Our Advocates
VIHRC regularly hosts Law, Social Science and Social Work students, who work as advocates (under the supervision of VIHRC’s Managing Advocate) for a period of 3 - 5 months.
Pamphinette Buisa (she/her)
Managing Advocate
Pamphinette Buisa, the Managing Advocate at Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition (VIHRC), holds a bachelor's degree in political science and social justice, as well as a diploma in social science with math. She has a background as a consultant and community organizer, working extensively with disenfranchised communities, including but not limited to people who are incarcerated, sex workers, unhoused individuals, youth, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, BIPOC communities, and people who use substances. Pamphinette applies intersectional and decolonial approaches to her work, promoting restorative justice and community healing. She has several years of experience in educating and facilitating educational workshops and sessions for various demographics.
Pamphinette is also an Olympian and professional athlete, originally from Ottawa and pursuing her rugby career in Victoria, BC. With nine years of national team experience and high-performance environments, including participation in the Tokyo Olympics, she is committed to bridging networks of solidarity, championing marginalized voices, and creating spaces of community care through her athletic prowess and dedicated advocacy efforts.
Our Board of Directors
VIHRC is a non-profit society governed by an elected Board of Directors, which functions as a coordinating collective. Our current board members are:
Jane Hurtig
Jane (she/her) is the descendant of settlers who arrived in the late 1800s from the UK and early 1900s from Eastern Europe. She has three decades of experience promoting political and community engagement in BC, Canada and overseas. Her skills include proposal writing, fundraising, program design and management and report writing. From 2020 - 2023 Jane worked at the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, supporting province wide, anti-racism programming, and began volunteering at Our Place Society in the fall of 2023. She is grateful for the opportunity to volunteer as a member of the VIHRC Board.
Jon Kanie
Jon (he/him) has been a VIHRC-director since the early 2010s. His focus is on empathy/ethics/justice/discrimination/fraud/sustainability, including supporting remedial and preventative efforts such as improving the laws/policies/regulations of the justice-system etc. and the culture that affects them.
Winifred Dike
Bio will be available soon.
Sara Wilson
Bio will be available soon.
Swapnil Bagchi
Bio will be available soon.
Isaac Sahota
Bio will be available soon.
Shane Baker
Bio will be available soon.
Mohammed Abdelaziz
Bio will be available soon.
Ruth Nakalyowa
Ruth Nakalyowa (she/her) is a communications and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) practitioner. She is one of the co-founders of Power of Discourse Consulting. Ruth holds a master’s degree in Intercultural and International Communication from Royal Roads University. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in strategic planning, community engagement, and inclusive change initiatives. Ruth’s work and research spans Canada, Zambia, the United States, Eswatini, Uganda, and France, and she is dedicated to advancing human rights and fostering equitable, inclusive spaces. Ruth brings her commitment to justice and intercultural competence to support VIHRC’s mission of equity and advocacy.
Taly Baybik
Bio will be available soon.
Our Funders
Our work would not be possible without the generous support of our funders.
VIHRC’s brand design was created by Sandra Dammizio, a graphic designer and illustrator based in Toronto.
Learn more about her work.