Hanita is a life-long learner who believes in the power of education and the importance of personal connections. After obtaining degrees in science and education, she co-chaired a $1.6 million capital campaign to renovate St. Gerard’s Parish, and later joined UNICEF Canada’s Water for Life Gala committee, which she has co-chaired since 2014. The gala raises over $1 million a year to provide safe, clean water and private latrines at schools in Uganda so that girls can stay in school through puberty. Hanita also supports UNICEF’s women’s philanthropy initiatives investing in projects benefiting mothers and children in eight countries in the global south. She conceived of Making Waves after experiencing a workshop Shari Graydon delivered in 2018, and collaborated with her daughter, Avery and a cross-generational group of women to mobilize young women to embrace their own power.
