how I help

I try to pay forward my blessings, supporting causes I care about, advocating for change and awareness and mentoring designers coming up in their career. Here are some topics that matter to me.

mentorship

University of Minnesota logo featuring a large gold and maroon letter M with a smaller maroon block M on top, and the words 'University of Minnesota' in maroon below.

Design Mentor

People seated at round tables in a large, modern, wood-paneled conference or banquet hall.

The University of Minnesota's College of Design (CDes) offers an annual Mentor Program that connects undergraduate (junior, senior) and graduate design students with experienced professionals in their field for guidance and career development.

I mentored a lovely undergraduate from a different culture, guiding them through the practical applications of design in a corporate environment helping them secure a valuable internship.

ADPLIST logo with a smiling face emoji and the text 'ADPLIST'

Design Mentor

Pink background with white and bold text stating, "I've mentored over 360 minutes in 3 countries." Includes a smiling emoji in the top right corner and a stylized smiling face icon with hearts in the eyes at the bottom right corner.

ADPList provides a platform for professionals of all types to connect and find a mentor or a mentee in each other.

I have been able to make some real connections on this platform, helping designers validate their ideas, get guidance on career paths and interview prep. Its very gratifying to meet folks who start out as complete strangers and over time see them grow. Happy to have invested time and energy in giving back to the design community.

advocacy

Screenshot of a virtual video conference with five participants with diverse backgrounds, some using headphones. The background of one participant features a brick wall and a blue screen with 'Insights' written on it, and a logo reading 'coast capital' in the bottom right corner.

Member of the Seniors’ Committee at Coast Capital Savings where we follow and apply the seven principles outlined in the federal Code of Conduct for the Delivery of Banking Services to Seniors to guide us in the delivery of banking products and services to our senior members.

Pictured is my participation in the Fridays with Seniors podcast on the topic of Digital Literacy for Seniors hosted by Canada Wide Media along with the Seniors Services Society.

Screenshot of a virtual meeting celebrating International Women's Day 2023, with four women visible, one smiling and the others with blurred faces.

Member of the Women in Business ERG at Coast Capital Savings - engaging in important conversations around topics such as Leadership for Women, Maternity and Parenting and the impact on women and those identifying as women.

Pictured is my participation as a panelist on the topic of “Mind the Gap and breaking ceilings” to an audience of over 300 participants.

accessibility and disability @ Coast ERG

Co-Chair of the Disability @ Coast ERG leading a group of enthusiastic and dedicated employees in championing the awareness and empowerment of persons with disabilities.

In the last several years we have hosted several events, conversations and partnered with our EDI partners in observing and celebrating the contributions of individuals with disabilities whether visible or invisible. Some of our accomplishments that bring me the most joy and pride include

  • Hosting events with partners including BDO Canada, Blind Beginnings, BCCFA and Holland Bloorview amongst others

  • Supporting the creation of the first Accessibility Plan at Coast Capital Savings

  • Supporting the creation of extensive Accessibility Training for both front line and back office staff

Virtual presentation slide titled "Benefits of Hiring a Person with Disability" by Tracy Hallam and Mike Taculad, with a panel of six people visible on a video call.
Slide titled 'How can you be an ally?' with a photo of a woman standing on a city sidewalk, dressed in a plaid blazer, jeans, and heels, possibly holding a cane, in an urban setting with cars and trees.
Virtual meeting screen with a presentation slide titled 'Championing National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Insights from Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital' and four participants visible in separate video call windows. The background of the main slide shows a modern hospital building.
Screenshot of a virtual fireside chat with two speakers, a woman on the left and a man on the right, discussing Disability Employment Awareness Month. The woman has shoulder-length dark hair, light makeup, and is wearing a black top with lace details. The man has gray hair, a beard, glasses, and is wearing a bow tie. There are small profile pictures of attendees on the right side of the screen, and a video player interface at the bottom showing the time at 2:43 out of 44:03. The event title is displayed as "Fireside Chat with Max Brault - Disability Employment Awareness Month."
A woman with short black hair and red lipstick smiling in front of a brick wall, on a webpage titled 'Meet Anindita Sundaram' for National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Sharing my thoughts on the Coast Capital Blog for National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Four women standing in front of colorful lockers, smiling, with two women holding spherical objects resembling robots or devices.
Four women standing behind a table with trays of cut vegetables and snacks at a food drive or community event.
A group of people standing outside a building, holding a large check for $160,000 from Coast Capital, celebrating a donation or grant. The building has colorful kites and hot air balloons decorations on the windows.
Three people standing and squatting in front of a blue and yellow banner for Blind Beginnings, with a balloon arch made of pink and peach balloons to the left. Two women and one man are smiling, giving thumbs up or a thumbs down. The background shows