Advisory Board
Meet the leaders, researchers, and practitioners guiding ORAH's mission to advance responsible AI in Ottawa and beyond.
Diverse Expertise, Shared Vision
Our advisory board brings together thought leaders from academia, industry, government, and civil society. With backgrounds spanning AI ethics, policy, community engagement, and technical innovation, they guide ORAH's strategic direction and ensure our work reflects the values of responsible AI development.
Somto Mbelu, PMP
Founder and Program Lead
Ottawa Responsible AI Hub (ORAH)
Somto works at the intersection of AI ethics, policy, digital health, governance, compliance, risk, finance, and business—bridging research and practice to shape technology that serves society. His focus is making AI fair, accountable, and inclusive, translating these principles into governance frameworks, policy strategies, and responsible design.
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Jake Effoduh, PhD
Advisory Board Member
Lincoln Alexander School of Law
Experienced lawyer with expertise in human rights, tech, and artificial intelligence. Demonstrated history of working across various national, regional, and international institutions.
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Kendra Cooke
Advisory Board Member
SYPartners
Kendra is passionate about ensuring AI development includes diverse community voices. She has worked extensively with marginalized communities to center their perspectives in technology policy and innovation.
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Oluwadara (Dara) Adekunle
Advisory Board Member
Farmties Capital Limited
Oluwadara Adekunle (Dara) is an entrepreneur and development professional with over 10 years of experience. She is the founder of Farmties Capital Limited, an innovative investment firm dedicated to empowering high-growth Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the agricultural sector by providing innovative capital, market access, and tailored financial solutions that enable these SMEs to expand, innovate, and thrive in global markets.
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Luc Lalande
Innovator-in-Residence
Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre
Luc Lalande is an educator, mentor, community innovation practitioner and civic entrepreneur with extensive experience in academic-industry-government sectors. He specializes in the design of place-based programs that build innovation capacity for communities in both rural and urban regions. As Innovator-in-Residence at the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre he has introduced award-winning use cases for creatively applying generative AI tools in the centre's program for seniors.
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Ruth Bankey
Senior Advisor Artificial Intelligence and Business Intelligence
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Dr. Bankey has been a board member and chair of a variety of Boards of Directors for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), nonprofits, and environmental NGOs since 2004. She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Ottawa Responsible AI Hub (ORAH).
Connect on LinkedInGuiding Our Mission Forward
Strategic Direction
Advisory members shape ORAH's priorities, ensuring our initiatives address the most pressing challenges in responsible AI.
Community Bridge
They connect ORAH to diverse networks across academia, industry, government, and civil society.
Expert Guidance
Their knowledge and experience ensure ORAH's work is grounded in the latest research and best practices.
Join Our Community
Interested in becoming part of ORAH's mission? Whether you want to volunteer, sponsor an event, or collaborate on research, we'd love to hear from you.
