May 28, 2026

Twelve young professionals will form the 2026 cohort of the Cardus NextGEN Fellowship, a leadership development program that equips rising Christian leaders to engage thoughtfully in Canada’s public life. This diverse group of remarkable, early-career individuals brings a shared commitment to the common good, civic responsibility, and constructive dialogue to an increasingly polarized world.

Now in its sixth year, the NextGEN Fellowship attracts talented individuals from across disciplines—including law, public policy, entrepreneurship, and social service—for a year of intensive learning, mentorship, and public engagement. This year’s cohort includes:

John Abboud: an author, software client relationship manager, and entrepreneur from Ottawa, Ontario

Anna Appah: a policy advisor for the provincial government based in Edmonton, Alberta

Ben Bronsema: a fundraising consultant based in Calgary, Alberta

Sharon Dhavale: a pastor of discipleship in Vancouver, B.C.

Ethan Fisher: an articling law student and political communications coordinator based in Melville, Saskatchewan

Elizabeth Franceschini: a policy advisor for provincial government based in Ottawa, Ontario

Brittany Greenland: a director of policy and stakeholder relations based in Toronto, Ontario

Conner Hall: an engineer in the energy sector in Calgary, Alberta

Brenda Okorogba: a learning experience designer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Ana Paradis: a university professor and consultant based in Montreal, Quebec

Julia Buckingham Sáez: a policy advisor for the federal government based in Ottawa, Ontario.

Brandan Tran: a director of public affairs based in Ottawa, Ontario.

Additionally, Cardus will be inducting Jeneya Ko, a researcher at Cardus, as a Staff NextGEN Fellow. Jeneya is based in Ottawa and joined the Cardus team in September 2025.

Fellows explore the relevance and resources of the Christian faith through seminars, guest lectures, and extensive readings that connect personal vocation with the broader needs of Canadian society. They do this through all-expense paid travel to several major cities across Canada for exclusive sessions with leading Christian academics and authors, a stipend of $1,000, one-on-one mentorship & a curriculum of readings for a year, and the opportunity to grow in relationship with fellow emerging leaders.

The NextGEN Fellowship runs from May to March annually. Applications are accepted year-round. To get more information, to apply, or to nominate a Fellow, visit nextgenfellowship.ca or contact Stephen Lazarus, Program Director for NextGEN, at SLazarus@cardus.ca.

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Phil Gaudreau
Director of Media & Public Relations
media@cardus.ca

Cardus – Imagination toward a thriving society

Cardus is a non-partisan think tank dedicated to clarifying and strengthening, through research and dialogue, the ways in which society’s institutions can work together for the common good.