WHEN Team
Sayesha Gupta (She/Her), Executive Director
Sayesha is the Executive Director at the Women's Healthy Environment Network (WHEN). She graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in Political Science, Women and Gender Studies, and Education; her passion for social justice and environmental health drives her leadership at WHEN. Sayesha began working with WHEN as an advanced placement student and lead Operations Manager for our Wannabe Toxic Free Campaign in 2023 and continued volunteering with WHEN after completing her placement, supporting events such as WHEN’s 30th anniversary gala. Currently studying at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, she brings a unique perspective to her role, focusing on empowering individuals and promoting access to justice.
Lily Farinaccio (She/Her), Policy Analyst
Lily is a Policy Analyst at WHEN and advocates for policy that advances environmental justice and protects the human right to a healthy environment. She is a graduate from the University of Toronto, where she studied Ethics, Society and Law, and Critical Studies in Equity and Solidarity. Her current research focuses on social justice, women’s issues, and environmental policy and toxics regulation. Lily initially joined WHEN as a Community Research Partner in Ethics (CRPE) as part of a collaborative project with the University of Toronto that centred on environmental racism. Through an intersectional feminist lens, her research project analyzed the potential of the Environmental Justice Strategy Act (formerly Bill C-226) with specific reference to the disproportionate exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) faced by Indigenous Communities in Canada. Lily is delighted to be working with WHEN to continue to advocate for intersectional environmental law and policy that protect those most vulnerable to environmental harm.
community liaison and accessibility advisor
Victoria Lewis (she/her)
During her Bachelor of Social Work Vic focused on issues in accessibility, women’s studies, and wellness studies. As part of her commitment to advancing social justice and equity, she reduces constraints to wellbeing through access to information and knowledge sharing. Contact Vic: outreach@womenshealthyenvironments.ca
WHEN@UofT Club Founder
Lizramona Mwakitwange (she/her)
Liz supports youth engagement by connecting WHEN's work with students on the UofT campus and is eager to play a pivotal role in empowering and mobilizing gender-diverse youth to advocate for intersectional environmental justice.
Grants
Amy Fernando
Amy Fernando is a MSc student at the university of Toronto, where she studies environmental health and pregnancy. She graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2023 with a degree in biology. She is passionate about science-backed policy and improving educational equity!
Social Media team
Mythreyi Rajasingham (she/her)
Mythreyi is a dedicated volunteer with WHEN, where she has been contributing for the past year and a half to support its mission of empowering women by addressing the interconnected challenges of environmental and health advocacy. She is deeply passionate about exploring the intersection of the environmental crisis with race, class, gender, and other forms of social inequality. As the new year begins, Mythreyi is excited to continue amplifying these critical conversations through social media and collaborating with the team to engage and inspire the community.
Shay Pokharel (she/her)
Shay is an MA Geography student at Western University with a strong interest in environmental justice initiatives. Shay joined WHEN to learn more about WHEN’s law and policy reform efforts, to collaborate with peers who share similar interests, and to advocate for gender-diverse individuals.
Events team
Stephanie Wiatr
Stephanie recently graduated from Queen's University with a Bachelors in Gender studies and Sociology with a focus on environmental justice for Indigenous communities in Canada, researching the lack of clean drinking water. Stephanie worked on helping to plan the 30th anniversary WHEN gala.
Editorial team
Kaitlyn De Sousa (She/Her)
As a recent graduate from UofT with a bachelor’s in Health Studies and Human Geography, Kaitlyn is passionate about promoting sustainable and healthy living through an intersectional lens that explores the connections between health, the environment, and community well-being. She is committed to supporting evidence-based initiatives that advance WHEN’s mission through research and collaboration.
Gwen Merry
Gwen is a fourth-year student at the University of Toronto studying Political Science and Ethics, Society and Law. She is passionate about the environment and enjoys working with peers to address environmental challenges.