Inclusive Prosperity Team
Afua is a Sustainable Farmer with over 10 years of experience working in under-served communities in Canada and Ghana. In Toronto, she began her food security work with Afri-Can FoodBasket, then with FoodShare Toronto as the Senior Good Food Program & Community Engagement Coordinator and Food Secure Canada’s Indigenous & Black Peoples Food Sovereignty Project. At FoodShare, Afua implemented Toronto’s pioneer produce Mobile Market and Public Health’s Grab Some Good subway produce markets. Afua is a founding member of the Pan-African Canadian Food Sovereignty Network, which is pursuing equitable participation of African-Canadians in the agriculture sector and emerging national school food policy.
Afua Asantewaa | Inclusive Prosperity Executive Director (she/her)
With a Master's in Environmental Studies, Michelle has been recognized for her research on decolonizing local food culture and for her contributions to expanding two campus Good Food Markets. Her experience includes roles with marketcityTO, Local Food and Farm Co-ops, and the Ontario Co-op Association’s Principle 8 working group, and as previous board member for Et Al Co-op Café. Michelle is dedicated to promoting equitable change in food systems through policy and advocacy. She has experience in conducting workshops and presentations on decolonizing food culture, and furthering equity in the local food and farm sector.
Michelle Chin-Dawe | Nourish Fund Coordinator (she/her)
Johanna (“yo-ha-nah”) is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs and enterprises with the resources and access to the capital they need to start, grow, and thrive in the Northern Ontario local food and farm sector. Her experience includes northern value chain coordination, remote community capacity building, and business technical assistance for BIPOC youth. Johanna has a degree in Environment & Business, where her studies focused on combining environmental and social impact metrics with profitability and economic growth. She was born and raised in northern Ontario, where she grew up on a family farm; today, Johanna is based in Timmins enjoying seasonal local farming work and is a board member with the Anti-Hunger Coalition.
Johanna Mercedes | Loan Officer & Northern Social Finance Coordinator (she/her)
With a passion for food equity, local economies, and social and environmental justice, Rebecca comes from a background in environmental governance, international development, and social geography. She has over 10 years of experience working in public outreach, marketing, and communications in the non-profit and food social enterprise sectors. Rebecca’s work has taken her from farms in southern Ontario to Mexico, Ecuador, and Zanzibar, where she works to facilitate storytelling direct from the farmers to wider audiences in Canada and beyond.
Rebecca Jacobs | Marketing & Communications Coordinator (she/her)
Board of Directors
Andrea Pierce | Chair
Andrea Pierce is a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive leadership experience across Fortune 500 companies, government organizations, and startups in Canada and the U.S. She has an undergraduate degree in Economics & Sociology, an MBA in technology, and a Master’s Certificate in Leadership. Known for spearheading innovative projects, such as Canada’s first Green Button App and a world-first outage notification system, she has earned recognition for her strategic thinking and impact. As the inaugural Executive Director of the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, Andrea led initiatives that advanced black entrepreneurship, winning the 2024 AACSB Innovations award. A passionate advocate for social justice, Andrea has worked on policy changes and community programs supporting racialized communities, reflecting her deep commitment to social equity.
Cheyenne Jones | Vice-Chair
Cheyenne Jones is a dynamic African Nova Scotian with extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, social inclusion, and community engagement. With a passion for community empowerment and sustainable development, she is strongly committed to advocating for underserved communities. Cheyenne has demonstrated collaborative leadership and the ability to build meaningful relationships with diverse groups. Currently serving as the African Nova Scotian & Black Community Food Coordinator at ONE North End, Cheyenne leads initiatives to advance African Canadian food sovereignty, including the launch of a regional Black Food Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her experience includes facilitating workshops on anti-Black racism, healing, and cultural competency, as well as securing international partnerships for development projects in Ghana.
Sipho Kwaku | Secretary
Sipho Kwaku brings over 29 years of experience in community building and workforce development within the social service sector, having led multi-service community-based agencies and managed substantial operating budgets. His expertise in leadership, project management, and strategic thinking aligns perfectly with Inclusive Prosperity's mission of promoting inclusion, diversity, economic development, and equitable opportunities. Sipho is a dedicated problem-solver and respected leader in community organizing and development, passionate about nurturing creativity and diversity in the workplace.
Dr. Kayzie Sutton | Treasurer
Dr. Kayzie Sutton is a healthcare professional with over 20 years of experience helping clients manage stress, anxiety, chronic diseases, and learning disabilities through holistic health and wellness approaches with natural remedies. Dr. Sutton views health and wellness as essential components of social equity because access to quality healthcare and well-being resources should be available to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. She believes that disparities in health outcomes often stem from social inequalities, such as unequal access to healthcare, nutrition, and education. In addition to her work in healthcare, Dr. Sutton is a sustainable livestock and crop farmer whose personal experience with the challenges of securing land as an African Canadian farmer. This experience fuels her passion for advocating equitable land access for African Canadians.
Justin Abbiss | Executive Director, Fair Finance Fund
As Executive Director of the Fair Finance Fund, Justin brings his diverse leadership experience to support the growth and development of Inclusive Prosperity. Justin is passionate about empowering teams and fostering equity across the local food and farming sectors.
Justin’s experience spans diverse sectors, including launching the first public avalanche bulletin system for the Yukon Territory and leading avalanche forecasting teams. Justin also co-founded Batched, an e-commerce technology company empowering food entrepreneurs.
