Meet the Board of Directors

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ܡܠܣܐ ܦܪܗܕ, Melissa Farhad, President

Melissa Farhad holds a Bachelors Degree in International Business and a Masters Degree in Management, and has been involved with CCAR since its inception. She started out as a dedicated volunteer and was elected to the executive board in 2018, becoming the Vice - President in 2020.

Melissa is once again honored to be voted into the role of the president of CCAR in 2022.

Being a proud Assyrian, Melissa has always made a point of seeking out, and passionately supporting, any local Assyrian organizations. While growing up in Germany, she was an active member of the ABDG Verein (Assyrian community group) in Wiesbaden. After relocating to Canada, Hamilton in 2009 she continued her volunteerism by fundraising for and supporting a number of local Assyrian run events and programs. Seeing a need for an organization that would preserve and promote Assyrian heritage and culture in Hamilton, she helped found the Bet Nahrain Assyrian Heritage Centre in 2015, and is still an active board member.

Melissa takes great pride in being Assyrian, and holds dear our traditions, both ancient and modern, and the collective stories that tie us together as a nation, and tell of our resilience and hope. She feels blessed and honored that she gets to work alongside equally devoted and passionate individuals in helping Assyrians take their place and find their voice in Canada.

ܐܘܡܬܐ ܫܙܢܘ,

Umta Shino,

Vice -

President

Umta Shino joined the Centre for Canadian-Assyrian Relations (CCAR) when she was elected as a Board of Director and Secretary in October 2015. She was elected President in April 2018 and served as President until July 2022. During her time on the CCAR Board, she helped to plan three Christmas in Assyria Concerts, a Christmas Recital, two Kha B’Nissan Galas and contributed to other events, such as dinner lectures and online lectures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Umta was elected Vice-President in July 2022.

Umta graduated from the Bachelor of Applied Arts Degree Program in Paralegal Studies from Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in June 2010 achieving honours standing during her studies. She is a paralegal licensee who has been in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario since 2010.

Umta is very passionate about giving back to the Assyrian community. She dedicates countless hours to CCAR. She is approachable and enjoys speaking with members of the Assyrian community to discuss what it is that they would like to see come to life for our community here in Canada. She has an open-door policy and welcomes your input. Feel free to contact Umta at vice-president@ccarofficial.ca

ܢܪܓܠ ܐܒܪܗܝܡ, Nergal Ebraham, Secretary

Nergal Ebraham joined the Centre for Canadian-Assyrian Relations in hopes of being able to reconnect with his heritage and be able to do his part in the Assyrian community. Nergal currently holds the role of a secretary in the CCAR.

Nergal graduated from Mohawk College in 2018 and currently holds his RIBO license as an insurance broker. His responsibilities include servicing policies. making new business sales and underwriting risk. 

In his spare time Nergal volunteers for CityKidz and the Legion. After doing so for about 2 years, the next best thing would be volunteering in the Assyrian community and do the best job when it comes to spreading knowledge about Assyrian heritage and improve the relationship between Canadans and Assyrians. 


ܪܒܢ ܫܒܘܐ, Robin Shabo, Treasurer

Robin was born in Baghdad, Iraq but has called Canada home for the past 30 years. Like many other Assyrians, he and his family were forced to flee their homeland during the Iraq-Iran war in 1990, and spent the next three years in Greece as refugees. He immigrated to Canada in 1993, and has been in Hamilton, Ontario ever since.

Robin is fluent in both Assyrian and English, and is able to understand a little bit of spoken Arabic. He has earned a diploma in Desktop and Mobile support from Trios College, and is currently working for Rogers Communications as a technical support agent.

He started out as a dedicated volunteer and was elected to the executive board in 2020 and is honored to fulfill his new role of treasurer in 2022.

Robin loves Assyrian culture and history, and he has always looked for ways to help our people back home and in the diaspora. He hopes that in his lifetime we will be able to see Assyria exist as a country - as it already does in all of our hearts.