About Soni

Soni Dasmohapatra is a consultant collaborating with individuals, groups, institutions, and agencies to shape tools that pave the way for inclusive platforms. These platforms seamlessly blend strategy, design, wellness, and art, sparking transformative change.

Soni is currently a doctoral candidate at Royal Roads University in Victoria. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Victoria, and a certificate in Gender Studies and Human Rights from Oxford University. She brings a unique blend of academic prowess and real-world experience, and she’s a strong believer in investing in lifelong learning for growth and reflection.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta Soni’s childhood was filled with exploring dance, music, and cultural connections to her ancestral roots in India. She has continued nurturing this interest throughout her life. She is a trained Kathak dancer and Hindustani singer. She carried this knowledge and expanded her interest in these art forms in Toronto.

Soni spent much of her adult life in Toronto, Ontario. There she led grassroots social innovation and advocacy efforts, partnering with entities like the City of Toronto, United Way Toronto, and Laidlaw and Maytree Foundations, solidifying her dedication to positive community impact.

Her career journey of over twenty-five years spans roles as a senior project manager in the Government of Ontario and a consultant for the United Nations.  She has worked internationally, nationally, provincially, and municipally for the public service, voluntary sector, philanthropy, and higher learning. She is a strong advocate of applying global good practice to local spaces and vice versa.

Soni completed her yoga teacher training and expanded her education in Ayurveda and Jyotish in India. She has built holistic wellness practices by completing Moon mother certification with Miranda Gray and developing a somatic coaching practice. Her interest in these areas led to her to build capacity to bring individuals together to discuss and heal from the trauma of the impacts of racism on mental health. She cultivates her model of a somatics program named Lunar Womb which facilitates safe spaces for women to come together to discuss reproductive health over the lifespan.

Now living in Edmonton, Soni has spent the last eight years working with the Government of Alberta, playing a core role in Edmonton ShiftLab 1.0, and served as grants manager at the Edmonton Heritage Council. Currently, she is a management consultant focused on crafting holistic ecosystems that ignite social innovation. Her passion lies in mapping arts, culture, and heritage ecosystems to drive social innovation. She is committed to fostering positive change and progress in all the her projects.

In 2023, Soni joined MacEwan University as an assistant professor in the Arts and Cultural Management department located in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications. This next stage in her career is an opportunity for her to build a legacy in academia, which will carve the path for her to share her emerging research interests. Her current research focuses on leadership, organizational change, and embodiment in the performing arts sector. She is interested in documenting racialized people’s narratives, inspired by her own lived experiences in the Canadian arts, culture, and heritage ecosystem. She is also exploring ways to decolonize data processes to create more equitable and inclusive spaces in the sector.

Soni is open to collaboration and is invested in mentoring the next generation of Asian Canadian and racialized women. She has been fortunate to take part in many professional development programs that have built her leadership capacity, and she is keen to pass that knowledge forward.