Meet YUGSA Incoming Executive Team
YUGSA new executive team will be taking over in May. Here a short bio of team will be presented.
President - Nathi Zamisa
Nathi's interdisciplinary background in Critical Race, Environmental, and Labour Studies, and his research into Black Social and Solidarity Economics, has fostered his passion for community and people-oriented means of organizing our present moment’s social and economic institutions. His M.A. research seeks to establish a black[ened] epistemology for crypto-social and solidarity economies, working towards a theory of black radical blockchains, with the goal of establishing a white paper that advances a grounded approach to blockchain technology. His non-academic work includes bridging the gap between non-profit fundraising/financing initiatives and community stakeholders, with a focus on engaging equity deserving groups in public policy decisions around housing, co-operative housing and student housing development, and municipal multi-tenant housing regulations. He is the chair of both the York Village Housing Association and the York Non-Profit Housing Society Co-operative, a Board Members of the Affordable Housing Committee at York University, and a Program Director at HOUSE Ontario. As the acclaimed President of the York University Graduate Students Association, Nathi endeavours to tackle the single largest cost associated with attaining a post-secondary education — rent.
Personal Note:
I am excited to work with, learn from, and support the community of graduates, scholars/academics, intellectuals, and/or activists seeking to make our world a better place. I aim to work diligently to preserve and realize the goals of previous executives in this role, and to be the most accessible, open, and honest person I can be. We are here, we have proven that we have earned this space, and so now it is up to us to ensure that this space is accessible to all those who seek it.
VP Internal - Arefeh Shamskhany
Arefeh is a 3rd-year Civil Engineering PhD student at Lassonde School of Engineering. She comes from Iran, and in 2019 she moved to Canada to complete her graduate studies. Arefeh is a compassionate person and enjoys volunteer jobs. She is also an environmentalist, and her research is about MP pollution in aquatic environments. Arefeh was awarded the First Place Best Student Paper Award at the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Conference, 2021.
Playing music, singing, and painting are her hobbies. Before joining the YUGSA executive team, Arefeh was the president of the Civil Engineering Graduate students Association. "CEGSA gave me the opportunity to find fantastic friends and learn precious new things," said Arefeh. Her goal is to facilitate the challenges graduate students might face and promote the academic career quality at York University. "We all faced serious hard times during recent years, but still we can have a cup of tea with a good friend and enjoy the life!"
VP Campaigns - Amarachi Chukwu
Amarachi Chukwu is a PhD student in Gender, Feminist & Women’s Studies whose research thinks through solidarity across the diverse Black communities that make up the Black diasporic community. Her research also engages with black feminist intervention in liberation practices rooted in an ethic of care. Amarachi is also interested in interventions within the academy to transform it into a safe learning environment for students from marginalized communities. Amarachi has previously held the roles of VP Internal & VP Equity in YUGSA and hopes to continue to serve her community in her new position as VP Campaigns. She holds an MA in Gender Studies and Feminist Research from McMaster University and a BA in Psychology from University of British Columbia.
VP Equity - Immaculee Uwanyilig
Ms. Uwanyiligira has almost 15 years experience with the United Nations, beginning with the UN World Food Program, where she worked as Head of the Information Technology Unit and as Head of the Information Technology Unit for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).
Ms. Uwanyiligira is a second year PhD Student in Social Work, leveraging her international experience in peacekeeping and conflict resolution, to critically examine the implementation of Canada’s TRC’s 94 Calls to Action. She holds a BA in Languages and Literature from Makerere University, Uganda; an MSc in Information and Telecommunication Systems from John Hopkins University, USA; and an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University, USA.
Ms. Uwanyiligira has been in the service of York’s student community as a Senator representing YUGSA since November 2020. She has been at the forefront of advocating for equity issues, leading efforts to review and strengthen York University’s Anti Black Racism Framework and Action Plan on Black Inclusion. She brought together YFS and YUGSA behind this cause and elevated the issue for discussion at York University’s Senate. This advocacy work culminated in a historic, student-led hortative motion that was presented to the 27 January 2022 Senate session, and was passed with a 68% vote.
Ms. Uwanyiligira is currently the Chair of the Student Senator Caucus and ex-officio member of York’s Executive Committee (SEC) and serves on the SEC’s Equity Subcommittee. She is also YUGSA’s representative to the newly-created Advisory Council on Black Inclusion.
VP Finance - Ehsan Tabesh
In September 2019, Ehsan began his Ph.D. studies in the Mechanical Engineering Department at York University. In the past, he had been a member of the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Association (MEGSA) before becoming a member of the York University Graduate Student Association. He completed his Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the Isfahan University of Technology in Iran, where he was born and raised. He was actively involved in various student organizations, including the Material Engineering Students' Association (MESA) and the Iranian Union of Scientific Student Associations of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering (IUSE), where he volunteered his time and expertise. In addition, as a member of the Red Crescent Society, he dedicated his time and energy to assisting vulnerable students. He is familiar with students' problems at various levels and is always enthusiastic about finding solutions to them.
VP Community Relations - Ali Gholami
My name is Ali, a fourth-year PhD candidate at Lassonde School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering. I joined YUGSA in 2021 and was the VP-Finance of the 2021-2022 Exec team. I like providing advocacy for fellow graduate students and trying to address issues they face in their academic and social life at the university levels. Before joining YUGSA, I actively participated in volunteer movements at departmental and university levels. I was a member of the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Students Association (MEGSA) in 2019-2020, a member of the International Graduate Students’ Committee at CUPE 3903 in 2020-2021, Graduate student representative at the Iranian Students Association at York University in 2020-2021, Health, Safety and Employee Well-Being committee at CUPE 3903 in 2020-2021. Now I’m holding a new position in YUGSA and trying to provide support and fight for the right of Graduate Students at York University from a new perspective.
