About the Office of Public Affairs
The Office of Public Affairs represents the Canadian Bahá'í community at a national level by participating in conferences and other public events, liaising with the press, engaging with provincial and federal governments, and maintaining a national presence of the Bahá'í Faith on the web. Our offices are in Toronto and Ottawa, and we work with collaborators and local representatives across the country to contribute to projects and processes that relate to Bahá'í principles and values.
About our office
Our participation in public discourse is non-partisan, and we promote dialogue and conversation related to several areas of focus. We work alongside like-minded individuals and organizations to promote a national public discourse that can bring people together to work for the betterment of society. Our contributions are informed by the principles and values of the Bahá'í Faith and the experience of the Bahá'í community.
Staff
The Office of Public Affairs includes a number of core staff in Toronto and Ottawa, who work with a network of collaborators and local representatives across the country.
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Andrea Salguero
Director — Ottawa Office
Download profile photo (JPG)Andrea Salguero is the Director of the Office of Public Affairs. Prior to joining the Office, Andrea held several advocacy and legal research roles in international and domestic human rights law. She most recently completed a clerkship at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica and previously worked at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A), and joint Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) / Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees from McGill University. She is a licensed lawyer in the province of Ontario.
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Elham Seddigh Ayafor
Director of Government Relations — Ottawa Office
Download profile photo (JPG)Elham advocates, at the national level, for Bahá’ís facing state-sponsored religious persecution in other countries, collaborating with government officials and parliamentarians. A University of Ottawa computer engineering graduate, she has a diverse career history, including managerial roles and government work. Born in Nigeria to Iranian parents and educated internationally, she values diversity and understands immigration complexities.
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Helen Hong Sanchez
Communications Manager — Toronto Office
Download profile photo (JPG)Helen manages media and communications for the Office of Public Affairs. Prior to this role, she worked for the Toronto Bahá’í Community where she acted as a liaison with the public and was responsible for supporting program operations and building management at the Toronto Baha’i Centre. Helen holds a degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Waterloo. Coming from a multicultural background, she is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Spanish.
