Wasiimah Joomun
Executive Director
[email protected]
(613)-236-3457
Bibi Wasiimah Joomun is the Executive Director for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). Wasiimah obtained her undergraduate degree from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 2020. After graduating, Wasiimah was the Executive Director for the New Brunswick Student Alliance (NBSA) until her move to Ottawa in 2022 to be the Member Relations Officer for CASA. In August 2023, Wasiimah was hired to be CASA’s next Executive Director. Wasiimah has been passionate about advocating for a more accessible, affordable and high quality post-secondary education for all students during and after their studies since she was elected as the International Student Representative in her first year of University in 2017. Wasiimah is originally from Mauritius and moved to Canada in September 2016 to pursue her studies. Wasiimah prides herself in her journey through the education system in Canada and has first hand experience on how post-secondary education advocacy is important in improving the lives of students. Through her work, her involvement in the community and her personal life, Wasiimah strives to ensure that a safe, inclusive environment is fostered; guided by her communication, teamwork, critical thinking and consensus skill sets. When not working, Wasiimah can be found sleeping or enjoying a few cocktails with friends.
Pamela Bassoi
Director of Finance and Aministration
[email protected]
(613) 236-3457
Pamela is a proud Brazilian from Sao Paulo, who has been living in Ottawa for almost 4 years now. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and is a specialist in Civil, International and Consumer Law in Brazil. Pamela has studied, travelled and lived across the world and she brings to CASA more than 10 years of experience in administrative, legal and bookkeeping roles.
Pamela truly believes we all can contribute to a better world. She says that even small good actions, may have a huge impact in somebody else’s life. She also considers high quality education access as a determinant for a better future.
Pamela stands and fights for equity - which means recognizing and respecting other people’s differences, ensuring that everybody has equal opportunities, Rights and privileges. She highly values attributes such as honesty, integrity, kindness, dedication, positivity, perseverance and bravery.
In her free time, Pamela has a passion for travelling, cooking, dancing, drawing manga (Japanese comic books), reading, studying different languages, watching TV series and movies and, listening to music, especially 80’s songs.
Matthew Gerrits
Senior Government and Stakeholder Relations Officer
[email protected]
(613)-236-3457
Matthew is the Government and Stakeholder Relations Officer at the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.
Matthew grew up in rural Southwestern Ontario, and attended the University of Waterloo, where he received his undergraduate degree in Knowledge Integration, with a focus on politics, policy, and economics. After proudly serving for two years leading government relations at the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association as Vice President, Education, Matthew completed his Master in Public Service at the University of Waterloo. He served eight months as a Junior Policy Analyst for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Matthew is a passionate follower of Canadian and American politics and follows policy across many areas. Outside of the political world, Matthew is a frequent attendee of the Stratford Festival and enjoys going home to the family farm. He is a dedicated Wikipedian, a supporter of good urbanism, and also spends much of his spare time studying and thinking about student associations.
Maleeka Thomas
Member Relations Officer
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Maleeka Thomas is the Member Relations Officer for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. She is a proud graduate of the University of Lethbridge, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology with a Minor in Anthropology. Originally from Jamaica, Maleeka moved to Canada to pursue her post-secondary education and has since dedicated herself to advancing student advocacy, inclusion, and community building.
Maleeka is the first Black immigrant woman elected President of the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union, a position she held for two consecutive terms. Her time in student government strengthened her passion for government relations and effective internal governance to support impactful advocacy. Her passion for accessible and inclusive education extended to the national level, where she served as CASA’s Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and was later elected Secretary.
Maleeka is the founder of Girls That Empower, a grassroots non-profit in Jamaica that supports the personal and professional growth of young women. When she’s not working, Maleeka enjoys listening to podcasts, rewatching her favourite reality shows, and spending time with family & friends.
Mariam Trifess
Communications & Public Relations Officer
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Mariam Trifess is the Communications & Public Relations Officer for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. She is a University of Ottawa alumna, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Joint Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Communication. Since 2021, Mariam has accumulated years of experience in strategic communications, especially in political settings. During her time as a member’s communications assistant on Parliament Hill, she was in charge of all communication channels, and often contributed speechwriting. Mariam is skilled in communication strategy, planning, social media management and content creation. She believes that collaboration, consultation and a keen focus on strategic goals are key to the successful implementation of a communication strategy. In her free time, Mariam likes to read political thought and engage in independent study.