Nicole Roach (she/her) - Toronto, ON - Co-Founder & Co-Chair

Nicole grew up in the country, with a 20 minute drive to the nearest town. She didn’t live in a city until attending university in Hamilton, Ontario, where she immediately fell in love with the possibilities of accessing services and amenities without a vehicle.

Nicole holds an Hons. B.A. in Philosophy and Communications from McMaster University and an M.Sc. in Sustainability Science, Policy, and Society from Maastricht University. She has worked in the field of sustainable transportation for several years, with a focus on commuting behaviours, community outreach, and children’s mobility.

Nicole brings her interest and expertise to the topics of feminism, mobility, and sustainability.

Lilit Houlder (she/her) - Edmonton, AB - Co-Chair

Lilit grew up living in various cities throughout her life. She was born in Yerevan, Armenia and grew up in Moscow, Russia before moving to a small town in northern Alberta in her adolescent years. For the first time she understood the challenges and opportunities of living in rural Canada, becoming aware of how people are influenced by their environment.

Lilit has since pursued her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Human Geography at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB) and a Masters in Urban Planning at the University of Calgary (Calgary, AB). During these years as a student, Lilit also attended the International Summer School at the University of Oslo, briefly living in Norway.

Interdisciplinary collaboration is vital for the success of planning and designing places for everyone and Lilit brings it out with her formal training in Leadership and Intercultural Communications from the University of Alberta.

 She has worked as a planner in private and public sectors with a focus on urban design and planning policy. In her volunteering efforts, Lilit strives to advocate for equitable cities and towns by taking an intersectional approach to urban planning that focuses on people’s health and safety.

Bita Jamalpour (she/her) - Vancouver, BC - Vice-Chair

Bita began her professional journey in Iran, earning a bachelor's degree in economics and contributing to regional planning. Inspired by a passion for communities, she pursued a master's degree in planning while working as a community planner. Recognizing the oversight of women's voices in city development, particularly in a country under Islamic dictatorship, her PhD dissertation focused on women's rights to the city. 

As a women's rights activist in Iran, Bita faced challenges before relocating to Canada in 2012. Currently serving as a municipal senior planner, she acknowledges gender disparities in women's urban experiences, motivating her volunteer work with organizations empowering women. In 2022, amid Canada's focus on gender-based analysis and equity, Bita became an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) consultant, actively advocating for inclusive urban planning. Discovering WIUC a year ago, she passionately supports the team, believing that a healthy community begins by acknowledging and amplifying women's voices.

Sonali Praharaj (she/her) - Toronto, ON - Secretary

Sonali is an urban design professional passionate about city building that prioritizes gender equity and community well-being. She grew up in various cities across India, mainly in Mumbai, and has worked professionally in Paris, San Francisco, and now in Toronto. Her lived and professional experiences have motivated her to create accessible and inclusive urban spaces while navigating diverse cultures and contexts. With her expertise in city planning, urban design, transportation, landscape, and architecture projects, she aims to explore sustainable and resilient growth models that promote inclusive communities, ecology, and infrastructure.

Currently, Sonali works with Transportation Services in the City of Toronto. She holds a Master's degree in Urban Design from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor's in Architecture from Mumbai University.

Varvara Belenko (she/her) - Calgary, AB - Treasurer

Varvara grew up in Moscow, whose dynamic pace and advanced public infrastructure sparked her interest in the complex interactions between citizens and their built environments. She had a chance to observe various mobility patterns and housing choices along with the rapid transformation of the urban realm. 

Founding upon her MSc Degree in Economics and Management, Varvara continued her post-graduate studies in Planning at the University College London. She transitioned into leading cross-functional analytical teams in consulting, supporting municipalities and investors in shaping long-term visions for their communities and public spaces. She also engaged in collaborative research on metropolitan spatial structures, growth and governance within Russian and global contexts.

Varvara had the privilege to live in the most diverse and thriving cities - New York, London, and Phoenix. Now making her home in Calgary, she explores practical ways to promote sustainability in all aspects of community development. As a lifelong learner, she further expands her skill set via the Environmental Management program at the University of Calgary and memberships with the ISSP and APA.  

Varvara is involved with several NGOs and small businesses, addressing climate change, waste management and gender equality concerns. Her multidisciplinary background dares her to advocate for sustainability-informed solutions that foster healthy, polycentric, walkable, and empowering cities.

Holly Hixson (she/her) - Montreal, QC - Content Lead

Holly is a passionate city-dweller and endlessly curious people-person. She brings expertise in active mobility, placemaking, and urban wellbeing as well as a commitment to lifelong learning and incorporating equity into her practice. Her professional experience centers around managing projects, events, and research in the non-profit sector that address urban challenges and provide opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration. She currently manages Zero-Emission Bus implementation studies at the Canadian Urban Transportation Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) as a Project Manager for Sustainable Transit Initiatives.

Holly has completed a Master's of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Amsterdam and dual Bachelor's degrees in Planning, Public Policy, & Management, and Psychology at the University of Oregon. She has lived and worked professionally in Portland, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Montreal. 

Akanksha Bhatnagar (she/her) - Ottawa, ON - Communications Lead

Akanksha Bhatnagar is a government relations professional who is passionate about creating vibrant cities. She is a lobbyist with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and works closely with officials at every level of government on issues such as climate adaptation, transit, infrastructure and homelessness. 

Akanksha moved to Ottawa to pursue a Masters in Political Management from Carleton University and graduated with a focus in strategic communications, advocacy, and political campaigns. Akanksha loves to find ways to connect people and build bridges; she believes that the best way to city-build is by centering its residents. 

Akanksha immigrated to Canada from India as a young child, and has lived in Edmonton, Ottawa, and Toronto. When she isn’t reading the news, Akanksha enjoys cooking for her friends, exploring local coffee shops, and portrait photography.

Michelle Grover (she/her) - Winnipeg, MB - Volunteer Lead

Michelle grew up in southern Ontario, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Governance from the University of Guelph. Through her education, Michelle grew interested in how people interact with the natural and built environment, and how positionality shapes a person's experience of the city. 

In 2019, she moved to Winnipeg to pursue a Masters of City Planning from the University of Manitoba. Working in Winnipeg's historic Exchange District as a Planner, Michelle advocates for informed decision-making, and uses story work to centre the voices of those who have been historically underrepresented in planning. Michelle brings experience from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, with knowledge and expertise in community development, engagement, and planning in an Indigenous context.

Allison Lord (she/her) - Halifax, NS - Partnerships & Outreach Lead

Ally became interested in learning more about urbanism and active transportation when she accepted a position with Bicycle Nova Scotia in 2021. It was here that she began to work with mothers and children to deepen their levels of comfort with cycling, as research shows that when a mother is comfortable cycling, her children are more likely to cycle as well. 

Ally is inspired by the work of Chris and Melissa Bruntlett, urban mobility advocates who focus on the benefits of sustainable transport to create happier, healthier, more human-scale cities. 

Ally holds a BA from The University of King's College in Social Anthropology and Political Science, and is a Doula- which has influenced her work with mothers and children at Bicycle Nova Scotia. Ally is currently completing the RBC Sustainable Leadership certificate from Dalhousie University which focuses on generative listening as a form of collaboration. By asking, "how?" we are able to better understand, "why?" Ally lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is passionate about active transportation development in Atlantic Canada.

Doolin O’Reilly (she/her/hers) - Toronto, ON - Director at Large

Doolin’s academic and professional endeavours have focused on the intersection between active transportation and age-friendly cities. 

Doolin completed her undergraduate studies at UofT, and attended Dalhousie University and the University of Amsterdam to gain her Master’s Degree in Urban Planning. 

She has developed her career by gaining experience in Ireland, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Most recently, Doolin was employed as the Principal Sustainable Transportation Planner at  Hackney Council in London England, where she delivered projects such as Hackney’s trailblazing School Streets programme and the UK’s first public cargo-bike share service. She now works at the City of Toronto in the Transportation Division’s Policy and Innovation Unit. 

Doolin believes that understanding and incorporating  how women experience, and are impacted by, the urban environment is essential for good city-building now and in the future.

Tahereh GranpayehVaghei (she/her/hers) - Toronto, ON

Tahereh grew up in the City of Tehran, where she got interested in complex urban issues and innovative solutions to addressing them, which is what drew her to study and work as an urban planner in three countries of the United States, England, and Iran, before she decided to settle down in Canada.

Tahereh has extensively worked with non-profit organizations, research centers, and private consulting firms on a diverse range of city-related topics including economic development, transportation equity, community engagement, cultural investment, and housing.

Tahereh holds a PhD in Urban Planning and Public Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and a master’s degree in Urban Regeneration from the University College London (UCL).

Her interests in cities are more directed towards cultural regeneration as well as housing affordability practices that contribute to more equitable environments for people to live, have fun, experience, enjoy, and grow.

Jenna Dutton (she/her/hers) - Victoria, BC

Jenna grew up in various small towns and hamlets in the UK before moving to Canada as a teenager. Her love for cities and places grew further after living in Montreal for 7 years and completing an internship shortly after finishing her undergraduate degree in a small town in rural Alberta.

She has worked in collaboration with and for local governments, academia, as well as private sector entities, for over twelve years. Her diverse expertise includes development and policy planning, strategic planning, project management, urban resilience, equity, climate change and public engagement. She holds a BA double major in Urban Planning and Anthropology from Concordia University, and an MA in Community Development from the University of Victoria.

As an advocate for equity and inclusion in urbanism she contributes to global planning efforts as Co-chair of the Commonwealth Women in Planning Network and leading research on various topics including Feminist Planning and Urbanism. As a co-leader of the Urban Resilience Dialogues global community of practice she helps cultivate a community of professionals who experiment with approaches and solutions for adapting our cities to the increasing effects of climate change.

Her passion is catalyzed by advancing gender inclusive urban planning and gender responsive climate action across the world through purposeful, equitable and participatory approaches.