HRES director wins national award
Milé Komlen, director of McMaster’s Human Rights and Equity Services department, has been named the Canadian Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference Hero Award recipient for 2013.
The human rights lawyer was recognized for his outstanding achievement in advancing the cause of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and two-spirited people in Canada.
“Milé embodies the values of decency and humility in his unflagging dedication and commitment to ensuring that the queer community receives full equality in all facets of life,” says Amy Sakalauskas, CBA SOGIC Committee Chair. “He is a champion who neither desires nor seeks personal acknowledgment or acclaim, and that makes this award all the more deserved.”
Komlen has spent more than 20 years promoting human rights and implementing diversity strategies in a variety of business, community, and institutional settings.
Komlen currently leads the University’s Office of Human Rights and Equity Services. The area works with campus and community members to ensure McMaster is a place where all students, staff and faculty can learn, work and live in an inclusive and barrier-free environment that fosters equality, respect and accessibility.
As Senior Diversity Consultant with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) he founded the first LGBTT employee group in the Canadian financial services industry. He is also a founding member of Pride at Work Canada, a national organization dedicated to improving the climate of inclusiveness for LGBTT employees in the Canadian workplace.
As a member of the national SOGIC executive, Milé Komlen participated in the formation of branch SOGIC chapters in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Newfoundland. He spent six years as the Ontario SOGIC Chair, making him the longest-serving Chair of any provincial chapter, and also recently served as the Chair of the Equity Advisory Group at the Law Society of Upper Canada for seven years. He is currently the Chair of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, a community based non-profit organization committed to making Hamilton a welcoming and inclusive city.
“Milé doggedly pursues justice outside the spotlight, quietly and effectively working beyond the glare of the public eye to advance human rights and equality,” says Mark Berlin, Past Chair of SOGIC and Mr. Komlen’s nominator for this award. “His creed is simply to do the right thing and he is relentless in this pursuit in the most gentle manner. He has dedicated both his personal and professional life to these goals and most often does so pro bono and without thought of praise.”
The SOGIC Hero Award recognizes contributions made in the cause of equality for LGBTT people in Canada by a member of the LGBTT community.
