Margrit Talpalaru | Munisha Basiram | Gervan Fearon
Margrit Talpalaru
Degrees: Hons BA (Iasi, Romania), MA (University of Toronto), PhD (University of Alberta)
Dr. Margrit Talpalaru (they/them) teaches English and Communication at George Brown College, and conducts research in cultural studies, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion. With academic publications in Biography, Critique, Reviews in Cultural Theory, Margrit’s commitment to making research accessible to the general public materialized bi-weekly in the podcast World of Stories. At GBC, Margrit’s leadership focuses on curriculum development, best practices in teaching and learning, and creating a culture of academic integrity.
Munisha Basiram
Munisha Basiram is the Project Director for Congress 2025, where she leads logistics and operations in collaboration with the Congress Secretariat, the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, internal teams at George Brown College, and a range of external partners, to bring the national conference to life. A past participant in the event, she presented her research at Congress 2019.
With a multidisciplinary background spanning the public sector, politics, and industry, Munisha has held progressive roles focused on natural resources, skilled trades, and Indigenous affairs. She joined George Brown College in June 2023 as Manager of Government Relations.
Previously, Munisha served as Policy Analyst for Indigenous and Regulatory Affairs at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), where she supported federal advocacy for a responsible mineral exploration sector and community-driven benefits. As a non-partisan Legislative Assistant through the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme (OLIP), she worked with two Members of Provincial Parliament at Queen’s Park, gaining direct insight into public policy decision-making. Her earlier roles in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) included supporting the design, delivery, and evaluation of several grant programs.
Munisha holds a Bachelor of Public Policy and Administration from York University.
Gervan Fearon
Dr. Gervan Fearon is president of George Brown College. An accomplished economist, scholar and teacher, he brings his vision for the transformative impacts of education to leading one of Canada’s most culturally diverse, urban post-secondary institutions.
Dr .Fearon’s work has been recognized with the Order of Ontario, Queen Elizabeth II Platinum and Diamond Jubilee Medals, and The Michaëlle Jean Foundation Influencer Award, among other honours. Improving social and economic mobility through education is one of Dr. Fearon’s areas of expertise.He has served on the Boards of the Colleges Ontario, Council of Ontario Universities, Ingenium and other organizations along with being the co-founder of the Canada Carribean Institute...
Prior to George Brown, Dr. Fearon served as the president and vice-chancellor at Brock University in Ontario and Brandon University in Manitoba. He also served as a senior analyst at Treasury Board, Ontario Ministry of Finance, and as a visiting scholar at the University of Washington.
Dr. Fearon earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario (now Western University) and received his master’s and bachelor of science degrees in Agricultural Economics from the University of Guelph. He holds a Chartered Professional Accountant designation (CPA, CGA) and an Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D).