O'Brien Institute welcomes new team members

Ignacio Chua, business operations coordinator, O’Brien Institute

Ignacio Chua immigrated to Canada from the Philippines in 2009. He has a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and business administration. Ignacio has worked in accounting and finance for more than 20 years. Most recently, he worked with UCalgary Research Accounting as a financial compliance administrator for 10 years, which involved handling the post-award financial administration of all sponsored research and restricted funding at the University.

Ignacio enjoys traveling, reading books on personal finance (as the non-accountant on the team point out, this hobby seems like it would be a bit taxing…), watching movies, volunteering and spending time with family and friends.

In his role, Ignacio will be supporting the operations of the institute through independent coordination and prioritization of organizational, management and financial activities.

When asked what his dream job would be if he was not an accountant, Ignacio’s reply was… an accountant AND a tax consultant. The Institute appreciates his passion for his craft. If you have any questions you think Ignacio can answer, want to talk spreadsheets, or simply want to welcome him to the team, he can be reached at chuai@ucalgary.ca.

Rukhsaar Daya, project coordinator, StreetCCRED/Social and Structural Vulnerabilities program

Rukhsaar Daya comes to the Institute with an honours bachelor of health science and a master of science in global health. Rukhsaar is passionate about making a community impact and has spent the last five years pursuing this passion by coordinating and leading community projects that give a voice to those traditionally excluded from the decision-making process.

Rukhsaar has led consultations with people who use drugs to inform decriminalize drug use; coordinated residents’ reference panels to inform urban and rural health planning; worked with people under-housed and precariously housed to improve urban community health and justice; and, has led consultations with people who have experience with the justice system to inform provincial justice reform.

In her new role as program coordinator, Rukhsaar will advance the work of the O’Brien Institute’s Social and Structural Vulnerabilities program and Street CCRED. She’s excited by the prospect of leveraging her skills and experience in community engagement to promote health equity and to drive initiatives that benefit socially and structurally marginalized populations in Calgary.

Rukhsaar joins the Institute after recently relocating to Calgary with her partner who, as it happens, is also associated with UCalgary as a surgical resident. They are both library buffs and are very excited by the new Taylor Family Digital Library and cannot wait to check it out. In her free time, Rukhsaar loves cooking and enjoys settling down to watch a good show with her two cats. She sometimes dreams of an alternate life as a chef/actor/animal rescuer.

We at the Institute look forward to seeing how Rukhsaar will shape and make this important role her own, and to learn more about all of her diverse interests. If you have any questions, or just want to say hi, drop Rukhsaar a line at rukhsaar.daya@ucalgary.ca.