Jennifer Chan (she/her)
Founder, CEO & Story Caretaker
Jenn is second-generation Chinese-Canadian, a Mama, a partner, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a struggling idealist, a pandemic-induced extroverted introvert, and a recovering perfectionist aka super Virgo.
Jenn’s thinking was partially shaped by her Bachelors in Architectural Science from Ryerson University, her Masters of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation from the Ontario College of Art and Design and her life MBA of running her own design-driven community engagement consultancy since 2007
Jenn finds joy in starting new crafty hobbies, gets a bit obsessive doing it as much as possible until she becomes bored and moves on. (She is also a fan of run-on sentences)
Mathura “Temwa” Mahendren (she/her)
Story Caretaker, Minister of Memes & Meditation, previously Program Manager of The Stories of Us
Mathura is a storyteller by nature and design researcher by nurture. As the daughter of asylum-seeking refugees fleeing state-sanctioned genocide in Sri Lanka, now residing on stolen land on Turtle Island, the desire to reconcile the dissonances within her lineage often manifests in her work.
Her parents’ love survived oceans of distance across indefinite periods of time, the poverty of starting anew in a foreign land, and the sudden and premature loss of their firstborn, and she is intimately aware of the ways in which our ability to move through difference, discomfort, grief, change, and growth is deeply intertwined with how and how deeply we were taught to love. To that end, love is both the method and the madness that underpins all of her bodies of work.
Her practice is rooted in a commitment to designing and sharing tools, frameworks, and brave spaces that can hold relationships through difference, discomfort, grief, change, and ultimately, growth.
Morgan Bath (she/they)
Morgan Bath is a transdisciplinary designer, facilitator, and community builder who thrives at the intersection of creativity, systems thinking, and creative problem-solving. They’ve led complex projects across the arts, nonprofit, and innovation sectors; designing programs, facilitating workshops, coordinating events, and building systems that help people and organizations work more smoothly, collaboratively, and sustainably.
Morgan brings curiosity, care, and a talent for co-creation to every space they enter. They find joy in organizing “messy” systems and turning complex challenges into actionable steps. Their strength lies in enabling diverse teams to translate big ideas into tangible outcomes. With experience spanning international conferences, community arts hubs, and organizational strategy, Morgan approaches every project through an intersectional lens. They center multiple perspectives, foster equitable collaboration, and create inclusive spaces for collective problem-solving.
They hold a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation from OCAD University, where their work explored how foresight, design, and equity-centered practices can create more inclusive and resilient futures. Morgan is passionate about supporting individuals and teams in stepping into new spaces with confidence, clarity, and collective impact.
Our Board of Directors
Trevor Haldenby (he/him)
President and Secretary
Trevor Haldenby is an imaginative Canadian futurist with 20 years of experience in strategic foresight, business innovation, and digital storytelling. He leads by transporting knowledge and ideas across different domains — from immersive experience design to strategic challenges spanning high-tech, life sciences, and social innovation.
Trevor’s graduate research at OCAD University (2012) demonstrated the value of adapting scenarios and trend forecasts into immersive ByoLogyc experiences where people emotionally and intellectually “prehearse” the complex decisions they could face in various futures.
He has been a special keynote presenter at TED, CBC, Autodesk University, 21st Century Ideas Festival, and Ars Electronica. Professionally, he has held titles including Interactive Producer at Canadian Film Centre (2004), Habbo Hotel (2006), and Earth Rangers (2008); Director of Business Transformation at Syntegrity (2017-2021), Facilitator with SURGE, and Principal at Wierd(A)dvisory
Samar Mudawi (she/her)
General Member
A motivated development practitioner with a postgraduate MSc degree in Development Practice from Trinity College Dublin. An Avid learner with a passion for research and demonstrated knowledge of data collection methods. An analytical and critical thinker with meticulous attention to details and keen problem-solving abilities. Dedicated and focused, with over 3 years of experience in management, planning and research in various social development settings. Research interests include EDI, health, poverty, education, and gender.
Jennifer Chan (she/her)
Staff Member
Jenn is the CEO & Co-Founder to the Department of Imaginary Affairs and now on our Board of Directors. Jenn’s extensive background designing, developing and implementing participatory and co-design based programming within the nonprofit and social innovation sector has given her a unique set of skills to lead this organization.
Alicia Richins (she/they)
Treasurer
Alicia is a climate justice advocate, sustainable impact
strategist and writer, called to imagine beyond the plausible.
She is the founder of The Climateverse, a transformation lab and
multimedia studio focused on radically imagining and co-creating
climate just futures. There, she leverages storytelling and futures
methods to articulate and inspire action towards better futures for
all.
As a consultant-facilitator, they help organizations and community
groups to develop futures-oriented impact strategies and systems, and
to unpack the intersecting issues of climate, social and economic
justice, in order to navigate challenges while building towards their
desired futures (outcomes).
A proud Trinbagonian-Canadian, her offerings are underscored by her
active engagement in the youth climate movement in Canada and across
the Caribbean, as well as her graduate education and research in
ecological economics, international development and urban planning.
