The Max Bell School is thrilled to welcome its seventh MPP cohort of 34 talented students representing 21 nationalities. This year鈥檚 cohort brings an extraordinary mix of backgrounds and experiences, enriching the 秀色直播 community and the city of Montreal.听
We are proud to receive four 鈥擜yeyi Ohene-Adu, Darlie Jean, Maheep Sandhu, and Shane Joy鈥攕elected from a competitive global applicant pool, as well as finalist Carter Wynne. The cohort also includes two Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Ubah Mohammad and Woyesa Worana, part of the Foundation鈥檚 flagship initiative to develop visionary leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa committed to transforming public policy, nutrition, health, and sustainable agriculture.听
Our cohorts鈥� professional and academic diversity is central to the Max Bell experience. This variety creates a dynamic, intellectually stimulating environment where students continuously hone their analytical skills. Despite their varied journeys, these emerging leaders share a common ambition to shape policy and drive positive change in an increasingly complex global landscape.听
Meet our MPPs听
At Ashesi University, Ayeyi Ohene-Adu initiated the annual Creative Festival, empowering undergraduate students to use art in tackling developmental issues. After graduation, she led an inaugural national undergraduate research conference to address Africa鈥檚 challenges. In her work, Ayeyi realised the role of policies in scaling impact. Ayeyi deepened her understanding of policy through internships at GIZ, where she supported digital governance projects, and at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, where she contributed to digital government advisory work. Now a McCall MacBain Scholar, Ayeyi aims to advance equitable development through evidence-based solutions.
Growing up as a member of Ethiopia鈥檚 indigenous Sidama community, Woyesa Woka Worana experienced challenges faced by many marginalized populations and recognized the urgent need for inclusive, rights-driven policies. He graduated with distinction from Hawassa University and provided free legal aid to underserved communities during his studies. From a young age, he was captivated by the intersection of human rights, justice, and policy, which later guided his work with organizations like the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association and the Center for Human Rights at Addis Ababa University. After graduation, he held advocacy roles focused on human rights, equitable access to justice, and environmental justice. Woyesa now joins the Master of Public Policy program at Max Bell School as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar. He looks forward to gaining hands-on experience through the Policy Lab and hopes to contribute to rights-based, policy-driven reforms in Ethiopia and globally.
Hermon Afowork is a first-generation Ethiopian-Canadian from Edmonton who recently worked as a Program & Policy Advisor at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and previously interned in the City of Edmonton鈥檚 Office of the Mayor. Named one of Alberta鈥檚 Top 30 Under 30, she is a committed civic leader who has represented Canada as a United Nations Youth delegate to the Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum in NYC and the World Food Forum in Rome, Italy. She is also a 1834 Fellow Alumni of the 1834 Foundation where she co-developed policy recommendations presented to both the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (AEFA) and Canada鈥檚 Ministry of Employment and Social Development. With extensive experience in policy analysis and community outreach, Hermon is excited to join the Max Bell community and deepen her policy-making skills to drive meaningful change through impactful solutions.
Opira Bosco Okot is originally from South Sudan and spent most of his life in Uganda before moving to Canada to further pursue his dream. He has worked with UNHCR and is a dedicated advocate for refugee rights, climate action, and equitable access to education and decent work for displaced communities. His work has taken him to global platforms such as COP29 in Baku, the International Conference on Climate Change and Human Rights in South Korea, and the Education and Climate Conference in Denmark. Opira is passionate about advancing inclusive, evidence-based policies that support the Sustainable Development Goals and create meaningful change for marginalized populations.
Rebecca Duncan is excited to deepen her expertise in international policy following five years of work in cultural diplomacy and international development in Washington, D.C. Most recently, she served as the Training and Electoral Operations Officer at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, where she provided strategic guidance on electoral training, technical assistance programs, capacity building, and program management. A fluent French speaker, Rebecca also held the position of Deputy Attach茅 for Education at the Embassy of France in the United States, where she spent three years strengthening bilateral education initiatives. Rebecca has chosen to obtain her master鈥檚 degree in Public Policy in hopes of gaining the expertise to address the most pressing development challenges, particularly in the context of rising illiberal regimes.听
听
Visit the online profiles of our seventh cohort to learn more about their work and educational experiences.听
