Immigration Advisory Committee (IAC)

For more than a decade, Lisa Griffin Ndour has dedicated her career to helping international students and newcomers to make New Brunswick their home. Fully bilingual, she’s worked at all levels to help immigrants navigate the immigration world and help them settle into her community. This has included working and volunteering with local immigrants’ settlement agencies, as a provincial immigration officer, as an international student advisor, and, most recently, as Manager of International Mobility and Student Services at the Université de Moncton. As an RCIC, she is also the CEO of LGN Services where she manages a series of immigration-related projects with numerous post-secondary institutions as well as the ISIEP-PEIEI program at CBIE. In addition to her professional expertise, Lisa brings her insight and perspective to several regional and national volunteer boards, including CBIE, and the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council.

Vanesa has worked in international education and immigration for over 15 years at both the college and university levels. Since March 2020, she has served as International Attraction and Immigration Advisor at the Fédération des cégeps, the organization that represents Quebec’s 48 public CEGEPs. The Fédération promotes and advocates for the colleges, supports their development, fosters collaboration among them, and provides services and guidance to help them fulfill their educational mission.

Previously, she was Manager of International Students and the International Exchange Program at Polytechnique Montréal. She also coordinated the 2010 and 2011 editions of Accueil Plus, a reception service for international students arriving at Montréal airport during the summer.

Vanesa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration and a Graduate Diploma in International Studies. In February 2016, she earned her designation as a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA) and has since collaborated with the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) on various training and advocacy initiatives related to immigration policies affecting international students.

Bonnie McKie has provided leadership in international education within the K-12 public school sector since 2001. She has been the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Public Schools International (CAPS-I) since the not-for-profit association’s incorporation in 2008.

Prior to joining CAPS-I, as Manager of International Education for the Surrey School District, Bonnie developed the International Student Program for the largest public school district in British Columbia.

She also served on the Executive Committee of IPSEA (International Public School Education Association of BC) as Vice-President and as Co-Convenor of the Global Alliance of Education and Language Associations.

Kimberly Jean Pharuns is a recognized leader within Canada’s Francophone and Acadian communities, with more than 10 years of experience in agile management, strategic leadership and immigration. She holds an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) at Athabasca University.

In March 2025, Kimberly joined the Observatoire en immigration francophone du Canada (OIFC) as its Executive Director. Kimberly is forward-thinking and ambitious, and always ready to take on new challenges and explore new collaborations. She knows how to seize opportunities to help advance projects, whether it involves developing partnerships, promoting initiatives, innovating or creating new tools.

As editor-in-chief of Symposium+ magazine, she demonstrated her ability for making complex topics accessible, and for promoting community initiatives. Kimberly sees herself as a leader driven by passion for inclusion and diversity. Her collaborative approach and her determination are qualities that have helped her achieve meaningful results throughout her career.

As a reminder, the Observatoire en immigration francophone du Canada serves as an interdisciplinary and multisectoral platform for the exchange and sharing of knowledge and promising practices in the area of francophone immigration.

Shawna has spent 20 years developing her immigration, intercultural, and people leadership skills through successive roles at Niagara College. Shawna is a graduate of Niagara College and Brock University and holds her Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA) designation. She has been supporting CBIE learning and advocacy throughout the years as an ISIEP and Agent Training Instructor and through a previous term of service on the IAC from 2018 to 2020. Shawna has a passion for empowering students with knowledge and skills that help them grow and succeed in whatever path they choose.

Jintu is an experienced International Student Advisor and Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) with a proven track record of guiding students through the complexities of academic transitions, cultural adjustment, and immigration matters. With over six years in the international education field in various capacities at Lakehead University’s Thunder Bay campus, she combines her expertise in advising, background in Human Resources, and student advocacy to create supportive, inclusive, and student-focused services. Jintu is deeply passionate and committed to empowering international learners to thrive academically, personally, and professionally. Jintu has served on CBIE’s INTL Committee since 2022, including as Co-Lead of the Bursary Committee.

Kay Balite is the International Student Advisor at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and she has over a decade of experience supporting and advising international students and permanent residents. Kay holds a BA in Psychology, a Master of Education, and a RISIA license. In addition to being the primary immigration advisor, Kay has worked in recruitment, exchange student advising, as well as academic advising. Kay immigrated from the Philippines with her family and has been living in Canada for the past 17 years. Since her arrival as a student, Kay has dedicated herself to the world of international education through volunteering and professional work. She uses her own lived experience to support students in settlement and career development. She is a strong advocate for international student settlement in Halifax and participates in various initiatives to build communities for newcomers.

Boon Khoo is an experienced Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) with a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She brings a wealth of experience, enriched by a multicultural background and proficiency in multiple languages. With over a decade of expertise in immigration consulting and international student education, Boon excels at simplifying complex immigration regulations and providing personalized guidance to students, along with expert advice to the campus community.

As the Manager of Immigration Consulting Services at the University of Waterloo, Boon spearheads strategic initiatives and guides a team of RCICs in the development and implementation of a comprehensive and proactive immigration consulting service for international students. Previously, at Global Networks Immigrations (GNI), Boon held the role as the Principal Immigration Consultant, where she was instrumental in business development, consultation, and client advocacy.

She enjoys spending time with colleagues and meeting with students, but she also finds solace and pleasure in taking solitary walks.

Lana (Svetlana) Volkova has worked in international education for over 14 years. She has experience in international student recruitment, international partnerships and projects, international student services and programming, including immigration advising. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the NOVA University of Lisbon (Education for Global Citizenship). She currently holds the position of Associated Director Center for International Experience at the University of Toronto. Lana speaks several languages and has worked and studied in multiple countries.

Christa has been working in the field of international education for over 16 years. Christa has served as International Student Advisor at Mount Allison University since 2012. Before her work in the post-secondary sector, Christa worked in international schools in South Korea and Hong Kong.

Christa is a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor and also holds a Bachelor of Science degree (Mount Allison University, 2004) and Bachelor of Education degree (Saint Thomas University, 2007).

Mirjana works as a Coordinator of Immigration and Settlement and acts as a principal immigration specialist at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). She also manages the international student advising and services portfolio and leads the RISIA Community of Practice. She has over 15 years of combined professional experience in international education and the newcomer/settlement sector. Her goal is to increase the retention and diversity of international students with careful attention to students’ well-being, success and sense of belonging.

Mirjana earned a Master’s Degree in Immigration and Settlement Studies from the Toronto Metropolitan University and a High Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Comparative Literature and Languages from USask. She holds the RISIA designation from 2017 and is multilingual.

Mirjana spent most of her childhood and teenage years as a refugee, at times stateless or internally displaced. In addition, she has a rich lived experience of a first-generation immigrant and an international exchange student.

Mirjana resides in Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of several First Nations and the Homeland of the Métis. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring Canada’s natural wonders with her family.

Ankita Goyal is an International Student and Scholar Advisor at Northeastern University’s Vancouver campus, where she provides strategic immigration advising to international students throughout their academic journeys. Her work encompasses study permits, work authorization, immigration compliance, post-graduation pathways, and complex student immigration matters. Prior to joining Northeastern, Ankita worked at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus for approximately four years in immigration advising and international admissions. Her combined experience gives her a comprehensive understanding of the international student journey—from admission and enrolment to immigration compliance and post-graduation planning.

Ankita is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant authorized to practise before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. She is also the founder and Managing Director of Immigracia Visa Consulting Inc., where she advises and represents clients in a wide range of Canadian immigration matters.

She graduated as a valedictorian from the UBCs Certificate in Immigration Law program and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education at Northeastern University in Boston. Ankita also teaches in Queen’s University’s GDipICL program as an Adjunct Professor and serves as a faculty member at Ashton College. A frequent speaker at continuing professional development events, she contributes to the ongoing education of immigration practitioners and international education professionals.

Through her research and professional work involving ATIP records, Ankita seeks to bring greater transparency to Canadian immigration decision-making and help practitioners and international student advisors better understand how applications are assessed. As a first-generation immigrant, she brings together regulatory expertise, institutional advising experience, academic leadership, and lived experience to advance informed, inclusive, and student-centred practices across Canada’s immigration and international education sectors.

Jun Wang has worked in international education since 2013 and has been a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA) since February 2017. She has extensive experience interpreting and applying immigration policies within a post-secondary context and advising institutional leaders on the impacts of evolving regulations on international students and institutional practices.

Jun currently leads a team of professionals providing immigration advising and cultural transition support to help international students succeed during their studies in Canada. She works closely with campus partners to support regulatory compliance and develop coordinated practices that respond to international students’ evolving needs.

As a first-generation immigrant, Jun brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She is committed to student-centred, equitable, and inclusive practices and contributes to sector collaboration through the BCCIE International Student Support Working Group. Jun holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a UBC Certificate in Intercultural Studies. She is currently pursuing a Professional Master of Education at Queen’s University.

Carolina Costa Sato is an RCIC with eight years of experience in post-secondary education, including five years specializing in immigration advising. She currently serves as Manager, Immigration Services at Simon Fraser University, where she leads immigration advising services for international students, interprets evolving IRCC policies, supports complex immigration cases, and provides strategic guidance to campus partners and senior administrators. Carolina is also actively involved in the Canadian international education sector as Co-Chair of CBIE’s Student Advising–Conseil aux étudiants Professional Learning Community (SACE-PLC), where she facilitates knowledge sharing among international student advisors across Canada and supports sessions focused on immigration policy, regulatory changes, and effective advising practices. Through her institutional and sector roles, she is committed to advancing student-centered services and supporting the success of international students across Canada.

Marisa Norona has over 20 years of experience working in International Education in Post-Secondary Education. She has worked extensively with student exchange programs and international student advising at a variety of post-secondary institutions where she has supported students in gaining international experience and competencies both in Canada and abroad, prepared students for safety and experiential learning abroad, guided students through cultural and academic transitions in their adjustment to Canada, and enhanced international students’ immigration literacy through comprehensive immigration advising and programming. She takes pride in providing a very comprehensive and holistic approach within her advising practice. Marisa holds a BA, French language and an MA, French Linguistics from the University of British Columbia, participated in the International Student Immigration Education Program (ISIEP) in Fall 2017, and became a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor (RISIA) in July 2018. Since 2019, Marisa has collaborated with CBIE, working as an assisting instructor for the ISIEP program English cohorts.