Best song that describes you: Dreamer by Supertramp

Superpower: Salad-making

Shelan Markus is the Executive Director of Level, a national leader in justice education and human rights. She’s been instrumental in developing programs that remove justice barriers for youth, advance environmental justice for young people, and enhance the capacity of law students and legal professionals to build a more inclusive society.

Shelan was named a Lexpert Rising Star in 2024, celebrating Canada's leading lawyers under 40. She was also a finalist for the 2024 Charity Village Most Outstanding Individual Impact Award.

Shelan holds a Juris Doctor from Western University and a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction from McGill University. She further specialized in international human rights law at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research in India. In 2025, she completed the Women’s Executive Leadership Program at the University of California, Berkeley. She previously practiced law at a boutique litigation firm in Toronto and served as a lawyer and contracts officer at the University of British Columbia. ​

Beyond her legal career, Shelan is an art photographer and entrepreneur. She founded City and She, a philanthropic print business supporting human rights, animal rights, and environmental initiatives worldwide. Additionally, she established "How She Made This," a talk series offering insights from women-identifying, transfeminine, and gender-diverse entrepreneurs. ​

As a second-generation Canadian of mixed Middle Eastern and Eastern European heritage, Shelan brings a multifaceted perspective that informs her deep commitment to community engagement, meaningful connection, and creating positive, lasting change in the lives of others.

Email Shelan: shelan@leveljustice.org