Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto (NEW) announces Sara Asalya as new Executive Director
TORONTO (ONTARIO) March 18th, 2022 – The Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto (NEW) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Sara Asalya will be joining NEW as Executive Director following an extensive search process.
“Sara’s passion and proven track record as a visionary and thought leader in the immigration, social justice and community development space make her an exciting choice for the role,” said Thulasi Thedchanamoorthy, Board Chair. “We couldn’t be more confident with Sara taking the helm at this pivotal point in the agency’s nearly 40 year-long history of supporting and advancing newcomer women through settlement and employment services, English language instruction, leadership and skills development programs.”
“Sara brings with her over a decade of experience in not-for-profit management, operations and research, as well as significant contributions to community advocacy and engagement on newcomer settlement and employment. Her lived experience as an immigrant woman in Canada inspires her advocacy on key issues impacting the community. ,” said Thedchanamoorthy.
Sara is a recognized champion of immigrants' rights. Her leadership and dedication to advancing newcomers’ economic resilience, civic and political engagement have led to her being named one of Canada’s Top 25 Canadian Immigrants and Women of Influence
Sara joins NEW from her six-year tenure as Executive Director of The Newcomer Students’ Association, a national not for profit organization working at the intersection of migration, education, and social justice, and a platform committed to promoting inclusion and equity for post-secondary immigrant and refugee students. Prior to this, Sara worked for the University of Toronto and Ryerson University in different capacities and roles including research, operations, events and projects management, student engagement and leadership, and accreditation and quality assurance. Since 2019, Sara has also worked with NEW - most recently as Senior Manager of Programs and Strategic Initiatives where she led the agency’s portfolio of innovative programs and initiatives focused on skills development, gender-based violence, gender equality, and ED&I including a recent program that offers refugee women their “first Canadian experience” through a paid internship and comprehensive training in project management, leadership, workplace communication and human rights.
“Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto is one of the few leading agencies that supports and empowers immigrant women’s integration and inclusion in all aspects of Canadian society. I am honored to be serving as the Executive Director during such a pivotal time as we navigate post pandemic recovery. Investing in women, especially immigrant and refugee women has never been top of mind in Canada.” says Asalya.
Sara will build on the work of her predecessor, Judy Fantham who has been in the role since November 2018. “The Board of Directors thank Judy for her exemplary leadership during unprecedented times. Judy has led the agency’s relocation, positioning it in the heart of a community hub that offers a variety of support services to various underserved communities. Judy has exceeded the agency’s fundraising targets and expanded programs offering while building strategic partnerships with key partners, donors and funders. We wish Judy all the best in her next endeavour,” says Thedchanamoorthy.
“On behalf of the NEW Board of Directors, I welcome Sara to the NEW family and look forward to working with her during this transformational time,” says Thedchanamoorthy.
About Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto
Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto was founded by a group of Latin American refugees in 1983 with a vision of strong women building strong communities. A multi-service non-profit and registered charity with operations in two Toronto locations serving 800+ Immigrants and Refugees annually. The agency was awarded a Non-profit Employer of Choice Award! The Canadian Non-profit Employer of Choice™ Awards (NEOC) recognizes organizations across Canada that have committed themselves to better business management practices to achieve their mission. For more information, visit https://www.newcomerwomen.org/about
For more information, please contact:
Thulasi Thedchanamoorthy, Board Chair