Saranya Manoharan

Saranya is an experienced IDEA facilitator with strong intercultural competence. Her academic background in the science of diversity and inclusion is complemented effectively by her lived experience as a racialized queer woman.

Growing up in a country as diverse as India sparked her curiosity in human behaviour, and she pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Madras. She then gained field experience leading interactive workshops on IDEA topics across South India. She followed up with a master’s degree in the psychology of inclusion and diversity. During this 2-year program, she lived and studied in Portugal, Ireland, and Norway, which provided her with first-hand experience of the challenges of migration and cultural integration, but she also grew comfortable working with people from different countries and backgrounds. Subsequently, she investigated the topics of intersectionality and hiring discrimination as a Research Assistant at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Before arriving in Canada as a newcomer, she took a break year and travelled around the four corners of India to better understand and appreciate the diversity and commonality that exists amongst its 1.4 billion inhabitants. She hopes, one day, to be able to travel around Canada in a similar way and learn more about its people and cultures. Until then, she is happy hiking, playing board games, and trying out new recipes.