AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
At the international level, the members of the Board of Directors – known as the International Board – provide guidance and leadership for the Amnesty International movement worldwide. Every year, a Global Assembly is convened, where representatives of each section come together to discuss strategies and policies, vote on International Board members, and share ideas and knowledge to guide the international movement.
There are more than 80 Amnesty International offices worldwide. Canada has two branches – the English Branch in Ottawa and the Francophone Branch in Montreal.
AMNESTY CANADA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Check back soon for the updated Board of Directors.
AMNESTY STAFF LEADERSHIP
Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General
Ketty serves as Secretary General for Amnesty International Canada’s English-Speaking section. She oversees the organization’s domestic and international human rights mandate and is its lead representative.
A global human rights activist and advocate, Ketty holds in-depth expertise and lived experience in forced displacement, at-risk human rights defenders, civic space in conflict and political transitions, and the global intersections of gender, race, and human rights. Before seeking asylum in Canada in 2015, she braved police violence as the lead organizer of women’s peaceful protests for democratic change in her country, Burundi.
In her previous roles, Ketty has led research, advocacy, and communications strategies with women peace activists in several conflict and post-conflict countries, including Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Myanmar, Uganda, and Guatemala. Her work is rooted in people power, public accountability, and a feminist, decolonial approach to human rights.
Ketty studied international relations and is a former journalist and published poet. She lives in Ottawa with her two teenage daughters.
Kassandra Churcher, Executive Director
Kassandra has enjoyed a long and significant management career, including supervising the operations and management of all primary and secondary schools throughout the Inuit territory of Nunavik in the north of Quebec, as well as being the National Executive Director for the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS). She played a leadership role in developing opportunities for funding and support of the 24 community-based Elizabeth Fry Societies across Canada, which are responsible for delivering programs and services to at-risk and criminalized girls and women.
Kassandra is committed to fostering an ARAO intersectional feminist approach in her writing, advocacy, work, and life. She currently lives in Hudson, a small community outside of Montreal, where she volunteers as Vice President of the Elizabeth Fry Society.
Kassandra graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Ethics, holds a Master of Arts in Education from Concordia University in Montreal, and is completing a PhD in Culture and Values in Education from McGill.
Cian Mc Sweeney, Director of Finance & Operations
Cian Mc Sweeney joined Amnesty International’s Finance & Operations team in June 2022, where he serves as the Director. In this role, he works with the Finance, Facilities, and Information Technology and Systems teams responsible for oversight and governance of finances, office management, and digital and technology strategies. Before this, Cian held progressive finance roles in the for-profit industry in Canada and public accounting firms in Ireland.
Cian graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems from University College Cork (Ireland) and holds Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designations in Ireland and Canada. With a proven track record of managing complex operations and finances, driving organizational growth and impact, and growing and leading high-performing teams, Cian is committed to developing and implementing strategies that will enable Amnesty to achieve its goals.
David Matsinhe, Director of Policy, Advocacy & Research
David Matsinhe is the Director of Policy, Advocacy and Research (PAR) at Amnesty International Canada. Until 2023, he was the Lusophone Senior Researcher at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International in the East and Southern Africa Regional Office. Previously, he served as World Bank Senior Advisor in Public Finance at Mozambique’s Ministry of Education and Social Development and Assistant Professor in Global Development and Social Innovation at the University of Johannesburg.
David holds a PhD in Political Sociology from the University of Alberta, where he was a Canada Graduate Scholar of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. He is completing an MPhil in International Law at the University of Cape Town.
David is the author of Apartheid Vertigo: The Rise in Discrimination Against Africans in South Africa. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at Carleton University and a Research Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Marie-Helene Boubane, Director of Fundraising
Marie-Hélène was promoted to Director of Fundraising in July 2022. She has held many positions at Amnesty International, including Manager of Fundraising Programs, Major Gifts and Legacy Giving, Annual Giving, Legacy Giving, and Supporter Services.
Marie-Hélène has fundraised for international organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and CARE Canada in various positions, from Direct Marketing to Monthly Giving and Institutional Fundraising.
When not working with her wonderful colleagues at Amnesty, she is a fierce advocate for mental health, especially when it comes to neurodivergent populations.
Marie-Hélène graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University. She joined the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) in 1999. She has held a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation since 2015.
