Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Consultant | Public Speaker | Leadership Coach
I am a Professor of Sociology and Criminology, a researcher, and an independent consultant who provides expert analysis, training, and strategies on DEI, communications, public policy, organizational development, and public relations.
I am also a multiple award-winning public speaker, well-known media commentator, trusted community leader and social justice advocate, and renowned leadership coach.
My life-long grit and passion for social justice and my core principles as an expert who uses an intersectional, anti-oppressive, anti-racist framework guide my work ethic and my deeply held values of courage, empathy, equity and creativity guide my interactions with my clients..
Inspired by my mother’s cancer journey and her experiences in the healthcare system, I began researching and writing about health inequities, disparities, and barriers for racialized immigrants over 15 years ago. I have since then expanded my research and advocacy efforts to explore and shed light on other forms of discrimination, unconscious bias and microaggressions in various public and private settings.
Having dealt with many barriers and obstacles in my career journey, including the experience of being a single mother and having lost my younger brother to a traumatic death half-way through my PhD, I have often been asked to share my story to inspire others. For many years, I had been involved in youth mentorship and leadership workshops, especially those focused on women’s empowerment. But, despite best efforts, I had always felt something lacking in the structure and delivery mode of existing training models and programs I was invited to be a part of.
This is what gave birth to “HOWN” – my leadership training program, developed and delivered by someone with lived experience as a racialized woman.
There was no real career formula for me getting to where I am today – a leader and trusted expert on various topics, who is frequently approached for governmental meetings, media interviews, brand ambassadorships, board positions and keynotes. However, the one rule I have always followed is “honing” the skills I was born with and “owning” the authentic parts of me that make me unique.
HOWN is my way of giving back, especially to women and racialized folk who are often swimming against a tide, by teaching them all that I know about sharpening your game and elevating your personal brand.
“There is a palpable energy in the air and a momentum for change across industries. I am here to shape and direct that energy and momentum, by leading you towards your organisation’s DEI objectives.” – Dr Sabreena
TRUSTED BY GLOBAL BRANDS
“Sabreena demonstrated the competencies of a master facilitator, creating a collaborative client relationship that guided the group to appropriate and useful outcomes. Her facilitation on a national initiative of a delicate and sensitive nature had a deep impact on all participants and created a benchmark for future engagements. She was able to model a positive professional attitude, modeling neutrality and acted with integrity which maintained an environment of trust. Participants left the workshop eager to do more in the area discussed, a main deliverable of the initiative.”
“Sabreena provided excellent consultation and evidence-based research to inform the Board for a community event focused on combatting xenophobia. Sabreena was given a complex project to manage due to the sensitivity of the content of the video being created for the launch. She needed to keep the external agency on time and also leverage her knowledge to guide the content creation and ensure that the video was appropriate and took into account the impact on various stakeholders. Her focus on design, development and execution of the project while also her invaluable knowledge of community based statistics helped shape an inclusive, informative and innovative launch of the organization.”
“During our work on a public event on multiculturalism and Islamophobia, Sabreena displayed great talent and expertise in presenting very complex concepts and social processes of marginalization that occur in pluralistic societies. The audience responses to her presentation are indicative of her talent in generating thought provoking collective conversations. I can say that Sabreena is very passionate about her work and eager to share her experience and knowledge with the wider world to help everyone understand the socio-political issues that impact us all as well as help provide practical solutions in building an inclusive society.”
“As an advisor and SME in Diversity and Inclusion Sabreena provides a unique and thoughtful perspective, always in- touch and grounded in what is actually happening and what will drive impactful change. Her passion and integrity frames her ability to speak the truth and offer the brutal facts of the challenges we face in enabling a change in corporate systems. Her advice and guidance in areas of gender and race along with her drive for action will help any organization accelerate their mandates for change.”
Let’s Work Together
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“Together, we can build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization where the success of one is the success of all.”
