To engage students in advancing the agenda on gender equality, GATE offers a competition each year for student fellowships.
Each selected MBA Fellow receives a bursary of $10,000 and commits to work on a project related to the mandate of GATE under the supervision of GATE’s director, GATE Faculty Fellows and Executive-in-Residence alongside senior leaders with deep expertise in equity-driven business and inclusive innovation. The MBA Fellowships have been generously supported by BMO from 2023 to 2028.
You can see current and past GATE MBA Student Fellows’ project topics and insightful outputs below. Students interested in being a student fellow can apply through the MBA in-program awards in May of each year.
GATE also hires MBA students for 12-week internships. During their internships, interns conduct research and write a series of case studies of how companies and organizations use a gender lens to design better services, products and strategies for more equitable outcomes. You can read the case studies here. The MBA Internships have been generously supported by the Latner family for 2024-2026.
2025-26 BMO GATE MBA Student Fellows
Tejumola has a background in private equity, deal advisory, and consulting. Before Rotman, she worked on the buy side, where she was particularly focused on helping with capital deployment to women-led funds. Her experience navigating the structural barriers women face in accessing capital sparked a deep interest in inclusive capital allocation. At Rotman, she continues to explore how financial systems can be leveraged to drive equitable growth. As a BMO GATE MBA Fellow, she is excited to contribute to research that examines how investment decisions by capital allocators are made and to create inclusive, evidence-based evaluation tools that would help promote a more equitable investment ecosystem.
Evanne Bell is a JD/MBA Candidate at the University of Toronto, dedicated to advancing Indigenous economic reconciliation and gender equity in law and business. She is the founder and President of the Rotman Indigenous Business Association and President of the Indigenous Law Students’ Association, leading initiatives that expand professional pathways and foster inclusion. With experience in consulting and supporting startups, she brings a background in strategy and business development to her work. As a BMO GATE MBA Fellow, Evanne aims to explore the intersections of business strategy, Indigenous knowledge systems, and economic reconciliation, contributing research that highlights pathways for more equitable participation in the economy.
Serena brings a cross-disciplinary background in entertainment, game development, and business strategy. She holds a BFA in Film & TV Production from New York University and spent over seven years at a major tech conglomerate, leading international projects in film investment and gaming across the U.S. and China. Her experience in male-dominated creative environments sparked a deep interest in inclusive leadership and representation. As the gaming industry grows at the intersection of technology and storytelling, Serena’s GATE Fellowship research explores how gender-diverse teams drive innovation and how inclusive design can expand audiences and strengthen long-term performance for game products. She is committed to shaping a more equitable and sustainable future for gaming where diverse voices are reflected, empowered, and given clear pathways to thrive.
Fiorella Torres is a CFA Charterholder with deep expertise in impact investing, fintech innovation, and inclusive policy. Before pursuing her MBA at the Rotman School of Management, she served as Associate Vice President at BlueOrchard, managing a USD 250 million portfolio across Latin America and the Caribbean. She co-founded a social venture that funded charity projects through crypto-mining. As co-founder and current Board Advisor of UNESCO’s Global Youth Community (GYC), Fiorella helped launch and lead the platform’s efforts to foster youth-driven policy change. She previously served on GYC’s Steering Committee and led the ‘Diverse and Inclusive Societies’ hub, advancing global conversations on equity and belonging. Through the BMO GATE MBA Fellowship, Fiorella is researching the economic toll of 2SLGBTQ+ migration for safety and opportunity, aiming to inform more inclusive economic policies that reflect the lived realities of marginalized communities.
Prior to pursuing her MBA at the Rotman School of Management, Kelly held progressive roles in fundraising at universities and art institutions across Canada and the United States. She holds a Master of Arts degree from New York University, where she majored in Museum Studies. Drawing on her experience in strategic fundraising and inclusive engagement, Kelly’s BMO GATE MBA Fellowship project will explore how higher education institutions can engage women and BIPOC donors more meaningfully. Her research aims to uncover structural barriers, examine equity-focused fundraising strategies, and develop recommendations to support more inclusive philanthropic practices.
2025 Latner GATE MBA Interns
Michael D’Alimonte is an MBA candidate at the Rotman School of Management with a background in journalism and a deep commitment to advancing queer social issues. As the founding Chapter President of Delta Lambda Phi at McGill University—Canada’s first fraternity for queer men—Michael played a pioneering role in creating a more inclusive campus environment and strengthening queer representation in student leadership. Prior to Rotman, Michael earned his Master of Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University and spent nearly a decade working in television, radio, and digital media. As an anchor and reporter at CTV News, he covered stories on economic and social issues across Canada, bringing critical attention to topics ranging from government policy to community affairs. Michael’s work has consistently aimed to inform, engage, and give voice to underrepresented perspectives. At Rotman, Michael is an active member of Rotman Pride and several student associations, where he continues his passion for equity and inclusion alongside his professional interests in behavioural economics, media, and strategy.
Yogitha is an MBA candidate at the Rotman School of Management, passionate about building more inclusive, equitable workplaces. She has a background in engineering and enterprise technology, with five years of experience at Deloitte, where she worked with global clients across industries. She is drawn to solving complex problems and exploring the intersection of people, systems, and strategy. As a queer professional, Yogitha was deeply involved in DEI initiatives at Deloitte, working with senior leaders to create spaces for open, reflective conversations around identity and inclusion. These experiences sparked a lasting interest in how workplaces can evolve to better support diverse voices and lived experiences. Now at Rotman, she is excited to explore how business can be a catalyst for equity. As a Latner GATE MBA Intern, Yogitha looks forward to contributing to research on gender in the economy and helping shape the conversations and tools that push organizations and society toward a more inclusive future.
Obaid is an MBA student at the Rotman School of Management, committed to advancing gender equity and inclusion in economic and policy spheres. While pursuing his BSc in Economics at SOAS, University of London, an elective in gender economics sparked his passion for understanding barriers to economic participation. At the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, he published research on Pakistan’s gender gap, leading to his role in drafting the country’s first National Gender Policy. He engaged with policymakers to translate global best practices into actionable strategies. A passionate advocate for inclusion, Obaid co-led 7 sexual consent workshops for over 1,000 students—an initiative that gained national media attention and inspired programs worldwide. At Rotman, he serves as an EDI Section Representative, fostering an inclusive learning environment. Having lived in 6 countries, Obaid brings a global lens to the intersections of gender, policy, and culture. Through the GATE internship, he aims to contribute to research driving meaningful change and building more inclusive organizations.
To engage students in advancing the agenda on gender equality, GATE offers a competition each year for student fellowships.
To engage students in advancing the agenda on gender equality, GATE offers a competition each year for student fellowships. Each selected MBA Fellow receives a bursary of $10,000 and commits to work on a project related to the mandate of GATE under the supervision of GATE’s director, GATE Faculty Research Fellows, and Executive-in-Residence. Students will also benefit from mentoring from consultants at Bain Consulting as well as from GATE Faculty Teaching Fellows. The MBA Fellowships have been generously supported by BMO Financial Group for 2023-2028.
You can see current and past GATE MBA Student Fellows’ project topics and insightful outputs below. Students interested in being a student fellow can apply through the MBA in-program awards in May of each year.
GATE also hires MBA students for 12-weeks internships. During their internships, interns conduct research and write a series of case studies of how companies and organizations use a gender lens to design better services, products and strategies for more equitable outcomes. You can read the case studies here.
Tejumola has a background in private equity, deal advisory, and consulting. Before Rotman, she worked on the buy side, where she was particularly focused on helping with capital deployment to women-led funds. Her experience navigating the structural barriers women face in accessing capital sparked a deep interest in inclusive capital allocation. At Rotman, she continues to explore how financial systems can be leveraged to drive equitable growth. As a BMO GATE MBA Fellow, she is excited to contribute to research that examines how investment decisions by capital allocators are made and to create inclusive, evidence-based evaluation tools that would help promote a more equitable investment ecosystem.
Evanne Bell is a JD/MBA Candidate at the University of Toronto, dedicated to advancing Indigenous economic reconciliation and gender equity in law and business. She is the founder and President of the Rotman Indigenous Business Association and President of the Indigenous Law Students’ Association, leading initiatives that expand professional pathways and foster inclusion. With experience in consulting and supporting startups, she brings a background in strategy and business development to her work. As a BMO GATE MBA Fellow, Evanne aims to explore the intersections of business strategy, Indigenous knowledge systems, and economic reconciliation, contributing research that highlights pathways for more equitable participation in the economy.
Serena brings a cross-disciplinary background in entertainment, game development, and business strategy. She holds a BFA in Film & TV Production from New York University and spent over seven years at a major tech conglomerate, leading international projects in film investment and gaming across the U.S. and China. Her experience in male-dominated creative environments sparked a deep interest in inclusive leadership and representation. As the gaming industry grows at the intersection of technology and storytelling, Serena’s GATE Fellowship research explores how gender-diverse teams drive innovation and how inclusive design can expand audiences and strengthen long-term performance for game products. She is committed to shaping a more equitable and sustainable future for gaming where diverse voices are reflected, empowered, and given clear pathways to thrive.
Fiorella Torres is a CFA Charterholder with deep expertise in impact investing, fintech innovation, and inclusive policy. Before pursuing her MBA at the Rotman School of Management, she served as Associate Vice President at BlueOrchard, managing a USD 250 million portfolio across Latin America and the Caribbean. She co-founded a social venture that funded charity projects through crypto-mining. As co-founder and current Board Advisor of UNESCO’s Global Youth Community (GYC), Fiorella helped launch and lead the platform’s efforts to foster youth-driven policy change. She previously served on GYC’s Steering Committee and led the ‘Diverse and Inclusive Societies’ hub, advancing global conversations on equity and belonging. Through the BMO GATE MBA Fellowship, Fiorella is researching the economic toll of 2SLGBTQ+ migration for safety and opportunity, aiming to inform more inclusive economic policies that reflect the lived realities of marginalized communities.
Prior to pursuing her MBA at the Rotman School of Management, Kelly held progressive roles in fundraising at universities and art institutions across Canada and the United States. She holds a Master of Arts degree from New York University, where she majored in Museum Studies. Drawing on her experience in strategic fundraising and inclusive engagement, Kelly’s BMO GATE MBA Fellowship project will explore how higher education institutions can engage women and BIPOC donors more meaningfully. Her research aims to uncover structural barriers, examine equity-focused fundraising strategies, and develop recommendations to support more inclusive philanthropic practices.
Michael D’Alimonte is an MBA candidate at the Rotman School of Management with a background in journalism and a deep commitment to advancing queer social issues. As the founding Chapter President of Delta Lambda Phi at McGill University—Canada’s first fraternity for queer men—Michael played a pioneering role in creating a more inclusive campus environment and strengthening queer representation in student leadership. Prior to Rotman, Michael earned his Master of Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University and spent nearly a decade working in television, radio, and digital media. As an anchor and reporter at CTV News, he covered stories on economic and social issues across Canada, bringing critical attention to topics ranging from government policy to community affairs. Michael’s work has consistently aimed to inform, engage, and give voice to underrepresented perspectives. At Rotman, Michael is an active member of Rotman Pride and several student associations, where he continues his passion for equity and inclusion alongside his professional interests in behavioural economics, media, and strategy.
Yogitha is an MBA candidate at the Rotman School of Management, passionate about building more inclusive, equitable workplaces. She has a background in engineering and enterprise technology, with five years of experience at Deloitte, where she worked with global clients across industries. She is drawn to solving complex problems and exploring the intersection of people, systems, and strategy. As a queer professional, Yogitha was deeply involved in DEI initiatives at Deloitte, working with senior leaders to create spaces for open, reflective conversations around identity and inclusion. These experiences sparked a lasting interest in how workplaces can evolve to better support diverse voices and lived experiences. Now at Rotman, she is excited to explore how business can be a catalyst for equity. As a Latner GATE MBA Intern, Yogitha looks forward to contributing to research on gender in the economy and helping shape the conversations and tools that push organizations and society toward a more inclusive future.
Obaid is an MBA student at the Rotman School of Management, committed to advancing gender equity and inclusion in economic and policy spheres. While pursuing his BSc in Economics at SOAS, University of London, an elective in gender economics sparked his passion for understanding barriers to economic participation. At the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, he published research on Pakistan’s gender gap, leading to his role in drafting the country’s first National Gender Policy. He engaged with policymakers to translate global best practices into actionable strategies. A passionate advocate for inclusion, Obaid co-led 7 sexual consent workshops for over 1,000 students—an initiative that gained national media attention and inspired programs worldwide. At Rotman, he serves as an EDI Section Representative, fostering an inclusive learning environment. Having lived in 6 countries, Obaid brings a global lens to the intersections of gender, policy, and culture. Through the GATE internship, he aims to contribute to research driving meaningful change and building more inclusive organizations.