Yacouba Traoré

Board Member

With over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Yacouba is a passionate advocate for social impact, health equity, and community development.

An innovator and strategic leader, Yacouba is the co-founder of CENA and co-author of Understanding and Using AI: A Resource for Nonprofit Leaders. With extensive expertise in nonprofit funding and community innovation, Yacouba co-led the creation of a Social Services Community Hub in Ottawa, established several social enterprises, and launched a Youth Employment and Business Incubator.

Yacouba currently serves as the Executive Director of the Carlington Community Health Centre.

Deirdre Freiheit 

Board Member

Deirdre Freiheit, a Senior Consultant at Vectors Group, brings 23 years of experience as a former non-profit CEO, demonstrating exceptional leadership across various domains. She excels in vision articulation, people management, change management, financial oversight, marketing, advocacy, and partnership development. Deirdre’s expertise extends to public speaking, board membership, writing, and health and wellness advocacy. Recognized with prestigious awards such as the Order of Ottawa and Communicator of the Year, she is an Erickson Certified Professional Coach, specializing in leadership development, communications, community engagement, and organizational leadership. Deirdre fosters collaborative environments, provides challenge functions, and drives positive outcomes for clients. For further information or to initiate a discussion, Deirdre Freiheit invites you to get in touch.

Rick Nason 

Board Member

Rick is an Associate Professor of Finance at Dalhousie University where he has received numerous awards for teaching excellence. His academic work includes researching corporate risk management and complexity science applications in business.  

Prior to joining academia, Dr. Nason was Faculty Head for Corporate Finance and Capital Markets at Bank of Montreal Institute’s for Learning, and Head of Capital Markets Training and Development at Bank of America.  He also held various senior capital market roles, including Head of Credit Derivatives at BMO.  He remains active in consulting, conference presentations, and corporate training, specializing in applications of complexity science and risk management.

He is the author / co-author of nine books and textbooks, including It’s Not Complicated: The Art and Science of Complexity in Business, published by University of Toronto Press, and Rethinking Risk Management, by Business Experts Press.

He has a BSc. in Chemistry from McMurry University, a MSc. in Physics from the University of Pittsburgh, and a MBA and PhD from the Ivey School of Business at Western University (Canada).

Diane Braz Wessman 

Board Member

As a Senior Consultant at Vectors Group, Diane Braz Wessman brings over 25 years of dynamic expertise in entrepreneurship and the not-for-profit sector. With a master’s degree in international business, Diane specializes in operational planning, strategic alignment, and revenue diversification. Her command of multiple languages, coupled with a deep understanding of multicultural contexts, enables seamless engagement with diverse stakeholders. Diane’s commitment to driving organizational effectiveness and success enables her to support clients in areas such as recruitment & retention, partnership development, marketing & communications, strategic human resources management, and other components of internal operations. In her leisure time, Diane enjoys travel, an active lifestyle, volunteering in her community and cherished moments with loved ones.

Daniel O. Livvarcin 

Board Member

Dr. Daniel O. Livvarcin is a renowned expert in the nonprofit sector and founder of Vectors Group, specializing in strategic management, risk evaluation, and Al integration. A prolific author and part-time professor, he passionately advocates for social equity and empowers organizations with innovative Al-driven frameworks and dedicated leadership.