“A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of proverty, labour exploitation and disease, and give them the knowledge, skills and confidence to reach their full potential.”
Audrey Hepburn
Board of Directors
Khor Reat Top
President and Executive Director
John Wiyay Gatluak
Vice President
Victoria Deng
Secretary General
David Luoy Top
Treasurer Secretary
Dr. Mark B. Durieux
Director, Chief Knowledge Officer
Nhial Korow Wicleek
Director, Community Health and Family Wellness
Vivian S. Jones
Director, International Development & Refugees Rehabilitation
Khor Reat Top
Founder and Executive Director
Komkan Africana Institute
Khor Top is the President and Executive Director of Komkan Africana Institute (KAI), a non-profit organization with a mission to promote peacebuilding, research & policy development, and create economic solutions to eradicate poverty globally. Khor is a conceptual leader in community empowerment, international development, human security, devoted to creating dynamic organizations that respect diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a dynamic community organizer, Khor thrives in times of challenge and embrace change. Khor has extensive experience providing knowledge-based, strategic leadership for effective implementation of an organization’s mission and goals. With a more 15-year career in the non-profit sector and practical governance experience, Khor’s work is guided by principle and informed by unique life experience and a commitment to authentic leadership.
Khor holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Calgary and a graduate student master of Economic Development. Khor has led social justice initiatives and carry out extensive community capacity building education, community knowledge mobilizations, advancing community governance and economic development locally in Canada and innovative economies in developing countries. Prior to founding of Komkan Africana Institute has worked in various professional experience includes non-profit sector and educational system. Khor has consistently demonstrated an ability to step forward and challenge the status quo, re-envision new approach, and strengthen business practices, challenging outdated paradigms and programs in support of respectful human-centered design thinking. Khor is a long-time community organizing and social justice advocate, which led to the successful organization of the African grassroots organizations, and positive community impact for Calgarians.
Dr. Mark B. Durieux
Director, Chief Knowledge Officer
Dr. Mark Durieux (PhD) is a currently a Professor of Sociology at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. Dr. Durieux is a leader in popularizing sociology, and complementary disciplines, through education and community practice. A veteran university sociology instructor who came to the knowledge and craft of Sociology later in life after academic training in Education and Social Work. Dr. Mark gets, then, the critical importance of sociology in human service and in making this precious Earth a better, sustainable home. He is deeply committed to sociology’s democratization.
Dr. Mark is a Co-author (along with Robert Stebbins) of “Social Entrepreneurship for Dummies,” and Author, “Social and Eco-entrepreneurship for All Walks of Life” – Kendall Hunt Publishing Company: allwalkssociology.com. Dr. Mark Durieux is also authoring a forthcoming primer on Environmental Sociology to be published by Kendall Hunt. For Dr. Mark Durieux’s web picture, please click the link: https://www.impactcalgary.com/speaker/mark-durieux/
Nhial Korow Wicleek
Komkan’s Director, Community Health and Wellness
Nhial Wicleek is a Mental Health Practitioner with extensive experience dedicated to serving the underserved. Since 2011, Mr. Wicleek has been working with refugee/immigrant families and their children with various presentations and needs. As a professionally trained Counsellor, Mr. Wicleek is licensed as a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with membership from Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Educationally, Mr. Wicleek has enrolled in a Doctoral Program pursuing Professional Doctorate in Counselling and Psychotherapy. In 2017, Mr. Wicleek has graduated with a Master of Counselling Psychology from City University of Seattle, and in 2010, with a BSc.’s Degree in Psychology from Burman University. Mr. Wicleek holds various certificates including Certified Level I: iRest Yoga Nidra, a mindfulness-Based Approach, a Go-To Educator on Mental Health Literacy Project – Train the Trainers Certificate, ASSIST – Suicide Prevention Certificate, Certificate on Narrative Therapy with Vancouver School of Narrative Therapy, and the list goes.
Mr. Wicleek is specialized in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance use/abuse, identity crisis, suicide, ADHD, and self-esteem issues. Through his work, Mr. Wicleek has been providing individual/group counseling to school-aged refugee/immigrant children and their families in Calgary. In 2019, he then worked with Camp based adult refugee clients at the Center for Victims of Torture, Gambella, Ethiopia. On the job, he was serving as an Expert Psychotherapist and a Trainer tasked to train and supervise counselors and psychosocial workers before the end of his tenure.
While maintaining his full-time position as an Intercultural Wellness Counsellor at Catholic School District Board, Mr. Wicleek has expanded his professional engagement through a part-time private practice in the City of Calgary. He also sits on advisory boards and committees at various organizations including Komkan Africana Institute, Patient Advisory Committee at Primary Mosaic Care, District Threats Assessment Team, Black Mentorship Inc., and South Sudanese Community. His approaches include but are not limited to SFT, CBT, Narrative Exposure Therapy, Strength-Based and Person-Centered (Client-Centered approach) to help build on strength a client brings into the therapy room.
KOMKAN STAFF
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”
Nelson Mandela
Employees
Khor Reat Top
Founder and Executive Director
Peter Kueth Diew
Managing Director, International Development and Community Rehabilitation
Isaiah Koang Lual
Gambella Vocational Training Programs Coordinator
Dau Dau
Community Outreach& Unbowed Warrior Counselor
Jackline Nyamao
SIRIE Children Program Facilitator
Tibetha Nyabiey David
Mental Health & Family Wellness Trainings Coordinator
Elizabeth Deng Turuok
Wings of Wellness Facilitator
Nyanuer Loang Bipean
Career Development and Employment Coach