the board of directors

Black and white photo. Salma is an older woman with long salt and pepper hair loosely framing her face. She wears thick black-rimmed square glasses and smiles widely.

Salma sayani

CHAIR | Mohkinstsis | she/her

Salma Sayani was born in Kampala, Uganda in Africa and moved to Canada. She currently lives in Calgary, Alberta. She received her education in various colleges and universities and also has been involving board members at local, provincial, national and international levels. Her huge success was that she participated in the World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf as a Special Events Chairperson in Montreal, Quebec in 2003.

She has creativity and understanding about the artists and their performances and her belief is “Success is Simple.” She’s looking forward to working with the organization to thrive in new challenges. Together, we can do it!

Term 2025 - 2028

Black and white photo. Paulie is an older man with short-trimmed hair and white-rimmed glasses. He wears a black button-up with an Indigenous pattern along the shoulders.

PAULIE WHITNEY

CO-CHAIR | Tsuut’ina Nation | he/him

Paulie Whitney Sweet Grass is an Indigenous Deaf community activist from Tsuut'ina Nation. Born and raised in Tsuut’ina, Paulie is connected to family and culture from his indigenous roots, which he holds near and dear to his heart. He currently works during the day at his Band Administration office in finance, as well as teaching American Sign Language and Plains Indigenous Sign Language courses to Tsuut'ina Nation community members. In addition to other roles, Paulie has served on the board for the National Indigenous Community Gathering conference in 2025.

Paulie is a proud partner, sibling, child, uncle, and more. He is passionate about doing things outdoors, and his favourite outdoor activity is kayaking. He also loves to spend many evenings playing all kinds of board games and has started collecting them. Paulie is a seeker of love and light and believes that all people carry that light inside, we just need to lift each other up to let that light shine.

Term 2026 - 2029

Black and white photo. Chad is a young Indigenous man with neatly trimmed facial hair and a casual, friendly gaze.

Chad Wolfe

SECRETARY | Maskwacis | he/him

Chad Wolfe Running Bear is an Indigenous Deaf advocate and artist. He is a Blackfoot and Cree member of the Maskwacis community in Alberta, on Treaty 6 and 7 land. Along with holding down a day job, Chad also supports Canada Deaf Youth Leadership Camp as the Indigenous Director and serves on the board of National Indigenous Deaf Cultural Gathering. He is proudly fluent in Plains Indian Sign Language.

Chad keeps busy raising five kids, playing sports, and encouraging Deaf Indigenous youth in their goals. His dream is to grow old while his community continues to succeed and uplift each other.

Term 2025 - 2028

Black and white photo. Michelle is a young woman with long flowing shoulder-length hair. She wears a semi-formal jacket over a shirt, and looks proudly at the camera.

Michelle campos castillo

TREASURER | Amiskwacîwâskahikan | she/her

Michelle Campos Castillo is a Salvadoran visual artist living in Edmonton, Alberta. She has been the recipient of several public art commissions from the City of Edmonton, including Platanos, a set of three sculptures on permanent display at Belvedere Transit Centre, and a collaboration with AJA Louden for the Edmonton Arts Council, currently in its initial stages. Her illustrative exhibits include Terremoto, a solo project presented in the summer of 2022 at grunt gallery in Vancouver, BC and as part of Imborrable at the National Gallery in San Salvador, El Salvador, also in 2022. She is currently working on a graphic memoir titled Colonia, based on her life in El Salvador during the country’s civil war of the 1980s. Michelle is a Co-Executive Director at Latitude 53 in Edmonton.

Term 2025 - 2028

Black and white photo. Ladan is a young woman with medium-length combed-over hair. She wears a striped sweater and smiles widely.

ladan sahraei

DIRECTOR | Amiskwacîwâskahikan | she/her

Ladan Sahraei is a queer Iranian-Canadian Deaf filmmaker, artist, Deaf Interpreter, educator, athlete, and community leader based in Edmonton, Alberta. After living in Vancouver for 11 years, she continues to work with Deaf communities across Canada, promoting accessibility, inclusion, Deaf leadership, and equity through the arts, education, and community engagement.

Over the years, Ladan has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations and has contributed to a wide range of community initiatives supporting Deaf, disability, and 2SLGBTQIA+ (Queer) communities. Her work spans filmmaking, Deaf interpreting, education, advocacy, and creative collaboration, with a strong commitment to amplifying Deaf voices and creating more inclusive and accessible spaces. As both an artist and an athlete, she believes in the power of leadership, teamwork, and community connection. As a Board member of The Invisible Practice, Ladan is committed to supporting artists, advancing accessibility, and helping build stronger, more inclusive communities through collaboration and creativity.

Term 2026 - 2029