Educational Leadership & Policy Alumni
Our graduates are leaders in various types of postsecondary institutions. They pursue administrative, research, teaching and policy careers in colleges and universities, work in student services and student development; and in the professional sector, such as: health engineering, law, law enforcement and more.
Master of Arts (MA) Alumni
Henry Ssali, Master of Arts 2019
Founder and Executive Director, African Alumni Association, University of Toronto
Henry Ssali is an administrator, PR professional, activist and community organizer, experienced communicator and student leader. He is a recent graduate of the Educational Leadership Program and recipient of numerous awards, such as: 2019 Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award Recipient 2019, IDERD Award Recipient Young Muganda of Exceptional Promise Award (2013), Graduating Student Keynote Speaker - Class of 2013. Henry will start his PhD studies in the fall 2019.
Master of Education (MEd) Alumni
Anantha Krishnan Ramajeyam, Master of Education 2018
Academic Advisor, Pearson Education (Embanet),
Founder & Lead Strategist, Teachcells Education Canada
Anantha is a K-12 learning solutions specialist with a history of working in Global E-Learning Companies. While pursuing full-time MEd as an international student, he did internship with Microsoft Education Canada for consecutive summers. Founder of Teachcells Education Canada in 2020, Anantha specializes in conceptual pedagogy and is committed ito re-defining teaching processes.
Doctor of Education (EdD) Alumni
John Malloy, Doctor of Education 2012
Superintendent of Education (CEO) at San Ramon Valley Unified School District
John Malloy is the Director of Education at the Toronto District School Board. Prior to joining the TDSB in January 2016, John served as Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ontario Ministry of Education and as Director of Education for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. Before that, he was a Superintendent of Education with the York Region District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Alumni
Joanne Lieu, Doctor of Philosophy 2023
Graduate Professional Development Coordinator within the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering within the Institute for Studies in Engineering Education & Practice at the University of Toronto.
How did your PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy helped you with your career?
My PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy taught me the importance of collaboration, working alongside peers and experts to bring about meaningful change in higher education. I learned to embrace failure and mistakes, and more importantly, how to adapt and grow from them. During my studies, I thrived in environments where I could identify a problem, solve it, and build systems that could function independently. One of the most rewarding discoveries was realizing how much I enjoyed supporting my peers, whether it was editing a conference paper, refining a presentation, or helping craft a professional email. That passion for peer support naturally led me to my current role, where I do this every day 😊 by working closely with graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, helping them navigate the unique challenges (but also highlights) of their academic journeys through professional development supports.
Amanda Cooper, Doctor of Philosophy 2012
Associate Professor, Ed Policy and Leadership, Queen's University, Canada
Amanda Cooper is a former secondary school teacher (Biology and English) and currently an Associate Professor in Educational Policy and Leadership at Queen’s University. She specializes in Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) efforts to address research-practice-policy gaps across the education sector. Dr. Cooper is the founder of RIPPLE (Research Informing Policy, Practice and Leadership in Education): a program of research, training and knowledge mobilization (KMb) aimed at learning more about how knowledge brokering can increase research use and its impact in education by facilitating collaboration between multi-stakeholder networks (www.ripplenetwork.ca). Amanda is on the coordinating committee for the KTE COP (Knowledge Translation and Exchange Community of Practice) in the health sector.
Daniel Hamlin, Doctor of Philosophy 2017
Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, University of Oklahoma
Daniel Hamlin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies at the University of Oklahoma. His research examines the effects of school governance on non-tested measures of school performance with an emphasis on school climate, parental involvement and student safety.
Dr. Hamlin earned his PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy and received the Ken Leithwood Outstanding Thesis of the Year award for his dissertation examining charter schools on non-tested outcomes in Detroit, Michigan.
Chizoba Imoka, Doctor of Philosophy 2018
Founder Unveiling Africa, Inclusive Education Researcher, International Development Education & Youth Engagement Expert
Chizoba Imoka is an Educator, Researcher, Instructor, and Public Speaker. In 2006, 19-year-old Chizoba Imoka, then a student at the University of Alberta, founded Unveiling Africa, an organization that provides a platform for African youth to participate in democratic nation building through civic engagement, political advocacy and community service.
Upon completing her doctorate, Chizoba set up a teachers’ training college in Nigeria, based on a framework of inclusion, social justice and African-centered education.
Sofya Malik, Doctor of Philosophy 2016
Manager, Policy, Priorities and Engagement Branch, Indigenous Education & Well Being Division, Ontario Ministry of Education
Sofya Malik is currently an Adjunct Professor at OISE and since January 2018, Sofya has assumed the role of Manager to the Policy, Priorities and Engagement Branch in the Indigenous Education & Well Being Division at the Ontario Ministry of Education. Her leadership experience has also been in various education contexts, with roles such as teacher, community coordinator, researcher, adjunct professor, project lead and manager.
