Geneva, Switzerland
2022 World Trade Organization
The Public Forum is the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) largest outreach event, providing a unique platform for stakeholders from around the world to discuss the latest developments in global trade and to propose ways of enhancing the multilateral trading system. Held annually, the event attracts representatives from civil society, academia, business, government, international organizations, and the media.
At the WTO Public Forum, YDC Delegates listen to, learn from, and interact with experts from around the world to strengthen their networks and gain deeper knowledge about the WTO’s mandate as well as international trade and finance. Delegates attend Summit sessions and participate in meetings with stakeholders on the ground during the Summit.
Katherine Tang, Head Delegate
Katherine Tang’s passion and work experience are at the intersection of climate action and developing markets.
Currently, she is working in Sierra Leone for Energicity, a West African solar mini-grid developer, bringing electricity for the first time to rural communities. She leads the company’s Productive Use of Energy strategy, amplifying rural Sierra Leonean entrepreneurship by expanding access to appliances and machinery (e.g., freezers, grain mills, e-motorbikes, streetlights), boosting household earnings.
Previously, Katherine was a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group. There, she established C-Suite climate strategy at large Canadian pension funds, steering them towards Net Zero goals and influencing 9-figure investments into top climate tech firms. Katherine’s other work experience focuses on the technology sector, with experience at Google, Wealthsimple, a bike-sharing startup in Singapore, and a global venture capital firm in Shanghai, China.
Outside of work, Katherine is the Co-Founder and Chairperson of FuturFund, a federally-registered non-profit she founded in high school. The student-led organization equips young women across Canada with financial literacy skills.
Katherine is a National Scholar from Western University, holding an Honors Business Administration degree from Ivey Business School.
Amira Shousha, Communications Coordinator
Amira Shousha is the founder of The Youth Guide, an organization catered to serving the needs of marginalized and racialized youth in Alberta. She is passionate about creating safe spaces for young people to explore their beliefs. Starting a non-profit organization during the global pandemic has given Amira the chance to find innovative ways to give back to her community. Amira’s Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a double minor in Sociology and Political Science has enabled her to explore societal inequalities and how institutional oppression affects many communities across Canada. This interest has manifested in different community driven initiatives. Amira’s commitment to advocacy and community work has enabled her to become an ACGC 2022 recipient of the Top 30 Under 30 awards at the age of 22.
Coming from within a community-based upbringing, Amira firmly believes that if it weren’t for her support system and community, she would not be the person she is today. She was able to find her passion for mentorship and community engagement because of that upbringing. This passion catalyzed her work in many directions including but not limited to her education, and volunteer work. Some of those endeavors have taken her to programs like Daughters of the Vote to represent the Edmonton West riding in Ottawa. As well as mentorship programs like Girls on Boards 4th Cohort with FORA Network to gauge a deeper understanding of board leadership.
Anna Wong, Delegate
Anna Wong is a JD candidate at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and Massey College Junior Fellow. She is also a research associate at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Governance, Accountability, and Transparency in the Pharmaceutical Sector, based out of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Her research focuses on issues of access to medicines at the intersection of international trade, intellectual property, and anti-corruption policy.
As a former International Human Rights Program Fellow at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Anna supported the legal operations of COVAX, the international COVID-19 vaccine financing and procurement mechanism responsible for delivering 1.5+ billion vaccine doses to countries around the world. She also previously interned at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she researched emerging issues on pharmaceuticals access and trade.
Anna holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Genetics and International Relations from the University of Toronto. During her studies, she spent time as a visiting student at the University of Cambridge, where she wrote her undergraduate dissertation on the TRIPS Agreement and competed nationally with the women’s Varsity Ultimate Frisbee team. She looks forward to engaging with Canadian youth at the 2022 WTO Public Forum.
Sydney Pagan, Delegate
Sydney Pagan is a Policy Analyst at Employment and Social Development Canada, where she works on the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, a contribution program that helps key sectors of the economy address their workforce needs. She is also a Consultant for the Canadian International Development Platform, where she works closely with SEEK Development in Berlin, Germany to conduct research on international development policy trends including global health, climate change, gender equality, and education.
Sydney holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs, with a specialization in International Organizations and Global Public Policy from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from St. Francis Xavier University. As a student, Sydney was continuously involved in student government and was committed to serving her community.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Sydney has also resided in Antigonish, NS, in Revelstoke, BC, in Québec City, and in Utrecht, Netherlands. In her free time, she enjoys playing hockey, skiing, hiking, travelling, camping, and going to her family cottage.
Sydney is thrilled to represent Canadian youth at the WTO Forum and have the opportunity to fuse her interests in international relations and public policy.
Akash Jain, Delegate
Akash is entering his first year of the JD program at the University of Toronto, while concurrently pursuing an MPP from the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. He recently graduated from Western University with a BA (Hons.) in PPE, specializing in economics. Akash is a National President’s Scholar and was also a part of the Scholar’s Electives Program, a selective interdisciplinary research program, where he had the opportunity to conduct research on collective action problems and Bayesian mechanism design.
Currently, Akash is working as a Research Intern at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, exploring a variety of public policy issues, including competition policy, the Emergencies Act and rule of law, green hydrogen infrastructure, and inflation. Previously, Akash worked at the Ivey Energy Policy and Management Centre, where he investigated the efficacy of nuclear megaprojects in Ontario. Beyond formalized thought-leadership, Akash has worked at Delphic Research, a Toronto-based GR firm, where he led the creation of a White Paper proposing a new federal oral healthcare program aimed at vulnerable seniors.
At Western, Akash served as the Senior Editor of the Western Undergraduate Economics Review and was heavily involved in student government, recently serving as the inaugural Vice President, Advocacy, of his faculty council.
Akash is excited to be part of the WTO delegation and is eager to advocate for the interests of Canadian youth.