Co-Founder, David Berkal
A long-time seeker of adventure and social change, David would not pay some faceless business thousands of dollars to volunteer overseas. Instead, he set off for a year-long journey around the world, which laid the groundwork for Operation Groundswell’s original trip once it became obvious that there was a need for genuine, ethical and affordable programs. Currently, David serves as Co-Executive Director, exploring new paths of expansion and assisting with general operations. David is a graduate of Aboriginal Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Toronto. This has led him in helping to start Canadian Roots, a partner of OG, which brings together non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal youth on road trips that engage with the teachings of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. He was also recently named the valedictorian of the Next 36 Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute. David is passionate about fighting for a more just Canada and can often be found cycling or cooking.
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Jonah Brotman
After interning at a radio station in Ghana in the summer of 2006, Jonah realized that he had learned more in eight weeks of travel than from years’ worth of lectures and labs. As a co-founder of Operation Groundswell in 2006, Jonah has maintained the backpacker lifestyle since graduating university several years ago. Having traveled to 46 countries on four continents, some memorable moments include being kicked out of refugee camps, getting malaria twice, relaxing with former Khmer Rouge soldiers and driving from London to Mongolia. Jonah led the West Africa trips in 2007 and 2008, the Southeast Asia trips in 2009 and 2010, and the Peru trips in 2011. Jonah was also the Program Director from 2007 to 2011, and is currently the Co-Executive Director. He will also be leading the Haiti trips in 2012. Having graduated from Carleton University in 2007, Jonah contends that he’s not taking his fifth year off but just living life. When not working for OG, Jonah obsessively follows fantasy sports and plots his next crazy journey.
Programs Director, Jo Sorrentino 
Jo first came across Operation Groundswell after volunteering with a much larger gap-year organization for 4 months. She spent her last month in Ghana as a volunteer on OG’s pilot program and was blown away by the positive impact of an organization that focused on group dynamics and solid partnerships with local communities. Jo was overjoyed to have the opportunity to coordinate and lead the trips the following two years. As Programs Director, Jo is responsible for planning, developing, and executing all of Operation Groundswell’s programs around the world. Jo studied Global Studies and Environmental Science at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was on the Environmental Sustainability Committee working towards reducing the school’s ecological impact and opening up dialogue on the subject between administration and students. When not studying or working for OG, she can be found rock climbing and catering to the whims of her new kitten.
Operations Director, Taha Tabish
In 2009, Taha was a participant on OG’s West Africa trip, and was immediately drawn in by the backpacker mentality, and the organization’s ability to attract and engage young, energetic, like-minded people from all over North America. Then, after graduating from the University of Toronto with majors in Biochemistry and Linguistics, Taha led the West Africa Discovery trip in 2010 to Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Mali, and the West Africa Discovery and Global Health trips in 2011. Currently, he is serving as Operations Director, managing internal operations and developing systems and solutions to allow OG to run better. He is pursuing a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Waterloo, and is also on the executive team for Grassroots Initiatives for Sustainable Development, developing an agriculture-based pilot project to alleviate poverty in the Builsa District of Ghana. Taha is an avid practitioner of pogonotrophy (Google it), and when not working for OG, he can be seen rocking the blue and white, following and supporting the Toronto Maple Leafs!
Marketing Director, Eyal Rosenblum
An avid traveler of the Middle East, and lover of the desert, Eyal was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Eyal has been running trips to Israel and the Palestinian territories for nearly 5 years, not to mention living there for some time too! After running trips to the middle east with a number of groups, Eyal finally found Operation Groundswell and fell madly and wildly in love. In love with the people, the culture and the unbelievably positive and energetic atmosphere; Eyal sees himself as a lifetime OGer and a lover of all things life. This past summer Eyal organized a summer camp for Jewish and Arab Israeli youth and then bounced over to Burning Man where he had the adventure of his life. Eyal can be found reading philosophy at one moment, fighting for the rights of exploited peoples in another, and having a hell of a good time at the bar the next. Eyal received his BA from York University, along with a certificate in Non-Profit management. He’s been involved with a number of social start-ups and is waiting for someone to point him towards his next great journey!
Scholarship Fund Coordinator, Muneeb Chaudhary
Muneeb participated on the inaugural trip to East Africa in the summer of 2010. The experiences he had with the team allowed him to grow as an individual and have got him hooked on travelling with a purpose. He is currently studying Business Management, pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance at Ryerson University in Toronto. As the Fundraising Coordinator this year, he helped coordinate fundraising efforts for over 120 participants; they successfully fundraising over $126 000 for in-country projects, carbon offsetting and an OG Project Fund. He is looking forward to working as the Scholarship Fund Coordinator, where he will raise money for the new OG Low-Income Scholarship Fund. He is passionate about meeting and exceeding targets to ensure the new Scholarship Fund is a success. He looks forward to helping OG grow while continuing to uphold the principles the organization was founded upon.
