Mariyam Zaidi, MES, MSW, RSW (she/her), is a registered social worker, psychotherapist, organizational consultant, and community leader with over a decade of experience across the mental health, nonprofit, and consulting sectors. She brings an equity-informed and systems-thinking lens to her work, helping individuals, organizations, and communities strengthen communication, navigate complexity, and create meaningful, lasting change.
Mariyam is the Founder and Clinical Director of Hope Psychotherapy and Consulting, where she provides psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and mental health programming grounded in trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally responsive practice. She is also the Founder of Make Your Move Leadership, a consulting firm that partners with nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and community agencies to strengthen leadership, facilitate strategic planning, and design programs that create meaningful community impact.
Throughout her career, Mariyam has held senior leadership positions, including Interim Executive Director of the Syrian Canadian Foundation and Director of Programs and Services at Sakeenah Canada. Her experience spans organizational leadership, strategic planning, program development, stakeholder engagement, facilitation, and systems change. She is passionate about strengthening communication, fostering psychologically safe environments, and helping individuals, teams, and organizations navigate change with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Mariyam is known for bridging clinical expertise with organizational strategy, bringing a communication-centred approach to leadership, systems change, and mental health. Her work is guided by a strong commitment to relationship-building, evidence-informed practice, and advancing social justice.
Mariyam is honoured to serve on the OASW Board of Directors and looks forward to contributing her experience in clinical practice, governance, organizational leadership, and systems thinking to strengthen the profession, support OASW members, and advocate for policies that reflect the evolving realities and aspirations of social workers across Ontario.