Our Board

Marvin Ankrah Board Member

Marvin Ankrah, from Ghana, completed his BA degree in Political Science and History at the University of Ghana in 1999. He obtained his MA in Political Science and Sociology in 2004 under the auspices of the Global Studies Program (GSP), which involved the Universities of Freiburg (Germany), Kwazulu Natal (South Africa) and Jawaharlal Nehru (India).  Further, he holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Freiburg (2013), specializing in Conflict Resolution, Third World Politics, Regionalism and Integration in Africa. He has two publications to his credit, Conflict Resolution in Africa – The Case of the Organization of African Unity (2004) and Regionalism and Political Instability in West Africa – Developments, Challenges and Prospects (2013). He has served as a teaching assistant (University of Kwazulu Natal, 2002), researcher (Centre for African and Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru, 2003) and a sessional lecturer (Department of Political Studies, University of Saskatchewan, 2017). He is currently the Shelter Case Manager at Lighthouse Supported Living in Saskatoon.

Peta Bonham-Smith Board Member

Peta Bonham-Smith is the Dean of the College of Arts & Science and a Professor of Biology at the University of Saskatchewan. Peta came to Canada from the UK in 1981 to attend graduate school at the University of Calgary. She arrived in Saskatoon with her young family n 1992 and joined the Department of Biology at USask in 1994. Prior to holding her current role as Dean she was Vice Dean, Science for five years, and prior to that, Head of the Department of Biology for two years. During this time, she also sat on the board of the Saskatchewan Research Council; she chaired the Governance and Nominations Committee, and served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for four years, prior to being Interim Chair for approximately two years. While bringing up a young family in Saskatoon, Peta was involved in community, city-wide and provincial soccer as a player and coach as well as a member of the board for both the Lakewood Zone and Saskatoon Youth Soccer. Peta looks forward to making a significant contribution to the vision of SODS, to enable all newcomers to feel welcome and encouraged to participate in their new economic, social, intellectual and cultural life.

Ranjan Datta Board Member

Ranjan Datta is an immigrant Canadian from Bangladesh. Ranjan has been involved in and introduced to a larger community through participation in social well-being and justice movements, such as Saskatoon Open Door Society, the Aboriginal Friendship Centre, the Idle No More Movement, First Nations Land Rights, Saskatoon Community Radio (CFCR 90.5), the Indigenous Language movement, the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre, and the Friendship Inn. Currently he sits on the boards of several community organizations, including the Multicultural Council of SK, U of S Residence Community Garden, and Saskatoon Car Share Cooperative. Through all these past and ongoing roles, he has learned a range of leadership skills, including networking, collaborative decision-making, management, and, perhaps most importantly, how to transform ideas into practice through commitment and collaborative engagement. Ranjan is a self-motivated individual.

Jeremy Morgan President

Jeremy Morgan has been actively involved with the cultural communities in Saskatchewan for 30 years as founding CEO of Wanuskewin Heritage Park; CEO of the Saskatchewan Arts Board; Executive Director of the MacKenzie Art Gallery; and, currently, Managing Director of the University of Saskatchewan Art Galleries. Mr. Morgan has served as a member of various volunteer boards and committees, including the Citizen’s Advisory Council for the Province’s Centennial and Chair of both the Minister’s Heritage Council and the Saskatchewan Tourism Authority. He is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Centennial Medal, a lifetime membership in the Museums Association of Saskatchewan, a Premier’s Public Service Award and the Mayor of Regina’s 2014 Business and the Arts award for Management Excellence and Service. He served as a Diefenbaker Policy Fellow at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy and is currently chair of the City of Saskatoon’s Public Art Advisory Committee.

Amjad Murabit Vice President

Amjad Murabit is an investigator with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. Amjad's parents immigrated to Canada from Libya and raised him and his ten siblings in Saskatoon. Prior to graduating from the University of Saskatchewan College of Law in 2016, Amjad completed a Master's degree in Sociology. Amjad is a long-time volunteer in the Saskatoon community. He is a member of the Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon and the Canadian Bar Association BarNotes editorial board and regularly volunteers with Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan and the Children's Wish Foundation. Amjad is enthusiastic about Saskatoon Open Door Society's mission and believes that people can do great things if they are supported, empowered and given the proper tools to succeed. Amjad is eager to contribute as a member of Saskatoon Open Door Society's Board of Directors and hopes that, through his work, he can positively influence the lives of many newcomers to Saskatoon. 

Athanasia Perdikaris Secretary

Athanasia Perdikaris holds two Bachelor's degrees from the University of Saskatchewan (U of S), in History and Education. Recently she has applied to complete a Master's for the Department of Educational Foundations with a primary focus on the inclusivity of the public education sector. She has been both an employee and a student at the U of S and has obtained a well-rounded experience, attributing broad depths of understanding and keen interests in knowledge acquisition. She was born and raised in Saskatchewan, living in various rural towns across the province. Growing up with dual ancestry, she was immersed in two varying backgrounds and was influenced by her family's experience in rural communities. This provided her with an understanding of one’s role within society and coinciding personal and public identities that greatly shape the way in which we view our local communities and subsequently national inclusivity.

Patricia Prowse Board Member

Patricia Prowse is the Associate Director of the Saskatchewan Educational Leadership Unit, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan. During her educational career, Patricia was a teacher, vice principal, principal, and superintendent of education for Saskatoon Public Schools. As a superintendent of education, Patricia had strategic responsibility for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Education; Safe, Caring and Accepting Schools; and English as an Additional Language (EAL). She was part of the interagency team that established the Settlement Support Worker in Schools (SSWIS) program and the development of a supporting MOU. Patricia has received provincial and national recognition for her educational leadership. Her commitment to community partnerships and interagency cooperation was acknowledged in 2013 when she received the YWCA Women of Distinction Leadership and Management Award and the Saskatoon Fire and Protective Services’ Shield Award for community service. 

George Rathwell Board Member

George Rathwell is from Regina and area. He attended both of the province’s universities where he earned three degrees. Mr. Rathwell had a successful 34-year career in education. George was a teacher and administrator at a number of schools in Saskatoon prior to becoming a senior administrator with Saskatoon Public Schools. During his time in and out of the classroom, George helped lead major educational initiatives including advocacy for First Nations and Métis education and responding to the rapidly emerging multicultural education needs in Saskatoon Public Schools. He has been and is a member of a number of community boards, including SaskSport, Wanuskewin, the Trades and Skills Centre, READ Saskatoon, and the Children’s Discovery Museum. George is married to Shammi and they have two daughters, Nikita and Mika. Shammi’s family immigrated to Saskatchewan 50 years ago, so the experience of New Canadians is very important to the Rathwell family.

Zehra Rizvi Board Member

Zehra Rizvi is Pakistani-Canadian and immigrated as a child to rural Saskatchewan in the early 1980s. She obtained a BA in International Studies from the University of Saskatchewan and an MSc in Integrated Water Resource Management from McGill University.  She currently works at the University of Saskatchewan, and in her current role researches donors and partners for fundraising initiatives.  She is an avid traveler and has lived in Japan, Guatemala and the Philippines.  As a photographer, she enjoys the visual arts medium to tell people's stories. Zehra has previously volunteered with SODS for the Youth Study Group program and English conversational circles for adults.  She is a volunteer member of Work Green, an environmental sustainability group, and leads a project on waste reduction at the University of Saskatchewan.  She hopes her contribution through SODS helps newcomers in Saskatchewan feel empowered to realize their dreams, particularly women who face greater challenges in their new homeland.

Rokhan Sarwar Treasurer and Chair of Audit & Finance Committee

Rokhan Sarwar  holds two Bachelor's degrees in Economics and Business from the University of Saskatchewan, and is currently enrolled in the Business Administration Master's Program at the Edwards School of Business. Rokhan has an extensive background in Management, and he loves to serve others and as such, joined the Saskatoon Open Door Society Board, to offer his expertise and to help others. He has a strong knowledge of business environments, current technology, leadership and finance.

Abid Sherali Board Member

Abid Sherali holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Finance and also completed his Diploma in Business Management. He has been working for Scotiabank for over eight years and is currently the Branch Manager at a local branch in Saskatoon. He moved to Saskatoon in 2011 from Toronto, lived and travelled in various rural communities across Saskatchewan, and last year relocated back to Saskatoon.  Abid truly understands the struggles newcomers face when they land in Canada as he, his family and his parents have gone through the same struggles. Abid would like to serve and help community members, especially newcomers, to settle as smoothly as possible, and guide them with his resources.

Abid has been involved in many newcomer initiatives in Prince Albert, including the Prince Albert Muslim Association, and has also volunteered with many organizations to help newcomers. Abid and his wife are very passionate about helping newcomers and serving the community, as they understand the struggles of newcomers and are in a position to guide them. Abid’s skill set and experience include proven management and leadership, human resources and people management, customer service, change management, knowledge of the Canadian banking system and organizing major events.

Brooke Trippel Board Member

Brooke Trippel's passion is people. After completing her BA in Sociology, she continued to be fascinated by the effect culture and autonomy have on a person's overall happiness and success. With this in mind, it seemed only fitting for her to pursue this passion with a degree in Human Resources from the Edwards School of Business, with a focus on Culture. In her current role as People Operations Specialist with Vendasta Technologies, she is able to play a part in helping to shape an inclusive and inspiring environment for employees today. When she is not working, she enjoys taking in live music, attending fitness classes, and most of all travelling to new countries to explore culture, food and fun.