Allyson Theodorou
Interim Managing Director
Allyson began working for PeerWorks back in 1993 in its earlier incarnation as the former CSDI. Originally tasked as an administrative assistant, she has taken on other responsibilities including office finances, conference organizer and, working with graduates of the PeerWorks Peer Support Core Essentials Program while they complete their internships. She is certified with Peer Support Canada, and is qualified to deliver PeerWorks Peer Support Core EssentialsTM Program training. Allyson lives with her husband, two teenaged boys and their dog Scout who they adopted from a rescue organization. In her spare time, Allyson enjoys spending time with family and friends, trying new vegan recipes and exploring a healthy lifestyle.
Mar Mohamed
Education Coordinator
Mar Mohamed is excited to be joining PeerWorks with their years of professional and personal experience in peer support. Their first experience in peer support came from volunteering at an overdose prevention site, where they engaged and supported peers in their neighborhood. This led them to embark on a journey into the harm reduction sector as both an advocate and peer supporter where they have since worked with various organizations such as the Canadian Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity, the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and more recently working at a community health center in a safer consumption area. Besides her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, Mar Mohamed is currently pursuing an Honours of Forensic Psychology degree to apply to grad school and to make a difference both on a communal and systemic basis. They can attribute a lot of their success and experiences to their multi-intersectional identity as a first generation Somali-Canadian. Whenever Mar has free time, they enjoy reading a book or watching documentaries.
Mina Zahine
Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Mina joins PeerWorks with 5+ years of experience in strategic communications. She spent the beginning of her professional career in her home country of Afghanistan, gaining experience at a research think tank, foreign affairs, and a UN agency. Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Global Affairs at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Mina is a storyteller driven by the desire to help build a more equitable world.
