Welcome, from the 2023 QCIR team.
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Our team includes both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous student leaders. We do not ask our team members to self-identify, but some have chosen to do so in their bios. Scroll over our name cards to learn more about us.
Co-Chairs
The Co-chairs work year-round to coordinate the other team members in making the conference the best that it can possibly be. We manage high-level branding, finances, and event planning. Our main job is team-wide task management, and jumping in when our co-planners need help.
Sinead Dunne
Sinead is returning for her second year as Co-Chair and will be overseeing most external conference planning.
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Sinead is a 3L law student with an undergraduate degree in International Development from the University of Ottawa. She has worked with equity-seeking groups before in both marketing and internal logistics roles. She is returning as the Co-Chair for a second year.
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She is vegetarian, loves good coffee and good books, and fall the most.
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Note: Sinead will be on exchange in the fall term and will be 6 hours ahead.
Erica Johnston
Erica is returning to the position of Co-Chair after a year on exchange. She will be overseeing much of the internal conference planning.
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Erica is a 4th year commerce student at Smith. She is Métis, with her family originating from Manitoba’s Red River Settlement. She has experience in the role, returning to QCIR after being Co-Chair two years ago.
Erica loves walks with her dog Lucy, spending time outdoors, and painting.
VP's Internal & External
The VP Internal was a new position last year, with all the same decision making powers as the co-chairs, but with a tighter focus on our internal affairs, like venue acquisition and other admin tasks. The VP External position is a new position this year and will oversee speaker coordination and recruitment.
Jessica Farshait
As VP Internal, Jessica will be keeping an eye on our logistics planning for our conference, including venue and vendor contracts.
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Jessica is a 2L law student at Queen's Law with an undergraduate degree from McMaster University. She summered at a family law firm, and is passionate about women's rights. Jessica is excited to be part of the QCIR team this year.
She loves dogs, especially her Pomeranian Amber.
Hayley Crooks
Hayley is returning this year, moving from Gallery Coordinator to VP External. She will focus on relationship building in 2024.
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Hayley's bio will be available shortly.
Speakers Coordinators
The Speakers Coordinators are responsible for keeping our lineup full, diverse, and most important of all, interesting. They both search and take suggestions for speakers, and build panels, workshops, and lectures around our roster.
Reuben McHenry
Reuben will be our lead Speaker Coordinator for the 2024 year.
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My name is Reuben and I’m a 3L at Queen’s Law. I am very interested in working in the public interest and open to a variety of legal fields. My undergraduate degree is in Media Studies and History. Fun fact about me: I’m attending school in Dublin, Ireland for the 2023 Fall semester!
Michelle Lee
Michelle was one of our volunteers last year, and will be assisting with speaker outreach and coordination.
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Michelle is a 3L law student at Queen's Law, with an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Concordia University in Montreal. She has a strong passion for social justice work and is part of the Speakers Team. She loves going camping and hiking with her two dogs!
Grayson Councillor
Grayson is a first time team member who will be focused on speaker recruitment and support.
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Grayson is a second year Commerce student. He has a keen interest in consulting, accounting and Indigenous law. His attendance at QCIR last year as a participant was the catalyst behind him joining QCIR this year. He wants to be part of building relationships and fostering understanding, and amplifying the importance of respect and reconciliation. He hails from the Treaty #3 area and is a member of Naicatchewenin First Nations. Grayson’s extracurricular interests include sports, music and learning more about Indigenous culture.
Conferences need money and resources - the sponsorship and finance coordinators are responsible for making sure that we've got both.
Socha Verbeke
Socha is also a returning team member this year, coming back to the sponsorship coordinator role, and will be focused on recruiting local sponsors to donate tangible goods.
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Socha is a third year psychology and philosophy student with a huge interest in bioethics and working with vulnerable populations. She has been the co-director of sponsorship for 3 years. She’s obsessed with hiking and the mountains!
Sandi Gendi
Sandi will be on our executive team for the first time after volunteering with the conference last year, and will be primarily focused on financial sponsorship.
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Sandi is in her third year of law school at Queen’s Faculty of Law. She has a keen interest in business law and has explored its impact on vulnerable communities in her past roles working with NGOs and equity-seeking organizations. Armed with her own experiences, Sandi wishes to do her part in learning and understanding. Sandi returns to the QCIR after volunteering last year. In her spare time, she enjoys walking or spending time with her Yorkie, Suki.
Sponsorship Coordinators
Finance Coordinator
Liam Gillespie
Liam is a returning team member this year, taking over the VP Finance role after two years in Sponsorship.
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Liam's bio will be available shortly.
Marketing Coordinator
The Finance Coordinator is responsible for the health of our banking, and for managing any invoices, both ingoing and outgoing.
Marketing Coordinators keep us looking good online, are responsible for making sure that our delegates know what's going on, and manage our branding. They also enter into media partnerships where the opportunity exists.
Dreyden George
Dreyden will work closely with the Co-Chairs and Delegate Coordinator to make sure you know what you need to know, when you need to know it.
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Dreyden's bio will be available shortly.
Delegate Coordinator
Since we're hoping to be back in person this year, we thought it would be in our (and ultimately your) best interest to add a Delegate Coordinator to our team, to help get you from A to B with the least amount of stress.
Kyrie is a third-year student at Queen's Law. Prior to law school, she completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature. She is passionate about creating spaces for respectful dialogue about issues facing marginalized people and communities and is grateful to be able to support this year's conference delegates. In her spare time, she enjoys playing music with friends.
Kyrie Bouscal
Kyrie is also returning this year to take care of our delegates - she'll be our attendees main contact!
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Tech & Logistics Coordinators
Speakers, mics, online events, and all the rest are the domain of the tech coordinators. Have questions about how to join us online, or want to sign up for this currently vacant position? Shoot us an email!
Braedan Downer
Braedan is returning for another year of tech and logistics planning, focusing on our online portion.
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Hi everyone! My name is Braedan Downer and I am embarking on my 4th and final year in the Commerce program at Queen’s University. I am returning for my fourth year as an executive member on the technology and logistics team within QCIR. It is through my years on this team that I have had the opportunity to work towards Indigenous reconciliation in the business and Law sectors and am proud of the progress we have made. Outside of school, I enjoy playing golf and hockey and cheering for the Toronto Maple Leafs!
Gallery Coordinators
Kathleen Gant
Kathleen is a new member of our team, and will be planning our creative exhibition, the opening event of our conference.
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Kathleen is a 2L at Queen’s Law. She is primarily interested in Indigenous law and human rights. Outside of school, Kathleen spends most of her free time painting. She is the Gallery Coordinator for QCIR this year. She is looking forward to working with different creatives to put on a fun and interesting gallery.
Currently Vacant.
We have decided to only have one gallery coordinator this year, but will be back in the spring with another opportunity to apply for our 2025 conference.
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We're opening our conference with a gallery exhibition this year, and this is the team that'll be behind the event. Come out for a wine and cheese, and for a discussion about creative culture and Reconciliation.
Mallory Felix
Hannah works closely with the Co-Chairs and the sponsors coordinators to keep us in good health.
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Rosemary is currently in her second year of law school at Queen’s Faculty of Law. She actively shows support for Indigenous initiatives including volunteering with Pro Bono Students Canada’s project titled “Applying for Native Status”, and McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s outreach efforts for the First Nations Drinking Water Settlement this past summer. She has a passion for health and wellness and likes to stay active in her spare time. She is pursuing a career in litigation in which she aspires to exercise her passion for advocacy. She is proud Métis.