The Toronto Urban Fellows program is a competitive opportunity for recent graduate of Masters, LLB, JD, and PhD programs to tackle strategic projects at the City of Toronto.
The Toronto Urban Fellows program provides talented new professionals with an intensive introduction to the governance, operations and administration of Canada’s largest city. This is accomplished through a combination of full-time work experience and a series of seminars, tours and workshops.
The Toronto Urban Fellows program has established a strong reputation as an innovative, ground-breaking initiative that has welcomed more than 90 highly skilled and talented professionals to the Toronto Public Service.
Urban Fellows make important contributions to the City of Toronto’s policy and research agenda, provide fresh perspectives on complex issues, and undertake essential program development and evaluation activities. While their academic and professional backgrounds vary, all Toronto Urban Fellows share a commitment to excellence, public service and the City of Toronto’s success.
The TUF program was recognized with a City Manager’s Award in 2013. Check out the video!
Toronto Urban Fellows complete two six-month project assignments in two different divisions at the City of Toronto. These full-time, project-based professional development opportunities are enhanced by monthly Learning Series events that connect Urban Fellows with leaders at the City of Toronto and in the broader community. The program consists of:
In the first week of the program, Urban Fellows learn about the host divisions and project assignments. Project matching – a mutual interview and selection process – is made to place Urban Fellows with a host division for a six-month assignment. Urban Fellows are matched based on their interest in the project, the skills and qualifications they bring to this particular assignment, and the professional development opportunity that the project offers. The project matching process is repeated half-way through the year to match Urban Fellows with their next six-month project rotation.
Program participants are not guaranteed a match with their top choice of assignment, and may be matched with any participating City division. Urban Fellows are often assigned to projects outside of their professional discipline. In this way, the Toronto Urban Fellows program allows for cross-pollination of professional expertise across the City of Toronto. It gives Urban Fellows an opportunity to step outside their comfort zones to gain new experiences, skills, and professional development opportunities.
The Toronto Urban Fellows program selects projects based on their strategic importance to the City, professional development value, and exposure opportunities for the Urban Fellow, among other criteria. Project assignments are overseen by experienced directors, managers or senior professionals within the Toronto Public Service.
Projects typically involve a combination of research, policy development, stakeholder consultation, project management, program delivery and evaluation, and/or business process review and re-engineering. To ensure project success, Urban Fellows must draw on their strong analytical, research, communication and interpersonal skills and be ready to ask and answer tough questions.
Urban Fellows participate in a year-long Learning Series that provides broader exposure to the City of Toronto’s governance system, administration and policy landscape. The Learning Series consists of seminars, workshops and tours. At these sessions, Urban Fellows meet with senior government officials, community champions, business leaders and academics who are passionate about Toronto and working hard to shape its future. Examples of Learning Series events held in recent cohorts included:
Urban Fellows earn a taxable salary of approximately $78,429 and are eligible for health care benefits after completing six months of employment.
Urban Fellows are not guaranteed employment with the City of Toronto upon completion of the program. However, through the experience gained in the program, participants will be well-positioned to apply for relevant vacancies and are eligible for health care benefits after completing six months of employment.
Applications for the 2026-2027 cohort will begin in Spring 2026. The program will begin in September 2026 and conclude in August 2027.
Committed to employment equity, the City of Toronto encourages applications from Indigenous people and equity deserving groups.
Urban Fellows recruitment follows a three stage process:
As an organization dedicated to research on municipal finance and governance, the development of good public policy, and the strengthening of municipal public administration, IMFG strongly supports the Toronto Urban Fellows (TUF) program. The applicant demand for the program and the cadre of dynamic, dedicated and diverse fellows the TUF has welcomed, are testament to both a burgeoning interest in urban affairs and the capacity of the City to attract future leaders. We commend the City of Toronto and the innovative developers of the TUF program for having the vision and courage to launch and nurture a program that will pay great dividends in the years ahead.
Enid Slack, Director, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto
“Toronto Urban Fellows bring energy and innovative ways of thinking to the projects they tackle at the City of Toronto. They are enthusiastic, talented, and highly motivated professionals with skills that are transferable throughout our corporation. To date, Solid Waste Management Services has hosted seven Urban Fellows, many of whom went on to accept permanent, full-time roles at the City. The Toronto Urban Fellows program has been a strategic opportunity for our division to build its people-power by generating meaningful professional development opportunities on a range of innovative research, policy, and project management initiatives. If you’re ready to tackle unexpected challenges and contribute to projects with a real impact to the City, I strongly encourage you to apply to the Toronto Urban Fellows program.”
Carlyle Khan, Director, Infrastructure Development & Asset Management, Solid Waste Management Services
After finishing my PhD in Information Studies, I was looking for an opportunity to use my data analysis and research skills in new ways. I wanted to change careers, and was delighted to find exactly what I had been looking for in the TUF program. The program’s structure – rotating fellows through two divisions – helped me to learn about the various careers and projects at the City, while also making a contribution in my own work. I discovered a passion for both information management and operational data analysis, and have been able to develop and hone my skills in both areas. The TUF program provided me with great mentors, a broad and rich network of colleagues, and has given me immense pride in the contributions public servants make to programs and policies at the City of Toronto.
Lisa Quirke, QA Consultant, Toronto Water
Christy is a policy professional with interdisciplinary problem-solving skills, a collaborative mindset, and experience in public policy and community engagement. She has worked at Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, where she conducted regional analyses and program evaluations to address economic disparities. As a researcher in the federally funded CANSTOREnergy project, she led a legislative review of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) legal frameworks across Canada and internationally to support energy transition efforts. Before moving to Canada, she worked in Hong Kong at a social innovation consultancy, facilitating multi-stakeholder engagement to co-design human-centered solutions for complex urban challenges. As a Toronto Urban Fellow, Christy is passionate about advancing climate action, social sustainability, and economic development in the city she now proudly calls home. She holds a Master of Urban Innovation from the University of Toronto and a BA in English from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In her free time, she enjoys reading, outdoor sports, and planning her next adventure.
Constance Dupuis is a community-based researcher with expertise in participatory approaches, aging, and social justice. She holds a PhD in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands. Most recently, as a postdoctoral fellow at McMaster’s Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, she co-designed programs with older adults and people living with dementia, including initiatives that explored nature-based supports for dementia care. She also contributed to research on housing precarity in partnership with a multi-service agency in Toronto. Constance is passionate about developing inclusive, evidence-based policies that bridge generations, care for people and the environment, and expand possibilities for radical care—approaches that reimagine how communities can support one another with equity, dignity, and compassion.
Farwa is a community-based researcher who combines lived experience as a newcomer youth with expertise in health systems and policy development in both local and global contexts. She holds a Master’s in Health Industry Administration from the Schulich School of Business and a Bachelor’s in Global Health from York University, grounding her work at the intersection of health systems and business with a focus on evidence-based program development. With over five years of experience in community-based research and leadership development, Farwa has worked with diverse communities in Jane Finch and Lawrence Heights to address systemic barriers in education, employment, and health. In 2024, Farwa led an independent research project with Jane Finch Bridging Education to Employment, producing actionable policy recommendations to improve newcomer youth transitions. Most recently, she contributed to the Community Development team at North York Community House, collaborating with residents, local leaders, and service providers to advance equitable community planning. As a Toronto Urban Fellow, Farwa hopes to utilize these experiences to incorporate a health equity lens into municipal policy, leveraging her research expertise and exploring innovative approaches to improve health and social outcomes for equity-deserving communities across Toronto.
Hannah is a policy researcher with an interdisciplinary background working on Canadian and international policy projects with a specific focus on gender-based research. She holds an Honours BA in Political Science with a Research Specialization from Wilfrid Laurier University and an MA in Global Governance from the Balsillie School of International Affairs. Prior to joining the City of Toronto, Hannah worked as a Gender Mainstreaming Specialist for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Mexico, where she worked across several initiatives to support gender equality, economic development, and the eradication of gender-based violence. During her graduate studies, Hannah co-authored a policy brief for Global Affairs Canada that assessed current Canadian migration pathways and provided recommendations to improve gender-responsiveness. She has also been a contributing researcher on the Gender and National Security project at the University of Waterloo, which helped form the basis of her own graduate research about gender and Canadian cybersecurity policy. As a Toronto Urban Fellow, Hannah is looking forward to contributing to evidence-based policy solutions while maintaining the meaningful inclusion of gender-diverse perspectives in city decision-making.
Hannah Barry is a social protection policy, program development and humanitarian professional with more than a decade of experience supporting community driven crisis response and sustainable development initiatives around the world. She holds a Master of Public Administration in Development Practice from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, as well as an International Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communications from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Prior to earning her graduate degree and joining the City of Toronto, Hannah spent four years working with the United Nations World Food Programme, supporting urban cash-based transfer programming during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe and leading the operational information management and donor reporting portfolio for the organization’s largest global response in Afghanistan. With expertise in food security, disability inclusion, development strategy, and social enterprise design, Hannah looks forward to further strengthening social safety nets and emergency management initiatives for particularly vulnerable populations in Canada’s largest city.
Harishree Dave is a passionate public health and policy professional dedicated to advancing health equity for marginalized communities. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo, where she conducted Canada’s first qualitative study exploring healthcare decision-making among Indian-born older adults during COVID-19. With over two years of experience in policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based research across federal and provincial governments, Harishree is committed to addressing systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities and building inclusive urban systems that reflect Toronto’s diversity. At the Public Health Agency of Canada, she led a national initiative to integrate Sex and Gender-Based Analysis Plus into federal public health surveillance systems and consulted with over 40 stakeholders to improve disaggregated data collection. Harishree also founded UW Empower Cycle, a non-profit addressing period poverty, through which she raised funds for women’s shelters and organized educational seminars to promote menstrual equity. As a Toronto Urban Fellow, Harishree strives to apply her lived experience, policy expertise, and equity-focused lens to develop inclusive, evidence-based solutions that advance equity across Toronto’s diverse urban landscape.
Dr. Ikran Ali is an award-winning researcher and community leader who obtained her PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Toronto. She was the recipient of the CORS Founders’ Medal in 2024 as a result of her dedication to advancing orthopaedic science and research. During graduate school Dr. Ali actively worked towards increasing the number of black researchers in academia through advocacy and mentorship. She supported over 200 students in gaining summer research opportunities, served on the Inclusive Excellence Admissions committee at the University of Toronto (School of Graduate Studies) and co-founded a program (Say Somaali) aimed to provide Somali youth in Toronto with holistic mentorship opportunities. It was her commitment to build a positive impact on her community that led to an invitation to the One Young World Summit as a Canadian delegate and flag bearer for Somalia. Dr. Ali advocates for removing barriers to education and creating equitable opportunities for marginalized youth, she plans to continue to serve her community as an advocate, leader and mentor.
Natalie is a social service professional and interdisciplinary researcher with a strong foundation in project management, stakeholder engagement, and intercultural competency, grounded in a deep commitment to systems change and social justice. Natalie graduated Summa Cum Laude from York University, ranking among the top 35 students in the Criminology program, and later earned a Master of Arts in Socio-Legal Studies through a highly competitive, fully funded fellowship awarded for academic excellence. With over three years of experience spanning front-line service delivery and applied research in the non-profit sector, Natalie has focused her work on advancing Indigenous data sovereignty, enhancing safety and access to justice for Indigenous women and girls across Ontario, and addressing systemic inequities impacting equity-deserving communities. Notably, during her time employed at York Region’s only sexual violence crisis centre, Natalie played a key role in the development of York Region District School Board’s landmark anti-sex trafficking protocol – the first of its kind in Ontario – through progressive curriculum development and applied research. As a dedicated advocate for survivor-centered approaches to justice, Natalie has volunteered extensively on crisis lines, offering culturally grounded, trauma-informed support to survivors of sexual violence and gender-based violence. As a Toronto Urban Fellow, Natalie brings a trauma-informed and gender equity lens, strong analytical skills, and a relational approach to support the City’s efforts in advancing inclusive and equitable outcomes for Torontonians.
Saira Thavaneethan holds a Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioural Health Sciences from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo. She has experience working in both the non-profit and research sectors, gaining skills in quantitative and qualitative health research, policy analysis, knowledge translation, and program evaluation, with a focus on health equity and community engagement. Prior to her graduate studies, she worked in community program delivery, supporting initiatives that promoted social inclusion and wellbeing of young adults with disabilities in the Peel Region, with an emphasis on addressing systemic challenges. Her graduate projects have explored various social determinants of health, across urban health, mental health, long-term care, and immigrant health, applying anti-oppressive and decolonial frameworks throughout. As a Toronto Urban Fellow, Saira is eager to meaningfully contribute to the advancement of equity-driven policies and programming in the city.
Samantha Kennedy is a social work professional with experience in clinical practice, policy analysis, research, and advocacy across government, healthcare, and community settings in Canada and internationally. She holds a Master of Social Work from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. Samantha has worked at the federal level, supporting consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities by producing policy materials and maintaining public-facing treaty rights databases. In community and healthcare settings, she provided direct support to people navigating housing insecurity, substance use, mental health challenges, dementia, and caregiving needs. She also contributes to research with the Youth Wellness Lab, examining the role of social work in advancing reproductive justice and co-developing national webinars through the Canadian Association of Social Workers. As a Toronto Urban Fellow, Samantha is eager to bring her research, advocacy, and front-line experience to support inclusive policy development and equitable access to care.
Shamshir Malik works at the intersection of business, policy, and technology. She began her career in business intelligence and digital strategy, advising multinational firms such as Amazon and Procter & Gamble on audience segmentation, crisis monitoring, product positioning, and digital campaigns. She later served as a Project Consultant with Shopify’s public affairs team, where she contributed to AI adoption policy by identifying regulatory bottlenecks and mapping pathways to expand SME access to advanced technologies in Ontario.
In the policy sphere, Shamshir has led attitudinal research employing statistical methods and modelling to examine how perceptions of homelessness intersect with ideology and shape municipal policy recommendations. She holds a Master of Global Affairs with a specialization in capital markets and innovation policy, complemented by training in product management and hands-on experience in human-centered design, user research, prototyping, and agile iteration. With this combined expertise, she is committed to advancing responsible digital innovation and building more accessible, user-friendly public services.
Samira Karsiem is a public health professional with experience in community engagement and equity-centered health research. To date, her work has focused on understanding health disparities experienced by immigrant and 2S/LGBTQ+ community members. Prior to joining the Toronto Urban Fellows Program, Samira served as the Community Engagement Specialist for the IRIS Project at CGSHE, and the MindMapBC Project at the REAFFIRM Collaborative, both based in Vancouver. She has also consulted for non-profits which support community well-being. Samira has shared her work at Simon Fraser University, the University of Toronto, and is also a published author in the BMJ Open. She is excited to take an innovative, interdisciplinary, and equity-centered approach to working on strategic projects at the City of Toronto. Samira holds a Master of Public Health from Simon Fraser University, and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Health Studies from the University of Toronto.
Shayna Sayers-Wolfe is a policy and program development professional with over 10 years of experience in equity education, youth engagement, and community-based research. Shayna holds an MA in Public Policy and Administration from Toronto Metropolitan University and an Honours BA in Women and Gender Studies & Sexual Diversity Studies from University of Toronto. Prior to joining the City, Shayna worked as a Junior Program Analyst at the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, supporting policy and program development for universities across the province. Shayna’s interest in policy developed during her years leading youth programs and research in the non-profit sector as the Program Coordinator for Planned Parenthood Toronto’s Teens Educating And Confronting Homophobia (TEACH) program, as well as her work with CANVAS Programs and Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre. As a lifelong Toronto resident, Shayna is excited to bring her experience with inclusive and creative community engagement strategies and contribute to policies and programs that bring out the best in the city.
Shirin Gerami is a qualitative researcher and anthropologist with a PhD in Social-Cultural Anthropology from the University of Toronto. She brings over a decade of experience leading research and policy projects focused on equity-deserving communities, with particular emphasis on health, education, and LGBTQI+ issues. Shirin has worked with organizations such as Egale Canada and the Innovation Hub at U of T, where she led and collaborated with multidisciplinary teams on projects that delivered tangible impact. Her work is grounded in community engagement and prioritizes inclusive research practices that elevate underrepresented voices and support systemic change. Shirin is passionate about fostering meaningful partnerships between communities, service providers, and government. She is excited to contribute her research, design-thinking, and policy skills to help build a more equitable Toronto through the Urban Fellows program.
Tasha is a public policy professional with over three years of experience in federal government, public-sector consulting, and nonprofit research. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, where she earned the Director’s Award for highest CGPA and the 2025 Best Capstone Paper award for her paper on advancing Indigenous-led conservation in Canada. Her professional work spans policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategic research. Her previous projects range from supporting federal gender equality initiatives at Women and Gender Equality Canada, to municipal service system planning at Beam Group Inc. Tasha has also contributed to international climate policy research at Sciences Po’s Climate Adaptation, Resilience, and Empowerment (CARE) and World Sufficiency Labs in Paris. Tasha is eager to advance equity, sustainability, and community well-being in the city as a Toronto Urban Fellow.
Temi is a healthcare and policy professional with experience in research, data analysis, and policy compliance across Nigeria and, more recently, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of Lagos, and began her career as a pharmacist before transitioning into systems-level work in health policy. At the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Temi led multidisciplinary teams, supported national health programs, and advanced data-driven policies that improved health coverage for underserved and marginalized populations.
Prior to joining the City of Toronto, she served as a social advocate at a non-profit organization, supporting survivors of gender-based violence in accessing critical resources through a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive lens. As an Urban Fellow with the City, Temi hopes to bring her lived experience and policy expertise to roles at the intersection of health equity, governance, and community well-being. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and immersing herself in new cultures, an interest fueled by her desire to understand how systems and policies function across different global contexts.
Vallari is an urban planning professional. She holds a Master of Urban Design and Planning from the University of Sheffield and an Honours Bachelor of Arts, majoring in City Studies and double minoring in Economics and Human Geography, from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining the City of Toronto, Vallari worked as a Planner in the telecommunications industry. She simultaneously managed over 30 projects and worked with municipalities and communities across southern Ontario to improve cellular and data coverage. Vallari is passionate about pedestrian-centred street design, active transportation, and inclusive public spaces. She firmly believes that good planning and design can improve quality of life. As an Urban Fellow, Vallari is eager to bring her research skills and stakeholder engagement experience to have a positive impact on the city.
Varsha Palad is a research and policy analyst who is passionate about designing equity-informed and community-focused research, policy, and programs. She earned a Master of Public Health from the University of Toronto, where her coursework focused on public policy and leveraging the social determinants of health to advance health equity. Most recently, she worked for three years as a policy analyst and equity lead at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). In this role, she supported the Immunization Partnership Fund, working in collaboration with over 100 diverse community organizations, academic institutions, and research hubs across Canada to increase vaccination confidence and uptake through culturally safe and anti-racist approaches among equity-deserving communities. At PHAC, Varsha also led the development of a federal policy strategy outlining pathways to accessing vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for use during future pandemics.
Prior to her graduate studies, Varsha held policy internships with the City of Surrey in British Columbia and with the World Health Organization, strengthening her skills in program evaluation and policy analysis. Motivated by her commitment to serving Toronto’s vibrant and diverse communities, Varsha is excited to apply her knowledge and lived experiences while working alongside the 2025-2026 Toronto Urban Fellows cohort.