Board of Directors
Fatima Roshanian
Chair
Fatima Roshanian is the founder and CEO of Nimrokh Media. She holds a degree in political science from Kabul and worked extensively in health, education, and women-focused research across more than 20 provinces of Afghanistan between 2010 and 2014. In 2015, she joined the “Nigarish-e-Naw” social association, serving as the head of the women’s committee and deputy general secretary until 2017. During her tenure, she contributed to cultural, social, educational, and human rights initiatives.
Recognizing the dire situation of women in Afghanistan and the pervasive violence they face, Fatima established the Nimrokh weekly magazine in Kabul in August 2017. Over its five years of operation, the publication became a platform for advocating women’s civil and political rights, human rights, and addressing domestic violence, discrimination, and societal taboos surrounding women’s identity in Afghanistan’s traditional society.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, Nimrokh was forced to close its office and cease its print publications. Fatima sought refuge, first in Albania and later in Canada, where she arrived on April 20, 2022. She subsequently registered Nimrokh as an independent, non-profit organization in Canada. Now residing in Calgary, she continues to lead Nimrokh, ensuring its role as a sustainable independent media to amplify women’s voices.
Carolyn Campbell
Member of board of directors
Carolyn Campbell is former Conservation Director of Alberta Wilderness Association, a charitable non-profit organization where she worked for 16 years. Her earlier career experience was in economic forecasting, corporate financial planning/reporting, and education. She has served as chair and treasurer of diverse volunteer-led community boards.
Mina Sharif
Member of board of directors
Mina Sharif is a writer, advocate, and cultural advisor with over 15 years of experience in Afghanistan and a strong connection to the Afghan diaspora. Raised in Canada, she lived in Kabul from 2005 to 2019, where she led media and development initiatives, including award-winning programs like Baghche SimSim (Afghanistan’s Sesame Street).
She is the founder of Sisters 4 Sisters, a mentorship program empowering Afghan women and girls, and Compassion First Consulting, which supports organizations working with conflict-affected communities. Mina’s work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Al Jazeera, and the bestselling anthology We Are Still Here. Passionate about amplifying Afghan women’s voices, she brings expertise in storytelling, advocacy, and cultural representation.
Gillian Steward
Member of board of directors
Gillian Steward is a Calgary-based journalist who has written local, national and international stories for various media organizations. She was a reporter at The Calgary Herald and later the managing editor from 1985-1990. During her freelance career she wrote for the Toronto Star, Canadian Business Magazine, and Report on Business magazine. She also produced four documentaries for CBC’s Ideas series. In 2014 she was awarded the Atkinson Fellowship which enabled her to research and write about the Canadian oil sands in a series of articles for The Toronto Star. Also in 2014 she obtained her PhD in communication studies from the University of Calgary and taught journalism at Mount Royal College for several years. She currently writes a regular column for The Toronto Star.