Our Staff
Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh
Executive Director
Sume Ndumbe-Eyoh is the Executive Director of the Black Health Education Collaborative and an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Public Health Division at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
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Sume provides strategic consultations to organizations as principal of Another World Lab. She holds a Master of Health Sciences in Health Promotion and Global Health from the University of Toronto. Hailing from Cameroon, she is grateful to live, work and play in Turtle Island and is committed to working towards decolonial futures.
Raha Mahmoudi
Program Specialist
Raha Mahmoudi (she/her) is a Program Specialist in Black Health and Anti-Black Racism Education and Research with the Black Health Education Collaborative (BHEC). She is guided by visions of a world where Black flourishing is the norm, not the exception, and where everyday acts of care—practised as a daughter, friend, and neighbour—are central to collective wellbeing.
Raha’s community engagement has included working with the Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers, West Neighbourhood House’s Adult Learning Program, Revera Retirement Residence’s Recreation Program, Health Access Thorncliffe Park’s Community Ambassadors, Thorncliffe Park Public School’s Pediatric School Clinic, and most recently the Pride and Remembrance Run. Alongside her professional work, she supports researchers and students with grant development and graduate applications. Raha holds a Master of Public Health from McMaster University.
Outside of work, you can find Raha tending to her plants, slow crafting, or spending time at the public library.
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Nkwanzi Banage
Research Assistant
Nkwanzi Banage is a final-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Economics at McGill University, where she serves as the President of the Black Students’ Network of McGill.
She is of Ugandan and South African descent, and her research interests lie in sub-Saharan politics and Africana studies, with a focus on public policy, health equity, anti-racist frameworks, race relations, and Black advocacy.
Dr. Talata Sawadogo-Lewis
Program Specialist
Talata (she/her) is a behavioural scientist committed to understanding why people do what they do and think what they think, and leveraging those insights to advance health equity from any and all angles. Her work has centered marginalized communities in Latin America, Africa, and the United States, and is informed by the belief that underlining our interdependence is the key to advancing collective well-being.
She holds a BSc in Food Chemistry from McGill University, a Masters in International Public Health from the University of Sydney, and a PhD in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Kuuku Quagraine
Administrative Assistant
Kuuku Quagraine is an accomplished research and policy analyst with over a decade of experience supporting governance, operations, and organizational systems across the non-profit and public sectors. In his role as Administrative Assistant at Black Health Education Collaborative (BHEC), he provides high-level administrative and operational support to leadership, contributing to the organization’s efforts to advance health equity and improve outcomes for Black communities across Canada.
Kuuku has supported senior leadership at organizations including the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, Toronto West Local Immigration Partnership, Global Affairs Canada, and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. He brings a strong commitment to equity, human rights, and community-centered approaches, playing a key role in strengthening internal systems and supporting BHEC’s mission.
He holds a Master of Global Affairs from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in International Relations and Development Studies from the University of Windsor.
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Nia Simpson-Stairs
MPH Practicum Student
Nia Simpson-Stairs (she/her) is a first-year MPH student in Black Health at the University of Toronto and a summer practicum student with the Black Health Education Collaborative. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Ottawa, where she was actively engaged in advocacy and community outreach initiatives to advance representation and inclusion for Black communities.
Nia’s work is grounded in a strong commitment to health equity and to uplifting Black voices and lived experiences. Her interests include the social and structural determinants of Black health, environmental racism and climate justice, sexual and reproductive health, global health, and Black maternal health.
Ese Egube
MPH Practicum Student
Ese Egube is a practicum student at the Black Health Education Collaborative. She is currently completing a Master of Public Health in the Black Health stream at the University of Toronto and holds a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences from McMaster University, with a double minor in sociology and psychology. Ese is of Nigerian descent, and her work is grounded in intersectionality and anti-racist approaches, with the ultimate goal of advancing Black health equity. Her research interests include improving maternal health outcomes for Black women, particularly Black incarcerated women and promoting the collective well-being of Black women and girls.
Nana Benyiwa Ewusie
MPH Practicum Student
Nana Benyiwa Ewusie is an MPH candidate specializing in Black Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. She is currently undertaking her practicum with the Black Health Education Collaborative. She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Ghana and a Masters' degree from Muenster University of Applied Sciences, Germany.
Nana's work spans food, nutrition and wellness consulting, clinical care, COVID-19 response and public health intervention. Passionate about advancing Black health and addressing structural determinants of health, Nana is committed to translating research into meaningful community impact through an equity-centered lens, advocacy, and sustainable approaches to improving population health outcomes.
Javiera-Violeta Duran Kairies
Program Coordinator
Javiera-Violeta (she/her) is a Master of Public Health student at the University of Toronto.
