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From creating memorable experiences for clients across leading industries, to mentoring junior staff and growing her career at a complex firm, Anna is honoured to share that after nine years at PwC Canada, she's been nominated by the Women's Executive Network (WXN) for Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards under the AMEX Emerging Leaders Award category. She's deeply grateful to the many leaders, teammates, collaborators, and colleagues-turned-friends who advocated for her, challenged her, and opened doors along the way, helping her grow into the leader she's becoming.

The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Edith Dumont awarded Jason the second-highest honour in Ontario, the Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, in April. 

The citation, read aloud by the Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, states: “Jason Balgopal has spent over two decades contributing to Toronto’s communities through sustained volunteer leadership and the creation of compassionate mental health supports. Drawing on his own lived experience, he founded a free, volunteer-led peer support non-for-profit that provides accessible stigma-free programming to thousands. His model of nightly groups, trained facilitators, and barrier-free therapeutic access offers a vital connection for people facing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and related challenges. Known for his integrity and dedication, Jason has also strengthened communities through extensive work with seniors, youth, newcomers, and neighbourhood initiatives.” 

Jason is exceptionally honoured to have been selected from so many wonderful and deserving people, and is deeply appreciative of those who nominated him for this important recognition. 

Fakir received a Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship and completed his Ph.D. in May 1981 with Professor John W. Berry, the renowned cross-cultural psychologist as his supervisor. In 1990, he received a Shastri Indo-Canadian Fellowship and spent four months as a visiting professor, working with Dr. Berry to develop a research project on group relation – a topic of great relevance to plural societies of Canada and India. He feels very fortunate to have received regular support from Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (New Delhi) to organize the National Seminar about every year on themes relevant to Canada and India. He has now retired as a professor and head of the Department of Psychology, Utkal University, where he served for about 30 years. He enjoys receiving QAR as it is always a great pleasure to savour happy days at Queen's. 

Photo: From left: F.M. Sahoo; wife, Reeta Sahoo; daughter, Voomika Manasaya; and (middle) grand-daughter Tanisha Ojha.