
Secretariat & Research Assistants
Our team brings diverse talents and lived experiences to the heart of the UnborderED Knowledge project. From undergraduate students to experienced researchers, they contribute expertise in communications, digital design, software development, and migration studies. With multilingual skills (English, French, and beyond) and backgrounds in commerce, law, engineering, and international affairs, our team is united by a shared commitment to equity, accessibility, and inclusive knowledge mobilization.
Christina Clark-Kazak

Christina Clark-Kazak is our principal investigator. She is a bilingual research leader in forced migration and age rights, with broad experience in government, civil society and academia. A professor in uOttawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, she previously worked for York University, Saint Paul University, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, and the Canadian government. She collaborates with community partners to provide experiential learning opportunities in courses related to human rights, migration, democratization and research methods. Christina has authored and (co-)edited 12 books, over 30 articles and book chapters, and many policy briefs on ethics, methodology, forced migration and age discrimination. She is regularly invited to contribute to public education, policymaking and media discussions.
Cassandra Fournier
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Cassandra Fournier is currently a doctoral candidate in social work at the University of Ottawa. Her thesis focuses on interventions with unaccompanied minors in Greece. She completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in international development and globalization at the same university. Her master's thesis focused on the role of Spanish civil society in supporting refugees. Her main research interests are forced migration, international volunteering, youth protection, and civil society. Cassandra is fluent in French, English, and Spanish.
Daniela Pelaez
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Daniela Pelaez is an undergraduate student pursuing her Honours Bachelor of Commerce in Management with a French Immersion stream at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa. As a Communications and Digital Design Assistant for the UnborderED Knowledge / Savoirs sans frontières project, she contributes to the creation of visually engaging public-facing materials. Daniela has experience in content creation, social media, and visual storytelling. She is passionate about making knowledge more accessible through creative communication and collaborative design.
Estifanos Wondem Meshesha

Estifanos Wondem Meshesha is an international student from Ethiopia currently pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Software Engineering at the University of Ottawa, with a Management and Entrepreneurship option. He is passionate about the intersection of technology, information management, and social impact. His experience includes working with data organization, digital tools, and project coordination. He is bilingual in English and French and committed to producing high-quality, detail-oriented work. He looks forward to contributing to the UnborderEd Knowledge project through effective data management, communication, and knowledge mobilization initiatives.
Magi Hadad

Magi Hadad is a graduate student in the Joint Master's Program in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. She holds a BA in Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Studies from the University of Winnipeg.
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Originally from Syria, Magi came to Canada as a refugee in 2016 and brings her lived experience into her community and academic work. She currently works at the Immigrant and Refuge Community Organizationof Manitoba-IRCOM inc. as a Research & Evaluation Assistant and Lead Project Facilitator, focusing on youth empowerment, human rights education, and community programming for newcommer racialized refugee youth.
Parisa Azari

Parisa Azari is a Ph.D. Candidate in Law at the University of Ottawa, with a background in International Law. Her research focuses on the role of higher education networks specifically the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Scholars at Risk (SAR) in advancing the concept of protection for forced migrants within international law. Prior to her doctoral studies, she worked with international and non-governmental organizations supporting Afghan refugees. As a Research Assistant with the UnborderED Knowledge project, she contributes to creating a database of existing and available higher education opportunities for forced migrants across Canada.

