Seema Jethalal Email & Phone Number

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Extra Cardamom Consulting is a boutique consulting collective that collaborates on thoughtful, strategic, and values-driven work with organisations across sectors that are ready to make a meaningful change. Our team includes heart-centred and purpose-driven leaders who believe the process is equally important to the results, and that equitable art and culture is essential to shaping thriving cities and communities. www.extracardamom.com

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Monumental is an organization working in service of the public good. We are supporting an equitable recovery from COVID-19, by building fair and just institutions, profiling and amplifying BIPOC leaders, and launching creative, socially-driven initiatives.

Toronto

Oversee Canadian Heritage's Ontario operations and manage a team of 80 employees whose primary role is to deliver funding programs (e.g. Canada Cultural Spaces Fund; Canada Arts Presentation Fund, Anti-Racism Action Program, etc.), plan and support Ministerial visits and events; and influence policy development. Co-Chair of the Committee for Racialized Employees. Actively identify barriers to access for groups at the margins, and work collaboratively with other decision-makers to close those gaps and render funding more accessible to equity-deserving groups.

Gatineau, Ottawa / Toronto, Ontario

Built and led a national team to design and deliver a series of a national public engagement sessions consisting of National Ministerial Forums for Indigenous Peoples, Regional Ministerial Forums, Community Forums in partnership with grassroots groups, several community and stakeholder meetings, and an online engagement and survey. The engagement will inform the development of a national anti-racism approach in 2019, which will be developed by PCH's Multiculturalism Policy Branch, in partnership with several other federal departments. Context:The House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian a report entitled “Taking Action Against Systemic Racism And Religious Discrimination Including Islamophobia”. This report made 30 recommendations, including a call to reinstate and update Canada's Action Plan Against Racism (which sunset in 2010) through engagement with civil society, grassroots organizations, and interfaith groups. Shortly after the release of this report, Budget 2018 announced funding for a cross-country engagement on a new national anti-racism strategy

Toronto,

Responsible for the overall operations, programming and financial management of Regent Park’s cultural hub - a 60,000 square foot, purpose-built facility that is home to 60+ organizations and a platform for creative exchange and expression. • Establish the vision for Daniels Spectrum and ensure buy-in from key stakeholders e.g. Artscape• Manage $1.8MM operating budget for a $38MM capital project. Consistently surpass revenue targets. • Oversee day-to-day operations including development and implementation of policies pertaining to building, programming, human resources, and events • Developed a unique, sliding scale rental model to ensure financial accessibility. Hosted 800+ events for 150,000+ attendees over 3 years.• Thoughtfully recruited and lead a team of 40+ staff to ensure the facility runs with efficiency, accessibility and genuine community engagement • Effectively managed hundreds of stakeholders: donors and funders, local community members, arts organizations, vendors, clients and project partners to champion and implement a shared vision • Developed over one dozen programs (including granting programs) including an Artist-In-Residency and several capacity-building programs for emerging and marginalized Canadian artists• Plan and execute unique fundraising initiatives in collaboration with Artscape Development team• Lead several capacity-building initiatives for Daniels Spectrum tenant organizations to support their organizational and financial growth with partners such as Prince’s Charities Canada• Lead collaborative design projects with artists and community to enhance the physical building

Toronto, Canada Area

Manifesto is a youth-powered platform that puts Canadian artists on the map and unites, inspires and empowers diverse communities of young people through arts and culture. • Managed overall operations, administration, human resources, education programming, co-working space rental business, and festival coordination. • Doubled organization’s operational budget to approximately $500K through government grants and sponsorship• Managed a festival team that increased programming from 4 days in 2008 to 11 days in 2011. The 2010 Manifesto Festival attracted 50,000+ attendees, engaged over 200 volunteers per year, and had a digital reach of 133,226,374 impressions• Developed and managed “Know Your Craft” year-round, alternative arts education programming for 200+ at-promise youth in under-served communities• Developed and nurtured community partnerships with organizations including but not limited to Laidlaw Foundation, Canadian Heritage, Grassroots Youth Collaborative, ArtReach and Toronto Culture• Mobilized youth and artists in advocacy campaigns regarding civic engagement, voter turnout, and arts funding e.g. Beautiful City Billboard Fee campaign and Election Report Cards•Contributed to the launch of Manifesto Jamaica in 2009 through peer-to-peer mentorship Selected Special Projects include:• 2008: Ignite the Americas: Youth Arts Policy Forum (in partnership with Canadian Heritage, The Remix Project and Schools Without Borders). Responsible for producing cultural workshops in partnership with local community arts organizations for delegates from 34 countries• 2008: Luminato Streetscape - a citywide, interactive public street art exhibition anchored in Regent Park. Worked as Production Manager and Workshop Coordinator alongside Curator Devon Ostrom, Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Pathways to Education and Regent Park Focus

Toronto, Canada Area

Acted as second-in-command to Program Director. Coordinated a youth arts showcase at the AGO, a Funder Speed-Dating event at the Gladstone Hotel, and various professional development workshops

Toronto, Canada Area

Coordinated nation-wide public consultation to gather content for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg prior to its launch

Toronto, Canada Area

Organized corporate meetings, conferences and events across the U.S. & Canada

Montreal, Canada Area

Managed a team of 4 bilingual (French and English) staff who participated in fundraising campaigns for Medecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders), Oxfam and Unicef.

B.A., Cultural Studies

M.A., Media Production (Rta)