Shannon Leigh

Shannon Leigh is a Non-Profit Consultant and Master Trainer specializing in developing and launching innovative multi-disciplinary cross-sectoral social benefit initiatives. Shannon was a Municipal Police Officer for 15 years, working as an Undercover Operator, a Child Abuse Investigator, a Street Crimes Officer, and a Youth Crimes Officer, to name a few. Since leaving policing, her commitment to empowering families and creating peaceful communities has led her to work extensively in prevention of gender-based violence, with organizations such as Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters and HomeFront Society.

Early on in her NGO work, Shannon recognized the limitations of reliance on government funding and donations. She strongly believes that those on the front lines doing the work that makes people and communities thrive should be valued and paid for their expertise. She works to monetize the experiential and action-based research outcomes of social service organizations to allow them to sustain, grow, and innovate in service of their communities. Shannon has committed to moving Barka Canada Social Integration Society forward from a solely volunteer-based nonprofit to a thriving, sustainable model for inclusive and engaged communities. She has given significant volunteer time to create a clear vision and to source startup funding for Barka’s social purpose future.

Filip Jaworski

Filip Jaworski has been involved as an active volunteer with Barka Canada since 2017. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Simon Fraser University and has worked for various hospice associations in the past. In 2019, he helped Barka Poland coordinate a weeklong workshop for the Social Economy Without Borders Project funded by the Visegrad Fund. In 2020, he completed a month-long internship at Barka in the Netherlands working directly with social workers at various locations and settings. Filip works as a technology consultant for RevealMax, as well as a Polish-English translator.

Michael Dembek

Michael Dembek is the Lead Project Manager at Barka Canada with 7 years of experience managing projects and people in construction, education, and non-profit industry. He graduated with honours obtaining dual Master degrees in Project Management and Public Governance. Michael is passionate about food sovereignty.

Franciszek Bobiarski

Franciszek Bobiarski first began working with Barka in 2017, as part of a 3-week project organized by Barka Canada Social Integration Society. He is in the final year of his Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Alberta, specializing in Strategic Management and Organization. He is also graduating with a certificate in Community Service Learning. In 2018-2019, he served on the executive board of The Alberta Not-For-Profit Association. In 2020, Franciszek took part in a 6-month internship with multiple Barka offices across Europe, where he worked directly with the governing bodies of the organization.