YUBAN (York University Black Alumni Network) was created with a variety of goals in mind, many of them focused on providing guidance, mentorship and networking opportunities to Black alumni and students at all career and academic stages. In addition, YUBAN seeks to celebrate the legacy, contributions, and accomplishments of York’s Black alumni and students, while also engaging the community-at-large through relevant programming.

If you are interested in finding out more about how you can get involved with YUBAN or want to hear more about their upcoming initiatives, please contact Yasmine Mensah, Alumni Engagement Officer, at mensahy@yorku.ca.

Meet the 2024-2026 Executive Team

Fikayo Aderoju

Chair
BA ’22

Fikayo Aderoju is an award-winning entrepreneur that has reached over 10 million individuals on various media platforms. He is the CEO of the Born For Greatness (BFG) Group and founder of Project Impacting Lives, the largest youth-led care product distributor in Canadian history. With an admirable dedication, the initiative has successfully distributed over 10,000 care products across Ontario to individuals in need. Additionally, Fikayo serves as the Executive Chairman of York University’s Black Alumni Network, contributing significantly to the university’s community and empowerment initiatives.

Joannes Paulus Yimbesalu

Vice-Chair
MA ’20

Joannes is a seasoned youth development expert with over a decade of experience in international development, primarily focusing on empowering African youths with a mission to ensure that youths have access to quality education and skills necessary to drive economic growth and innovation. Joannes currently serves as Chief Executive Officer for Africa Skills Alliance, a Think Tank focused on democratizing data around workforce development in Africa to ensure that the African workforce is well-equipped with the skills required for current and future job opportunities. His diverse career spans multiple countries, involving collaborations with governments, private sector, development organizations, and youths. Joannes’ keen interest is in advocacy, and policy, particularly in education, gender equality, adolescent development, innovation, employability, entrepreneurship, and mental health. With a strong academic background in Leadership and Community Engagement, Joannes brings a unique perspective to addressing global challenges with local solutions. While serving as lead for Generation Unlimited, a public-private-youth-partnership with the United Nations, he played a pivotal role in supporting global initiatives which provided millions of youths with essential skills and employment opportunities. Joannes is recipient of several international awards including the A.D. King Foundation Award and Queen Elizabeth II Young Leaders Award for his leadership and tech innovation contributions. Joannes is a published author, bilingual in English and French, engages in volunteer work, and serves on multiple organizational boards.

Aishah Imran

Career & Mentorship Coordinator
BPA ’22

Meet Aishah, our dynamic Career and Mentorship Coordinator at YUBAN. With a background in economics and public policy, Aishah brings a wealth of expertise and passion for driving positive change. Currently works as a Fraud Analyst and has experience in student advising at prestigious institutions, Aishah is dedicated to empowering young professionals through mentorship and career guidance. With a proven track record of leadership and collaborative problem-solving, she is committed to fostering a supportive and enriching environment for YUBAN members as they navigate their career journeys.

Kobe Cargill

Student Liaison
BSc ’23

Meet Kobe, a recent graduate of York University’s specialized honors program in Actuarial Science. During his time at York University, he was a member of the York United Black Students Alliance (YUBSA), United Caribbean Islands (UCI), Actuarial Students Association (ASA), and volunteered as a Science Student Ambassador and held a work/study position as a Student Success Mentor Lead with the Black Excellence York University (BEYU) program. Kobe spends his free time career searching and exploring fitness and exercise science as a certified personal trainer.

Victoria Medley-Parkins

Membership & Volunteer Coordinator
BA ’20

Currently working as a Residence Life Area Coordinator who directly supports the wellbeing, safety, and programming of first year university students. Victoria makes it her mission to intentionally develop programming that uplifts black and racialized students. Within her role in YUBAN, Victoria looks forward to revamping our membership and providing more opportunities for networking amongst alumni and engaging the graduating classes of future alumni.

Amuna Baraka-Clarke

MPPAL ’18

Amuna is passionate about access. She has almost three decades of experience working in the areas of homelessness, education, social justice, legal advocacy and policy. She works as a Senior Human Resources Leader in Community Healthcare and is an active volunteer across many communities. She has an undergraduate degree in Political Science and English Literature and a Master’s degree in Public Policy, Administration and Law.

Michael Eubanks

BA ’93

Michael Eubanks is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of goeasy Ltd.

Michael leverages more than 30 years of diverse experience across the retail, financial services and digital and information technology sectors in both Canada and the U.S. As a leader in enterprise strategic planning, he specializes in implementing complex technology changes to meet shifting business models for public and private companies.

A believer of strong leadership at every level, Michael is passionate about identifying and mentoring the next generation of leaders.

Before Michael’s appointment at goeasy in 2020, he was Chief Information Officer at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS). He has also held senior technology management roles at Canadian Tire Corporation and Best Buy International.

Michael is a graduate of York University (BA) and has completed the Institute Corporate Director’s Program Certification from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto.

Michael is currently a board member and Chair of the Human Resources Committee for Toronto Hydro Corporation, as well as a board member of the University of Waterloo and York University’s Black Alumni Network (YUBAN).

Queen Nkpubre

BSc ’12

Queen Nkpubre is a Marketing and Communication Specialist with an affinity for Science based communication following an educational background in Chemistry and Forensic Science. In 2015, she was the co-recipient of the 1st place award at the Scottish Forensic Students Symposium. She grew up in Nigeria and currently resides in Canada where despite the cold weather, she is often sighted with a cup of ice cream. She has a passion for fitness & wellness, literacy skills and girl power. She enjoys reading.

Randy Yeboah

BA ’10, MA ’12

Randy Yeboah is an award recognized leader in the areas of emergency management and business continuity. He is currently the Director of Business Continuity and Resilience with the Toronto Transit Commission, North America’s third largest transit system. His career spans over a decade and includes roles in public safety, public health, and utility spaces. Randy possesses a Master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management (2020), an undergraduate degree in International Development (2010), and several industry certifications and designations. He is passionate about minimizing the impacts of emergencies on organizations and the communities they are rooted in.

Reni Odetoyinbo

BBA ’18

Reni Odetoyinbo is a content creator, marketing consultant, and finance enthusiast based in Toronto, Canada. On her YouTube channel, ‘xoreni’, she shares resources about career development, lifestyle, and financial literacy. Reni is a graduate of York University’s Schulich School of Business, class of 2018, and worked in Wealth Management at the Bank of Montreal subsequently.