POLICY AND RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERS
CANADIAN CENTER FOR WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT
Michaela Mayer has a diverse background of experience having worked as a legal associate in refugee and immigration law, followed by a career in economic development, where she supported local communities in fostering economic initiatives. With years of advocacy on social justice issues related to immigration, indigenous rights, and women’s rights on a national and international level, Michaela joined CCFWE in March of 2022 as Policy Analyst and later Director of Policy. Michaela holds a Master’s Degree in International Development and in Law from the University of Vienna, Austria.
Molly has been doing program and project management and development in the non-profit and public sector for nearly a decade, with experience in grant making, local economic development/the future of work, and municipal government. Molly has been working in the Fintech and financial services ecosystem since 2019 having co-founded the Innovate Financial Health Lab (IFH Lab), Canada’s first incubator program for start-up companies that are using technology to improve financial inclusion and financial resilience amongst Canadian consumers. In her current role as Head of Financial Health Strategy for a non-profit organization in the financial technology sector, Molly continues to run the IFH Lab, and lead partnership development with financial institutions and government agencies who share an interest in ensuring the financial services sector meets the needs of financially vulnerable and underserved communities. She is a current appointee to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s Research Committee on Financial Literacy. She holds a Masters degree from the University of Toronto, where she studied Human Geography and Diaspora and Transnational Studies.
Molly grew up with her moms and older brother in downtown Toronto immersed in the political organizing of the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape and Toronto’s LGBTQ community. She learned from an early age about privilege and power, about the importance of listening to and prioritizing learning from lived experience in organizing or systems change, and to approach others with empathy and understanding. These lessons carry through today in her approach to work and the world.
Denna Berg is a highly skilled policy consultant with over a decade of experience tackling complex and unprecedented policy issues like climate change and drug decriminalization. With expertise in synthesizing research into impactful policy materials, Denna has made significant contributions to organizations such as the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction and the Ontario College of Pharmacists. With a strong commitment to social justice and a diverse range of creative interests, Denna brings a well-rounded perspective to her work. Denna holds a Master of Public Policy from the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies from the University of Toronto, and was a CanStudyUS Fellow at the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Leadership Lab.
