Markus Emanuel

Founder & Entrepreneur

Markus is the grassroots organizer and business entrepreneur. He has devoted his career to assisting disadvantaged youth within many of the inner-city communities in the GTA and has recently partnered with various nonprofit organizations to strategically address the ongoing issues of mental health within many of the predominantly black communities to design and implement required programs to promote awareness and foster change. He works as a commercial mortgage underwriter, in addition to volunteering his time hosting parenting support groups for single parents with young children, and also coaches for a local basketball organization in which he teaches the fundamentals of basketball. He has worked in collaboration with Positive Initiatives staff and director Kersley Peters in developing the black skate program.

Saad Jee Tabassam

Creative Professional, Designer & Developer

Saad Jee handles all the creative and technical side of our parent company Positive Initiatives®. He has knowledge of different creative fields which makes him unique, passionate, and a problem solver.

He has a strong background in design and development with years of experience. He has proficient skills in Web Design, Web Development, Graphics Design, and Motion Graphics. He has worked with creative agencies, organizations, and different platforms. He has assisted businesses of all shapes and sizes with his creative solutions to achieve their goals.

He doesn’t believe in racism and that’s how he got connected with our community and now, he is providing his creative & technical solutions to bring a change to the society and promote equal rights.

Dr. Kersley Peters

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ CERP

Dr. Kersley Peters is an adult educator whose research interest lies in access, retention and equity in higher education. Dr. Peters received post-graduate degrees in higher education from the University of Toronto, a Masters in Science degree in Economics and Development from Southern New Hampshire University Graduate school. He also earned a Masters in Adult Education from Central Michigan University. He has worked with the provincial and federal governments as a specialist in program development, adult career development and personal growth programs and worked for 17 years as a senior manager in the social development and human services field. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Career Resource and Education Centre in Toronto, which provides job search and workplace skills to unemployed and underemployed job seekers.

He is an educator that believes the role of education is to effect change and fully develop human potential. He has also worked in family counseling for a number of years, dealing primarily with immigrants from the Caribbean and Africa facing challenges adjusting to life in Canada. Dr. Peters has worked extensively in humanitarian work in Africa and the Caribbean. His focus has been on educational and social development and, using social justice and anti-racist praxis.

In the past two years Dr. Peters has been affiliated with non-profit organizations in Africa and the Caribbean, whose mission is to empower high achieving, but low-income scholars around the world by bridging the gap between talent and opportunity at the university and high school education level. Dr. Peters currently serves as a Canadian mentor for scholars attending university in Canada.