Our Board of Directors

Akosua Alagaratnam, President

Akosua Alagaratnam is a University of Toronto graduate with an Hons. Bachelor of Science. Akosua is passionate about women's issues and has worked for over 10 years through the capacity of UofT's women's centre, UTM's Health Centre and Interim Place on issues pertaining to women as well as the promotion of healthy sexuality and relationships. Currently Akosua works as a senior policy advisor for the Minister of Finance.

Kelly-Anne Salerno, Vice-President

Kelly-Anne Salerno is a long-time supporter of woman’s issues specifically relating to ending violence against woman. Kelly-Anne has specialized in Human and Social services for over 26 years.
Kelly-Anne is a Program Supervisor in the area of homelessness for the Region of Peel and has held various positions supporting our most vulnerable populations in our community from shelters to homelessness prevention and housing first programs. One of Kelly-Anne’s area of passion and expertise is delivering the provision of Emergency Social services to residents in Peel that experience emergencies such as Fires, Flooding, explosions. Kelly-Anne serves on several volunteer boards in her spare time and is dedicated to addressing the diverse needs and supports of vulnerable residents in Peel.

Ripika Kapoor, Secretary-Treasurer

Ripika is a University of Toronto graduate with an Honors Bachelors of Science, double major in Health Care Ethics and Psychology and also has a Masters in Public Health and Health Promotion from Brunel University in England. Her research thesis was focused on the motivations and perspectives of volunteers (previous survivors) who offer support to other survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape. She is passsionate about women's rights, and has previously been a volunteer counsellor at the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre. She eagerly joined the Interim Place to continue to be an advocate for women's rights and work towards supporting the journey against violence directed at women.

Annika Wang, Board Member

Annika is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law and the Ivey Business School at Western University. She is passionate about issues related to gender and sexuality, and has volunteered in various capacities with related organizations in the past. She joined Interim Place to support women facing violence in the local community and advocate for social and political change. Annika currently works as a lawyer at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.

Chiran Dedunupitiya, Board Member

Chiran Dedunupitiya graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, majoring in Psychology. Chiran is passionate about public service efforts and has lead multiple community initiatives centered around social justice issues for the past 15 years. Most recently, her efforts include developing projects and initiatives with the Region of Peel’s Services & Supports for Youth Violence Prevention, Peel Regional Police’s Internet Safety Committee, Center for Addiction and Mental Health’s Peel Service Collaborative, and Peel Children & Youth Initiative’s Bridging the Transitional Years Planning Table. Chiran is a designated Crime Prevention Specialist by the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners and volunteers her time meeting community needs in the areas of gender-based violence, poverty reduction, mental health awareness and public-police relations.

Debbie Boswell, Board Member

Debbie Boswell is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. She is passionate about women's issues and has previously volunteered at high schools teaching students about healthy relationships and the warning signs for domestic violence. She joined the Interim Place Board of Directors to support its vision of ending violence against women. During law school, Debbie was involved with Downtown Legal Services, the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review, and the Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights. Prior to attending law school, she received a Bachelor's degree in Social and Political Thought and Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. She is currently employed as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Jenny Li, Board Member

Jenny is a medical student with an interest in women’s care. Her experiences through several regional health programs have given her the opportunity to work directly with disadvantaged populations and gain insight into some of the unique problems they face. These experiences also reaffirmed the pervasiveness of violence against women and the importance of community support for assisting women living in abusive situations. She joined Interim Place to work with her fellow members in improving the quality and accessibility of the programs, and to become a better advocate for violence against women. She is passionate about women’s rights and autonomy in the healthcare system. She is also involved in research on sexually transmitted infections and women’s cancers. Jenny’s hobbies include cooking, hiking, gaming and crocheting.

Josie Cancilla, Board Member

Josie graduated from York University with an Honours Double Major Bachelors of Psychology and Social Sciences. Josie continued her education and completed a Post Graduate in Human Resources Management and Certification as an Executive and Career Coach. Josie is passionate about people, recognizing that everyone has a story to share. She joined Interim Place to advocate for women facing violence creating change and a movement to awareness. Josie currently works as the Director, Human Resources for HMS Host.

Luxmi Jeyavel, Board Member

Luxmi is an MBA graduate of the Smith School of Business Queens University, and has her Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University. During the last five years, she has been actively involved as either a supporter, volunteer, or organizing committee member of several organizations, including Women in Capital Markets and Ascend Canada. She holds dear to her heart issues facing women and children, as well as challenges around diversity and inclusion. Luxmi has held various roles over the past fifteen years at RBC Royal Bank of Canada, where she is currently a Director in Customer Relationship Management.