Our Team

Alana Prochuk

Manager of Public Legal Education

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Alana is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to West Coast LEAF’s work for social justice as the Manager of Public Legal Education. A BC-certified English and ESL teacher, Alana brings experience in classroom-based and grassroots education, as well as communications, research, and project coordination. Most recently, Alana worked at the BC Civil Liberties Association and at WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, where she led a campus initiative against gender-based violence in partnership with Vancouver Community College. Alana also holds an MA in Cultural Studies. When they’re not at work, you’re likely to find them scooting around town on their bike, checking out local arts events, reading, writing, or dancing with abandon.

Basya Laye

Director of Development & Engagement

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Prior to her tenure as editor of a community newspaper, Basya was director of a community foundation, and worked for an organization in New York City dedicated to building collaborative relationships between national ethnic lay organizations and communities around the country. Basya has an interdisciplinary degree with a focus on identity issues in the African diaspora, and attended NYU to study humanities and social thought. With strong interests in public health, ethics, religious traditions, art, literature, music, animal conservation, public policy and equality rights, she also loves to spend time with family and friends, read, and enjoy Vancouver’s natural surroundings.

Bety Tesfay

Articling Student

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Bety Tesfay is an Ethiopian-Canadian from Calgary, Alberta. She received her JD/MPP at the University of Calgary. Bety is passionate about racial justice, environmental justice, and gender equality. She would like to use her education and experience to advocate for these issues. If she is not reading or hanging out with friends, you can find Bety rewatching old shows on Netflix.

Caitlin Anderson

Bookkeeping & Administrative Coordinator

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Caitlin is thrilled to join West Coast LEAF as the Bookkeeping & Administrative Coordinator. Having previously worked in law and accounting offices, she brings a love of problem solving and list making to the team. An avid dragon boater, she is a strong promoter of adapted sports as a way to combat isolation for people with disabilities. To offset her participation in paddling and yoga, Caitlin knits, reads and binge watches bad dramas.

Cat Hart

Manager of Fundraising

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Cat is a British settler who moved to these lands over a decade ago. They join West Coast LEAF with a background in communications, outreach and fundraising from their previous work at the BC Civil Liberties Association. Cat holds a Masters in Communication from Simon Fraser University, where they focused on national security narratives and their intersection/conflict with human rights and civil liberties. Cat is passionate about amplifying marginalized voices, youth empowerment, and testing the limits of colonial law. When not in the office, they are most likely making pictures and art forms out of whatever is handy.

Cecile Afable

Public Legal Education Specialist - Youth Programs

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Cecile is a Filipino-American immigrant-settler on the unceded lands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ. She was born in the Catskill mountains of New York, and has also lived in Massachusetts and rural southeastern France. Prior to joining West Coast LEAF, Cecile taught at Lycée Marcel Gimond and researched wrongful conviction for the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism. She is an interdisciplinary thinker who enjoys facilitation, curriculum development, community engagement, and project management. Cecile holds a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies from Brandeis University. Outside of work, she can be found baking, gardening, and reading across genres in both English and French.

Humera Jabir

Staff Lawyer

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Humera is a second-generation settler of South Asian origin. As a Staff Lawyer, Humera advocates for gender justice through legal cases and law reform efforts. Humera holds a law degree from McGill University. After law school, she clerked for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Before joining West Coast LEAF, Humera practiced constitutional, administrative, and human rights law, and worked in civilian oversight of policing. She has also worked on human rights initiatives and published articles on criminal law reform, racial profiling, and systemic discrimination, and on the rights of women, religious minorities, and refugees. Humera is inspired by the resilience of survivors of colonialism. Love of the mountains, ocean, and rainforest stirred her to move from Ontario to BC, and for this she is grateful to the Indigenous peoples who have cared for these lands.

Kate Feeney

Director of Litigation

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Kate comes to West Coast LEAF with a commitment to engaging in litigation informed by broader campaigns for social change. She holds a law degree from the University of Victoria and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of British Columbia. Since law school, Kate has worked on supporting access to justice in a variety of areas, including administrative, constitutional, human rights, and family law. She has both helped people use the law to achieve their individual goals and litigated cases with the aim of systemic law reform. Outside of work, Kate enjoys hiking, camping, and singing (sometimes in key) with her family.

Raji Mangat

Executive Director

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At the core of Raji’s wide-ranging legal career is a commitment to using the law as a tool for positive transformation. Her recent work has focused on access to justice, the impact of detention on women, and family law. Raji holds a law degree from the University of Victoria, a master’s degree in international affairs from Carleton University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from the University of British Columbia. After completing law school, Raji clerked for Justice Frank Iacobucci at the Supreme Court of Canada. She was called to the Ontario bar in 2004, to the New York State bar in 2005, and to the BC bar in 2011. She has practiced administrative and constitutional law since returning to the West Coast in 2012. Raji serves on the boards of Health Justice and the Vancouver Public Library. Outside of work, Raji likes to make paper crafts, binge on Netflix, and meander along city streets in search of coffee.

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Sharnelle Jenkins-Thompson

Manager of Community Outreach

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Sharnelle Jenkins-Thompson is of Welsh, Jewish, Metis, Scottish and Irish ancestry. Sharnelle is passionate about addressing the impacts of colonialism and injustice through relationality and reciprocity. Sharnelle grew up in Nanaimo (Snuneymuxw Nation) but has been living on x^wməθk^wəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ homelands since 2008. She holds a Masters of Social Work-Indigenous Specialization from the University of Victoria and worked in the Neighbourhood House movement prior to joining West Coast LEAF. She often can be found hanging out with her tortoise and cat, kicking a soccer ball and enjoying these beautiful, unceded homelands.

Sharon Xia

Manager of Donor Support

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Sharon is the Manager of Donor Support at West Coast LEAF. She coordinates the Annual Equality Breakfast and manages the donor database. Prior to joining West Coast LEAF, she worked with international organizations and education institutions in China and Australia to implement training and research programs. Sharon has an academic background in Labor Economics; she loves knitting and also likes to spend time exploring new places.

Victoria Chen

Operations & Finance Manager

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Driven by a passion for social justice, Victoria brings her experience in community organizing and non-profit work to West Coast LEAF, as well as her joy in well-organized systems. She has a BA from SFU with a triple minor in Dialogue, Sociology, and Psychology, in addition to a Certificate in Social Justice. She is inspired by the resilience of migrant women like her mum, and spends her days chasing after a very active toddler and singing everywhere she goes.