Professional Development Event with Settlement Sector Practitioners

Join us for a conversation with four settlement sector professionals on their journeys in migration work, highlighting real-world applications, challenges, and career paths beyond academia.

This event is organized as part of the CMS Graduate Certificate in Migration Studies and is open to all. Bring your lunch and dive into the conversation!

About the speakers

Jennifer York
Director – Refugee Services, ISSofBC

Jennifer York is a dedicated leader with over 20 years of experience at ISSofBC, where she has held both frontline and management roles in federally and provincially funded employment and settlement programs. Her role currently is Director of Refugee Services Programs.

Jennifer’s leadership is marked by her collaborative approach and commitment to building strong community partnerships. She has actively contributed to sector-wide committees, such as the BC Case Management Alliance and the Multi-Agency Partnership Advisory Committee, fostering cooperation and innovation across organizations. She is known for her mentorship and dedication to the professional growth of her colleagues, taking great pride in supporting her team’s development and success.

Beyond her professional achievements, Jennifer holds an Executive Master of Business Administration and a Certificate for Responsible Leadership from Queen’s University. She also serves on the Board of the West End Senior’s Network, supporting seniors in connecting with their community. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys exploring new activities, including singing with the Harmony House Choir.

Kathy Sherrell
Chief Program Officer – Settlement and Refugee Services, ISSofBC

Kathy Sherrell has over 16 years of experience in Settlement & Refugee services at ISSofBC, where Kathy leads program development and evaluation, contract negotiations, and quality assurance initiatives. Kathy has played a key role in standardizing practices and advancing innovative projects, including the BC Refugee Hub, fostering policy change and a deeper understanding of refugee issues. She is the Sector Co-Chair for the National GAR RAP Working Groups and participates in other national and local advisory committees.

Holding a PhD in Geography from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Arts from Simon Fraser University, Kathy’s academic work emphasizes refugee resettlement in Canada, including regionalization, legal status, housing, and settlement experiences. Kathy remains actively engaged in research as a co-investigator on three pan-Canadian, multi-year refugee studies and leads numerous internal projects. Kathy is an Affiliated Scholar with York University’s Centre for Refugee Studies.

Mona Hassannia
Registered Clinical Counsellor & Mental Health Consultant

Mona Hassannia is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with nearly 20 years of frontline and leadership experience in the non-profit sector. She is the founder of Nia Counselling and the Settlement Wellness Hub, offering therapy, wellness debriefs, and capacity-building for frontline workers. As a Mental Health Consultant, Mona develops trauma-informed toolkits, training, and e-learning focused on real-world application. A dedicated advocate for frontline mental health, she continues to strengthen the sector through consulting, facilitation, and wellness programming designed to foster resilience, compassion, and sustainable care within immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations.

Sadaf Maqsoodi
Executive Coordinator, CEO Office and Board of Directors, ISSofBC

Sadaf Maqsoodi is the Executive Coordinator, CEO Office and Board of Directors at ISSofBC and a Fulbright Scholar with a Master’s in International Affairs from the State University of New York, Albany. She has extensive experience with the United Nations, non-profits, and government in Afghanistan, New York, and Canada, leading programs in gender and youth, national priority initiatives, and development budgeting.

In her current role, she works closely with executive leadership and the Board to shape programs and policies that foster inclusion, community integration, and opportunities for newcomers and diverse communities. She is committed to sharing her experience to help students explore careers in immigration, non-profits, and community development.