Advisory Board

Johnny J. Mack has a distinguished career as senior executive in public, private, government, and nonprofit organizations. He has extensive experience in the social change, community development, and international relations fields. His professional background includes serving as the executive director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and president of House of Mandela Family Foundation. He has served as the senior executive of several nonprofit organizations including Realizing the Dream, Inc., which he cofounded with Ambassador Andrew Young and Martin Luther King, III as an international nonprofit social change organization; Drum Major Institute, a New York based NGO; National Institute for Community Empowerment, Inc., a national intermediary in the community economic development field; and Communities Without Boundaries International, an international peace and development organization. He most recently served as associate director of The World House Project at the Freeman Spogli Institute, Stanford University, where he taught, researched, and wrote on social change and human development subjects. Dr. Mack’s community and international relations work includes extensive travel throughout the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans and South/Southeast Asia, teaching and lecturing on the topics of peace and conflict resolution, civic engagement, nonviolent social change and human development, as well as designing and carrying out comprehensive community planning, building and development programs. Dr. Mack studies social change and movements. His research focus is subsumed in his seminal work “After Confrontation, Then What?,” which rearticulates nonviolence beyond the traditional understanding of resistance to a meta-logic using Martin Luther King, Jr.’s call to restructure the social edifice with a “revolution of values” that is effected through “peaceable power.” This framework explicates Dr. King’s peaceable power as direct, structural and cultural nonviolence with respective strategic, conscientious, and cultural action components. He, thus, argues nonviolence is a meta-logic, with direct, structural, and cultural forms that counter-pose Johan Galtung’s seminal conflict and violence triangles. Dr. Mack constructs the counter-pose of violence and nonviolence as a spectrum or alternative paths of change as articulated in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1967 book Where do we go from here, chaos or community? In addition to holding degrees in business and theology from Oakwood University. Dr. Mack is a certified public account and his experience spans more than 35 years directing program, administration, and financial management systems and operations. He has served as a senior advisor on domestic policy to Search for Common Ground and the Henry Hart Rice Fellow at the School for Conflict Analysis & Resolution at George Mason University in Virginia, where he earned the doctorate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He has advised heads of state, high-profile and high-wealth personalities as well as served on many boards, both nonprofit and public companies

Rosemary Sadlier OOnt (Order of Ontario) is a social justice advocate, researcher, writer, DEI consultant, and international speaker on Black History, anti-racism and women’s issues. She is the longest serving past President (22 yrs as the unpaid leader) of the Ontario Black History Society - Sadlier being the driving force of the secured commemoration of February as Black History Month at all levels of government AND she secured August 1st as Emancipation Day municipally in 1995, provincially 2008 , with a national declaration effected in March 2021. She saw to the creation of the national day for the Hon. Lincoln Alexander. ​She was the Royal Commonwealth Society Equality Lead for the Americas & the Caribbean; has given deputations to the UN Rapporteur on Race Relations, the Federal and Provincial Governments and on consultative work with the Royal Ontario Museum, CMHR, The Ward heritage interpretative group, the Bi-National Study of the Underground Railroad and heritage conferences. Previously she served on the final selection committee of the national Mathieu Da Costa Challenge for Canadian Heritage and is a past member of the Canada Post Stamp Advisory Committee. An educator, she has developed or contributed to African Canadian curriculum, resources, national exhibits and she is an appointed member of a regulatory board of the Ontario College of Teachers. She was among the first Canadians designated a Global Defender of Human Rights (CTF & Robert Kennedy Center). An author, she has written 7 books on African Canadian history & she has advised, written or co-produced for film & television. Sadlier is dedicated to social justice and using the frame of Black History, seeks to educate and empower others.

Kofi Achampong is a Toronto-based lawyer and government affairs professional at Achampong Law. His current work focuses on business development and addressing socio-economic challenges confronting Black and African diasporan communities with an approach rooted in pan-Africanism and economic development. Kofi worked for 6 years as a Senior Policy & Stakeholder Relations Advisor to various Ministers of government in Ontario, Canada, between 2012-2018. Prior to that, he worked as a consultant for International Lawyers and Economists Against Poverty, an international non-profit organization formerly located in Canada that focused on supporting African regional integration and trade efforts. He is a former intern at the World Trade Organization and the African Union, where he focused on enhancing trade-related training materials for Africa-group trainees during the Doha round and implications of the creation of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights, respectively. Kofi is a regular government stakeholder on Black-Canadian and African-diaspora community affairs.

Huda Mukbil is a Canadian author, academic, and national security consultant. As a Black woman, Huda stands as a trailblazer in the field of national security, actively combating structural racism and serving as an exemplary model of resilience. With an impressive career spanning over 18 years, Huda has held key roles as a senior intelligence officer at Canadian Security Intelligence Service and as a strategic national security advisor for the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA). Her expertise extends to domestic and international counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations within the five-eye alliance. Notably, her exceptional contributions to the investigation of the 2005 London terrorist attacks earned her recognition and prestigious awards from the British security service MI5. Huda is also an accomplished author, having written "Agent of Change: My Life-Fighting Terrorists, Spies, and Institutional Racism," which received the 1st place honour in the Hill Times Newspaper for 2023. Currently, she serves as an instructor of national security at the Professional Development Institute at the University of Ottawa. Huda is devoted to advancing social justice and addressing issues such as gender discrimination, Anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, and various forms of intersectional injustice. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Law and a Master's in Feminism and Gender Studies.

Raymond Tynes is a seasoned advocate for justice, equality, and community betterment, currently serving as a member of the Advisory Board of the BCAS. His career is marked by a deep commitment to human rights and an unwavering dedication to serving his community. As a former Commissioner for the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, Raymond used his voice and position to promote positive change and ensure that the commission continued to assist people effectively. Recognized for his profound impact and expertise, Raymond's role in the commission was celebrated, with the CEO of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission lauding his outstanding qualifications and deep knowledge of human rights. Raymond's extensive experience includes a significant tenure as the first African Nova Scotian municipal town councillor in Truro, where he served for 12 years. His commitment to education and youth was evident during his four years as an African Nova Scotia school board member, and his leadership skills were further exemplified in his role as an executive director of Colchester Community Workshops. His contributions to his community and the field of human rights have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Dr. Burnley “Rocky” Jones Human Rights Award in 2016. In his advisory role at the BCAS, Raymond brings a wealth of experience, a strong background in community service, and a passion for fostering a society where human rights are protected and promoted. His insights and strategic direction are invaluable assets to the BCAS as it strives to address systemic racism and discrimination, ensuring that its efforts resonate deeply within the community and contribute to meaningful and lasting change.

Dr. Simon brings an exceptional blend of scientific acumen and global experience to his role as an advisory board member. With a Ph.D. in Genetics and Virology from Hokkaido University, Japan, Dr. Simon has contributed significantly to the understanding of viral infectious disease genetics, further enriching his expertise with a postdoctoral fellowship in viral host-pathogen interactions at the University of British Columbia, Canada. In the academic realm, Dr. Simon's leadership at a prominent university in Nigeria was marked by his direction of critical research into emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and his adeptness in securing substantial research funding. His role in a leading biotechnology firm in Winnipeg as a Scientific R&D Project Lead exemplified his ability to translate scientific research into practical healthcare solutions. Additionally, his research contributions at a national agency in Canada shed crucial light on zoonotic diseases, reinforcing his commitment to public health and safety. Dr. Simon's academic prowess is further illustrated by his active participation in faculty committees focused on international initiatives and research advisement at a renowned African center. His expertise played a pivotal role in addressing public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Simon's dedication to community engagement is evident through his extensive volunteer work with various health and welfare organizations, demonstrating his deep-seated commitment to societal well-being. As a member of the BCAS Advisory Board, Dr. Simon brings not only his invaluable scientific perspective but also a profound commitment to leadership, community engagement, and public health advocacy. His diverse experiences and dedication to applying scientific knowledge to tackle real-world challenges make him an invaluable asset to the board.