Team
STEERING COMMITTEE
Tasha Clarke, RN, BSN
Co-Founder | Steering Committee, BCCA
Brian Seremba, BSc
Co-Founder / Steering Committee, BCCA
Alicia Willliams, J.D., BSc
Steering Committee, BCCA
Markiel Simpson
Steering Committee, BCCA
Tasha Clarke, RN, BSN
Co-Founder | Steering Committee, BCCA
Tasha Clarke is a Board Director of The Unity Centre Association for Black Cultures, a candidate for a Master of Arts in Health Leadership at Royal Roads University, and an acute care Registered Nurse. Driven by her experiences growing up a second-generation Black Canadian in British Columbia, she co-founded BCCA after recognizing the lack of support systems available to Black and racialized youth in the province’s education system. As Co-Founder and member of the Steering Committee, Tasha aims to foster safe, engaging, and inclusive communities that will afford Black and racialized youth the opportunities to realize their intrinsic potential to thrive.
Brian Seremba, BSc
Co-Founder | Operations Manager | Steering Committee, BCCA
Brian Seremba holds a Bachelor of Science in Management with International Business from the Royal Holloway, University of London. He is Director of Grants at the Junior Black Achievement Awards, former board member of Umoja Compassion Society and was a founding team member at Federation of Black Canadians serving time as Programs (later Product) Manager overseeing a diverse portfolio of projects, programs and membership products. Brian’s experiences growing up in London, UK distinctly shaped his understanding of the need for safe, inclusive school experiences and, after seeing the lack of action and support with the Lord Byng incident, he was driven to co-found BCCA in 2019. Through community support and initiatives he hopes to continue working within programming towards bridging an inclusive education institution that is fair and representative to all.
Alicia Willliams, J.D., BSc
Steering Committee | Legal and Finance | BCCA
Alicia Williams, BSc, J.D., approaches all of her work with a profound commitment to DEI, ESG, and corporate sustainability. As a Governance Associate for WATSON Advisors Inc., Alicia advises board directors on board effectiveness and the board’s oversight of human resources, legal and financial matters. As CFO at ABI Wellness, Alicia has managed investor relations, performed business and asset valuations, negotiated mergers and acquisitions, facilitated capital raises, developed proformas (financial forecasts), and managed financial reporting and compliance in accordance with the SEC and GAAP. As a lawyer, and the corporate secretary for a publicly traded company, Alicia has drafted and negotiated contracts, ensured compliance with government regulations, and managed all aspects of board governance – including policy, administration, and reporting.
Markiel Simpson
Steering Committee | Stakeholder Relations| BCCA
Markiel Simpson is a community advocate competent and persuasive communicator who can ensure the voices of the oppressed are heard by those in positions of power. Whether it’s pushing for changes in our education system, empowering the next generation of young people to pursue leadership roles, or standing in solidarity with other marginalized groups, Markiel is an impact on our local community and helped showcase the serious issues of our times across the country. Markiel is a deep working member of our community and experts from across the country to continue to push for positive systemic change in BC far and wide.
Sophia Yaa Akuffo Minkah-Premo
Program and Volunteer Coordinator | Staff, BCCA
Sophia is a passionate individual who is interested in the start-up, tech, non-profit and development spaces. She was formerly a Project Manager at a tech non-profit and cybersecurity firm in USA and Germany respectively. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Gender Studies, Social Justice and Economics from The University of British Columbia, Canada and is currently finishing her LLM at the University of Law, UK. Sophia has over 2 years’ experience in project management and social policy research work. She also served as a Research Associate at the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs on a project dubbed: Transformative Memory Partnership Digital Archive Project Planning.
Sarah Grewar, CPHR
HR Business Partner | Staff, BCCA
Hi, I’m Sarah – I’m a friendly, warmhearted, and dedicated HR/People Ops professional! I have always had a passion for people, both personally and professionally, and an interest in understanding what truly supports them to thrive within organizations. From this curiosity, I was inspired to pursue a career in the people space. I have recently obtained my Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation, and plan to work toward an SHRM-CP certification in future.