The Executive Committee of the Group of 78 is also a part of the Board of Directors. Please review their bios HERE.
Manfred Bienefeld has a PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics and is now Professor Emeritus at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration where he headed their International Development program for many years after moving to Carleton from the well-known Institute of Development Studies located at England’s Sussex University. Having published widely on many aspects of international development and worked with many government, international and civil society organizations around the world, in his retirement, he is currently lecturing and writing about the increasingly problematic evolution of the Bretton Woods institutions. In recent years he has been focusing more widely on the seriously dysfunctional state of the international financial system as a whole and the enormous economic, social and political costs and risks that this is imposing on the global system.
Gordon Breedyk‘s career includes a diverse background in the public, private and non-governmental (NGO) sectors both in Canada and internationally. He is currently President of Civilian Peace Service Canada (CPSC) which is focussed on creating a recognized and respected peace profession, in part through assessment and accreditation of individuals as Peace Professionals. Gord is also Co-Director of the Peace Professionalism Project, an international research initiative which builds upon the work undertaken by CPSC. Gord’s international experience includes assignments in Ghana, Thailand, Mongolia, Kosovo, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Ukraine. He holds an Executive MBA from Queens University, an MES (Masters in Environmental Studies) from York University, and a Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation (CIIAN).
Scott Burbidge, earned his BA in History from Acadia University, and MA in Sociology from Dalhousie University. He joined the Public Service of Canada and spent two decades in the Secretariat of the Ministry of the Solicitor General Canada first as a research officer and later as a policy advisor on policing and law enforcement. After taking early retirement Scott returned to Nova Scotia and joined the Halifax Branch of the Canadian International Council, where he was chair of the program committee for almost a decade.He participated in the policy aspect of the Arar Inquiry presided by Justice O’Connor, which examined the need for an arms-length oversight of RCMP national security investigations and contributed to the public consultations undertaken a decade later by the then Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale on a National Security Policy Framework, which addressed the need for all-of-government oversight of national security intelligence gathering, enforcement and investigations.
Bruce Campbell is adjunct professor, York University, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. He is Senior Fellow, Toronto Metropolitan University, Centre for Free Expression. Bruce Campbell is former Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives [1994-2015]. He was awarded a Law Foundation of Ontario Community Leadership in Justice Fellowship and spent 2016 as a visiting professor at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. Bruce Campbell was awarded the 2025 King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025.
Ruby Dagher is an international development professional, researcher, consultant and instructor. She has worked in the private sector, the public sector, and academia. She completed her PhD in Public Policy (at Carleton University) where she examined the legitimacy of states in post-conflict countries, and particularly the importance of performance legitimacy acquired through the delivery of basic goods and services. Ruby has worked as a program analyst at the Canadian International Development Agency (now Global Affairs Canada), a financial analyst in the financial industry, a post-conflict workshop facilitator, and an evaluator of programs, projects and loans. Her research interests are focused on post-conflict development, the Middle East, fragile states, post-conflict legitimacy, decentralization and state legitimacy, foreign aid policy and donor programming, and the role of civil society in non-Western cultures.
John Foster
Stephen Kester specializes in strategic, utilization-focussed evaluations that produce valuable insights for organizations to improve their strategies and structures to achieve intended results. His background of over 45 years combines a unique blend of community organizing for social change with international development and humanitarian work, a Master of Business Administration degree focussed on organizational strategy and structure, and a 15-year appointment leading and conducting effective program evaluations for the Government of Canada. As Head of Evaluation at Global Affairs Canada, he regularly monitored and assessed Canada’s programs in peacekeeping, security, crisis response, conflict transformation, trade and social protection. Since retirement from the Canadian Public Service, he has supported multilateral and donor agencies in developing theories of change and monitoring systems for development programs in social protection, migration and urban development, evaluated country programs in education, health, and economic growth and served as Treasurer and Executive Board Member with the Canadian Evaluation Society and its National Capital Chapter.
Sylvie Lemieux is a retired Lieutenant-Colonel Army Engineer and a retired executive from the Public Service of Canada. She has served across Canada and has participated in a UN humanitarian mission in Pakistan as a teacher for mine awareness to support Afghans’ repatriation. Upon her retirement, she completed a masters in Globalization and International Development at the University of Ottawa and a doctorate in Conflict Studies at Saint-Paul University. Her thesis was centered on the process of global treaties through the lenses of the Ottawa Treaty. A former Green Party of Canada Candidate for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell Sylvie is a board member of G78, CNANW, CPRA and IPB, and a member of Pugwash.
Peggy Mason
Dr. Adam Muller is a genocide and human rights scholar as well as a professor and former Director of the Peace and Conflict Studies graduate program at the University of Manitoba. He specializes in genocide and mass atrocity prevention and representations of genocide, war and human suffering. He is a Senior Research Fellow with the U of M’s Centre for Defense and Security Studies, and a Senior Fellow with Hong Kong Education University’s new Research Centre for Creative Arts and Public Value. In 2019 Dr. Muller helped to establish the Global Forum On Bigotry and Hate, an international think-tank studying local and global manifestations of political extremism.
Kizzann Sammy MA, MBA, FRSA, is a senior development professional with over 25 years of experience advancing inclusive, evidence-based policy and programming across government, non-profit, and international development sectors. She brings a strong record of volunteerism and advocacy, having served on boards and committees focused on governance, youth leadership, and social impact, including with RESET Society of Calgary, where she contributed to strategic planning and governance strengthening for programs supporting survivors of human trafficking. She has also held leadership roles with organizations such as the Red Cross, SHIFT! Caribbean, and Rotary International, reflecting a longstanding commitment to community service and civic engagement.
Kizzann’s development work spans more than 30 countries, with a focus on gender equality, sustainable finance, climate resilience, and inclusive economic growth. She works in both English and French and has also successfully delivered evaluations focused on Haitian Kreyol, Arabic, Pashto, and Tigrinya speakers. Through partnerships with organizations such as UN Women, Global Affairs Canada, CARICOM, IDB, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, she has led research, training, and evaluation initiatives that centre equity, amplify marginalized voices, and inform policy at national and international levels. A strategic thinker and collaborative leader, Kizzann is deeply committed to advancing inclusive dialogue, strengthening governance systems, and contributing to public policy discussions that promote sustainable and equitable development.