Mehrdad Baghai

Founder and Board Member

As Global CEO of High Resolves, Mehrdad has focused on rapid growth of the program in Australia and expansion into the U.S., Canada, China, Brazil and Africa. Mehrdad is Chairman of Alchemy Growth, a boutique strategy advisory firm. Previously, he was a partner at McKinsey & Company and co-leader of the Firm’s worldwide Growth Practice, and an Executive Director at the CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. Mehrdad has degrees from Harvard Law School, Harvard Kennedy School and Princeton University. He is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute.

I am passionate about High Resolves because… I have seen and felt the impact of social division and hatred first hand. We need to think of prejudice, racism and hatred as public health issues and engage in immunization programs in order to eradicate these diseases.

Roya Baghai

Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer

Roya has a graduate degree in architecture but has also worked in many other experiential design fields. Throughout all her work, she has been passionate about creating transformative experiences that have personal or social impact. Her commitment to creating positive social change and empowering young people to do the same was the inspiration and driving force behind the co-creation of High Resolves in 2005 and her deep involvement since. She is also the Founder of Videos for Change: a powerful global platform that is enabling and amplifying the voice of young people to creatively engage with social issues and catalyse positive change in the world.

I am passionate about High Resolves because… I am passionate about contributing in some small way to the creation of a world with unity in diversity, and where justice and equality of opportunity is upheld and experienced by all. I am joyous and privileged to work towards this vision with the impressive and multi-talented team at High Resolves.

Tim Costigan

Board Member

Tim is an entrepreneur and owner of Travel Impresarios, a boutique travel services firm based in Toronto, Canada. Tim has owned and managed businesses in the travel sector for over 20 years and prior to that was a litigator in the Ontario bar. He has extensive experience in the charitable and not for profit sector in Ontario. Tim has degrees from Dalhousie Law School and the University of Toronto.

I am passionate about High Resolves because… our world is full of acrimony, distrust, tribalism and angry discourse. We can work collaboratively with others to build a better world but that doesn’t just happen. It is hard work. We need to learn and practice the skills to achieve it. High Resolves’ programs do that. They provide people with the tools to unleash their potential for greater good…. and we need more of that.

Vernon Lobo

Board Member

Vernon was founder and Managing Director of Mosaic Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital fund. Through 27 years in the investment industry, Vernon helped build several companies from startup to acquisition or public listing, eight of which achieved valuations in excess of $100 million. Earlier in his career, Vernon was a consultant with McKinsey & Company and software engineer at Nortel Networks. Vernon sits on the boards of several public and private companies. He holds a BASc in Engineering from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from Harvard where he was a Baker Scholar.

I am passionate about High Resolves because… I believe it is important that we plant the seeds of hope, inclusion and tolerance in the next generation of young people, who will carry these values with them into creating a more unified global community.

Anthony Mackay AM

Education Advisor

Anthony is CEO of the Centre for Strategic Education. He is Chair of the Australian Council for Educational Research, Chair of the International Advisory Board for the National Institute for School Leadership in the USA, and advisor to Asia Society’s Global Cities Education Network. He was Inaugural Chair of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.

Karen Murphy

Chief Learning Officer

Karen Murphy is the Chief Learning Officer for the High Resolves Group and the inaugural CEO of the Human Responsibility Accelerator, a partner organization and home to Videos for Change and Symphony. She is the former Director of International Strategy for Facing History and Ourselves, an international educational and professional development organization. Karen has developed and managed partnerships and educational programs in countries around the world, including in Colombia, Mexico, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and France as well as with international and country-based civil society organizations. Karen holds a PhD in American Studies, has researched and written about adolescent civic development in divided societies, including the US, has extensive experience training educators, educational and civil society leaders and is an expert on the role of education in transitional justice processes.

I am passionate about High Resolves because….I believe that we are at a pivotal moment in human history and that our ecosystem driven, collaborative approach is the most effective way of positively addressing the issues we face. The Accelerator is focused on building global ecosystems and on scale and supporting our partners, including the incredible team in Canada, to meet the needs of their local partners. High Resolves–and the Accelerator–is ultimately about relationships. We need to build durable bonds to meet this moment.

Tom Prins

Chief Executive Officer, Canada

Tom is a senior executive and leader in the for-purpose sector for more than 15 years.  He has volunteered in numerous organizations and mentored many upcoming leaders.  Earlier in his career, Tom established and lead an international Information Technology services company that provided outstanding service to many Fortune 1000 firms across North America.  He has an MBA from the University of Toronto and a BA in Public Policy and Administration from York University.

I am passionate about High Resolves because… we urgently need people committed to making a positive difference to the world.  Our young people align with this vision, and as their leadership skills grow, they make conscious choices not to solely act in their own self-interest, but in the longer-term interest of a broader collective of people that in turn changes our world.  We cannot longer talk about change. We need to make it happen.

Seana Massey

Chief Development Officer

After graduating from McGill University with Honours BA in Film and Communications, Seana pursued a career in communications, media and event planning. It wasn’t long before her growing passion for the non-profit sector collided with a lifelong desire for adventure, taking Seana to Kenya in 1995 where she applied her skills volunteering for AMREF Africa, subsequently becoming Executive Director of AMREF Canada. A four-year sojourn in Italy followed, after which Seana sat on numerous non-profit boards before joining the George Hull Centre for Children and Families as Director of Philanthropy, a role which she greatly enjoyed for 10 years.

I am passionate about High Resolves because…I see how the issues in today’s world are quietly impacting my children; how concerns and questions about the future are starting to blur their sense of hope and anticipation. High Resolves dissipates that veil of disquiet by igniting a spark of engagement, possibility, and purpose. By guiding youth to deeply consider the issues before them and helping them cultivate critical global competencies, High Resolves enables today’s youth to be part of the problem solving, to loudly use their voice, and to play an active role in creating the world they want for themselves, and their own children.

Liz Bremner, CFRE

National Director, Development & Strategic Initiatives

Liz is an experienced fundraiser who has worked in the for-purpose sector for almost a decade. Born in England, she spent her formative teenage years in Kenya before moving to Canada, where she currently lives. Liz enjoys connecting people with their passions and specializes in building relationships with donors and partners who can advance the mission and impact of the organizations they support. She is a leadership volunteer with the Young Diplomats of Canada and has worked with youth and educators to create action plans for social change. Liz holds a B.A. (Honours) in International Relations & Political Science and a Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership and Impact from the University of Toronto.

I am passionate about High Resolves because… I am committed to creating positive social change and believe in the transformative power of immersive learning experiences for young people. High Resolves challenges youth to think critically about the world’s problems, encourages them to be curious and ask questions, and empowers them to change the world – I’m grateful to be involved in this life-changing work!

Melanie Pearce, MBA

Customer Success Manager

Melanie is a strategist and momentum builder. As one of the initial members of the SMARTlab Niagara, Melanie has facilitated strong partnerships and has helped to expand the profile of the organization, spearheading the goal of developing innovation in Canada. Melanie has recently completed a Master of
Business Administration and is currently a Master of Public Health Candidate.

Melanie feels passionately about creating opportunities for transformative educational experiences for all and is engaged in working with High Resolves to help coordinate the successful uptake of their innovative programs within the Canadian marketplace.

I am passionate about High Resolves because… I am Passionate about working with High Resolves here in Canada, as I believe that their programs will aid in the development of well-rounded, resilient and independent-thinking individuals.