Waqas I.Yousafzai
Toronto
EXCELLENCE. EXPERIENCE. EXPERTISE.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE, PUBLIC POLICY, AND GOVERNANCE
Globally Minded
Europe, North America, Asia, Africa
18+ yrs of experience gained over 4 continents
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High Commission of Canada to Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone
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Embassy of Canada to Syrian Arab Republic
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Embassy of Canada to State of Qatar
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Canadian Delegation to the OSCE (Austria)
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Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
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Western Economic Diversification Canada
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Province of Alberta
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Province of Ontario
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Mongolian Ministry of Light Industries
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Mongolian Wool and Cashmere Association
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Ghana Education Service
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Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition
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Municipality of the Town of Swan Hills
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Town of Edson
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Town of Barrhead
International Profile
4
Languages
English Native
French C/C/-
Urdu Advanced/Level III (Centre for Foreign Languages (GAC))
Arabic Reading/Writing
5
Academic
Exchanges
United States, Mexico, Sweden, Germany, Israel
Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario
89
Countries
Visited
Hardship V: Lebanon, Pakistan, SriLanka, Burkina Faso, Saudi Arabia
Hardship IV: Russia, Cambodia, Mongolia, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin
Hardship III: Ghana, Turkey, Thailand, Qatar, China, Mexico, Morocco, Israel
Hardship II: Poland, UAE
Hardship I: Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic
Open to international (II, III, IV*, V*) and domestic relocation
* specific locations only
Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario
Pan-Canadian
with 20+ yrs of fiduciary & Strategic Board Experience
Current Director
Pride at Work Canada - Fierté au travail Canada
Charity Village's Best NFP Employers
Former Treasurer
Canadian Art Therapy Association - l’Association canadienne d’art-thérapie
Membership based national association
4 years (2 terms)
Former Governor and Chair of Finance
St.Stephen's College, University of Alberta
Degree-granting Academic institution established in 1927
3 years (1 term)
Former Director
World University Service of Canada - Entraide universitaire mondiale du Canada
Maclean's 100 Best Charities
Canada's Top 100 employers
6 years (2 terms)
Former External Audit committee member
Canadian Association of Professional Employees - l’Association canadienne des employés professionnels
Canada's 3rd largest public sector union
1 year (1 term)
Former Chair of Governance and Government Relations
Canadian Art Therapy Association - l’Association canadienne d’art-thérapie
Membership based national association
4 years (2 term)
Life Long Learner
9+ years of post secondary and continuing
MA, Public and International Affairs
Graduate School of International and Public Affairs
L’Université d’Ottawa (Ottawa, ON)
Employment
Accra, Ghana
Aug 2025 - present
Regional Senior Trade Commissioner
High Commission of Canada to Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone - Trade Commissioner Service
Global Affairs Canada
Toronto, Ontario
Dec 2021 - Aug 2025
Trade Commissioner
Regional Office (Ontario)
Trade Commissioner Service
Global Affairs Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Jan 2021 - Dec 2021
Policy Analyst (EC-06)
Policy, Advocacy, and Coordination
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Government of Canada
Calgary, Alberta
Sep 2019 - Jan 2021
Policy Advisor (EC-05)
Policy, Planning, and External Relations
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Government of Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Feb 2018 - Sept 2019
Policy Analyst (EC-05)
Policy, Advocacy, and Coordination
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Government of Canada
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Mar 2017 - Feb 2018
Canada's ODA to Mongolia
Advisor, policy and Government Relations
Mongolian Wool and Cashmere Association
Funded by the Government of Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Nov 2015 - Mar 2017
Strategic Advisor (Manager)
Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister
Alberta Ministry of Advanced Education
Government of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Nov 2014 - Nov 2015
Senior Policy Advisor
Alberta department of Justice and Solicitor General
Government of Alberta
Vancouver, British Columbia
Sept 2013 - Apri 2015
Principal, West Coast
DLS-Yousafzai Strategies
Accra, Ghana
Oct 2012 - Sept 2013
Canada's ODA to Republic of Ghana
Communications Advisor
Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition
Funded by the Government of Canada
Syria, Austria, Qatar
Jan 2011 - Apr 2012
PERPA Trainee
- Canadian Embassy to Syrian Arab Republic
- Canada’s Permanent Delegation to the OSCE
- Canadian Embassy to the State of Qatar
Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade
Government of Canada
Swan Hills, Alberta
Jan 2009 - Dec 2010
Coordinator, Municipal Sustainability Planning
Alberta Urban Municipalities Association
Toronto, Ontario
Jan 2007 - Aug 2007
Marketing Analyst (US and Canada)
Multi Health Systems Inc.
Toronto, Ontario
May 2006 - Aug 2006
Analyst, Municipal Land Use Planning Policy
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Government of Ontario
Media
World Food Programme and UNHCR Processing Centre
Canadian Embassy to the Syrian Arab Republic
Damascus, Syria
2011
CIDA and AusAID co-funded project to address education for women and girls in Ghana
Accra, Ghana
2013
Get in Touch - mettre en contact
180 Queen Street W.
Toronto, ON. Canada
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envoyer une note