Brina Ludwig-Prout

Brina is a change management & project management expert with over 20 years experience as an independent consultant. She specializes in implementing large, complex, strategic projects and is a certified Human Resource Leader with a background in operations and information technology management. Known for her collaborative, inclusive style, Brina has consulted to senior levels in corporate Canada for much of her career and now also consults to emerging entrepreneurs and organizations in the social enterprise field. Brina is passionate about inter-generational collaboration, diversity and inclusion and ensures that mentoring is a key component of any contract she undertakes. She has been a member of the Advisory Committee for the Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council's (TRIEC) Connector Program; a Strategic Advisor to the School for Social Entrepreneurs, Ontario; and, an inaugural member of the League of Intrapreneurs, Canada. Brina has a certificate in Medicine Wheel Facilitation from the Indigenous Certification Board of Canada and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Child Development Institute.

Véronique Church-Duplessis

In 2016, after 12 years in academia, Véronique transitioned to the non-profit sector in search of new challenges and opportunities to use her research and knowledge translation skills for the benefit of our community. As the director of research and evaluation for Mentor Canada, Véronique works to build bridges between research and practice. She leads research projects to better understand the positive impact of mentoring on young people’s positive development and the barriers that prevent them from accessing these potentially transformative relationships. Véronique first came across the SCC in 2017 while leading a project on healthy relationships and was immediately won over by the SCC’s social purpose and meaningful approach to youth engagement. Véronique holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Toronto as well as an M.A. and B.A. from the Université de Montréal. Véronique also holds a certificate in project management from the University of Toronto.

Poornima Muralidhar

Poornima has been with RBC Capital Markets since 2012 and became connected to the SCC through the Sharing the Stories research and evaluation platform. Poornima supported the SCC team in re-imagining the platform by providing expert advice on database design and user experience. Poornima was inspired by her experience with the SCC that she applied to join the SCC Board of Directors.

Brenda Okorogba

Brenda is the founder of Momentswithbren Consulting, a boutique training and coaching firm that provides students, entrepreneurs, researchers and diverse communities with access to opportunities to improve collective prosperity, social capital, and economic dignity. Brenda's mission is to help organizations and individuals achieve their goals by providing dignity-informed guidance and support, leveraging her extensive knowledge and experience to drive results. Her passion for youth 3E (Education, Empowerment and Employment) and organizing meaningful experiences for people and communities led her to join the SCC. Brenda believes in the power of transformative journeys to change the way we learn, live, play and think about the world, interact with each other and the planet, and is committed to making a positive impact in her community.

Stephanie Clark

Recreation Services Manager, City of Iqaluit

Involved in the Students Commission network since the late 1990s in Saskatoon, Stephanie joined the SCC family out in Toronto in the carefree days of the early 2000s. Here she found support for her involvement in projects that sharpened her engagement skills and crossed her path with countless young people that fundamentally shaped the way she looks at youth, the community and life. Stephanie stepped away from The Students Commission for a few years to try her hand at managing housing programs for youth. After five years of that eventually Stephanie found her way to Iqaluit where she currently oversees community programs for the Recreation Department with the City.

Gina Jeneroux

Gina is on a mission to change how people build new skills to prepare for a bold future, starting now. Through a career spanning more than 30 years in the financial and learning industries – including 5 years as Chief Learning Officer at BMO Financial Group, and now as an industry strategist and Professor of Practice in Future Work & Skills at International Business University (IBU) – Gina has developed deep expertise in business leadership, human-centered design, and predicting and developing skills for the future. She has a proven track record of driving strategies and solutions that make an impact, and she has led her teams to win more than 20 global industry awards.

In addition to her role as a board member for SCC, Gina also sits on the executive advisory boards for various learning, technology and professional networks.

Gina holds an MBA in Financial Services from Dalhousie University, she is a Fellow of the Learning & Performance Institute (LPI), and she is a curious explorer who tries to learn at least one new thing each day.

Debra D. Kerby

President & CEO, The Learning Partnership

Debra is President & CEO of The Learning Partnership, a national Canadian charitable organization with a mission to inspire and equip todays’ students, regardless of their circumstances, to become tomorrow’s problem solvers and change makers.

Debra’s leadership experience spans both the private (Labatt’s, Warner-Lambert) and non-profit (Right To Play, Canadian Feed The Children) sectors, blending international experience and entrepreneurial spirit to deliver a meaningful difference for children and youth in underserved communities. Her leadership hallmarks are creativity, curiosity and engaging teams for impact. Debra rejuvenates spending time in the wilderness, be it urban or remote.

With a strong background in not-for-profit governance, Debra holds an M.Sc. in International Development Management from the London School of Economics; an International MBA from the University of Edinburgh; and a B.A. from Queen’s University. Debra was honoured to receive a full scholarship to the Harvard Strategic Perspectives in NonProfit Management.

Sharif Mahdy
info@studentscommission.ca

Sharif is the CEO of the Students Commission of Canada (SCC) and the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement. Sharif has been with the SCC since 2010 and is accountable for ensuring the cultural and financial sustainability of the organization. Sharif is also accountable for the long-term strategic visioning and operational excellence of the organization. Sharif has an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Western Ontario. He also has a Masters of Arts in Leadership degree from Royal Roads University. Sharif is also the Volunteer Chair of the National Alliance of Children and Youth (NACY): a national charitable organization that brings organizations together in a collaborative network dedicated to enhancing the well-being of children and youth in Canada. Sharif sits on several non-profit Boards including the Catalysts Circle, the Child Development Institute and Mentor Canada.

Christa Romaldi
info@studentscommission.ca

Christa is an adventurous and energetic person, with a love of the outdoors, reading and traveling. She has been to Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa and has extensively traveled North America; in many of these contexts she was working with children and youth. In fact, Christa has been working with children and youth for over 15 years: designing, implementing and supervising programs in various capacities and with diverse populations. She has spent the last 6 years supporting youth leadership and youth engagement in Canada, through organizational and personal mentorship, research and evaluation, and systems change projects, like Students Commission Collective Impact Toronto Youth.

Nishad Khanna
info@studentscommission.ca

Nish has worked with the Students Commission since 2002. He believes that young people are crucial researchers; they have critical questions and knowledge needed to improve our communities. Nish enjoys youth participatory action research approaches to mobilize knowledge into action and action into knowledge. He has been involved in developing and implementing various youth programs, events and youth-engaged evaluation and research with our partner networks. Nish wants to live in a world where all young people can explore possibilities and thrive.

Stoney McCart
info@studentscommission.ca

Stoney, a co-founder of the Students Commission of Canada, began her journey at the SCC's first-ever conference in 1991 as an adult ally from Tiny Giant (TG) magazine. As publisher of TG, Stoney had converted an adult-written youth magazine into a youth-directed voice with an editorial board of 100 students from across Canada, reaching every high school in the country. As Executive Director of SCC from 1992 to 2017, she supported youth across Canada to turn their expressions of their ideas into action. She also helped establish and lead the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement to establish an evidence base for youth-driven work. Now, as SCC's Director of Strategic Partnerships. she is focussed on generating big ideas with partnering organizations, youth and adult allies that will enhance and amplify positive futures for all youth in Canada.

Todd Ward
info@studentscommission.ca

Todd has been with the Students Commission from its beginning in 1991. A great believer in youth-adult partnership he combines a passion for the visual arts with a desire to encourage young people to share their thoughts and experience visually and affect positive change. In collaboration with youth he designs messaging that is relevant and meaningful for young people and the youth-serving organizations that promote youth well-being. He believes that, whether you're young or old, being part of something bigger than ourselves empowers us all. If Todd had a label it would read "Grey is the new silver".

Kwaku Agyemang
info@studentscommission.ca

Kwaku Agyemang is the Client Relationships and External Communications Manager at The Students Commission of Canada. With a media production background and a degree from Toronto Metropolitan University, he brings valuable skills to scale the organization's communications impact. Hailing from Toronto's Rexdale neighborhood, Kwaku is dedicated to empowering youth and improving education through his involvement with Trust 15's Men of Distinction program. As Client Relationships and External Communications Manager, he builds bridges and supports network partners in his efforts to advance the organization's mission and vision.

Dave Shanks
info@studentscommission.ca

I love this job because I get to see young people's ideas put into action. I want to live in a city, and province and a country that values and cares about children and youth.

Waltta Kadane Headley
info@studentscommission.ca

Kadane Headley is a passionate and dedicated Child and Youth Care practitioner with years of combined experience in various settings, including community, group homes, and a child and adolescent psychiatric in-patient unit. Over the course of 15 years, Kadane has focused on providing support and building meaningful connections with children and adolescents. Kadane's commitment to The 4 Pillars: Respect, Listen, Understand, Communicate™ guides her work. With a strong educational background and ongoing professional growth, Kadane combines her expertise in child and youth care with pediatric psychosocial care to make a positive impact in the lives of children and adolescents.

Florence Bergeron
info@studentscommission.ca

Florence joined the SCC in 2019, after completing an Honours Bachelor in psychology and a graduate certificate in knowledge mobilization. This background made her realize how important it is to share the results of research and program evaluations to the communities to help them improve practices and policies. By being a part of SCC, she feels like she can actively take part in this mission with a group of devoted people. Florence is a positive and passionate person, a big foodie, and a CrossFit amateur.

Serena Surujbali
info@studentscommission.ca

Serena is passionate about amplifying the voice of youth and exploring the world through travel learning about people, food and culture. She has many years of experience working in youth engagement, capacity building and training for frontline staff who work with youth across Canada.

Olga Bolivar
info@studentscommission.ca

Olga has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has good working experience with profit and non-profit organizations. She is fluent in Spanish and English. Her dream is to get both a Nutrition certificate and a French certificate. She loves the environment and tries to look after the planet. In her free time, she does volunteer work and likes to math tutor primary students.

Fiona Amara
info@studentscommission.ca

Hey everyone, my name is Fiona (yes, like in Shrek) but my friends call me Fio. I am currently completing my Master’s in Developmental Psychology at Brock University. My research will be looking at aggression and people with dark and psychopathic traits. It may come to no surprise that I love anything true crime and horror related. On a less sinister note, I am deeply passionate about mental health awareness. I appreciate everything the SCC does for mental health, as well as the inclusivity of safe spaces. Although I am an introverted network analyst, I love working with youth, and the Canada We Want conference changed my outlook on things. It feels rewarding to pursue meaningful work that impacts the lives of youth.

Kristine Divall
info@studentscommission.ca

Kristine joined the Students Commission of Canada in 2020 as a network manager. She had worked alongside the SCC as a network partner for 3 years delivering programs in Golden with youth at the middle years school and high school. Kristine has a background in Education and completed her master’s in Education in 2013 with a focus on social and environmental justice. Through- out her career Kristine has worked with many non- profits, all supporting youth programming and program development. Kristine, her partner David, and two children Awnya and Remi moved to Golden BC a few years back to spend more time outdoors. They live on a small acreage in the mountains where they spend tons of time skiing, hiking, mountain biking and adventuring.

Chantelle Edwards
info@studentscommission.ca

Chantelle is the Manager, 21st Century Skills for the Students Commission of Canada. Before graduating with a B.Sc. Hons focused in Forensic Science, she didn’t realize her passion for psychology and mental health awareness until completing minors in both Law and Psychology to fill her final year. Now she uses the research and statistical skills from her science background to help in her work as a community action research facilitator. Whether listening to or creating it, music is Chantelle’s deepest passion and favourite art form. Also a huge foodie, you can usually find her attempting to recreate all the mouth-watering, delectable recipes she’s discovered while watching Food Network shows at the gym.

Jose Romero
info@studentscommission.ca

Jose works as a Finance and Data Coordinator for the Students Commission of Canada (SCC). He started working for the SCC in late 2020. Originally from Venezuela, Jose immigrated in 2006 with his family to Montreal, Quebec. He is a third-year Finance and International Business student at Concordia University. His passions include numbers, personal growth, and making the best of every day

He hopes to discover more and better ways to make young people feel valued and share these methods with others. At the SCC, he hopes to expand his social network and people, which will help him develop new interests and reach new objectives.

Tanya Halsall
info@studentscommission.ca

Tanya Halsall is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawa's Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University and mother of three little people. Her main areas of interest involve research examining youth mental health promotion and system transformation. She is also interested in the application of the ecological systems theory and the influence of nature-based interventions on mental health. Within her research program, she applies participatory strategies to partner with minority young people to co-design research strategies and community-based initiatives. She has been contributing to the Students Commission of Canada since the summer of 2018.

Christian Everall
info@studentscommission.ca

Christian Everall works with youth to amplify their voices in ways that affect changes in their lives at all the individual, social, and community levels. She has experience in Participatory Action Research though her community involvement in Prince Edward County. In her position as a Network Facilitator, she works with the Sharing the Stories platform to help youth serving organizations to evaluate their programs and create reports that indicate why youth join their programs, why they stay, what qualities of the program youth like most, and which outcomes are the groups achieving through their work. She enjoys networking with all sorts of people that drive change in their communities and is always amazed at the ingenuity of youth.

Victoria McLuckie
info@studentscommission.ca

Vic is a Network Coordinator with the Students Commission, she started working with us in November 2020. She grew up in Toronto and when she was 19, Vic went abroad to complete her BA(Hons) at the University of Glasgow in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies. She spends much of her free time volunteering with the Canadian Cadet Organization. The cadet organization sparked is where her desire to work with young people began. In her work life, she is most passionate about mental health advocacy and LGBTQIA2+ rights. Vic is an avid reader and camper, loves a good rainstorm and trying new recipes. When in doubt, you can find her tucked up on the couch with a warm drink and a good show!

Yana Berardini
info@studentscommission.ca

Yana has joined the SCC team in 2022 as a Network Analyst, after doing her Post Doc Fellowship there. She is now the Fidelity Lead for Sharing the Stories Research Platform. She has a Masters and a PhD from Child and Youth Studies, from Brock University. Her hobbies include taking road trips and exploring new places with her family (which with two young children never gets old!), finding new snacks (especially over the border or in many communities across Toronto), and watching hours of good TV shows. You can always find her smiling about something and getting excited over the smallest things. She is obsessed with research and data analyses, but most of all, she likes it when she can turn simple results into meaningful stories that improve young people’s lives and promote mental health.

Alex Preagola
info@studentscommission.ca

Alex is a Network Analyst for the Students Commission of Canada (SCC), all the way from Saskatoon and even farther from the Philippines. She moved to Canada in 2014 and has since pursued an academic career in science. Now, she’s trying to get an MSc degree in Aquatic Ecology to fill the void that is her dream to be a veterinarian. Don’t worry, the dream is still alive; she just really loves the process of scientific research, for better or for worse. In 2021, she started working for the SCC which allowed her to apply her skills in data analysis, as well as contribute to the evidence-based ethos of the SCC to build a better Canada for youth.

Janica Maya
info@studentscommission.ca

Janica is a Network Coordinator for the Students Commission of Canada. She has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Diversity and Equity Studies and a graduate certificate in Mental Health & Addiction from the Toronto Metropolitan University. She is passionate about creating safer spaces for youth and providing them with the tools and confidence to learn, grow and flourish in their communities and themselves. Outside of work, you can find Janica soaking in the sun while enjoying a book in the park or strolling through the streets of Toronto.

Emilie Verret
info@studentscommission.ca

Emilie got involved with the SCC in 2017 when she first attended a knowledge exchange with the Community and Youth lab from Bishop’s University and started working as a Network Analyst in 2018. In 2020, she took a break to focus on her masters and came back with renewed energy and dedication to use her skills and expertise to make a positive impact on the lives of young people.

Kaitlin Power
info@studentscommission.ca

Kaitlin is a Network Coordinator who joined the Student’s Commission of Canada in late 2022 after completing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University. Kaitlin is a bubbly, charismatic person who is always looking to make new friends and build personal connections. She enjoys all things lifestyle (cooking, interior design, fashion, wellbeing) and is a total foodie!

In her early adolescent years, she recognized that she wanted to make a difference in the youth mental health space which led her to working and volunteering with various youth initiatives. She is eager to dive into her role at the SCC and amplify youth voices.

Hawi Ketema
info@studentscommission.ca

Hawi Ketema is a Network Coordinator at the Students Commission of Canada (SCC). She joined SCC in December 2022, after completing her studies in Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Ottawa. Hawi moved to Canada from Ethiopia as an international student in 2017 to do her undergraduate studies. Hawi has long been passionate about working closely with youth. At the Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton, she was able to tutor and mentor younger youth with learning disabilities and also support the design and implementation of bilingual learning tools to make make resources more accessible. Being interested in research, evaluation and youth engagement, she joined SCC with an excited heart. She works to value youth voice and share their stories while community building. In her free time, Hawi likes binge-watching shows, is passionate about music and talking about guitars. She loves to walk and explore coffee shops in the city with friends.

Nadia Hanif
info@studentscommission.ca

Nadia joined the Students Commission of Canada in November 2022. Her dedication is to ensure that everyone has the space and tools needed to amplify their ideas and voices. Working with SCC has allowed her to feel like she can actively take part in this mission. Her background stems from Social Work and has worked with Employment Ontario for over eleven years. This afforded her an opportunity to hone her skills over the years and provided her with experience in networking, engagement, and capacity building. Outside of work you’ll be sure to find Nadia either on a dance floor, leisurely biking, hiking, learning a new craft, and or learning French!

Lauren Wengle
info@studentscommission.ca

Lauren (she/they) is a Network Coordinator for Sharing the Stories and Program Delivery at the SCC. They are an energetic, creative individual who finds joy in meeting new people and strives to cultivate connection. They have a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science and Psychology and joined the SCC in 2022 after working in gender-based violence education and prevention. Their passion for working with youth began during their undergraduate degree while doing peer counselling for university students. Since then, Lauren has discovered the power behind mobilizing youth voice for change and is able to embed this into practice in their work at the SCC. When they aren’t working, you can find Lauren making pottery or falling off their skateboard.

Mohammed Hirzalla
info@studentscommission.ca

Moe is a seasoned professional with a passion for innovation and problem-solving. With over 3 years of experience in the technology industry, he has cultivated a diverse skill set encompassing software development, project management, and strategic planning. Mohammed's expertise lies in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to drive business growth and optimize operational efficiency. He has successfully led numerous cross-functional teams and spearheaded the development of innovative software solutions for both start-ups and established organizations. A lifelong learner, Mohammed stays abreast of the latest industry trends and continuously seeks opportunities to expand his knowledge. With his strong analytical expertise and collaborative approach, he is consistently driven to exceed expectations. Mohammed holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and is committed to driving digital transformation in today's rapidly evolving landscape.

Princess Vasconcelos
info@studentscommission.ca

Princess started working for the Students Commission of Canada (SCC) in 2023 as a Data Integrity Coordinator. With her Honours Political Science and Communication Studies B.A, she applies her knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methods and statistical analysis to ensure youth voice helps shape programming and policy decisions that impact young people and their communities.

Josie Bernal
info@studentscommission.ca

Josie started working for the Students Commission of Canada (SCC) in 2023 as a Data Integrity Coordinator, after completing her B.A. in Sociology at York University, Glendon College in 2022. She joined the SCC team to help coordinate data collection and ensure youth voice is gathered and used to inform programming and policy decisions that impact young people, and their community.

Emma Cognet
info@studentscommission.ca

Emma (she/her/elle) is a Network Coordinator at the Students Commission of Canada (SCC). She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Hons) at Bishop’s University and is now completing her Master’s degree in Psychology in partnership with the SCC. She immigrated to Canada from France as a child. Emma is passionate about working closely with youth and making a difference in their lives. Through her work in various committees as well as in research and evaluation, Emma aims to connect with youth in a meaningful way to amplify and share their voices and ideas.

Erica Ngai
info@studentscommission.ca

Erica is the Lead Evaluation & Research Coordinator for the Sharing the Stories platform at the Students Commission. Excited to amplify youth voices in Canada, she joins the devoted team at SCC. Returning to Canada in 2022, she actively contributed to research and program delivery in Toronto. Erica earned a research-based Master’s degree in Comparative and International Education from the University of Oxford, driven by her experiences with diverse youth. With a passion for empowering youth, she previously organized educational programs in Southeast Asia, volunteered as a long-term humanitarian worker in Mexico, and held leadership positions as a high school teacher in Hong Kong. Beyond work, Erica enjoys traveling, exploring cafes and restaurants, taking dance lessons, and immersing herself in flowers as a freelance florist.

Megan Légaré
info@studentscommission.ca

Megan is a master's student in psychology at Bishop's University. She is a proud Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk), which influences her work to honour and value Indigenous youth voices and ways of knowing. She joined the SCC in 2022 as an analyst, but she also likes to partake in projects that promote Indigenous youth voices and culture. Notably, she was involved in the creation of the Make your Mark conference aimed at reconciliation and youth generativity. She is passionate about decolonizing spaces for youth, especially, Indigenous youth. Outside of work you can find her in front of a good true crime docuseries or listening to music.

Pallvi Sehijpaul
info@studentscommission.ca

Pallvi is a Network Coordinator, Knowledge Mobilization & Sharing the Stories. She was first introduced and became involved in Student Commission programs in 2018. She is an experienced project manager, having worked extensively in the public and private sector over the past decade leading research and event production teams. She holds a BA in International Studies, specializing in security and conflict studies, with a Political Science Minor. Pallvi has published and managed publications that are utilised as textbooks focused on national security. Her main areas of research interest include identity-based conflict, violence prevention and countering violent extremism. She is passionate about creating and fostering critical thinking skillsets, in order to foster connectivity.

Peter Brant
info@studentscommission.ca

Peter is one of the Indigenous staff that’s been working with the SCC for over a year to help bring an Indigenous perspective and experience, as well as values, honour, teachings, and knowledge to the work. Peter was leading the Truth Leading to Reconciliation (TLR) project at the SCC along with the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). He also supports several other projects and programs, such as All My Relations and the #CanadaWeWant conferences. He is very sharing, lovable, adaptable, understanding, humorous, humble, etc… you have to meet him to understand! “He’s an uncle to some, he’s an uncle to all”; some youth call him Uncle Funcle Peter! He is also known as "passenger princess" and as he would say, “STOODIS and SKODEN”!

Monica Chander
info@studentscommission.ca

Monica Chander is the Lead Network Coordinator for SIFT and Mental Health programs, with academic and practical experience in holistic Child and Youth Care, Youth Leadership, and Organizational Leadership. Monica is a part-time facilitator, part-time project manager, part-time strategic planner, part-time social justice advocate, part-time outdoors enthusiast, part-time musician, part-time Excel-wizard, and full-time learner with a full and grateful heart. Monica’s email inbox may also be very full, but it's always open - please reach out! monica@studentscommission.ca

Oswaldo Andrés Paz Flores
info@studentscommission.ca

Oswaldo is currently pursuing his studies in engineering. He was first introduced to the SCC as one of 13 youth who are challenging the voting age in Canada. Oswaldo participated in both #CanadaWeWant Conferences in 2022 (Spring Virtual Forum and the Fall Edition in Toronto) before joining the SCC in November 2022 as the Network Coordinator for SIFT-Montreal. He primarily works with youth. Active in his community, Oswaldo is involved in promoting a sustainable future as a member of the Future Generations Delegation and ambassador for the Climate Reality Project. He is a UNICEF Canada Youth Advocate and a member of the Oxfam-Quebec Youth Seat where he mobilized for gender parity. Oswaldo is a co-author of the 27th edition of L'État du Québec 2023, INM's flagship publication.

Tara Switenky
info@studentscommission.ca

After university and several years of travel, Tara returned home in 2004 for a short holiday – and has yet to leave! Her education and employment background includes youth and family services, program development and delivery, mentoring, casework and management within education and community organizations. Often working with vulnerable or marginalized populations, Tara enjoys creating collaborative and proactive spaces that build both community connection and personal capacity. She is as an active, longtime volunteer for several local sport, culture and health services. Tara’s favourite roles are that of mom, aunty and grandchild, grateful for a diverse and deliberate connection to family and community. She joined SCC as a full time Network Coordinator in 2023. Tara is from Prince Albert, SK, treaty 6 territory, the traditional lands of the Cree, Dene, Saulteaux and Sioux peoples and the homeland of the Metis Nation.

Matt Drabenstott
info@studentscommission.ca

Innovative upstream program think-tank specializing in scalable mental health initiatives: Matt brings 10+ years of youth engagement to designing and evaluating multi-year, national programs that promote post-pandemic well-being. Published qualitative researcher, Matt has gathered and analyzed thousands of youth and practitioner stories, weaving their voices into bold advances in how we connect and care. Educator with a lot of heart, Matt has taught for 6 years at (post-)secondary levels. He is particularly passionate about helping suicidal young people choose to stay. Matt has worked with the SCC since 2017 and lives in the traditional lands of the Kansa, Osage, and Kiikaapoi peoples (Cession 69).

Jocelyn Gallant
info@studentscommission.ca

Jocelyn Gallant is a Network Coordinator and SIFT-Site Lead in Golden for the Students Commission of Canada (SCC), in Golden, BC. She grew up in an Acadian village in beautiful Prince Edward Island and pursued her post-secondary education at the University of Guelph. After graduating, she taught English in South Korea and enjoyed travelling all over this wonderful world. Her travels brought her to Golden for a ski season where she fell in love with the mountain town and her life partner, Paul. Together they enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle, with their lovely family, Makaila (21), Samuel (10), and Evelyn (7). Jocelyn has worked with the SCC off and on since the Spring of 2021 and feels very fortunate for the opportunity to connect and work with youth from across Canada