Past Executives

Operations Manager

Adedayo Adeyanju: 2025/2026

MASc Chemical & Biological Engineering: Adedayo served as Operations Manager of the BGSN. She oversaw the executive team and ensured that the Network delivered its events and programs effectively. She led strategic planning and maintained operational continuity across leadership transitions, with particular attention to programming that met the needs of Black graduate students at UBC and reached a broader membership. She also recruited and onboarded each incoming executive team.

Co-Founder, Operations & Financial Manager

Olaitan Ogunnote: 2021 - 2025

PhD Candidate in Economics: Olaitan brought the BGSN vision to life by building a strong team, leading with compassion, and driving innovation through strategic organization. She secured over $100,000 in grant funding to design and launch four impactful programs, while also taking a hands-on role in supporting events and programming. Her leadership, creativity, and versatility left a lasting impact on the BGSN community.

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Internal Communications Manager

Purity Jangaya: 2025/2026

Master of Data Science: Purity served as Internal Communications Manager of the BGSN. She managed the Network's email correspondence and produced the bi-weekly newsletter, which circulated funding and career opportunities, campus events, and the achievements of Black graduate students at UBC. She led the BGSN's partnerships within and beyond the university, represented the Network at Graduate Student Society meetings and campus orientation events, and oversaw its participation in collaborative planning committees such as the Black Graduation Celebration. She also directed the marketing of BGSN events across the Network's communication channels and maintained the membership databases and mailing lists that sustain its outreach

Internal Communications Manager

Olatomide Ojajune: 2025/2026

Master of Sustainable Forest Management: Olatomide served as Internal Communications Manager for the BGSN. She answered general inquiries and requests for event promotion, triaged incoming correspondence to the appropriate portfolio, and circulated relevant information to the wider executive team. She handled sponsorship and partnership inquiries, attended meetings with external partners, and kept a record of those proceedings for the Network. She coordinated the follow up after BGSN events and safeguarded the privacy of member information collected through newsletters and registration forms.

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Co-Founder, Internal Communications Manager

Ayomide Akande: 2021 - 2025

PhD Candidate in Atmospheric Chemistry: Ayo played a key role in the launch and growth of the BGSN, managing partnerships with UBC departments and community organizations. She spearheaded the BGSN newsletter, expanding its reach to hundreds of subscribers, and supported the Food Sovereignty Initiative—funded by the Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC) Black Ideas Grant (BIG)—which provided the BGSN community with accessible, affordable, and culturally relevant foods.

Financial Manager

Eunice Nana Ama Darko: 2025/2026

Master of Food and Resource Economics: Eunice served as Financial Manager for the BGSN. She managed the Network's finances and banking transactions. She maintained the BGSN's financial records and submitted claims through the Graduate Student Society. She led grant funding applications to cover BGSN's operational and event costs. She also sustained the funding relationship with the GSS that supports the annual Black History Month programming and kept the Network's funding and grants database current.

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Initiatives Manager

Prince Essiaw: 2025/2026

PhD Candidate in Curriculum Studies: Prince served as Initiatives Manager for the BGSN. He implemented the Network's grant-funded and non-grant-funded initiatives across the academic year, including the Short-Term Housing Initiative and the Buddy Initiative. He gathered feedback after each initiative to improve and scale it, and designed new initiatives in response to demonstrated need within the Black graduate student community. He led the marketing of each initiative in coordination with the internal and external communications managers. He also reported to funders on completed initiatives. 

Initiatives Manager

Ifeoluwa Afolayan: 2023 - 2025

PhD Candidate in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Ife has been a dedicated member of the executive team, leading the implementation of the Short-Term Housing Initiative in partnership with Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS) and Canada Homestay Network (CHN). Funded by the UBC Community University Engagement Support (CUES) Fund, this initiative paired incoming international Black graduate students with host families in Vancouver, helping them find housing and easing their transition to the city.

Events Manager

Chibueze Chukwuemeka: 2025/2026

Master of Food and Resource Economics: Chibueze served as Events Manager for the BGSN. He planned one event each semester, including the Welcome Back event in the Fall, the Black History Month event in the Winter, and the virtual pre-arrival webinar delivered in the Summer in collaboration with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. He managed the logistics of each event, secured the venue and catering, and delegated tasks to the executive team as required. He applied to the Graduate Student Society event fund and submitted post event reports that recovered the Network's expenses. He also led the marketing of each event in coordination with the internal and external communications managers and prepared the registration forms, posters, and promotional material that accompanied it.

Events Manager

Lindsey Nkem: 2023 - 2025

PhD Candidate in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice: Lindsey brought a deep passion for social justice and Black empowerment to the BGSN community. She created a Pre-Arrival Slide Deck to support incoming Black graduate students and led the Black Graduate Spotlight Initiative. Funded by the UBC Strategic Equity & Anti-Racism Framework (StEARS) Fund, the initiative provided financial awards and, through a symposium, gave students a platform to showcase their research to an interdisciplinary UBC audience.

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Co-Founder, Events Manager

Francis Kpatakpa: 2021 - 2022

Francis co-founded the BGSN in Fall 2021 while pursuing his Master of International Forestry (MIF) and as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at UBC. As one of the founding members, he helped bring the BGSN to life by organizing its first events during the 2021/2022 academic year.

Co-Founder, Events Manager

Gretha Teta: 2021 - 2022

Gretha co-founded the BGSN in Fall 2021 while pursuing her Master of International Forestry (MIF) and as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at UBC. As one of the founding members, she helped bring the BGSN to life by organizing its first events during the 2021/2022 academic year.

External Communications Manager

Kelvin Boateng: 2025/2026

Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management: Kelvin served as External Communications Manager for the BGSN. He managed the Network's Instagram account, produced content on a regular schedule, engaged with followers, and grew the Network's public profile among Black graduate students at UBC. He maintained the BGSN website, published upcoming events and photographs of past ones, and established a blog section that spotlighted Black scholarship at the university. He promoted the Network's events and initiatives in coordination with the Events Manager, the Initiatives Manager, and the Internal Communications Manager, and extended that reach through the Graduate Student Community forum. He also implemented the social media strategy that supported membership growth, ensured the BGSN was listed on the relevant UBC websites, and designed the Network's branding and merchandise.

External Communications Manager

Jenyo Obanjo: 2025

MSc Pharmaceutical Sciences: Jenyo served as External Communications Manager for the BGSN in 2025. She produced content for the Network's Instagram account in a range of formats and used the platform to publicize campus resources and the programming of partner organizations alongside the BGSN's own events. She introduced the executive team to the membership at the start of the academic year through profiles and photographs published on Instagram. She responded to comments and direct messages received through the account and kept the Network's external links current for prospective members. She also developed the initiatives page on the BGSN website and published photographs of completed events, which documented the Network's activity for members and campus partners.

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External Communications Manager

Isreal Morawo: 2023 - 2025

PhD Student in Mechanical Engineering: Isreal used his creative wordsmithing and design skills to expand the BGSN’s online presence. From crafting captions and content to leading social media management, he helped amplify the BGSN’s voice. Most recently, he overhauled the BGSN website, ensuring it reflected the vibrancy and spirit of the community.

External Communications Manager

Mikky Atser: 2022 - 2023

PhD Candidate in Cell and Developmental Biology: Mikky applied the clarity and precision of a scientist to streamline the BGSN’s internal processes, vision, and mission. He also supported the launch of the Buddy Initiative, a peer mentoring program connecting current and incoming Black graduate students.

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Ideator

Saleh Ismael: 2020 - 2021

Saleh conceived the idea of the BGSN while pursuing his MA in Political Science at UBC. Before leaving to attend Harvard Law School, he officially registered the BGSN as an affiliate organization of the Graduate Student Society in April 2021. In Fall 2021, he connected with Olaitan, passing the baton to her to carry the vision forward.