Reva Joshee - Co-ChairReva Joshee comes from a family dedicated to creating a better world though peace, justice, and nonviolence. Her parents helped to found the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace. As an educator and activist she continues to try to bring
insights based on Gandhian principles into classrooms and communities. Maggie Shane - Secretary
Natalia Sidorov -Treasurer
Jim Gurnett
Jim Gurnett is beginning to explore retirement after working in recent years with community organizations as a consultant, and in a ministry of presence with people living in homelessness. His focus going forward is a project to improve access to good water in the Bafut area of Cameroon. He has been a school teacher in Alberta and Afghanistan, director of social-profit organizations such as Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers and Bissell Centre, and founding executive director of the University of Alberta research centre The Hope Foundation. His political activity has included serving as MLA for Spirit River-Fairview and executive director for the Government caucus at the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. His focus is often with social justice issues and the importance of building community, with a particular interest in housing security. His life is enriched by ten (soon to be 11!) grandchildren scattered across Alberta and British Columbia.
Hans Smits
Simone Shirvell
I am a recently retired teacher who has focussed my entire career on early childhood education. I have worked in child care, taught college level early childhood courses, held a variety of positions within the ATA’s early childhood specialist council, attained my MEd in early childhood education and spent 31 years in classrooms with 4 - 8 year olds. I value young children, their world views, strengths, wonders and what we can learn from them.
I am exploring Indigenous world views as a path to connect myself and the children I have worked with to the natural world, the idea of reciprocity and the interconnectedness of all things. I value community in all its many forms. Gandhi’s messages of peace and nonviolence resonate with me. I feel most peaceful and connected when I am surrounded by nature. Netta Phillet
was born in Edmonton and has a degree in Religious Studies from the U of A. She has been the coordinator of the Edmonton Interfaith Centre since 2006, is active in different capacities at Beth Shalom Synagogue and belongs to Temple Beth Ora and is treasurer of the Jewish Archives Society. She was a founding member of the Phoenix Multifaith Society for Harmony and for 30 years has been a sister in the Arab/Jewish Women’s Peace Coalition. Much of the focus of her volunteer life is inter/intra faith dialogue and the place of women in religious ritual and observance.
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Julius Buski - Co-Chair
Jaime Fiddler - Past Chair
My name is Jaime Fiddler, and I am honored to have been part of the Gandhi Foundation for over 10 years. I am from Calgary, Alberta, and a citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta. My ancestry is Welsh and Irish on my mother’s side; and Métis, Cree, and Swedish on my father’s side, with familial ties to the historic Métis community of Batoche, Saskatchewan. I currently live in Calgary with my wife Evelyne Asselin, and am a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Professionally, my background is in Education. I began my career as a high school teacher before pursuing graduate studies, earning an MA from the University of British Columbia and a PhD from the University of Alberta. My doctoral research focused on teacher experiences, professional learning, and narrative and arts-based methodologies. After completing my studies, I returned to Calgary and joined the University of Calgary, where I had the privilege of teaching alongside other Indigenous educators teaching courses on reconciliation and diversity in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Working with inspiring mentors like Dr. Yvonne Poitras Pratt deepened my commitment to supporting educators engaged in reconciliation efforts. This passion led me to my current role as Learning Design Consultant for Curriculum Decolonization and Indigenization at Bow Valley College. Here, I continue to empower educators in creating meaningful change. My contributions to the Gandhi Foundation have grown alongside my career. Initially serving as Education Coordinator, I now contribute to the Foundation’s reconciliation programming. I am deeply inspired by my fellow Board members, whose vision and dedication motivate me to work toward a just and equitable future where everyone can flourish. I am excited about this new chapter in the Foundation’s work and grateful for the opportunity to learn and contribute. Shanti Singh
Harchand Grewal
Devinder Pannu
Kathrin Winkler
Sahib Bains
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