Meet Our Team!

Dr. Tegan Zimmerman – AMI Chair

Tegan Zimmerman is Chair of the Alexa McDonough Institute at Mount Saint Vincent University and Chair of the International Comparative Literature Association’s Comparative Gender Studies Research Committee. She specializes in contemporary gender theory and women’s writing, with a concentration on Caribbean literature and historical fiction. Her work has appeared in journals such as Feminist Theory, MELUS, Women’s Studies, and Atlantis. Her manuscript on Caribbean women’s historical fiction called Matria Redux: Caribbean Women Novelize the Past is forthcoming from Mississippi University Press in Fall 2023 and Chronotropics: Caribbean Women Writing Spacetime, a co-edited collection with Odile Ferly, is forthcoming from Palgrave Macmillan.

Al Rafuse, B.A, M.A.Ed. – AMI Administrator

Al Rafuse is the administrator for the AMI, providing advice, counsel, and support to the AMI Chair and Steering Committee for nearly 8 years. Al is a key member of the programming planning team, helping to develop, organize, and implement key initiatives and events reflecting the AMI’s social justice and feminist focused mandate. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology/Anthropology, and a Master of Arts in Education degree, specializing in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning. His research interests include learning theories, and the transformative potential of non-formal learning environments, particularly in a sporting or martial arts context.

Chiamaka Stephanie Isiguzoro – Events Coordinator

Chiamaka Stephanie Isiguzoro, is in the second year of her master’s degree in Public relations at Mount Saint Vincent University. She has an undergraduate degree in Communication with a concentration in media studies and production. Stephanie is interested in building relationships and this has led her to take on multiple roles. These include volunteering with victims of Boko Haram insurgents back home in Nigeria and currently as events coordinator for the Alexa McDonough Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice. She also took advantage of her knowledge of media while working with Brighter Girls, a home for abused girls by acting as a communications director, overseeing press conferences and hosting outreach events with the local government. In Stephanie’s free time, she likes to watch movies and do movie reviews on her blog.

Elayna Foran – 2022 AMI Fellowship Recipient

Elayna Foran (they/she) obtained a bachelor’s degree in Women & Gender Studies from Mount Saint Vincent University in 2021 and is in their second year of a Graduate Women & Gender Studies program at MSVU. Their thesis work centers around the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals with discrimination in mental health treatment, with other research interests in feminist poetry and philosophy. They can also be found at MSVU in the Research Office as the Communications Intern, where they coordinate social media output as well as research-based events on campus. With the AMI, they are aiming to engage a wider social community with women, gender, and social justice issues through on-campus events and promotions. In their free time, they enjoy crochet, painting, and listening to K-Pop surrounded by their plants.