural melting pot that is Trinidad and Tobago.

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Laman is Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant with a focus on advising international students. Prior to joining Northeastern, Laman worked at Niagara College of Toronto and Toronto School of Management where she provided immigration support to international students.

Laman earned her MBA from Bremen University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Immigration from Academy of Learning in Canada.

Laman enjoys travelling, trying different cuisines and exploring nature. She has a great passion for learning foreign languages, she speaks five languages: Azerbaijani, German, English, Russian, and Turkish.

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Kateryna is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant with more than 10 years of experience in international education. She has enjoyed different roles in the industry including students counselling, international recruitment, partner relations, and business development. Having a deep understanding of students’ needs, Kateryna is focused on building strategies that help international students to succeed.

Kateryna completed MA in Comparative History from Central European University in Hungary, was an exchange student at Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at University of Toronto and completed an Immigration Consultant Diploma from Herzing College. In her free time Kateryna enjoys travelling, reading novels and spending time with her family.

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Tinuola Olawuyi is the Associate Director of Academic and Career Advising at the Toronto campus supporting and assisting our students to develop an action plan that gets them to their academic and professional goals.
Tinu earned her BA in Health and Society from York University, holds a master's degree in education from Nipissing University Schulich School of Education, and a Career Educator certificate from Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE).

Prior to joining Northeastern, she worked at Humber College, Ontario Tech University and Durham College, where she successfully supported students from transition to graduation. She brings experience in the areas of advising, career coaching, program development, orientation and transition. Tinu is a dedicated professional who cares deeply about the student experience.

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Cathie is an Academic and Professional Advisor for Toronto’s Analytics, Informatics, and Project Management students. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education and broad exposure to student advising, events, and communications from institutions such as the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and York University.

Cathie possesses a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, and both a Masters of Education and a Dual Diploma in Post-Secondary Education: Community, Culture, and Policy from York University. Personally speaking,

Cathie is a newer mother who enjoys doing life with her son and husband, reading, eating diverse foods, and dreaming of travel! She looks forward to seeing you around campus.

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As an Academic and Career Advisor Rupy supports Northeastern University’s students in achieving their educational and professional goals.

Rupy has over 7 years of combined experience in advising, guiding, and developing career development instruction in a post-secondary classroom environment, and facilitating student success. Rupy earned her BA from York University and later completed her SSW diploma from Sheridan College. She is currently working towards her MEd.

Prior to joining Northeastern, she worked at Sheridan College as a Cooperative Education Advisor, where she successfully supported students in their career development as they built their professional brand. Rupy is a passionate student/client centered individual with a desire for enhancing the overall student experience.

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Shabeeb Rabbany is an Academic Advisor for the College of Professional Studies, supporting students in the Regulatory Affairs and Project Management programs.

Shabeeb is a former Husky, having earned his Undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Khoury College. Shabeeb also has a Graduate degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of California, Davis where he began his professional journey in Higher Education. Shabeeb has over a decade of experience working as a Project Manager in industries such as Technology, Localization, Construction and Higher Education.

As a former international student and a new Canadian, Shabeeb loves the diversity at Northeastern. The best part of the job is meeting students and learning about their unique journey and supporting them in attaining their goals. In his free time, Shabeeb likes to find new places to eat in Toronto, streaming shows and rediscovering his love of playing video games!

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Jean has dedicated her work life to igniting the career paths of students. She has facilitated career focused workshops and delivered one on one career coaching to diverse audiences. Over 13 years in employment counseling, job development, and employer engagement, she coached and guided newcomers to Canada until she realized she developed great relationship building skills and career coaching experience to take her into the post-secondary environment.

Recently, she worked with University of Toronto, Humber College and non-profits such as COSTI. Jean earned her Bachelor of Commerce from Bangalore University and her Human Resource Management Certificate from Seneca College. She is also a Certified Career Strategist. Working with students gets her excited because each student has a unique challenge. She loves being that person who can help them create an inclusive space to share their challenges and bring out the best in them.

Outside of work, she enjoys solving crossword puzzles, talking to people and learning their stories and listening to music.

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Zainab brings a trauma-informed perspective and skillset to career advising, with the experience of supporting undergraduate and graduate students navigate co-op processes, through interview-preparation, work-search, cover letter and resume review appointments. She has facilitated workshops, developed resources, and offered individual appointments on topics such as online presence, interview preparation, career planning and professional/graduate school planning. Zainab brings a holistic perspective on advising to help limit the barriers students from different backgrounds may face.
Outside of work, Zainab enjoys research, design, cycling, poetry and all sorts of tea.

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Mike is an accomplished student affairs professional and career development practitioner with a passion for serving students in post-secondary education. He works closely with students to help them develop their career skills and land exciting co-op opportunities that align with their career aspirations.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Management in Human Resource Management from Tianjin University of Technology and Education in Tianjin, China, a Master of Science in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Career Development Practitioner from George Brown College in Toronto, ON.

With over six years of professional experience in higher education, Mike has served in various functional areas, including career education, residence life, student conduct, campus events, admission advising, international students' recruitment, LGBTQ2S+ advocacy, and social justice education. His commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is evident in all aspects of his work.

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Zeinab Alamagan is the Career Services; Co-op Advisor for the Toronto campus. Zeinab is responsible for supporting students in their career development as they build their professional brand. Zeinab supports students in navigating experiential learning opportunities including co-op.
Zeinab has extensive experience in higher education, with a focus on co-op and career advising and employer engagement. She comes to us from Ryerson University, prior to her years at Ryerson she was an Employment Specialist at the Career Foundation and a Human Resource Manager at Sunrise Resort and Spa.
Zeinab is passionate about supporting students in developing their career potential. Zeinab has extensive experience in developing tailored career education programming to support equity-seeking students, navigate barriers. Prior to her 11 years of experience in career education, Zeinab was a Business Analyst for Bell, T-Mobile and Microsoft. Zeinab is certain to be a valuable asset to co-op and the Toronto campus. She will be working with our CPS learners to provide important career advising, programming and administration support while also working with our co-op employers in the GTAA.

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Colin has a strong background supporting students, with over 15 years of international and domestic experience in education and leadership.

Colin earned his Bachelors degree from Trent University double majoring in Business Administration and Hispanic Studies, and later earned his Master of Education from the University of Toronto. He committed to lifelong learning, student success, and culturally intelligent management.

Colin has lived abroad in 4 different countries working as an English Language Instructor, which has added to his comprehensive knowledge of international students’ needs and the essential resources for them.

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Farzaneh earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Waterloo, holding a major in Rhetoric and Professional Writing, alongside a double minor in Human Resources Management and Management Studies. In April 2017, she completed her Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Waterloo, specializing in Experimental Digital Media.

Through her various experiences in higher education, Farzaneh has built an extensive and diverse portfolio. Over the years, she has developed expertise in Student and Residence Life, the International Student Experience, and Co-operative and Experiential Education. She is a strong advocate for supporting the unique needs of international students and is passionate about assisting all students in developing their sense of self-authorship within the classroom and industry.

Farzaneh is an avid foodie and traveler, hoping to one day roam across the planet to learn more about different cultures and try their incredible cuisines.

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