The Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute (DBDLI) is governed by a Tyee (Board) comprised of African Nova Scotian citizens who provide leadership governance for the Institute.

Randy Headley

Chairperson, DBDLI Board Member

2018 – Present

Randy Headley is currently the Black Student Advisor at Mount Saint Vincent University. He has over ten (10) years of experience working in the post-secondary environment.

He is the founder of the MSVU Africentric Support Group (ASG). He also coordinated activities for Black students through the ASG from 2013-2017 and continues to advocate on their behalf.

His thesis “The learning experiences of members of an Africentric Support Group at a small urban-based Nova Scotian university”, provided solutions for an equitable and inclusive learning experience for Black students at post-secondary institutions in Nova Scotia.

Lillian (Missy) Searl

Vice Chair, DBDLI Board Member

2019 – Present

Lillian (Missy) Searl is the Provincial Coordinator of the Nurturing Strong African Nova Scotian Families parenting program. Missy is also a Project Consultant for Ashanti Leadership and PDS Inc. Missy is a Family Support Worker, former Early Childhood Educator and has over 17 years experience in the field of Adult Education. Missy is active in her community serving on many boards and committees. Missy is passionate about helping others in her community, holding “supply raisers” a couple times a year since 2009. She is a huge HFX Wanderers FC fan, loves supporting local; businesses, restaurants and of course wineries! She enjoys working with youth entrepreneurs and small business owners who are pivoting with their business; and started her own small business in 2020, called L Searl Virtual Consulting Service.

James Makonyere

James Makonyere

Treasurer, DBDLI Board Member

2020 – Present

James is the CFO of Research Nova Scotia. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant with 11 years of experience providing financial oversight in the not-for-profit sector. James also holds a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University.

Gilbert Daye

Secretary, DBDLI Board Member

2016 – Present

Gilbert Daye has worked for close to 25 years in the field of multicultural engagement specializing in program and service delivery primarily to the African Nova Scotian communities and First Nation organizations. His experience is broad and includes the facilitation of conferences, training events and strategic planning sessions relating to community issues. He is passionate about human rights as it relates to community development, literacy and cultural differences. He is the Chair of the Buddy Daye Scholarship Advisory Committee, member of the Black Loyalist Heritage Society, and Past Chair of the Dalhousie Legal Aid Society.
Tunde Awoyiga

Babatunde (Tunde) Awoyiga

DBDLI Board Member

2020 – Present

Babatunde (Tunde) Awoyiga is an Economist with years of experience in policy and planning, research and analysis, project management and board governance. He holds a Master of Development Economics from Dalhousie University and has worked in private and public sector positions. His 15 years of experience in the public sector cuts across finance, agriculture, education, and labour while working on various policies and projects.

Tunde has worked in education, higher education, and labour market information, with the Nova Scotia public service. Tunde is passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for youth to advance our future socio-economic progress. He is the Co-Founder of the Generation1 Leadership Initiative (G1LI). This not-for-profit organization engages kids of African descent in inspiring experiences on STEAM Education, Leadership Development, Civic Engagement, and Cultural Awareness.

He remains an engaged and committed community member who serves on boards and volunteers in the community.

Nicholle Morrison

Nicholle Morrison

DBDLI Board Member

2020 – Present

Nicholle Morrison has been a Registered Nurse since 2015 with experience in NS, BC and SK. Originally from the multicultural community of Whitney Pier, Nicholle currently resides in the Sydney area with her family. Since her youth Nicholle played soccer at the club, provincial and varsity level and still enjoys an active lifestyle, especially running and hiking. Nicholle currently volunteers on the board for the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute, and is helping in the creation of the Pan-Canadian Association of Nurses of African Descent.

Tyree Haley

Tyree Haley

DBDLI Board Member

2021 – Present

Tyree Haley is an African Canadian Cultural Supports and Student Advisor at Nova Scotia Community College. He is also an Actor/Model signed with Soli Talent Agency and is a Personal Trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association. Born and raised in Halifax, Tyree completed his Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Memorial University, where he played varsity basketball for two years and worked a variety of different jobs to pay for his studies. Tyree is passionate about educating and mentoring the youth to reach their highest potential. He lives by the motto ‘Create the person you admire to give them to the world.’ Tyree strives to be an advocate for the youth and is so happy to be part of the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute Board.

Shantia (Tia) Upshaw

DBDLI Board Member

2023 – Present

Tia Upshaw is a serial entrepreneur, mother of 3, nominee for Business leader of the year 2022 &2023 Halifax Chamber of Commerce, nominee for RBC Woman of Influence 2021 & 2022 and founder & CEO of Blk Women in Excellence. She is also a mentor with Rise & Scotia Bank women’s mentorship initiative in partnership with the Forum. She also is a well known motivational speaker, facilitator with success stories attached to her facilitations.

‘Blk Women in Excellence is a not for profit organization that supports the education and empowerment of Black Women in Nova Scotia to be self-employed in sustainable businesses. The organization was established in September 2020 to support, encourage and educate Black women entrepreneurs through cohorts, workshops and seminars; community partnerships and engagement; coaching calls and mentorship initiatives.’

She has the dedication, and tenacity to be able to overcome barriers that would normally condemn another. Tia has taken her first business to a scalable entity, and has accomplished gaining 3 additional business, without a loan of capital.

The journey as an entrepreneur She has been faced with “hard times” and “good times” places her in the position to be able to mentor, coach and teach others “how to start a sustainable business” and her focus is with the underrepresented Black communities within Canada!

Shelly C. Whynot

DBDLI Board Member

2023 – Present

Shelly Whynot has a deep passion for creating and advocating for change for African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students and families. Shelly has been a Student Support Worker with the SSRCE since 2005 and has been blessed to work with like-minded educators in educating and implementing change. Shelly believes the only way to break barriers for authentic change is by using evidence-based data to advocate and support students in various aspects inside and outside of the school and community.

In 2016, Shelly went back to university while working full time and juggling a family. In 2018, Shelly graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with a Bachelor of Arts degree then completed a Masters of Educational Leadership from Acadia University in 2020. Currently, Shelly is pleased to share that in 2024 she will graduate from Saint Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Education. Shelly hopes to continue to work within her hometown of Liverpool, Nova Scotia while carrying on her passion to develop equal opportunities in learning through inquiry-based learning curriculum, inclusion and the rich culture of the students’ lived experiences.

Shelly has seen the positive changes that have taken place in education over the past 18 years; she believes that when there are more teachers of color in rural Nova Scotia who have a passion to educate our students with a multi-faceted lens, we will inspire our students and close the achievement gap while continuing to build relationships with students and families alike.

Jason Jeremie

DBDLI Board Member

2021 – Present

Susan M. Brigham

Susan (Susie) Brigham

DBDLI Board Member

2023 – Present

Susan (Susie) Brigham, PhD, is of African descent from an immigrant family. Her family, hailing from St Helena Island in the South Atlantic Ocean and England, settled in Keswick Ridge, New Brunswick in the 1960s.  Before becoming a professor, Susie was a schoolteacher in Ireland, Kuwait, Alberta, and in Tl’etinqox (Anaham), the largest Tsilhqot’in community, located in British Columbia.

Susie is the President of the Faculty Association at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), past Chair of the Alexa McDonough Institute, and the co-founder of NSGIRL (whose mission is to “inspire girls to empower themselves and develop their communication and leadership skills to become effective and influential leaders in their communities”). She is a founding board member of the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute (2012- 2021).

Dr. Brigham is Full Professor in the Faculty of Education. She has been at MSVU since 2004, where she coordinated, taught, and developed Africentric curriculum for the three Africentric cohorts in the Graduate Studies of Lifelong Learning program. Her research interests include adult education, teacher education, Africentricity, migration, diversity issues, and arts-based research methods.

Susie has taught, conducted research, and presented her work in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and North America. She has published several books, numerous book chapters, and many peer-reviewed journal articles. She has supervised over 70 doctoral dissertations and master theses (as supervisor, supervisory committee member, or external examiner).

Susie and her two daughters love to travel and explore the world together. She appreciates this African Proverb: “To get lost is to learn the way.”

Dr. Brigham is thrilled to be returning to the DBDLI Board where exciting innovative work gets done to advance excellence in Africentric education and research.

Tanya McHarg

DBDLI Board Member

2023 – Present

Tanya McHarg is a registered social worker with over 22 years of experience who uses an intersectional, Africentric and anti-oppressive lens to support holistic health and healing for people of African descent. She completed her degree in Sociology at St. Thomas University with a research focus on systemic anti-Black racism within law enforcement. She completed her Social Work degree at the University of Calgary and her Master’s of Social Work at Dalhousie (graduation spring 2024). Tanya began her career within the non-profit sector supporting people experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. She spent 17 years with the Government of Alberta in areas such as child intervention investigations, training, and facilitation, and worked as Team Lead of the PSECA Team (Protection of Sexually Exploited Children’s Act) to address child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Originally from New Brunswick, Tanya’s paternal grandmother (Peters) was an African Nova Scotian from Annapolis Royal. In 2022, Tanya followed her dreams and moved back to the East Coast, making Nova Scotia her forever home. She joins DBDLI’s Board of Directors to further her commitment to supporting the holistic health, wellness and healing for people of African descent.

Board of Directors Recruitment

The DBDLI is seeking and inviting highly skilled youth and adults to join our Board (Tyee). Please visit the Board Recruitment page for details and application.

Board Recruitment