Our Team

Design Researcher, Innovation

Karen is a design consultant; her work has focused on addressing unemployment in at-risk communities and improving accessibility for underrepresented youth. Her practice mixes strategic foresight with human-centred design to identify unmet needs and to strategically plan sustainable and competitive service opportunities. She has an interest in a more holistic approach to youth development and dreams of a more accessible future for marginalized youth. As she assists with daily operations of the organization, she looks forward to translating challenges into new opportunities and learning and growing with the community and team. 

Mentorship Program Coordinator

 Priyanka is a Social Worker who completed her Master in Social Work and Honours Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto. She has several years of experience working with youth across multiple settings such as non-profit, community, homelessness, hospital, and higher education sectors. Priyanka is passionate about supporting youth with achieving holistic well-being, equipping them with tools to overcome barriers, and supporting them with building pathways that align with their goals. She has coordinated and developed engaging programs for youth that resulted in positive outcomes and has led evaluation efforts to ensure the needs of youth are being met effectively. Priyanka has held many leadership positions in the past that have strengthened her program development, workshop facilitation, mentorship, and strategic planning skills. She is committed to fulfilling gaps and working alongside youth to create an environment that is empowering. She aims to create spaces that are inclusive, diverse, and equitable to increase opportunities for youth to thrive. 

Coordinator, Policy & Procedure Development

Celena has extensive experiences in the administration and education field working with youth and international students from diverse backgrounds. She helps students prepare for the Canadian workplace while ensuring they master the language proficiency and achieve academic excellence. Her professional experiences include counselling, developing policies for the school and managing diverse students. She is passionate and excited working with Youth Rising Above to make a difference to the community and empowering youth at risk to have successful and enriching lives. 

Women's Programming Coordinator

Lela is an Urban Planner with a passion for community planning, development and housing policy. She has over 5 years of experience working on community planning and partnerships in the public sector. Lela is passionate  about creating inclusive and vibrant communities by employing a lens of social justice and collaboration to ensure that the unique goals of communities are understood and met. Throughout her personal and professional life, Lela has been inspired by the strength,  knowledge and capacity within children and youth. She is committed to breaking barriers and creating opportunities so that children and youth can find what they love in life and follow it with the passion it deserves.

Coordinator, Peer Support

Rebecca has a diverse background, with experience in various research, leadership, and advocacy-based roles within mental health. She has coupled her passion for working within the community with her interest in youth mental health supports, leading various mental health awareness groups and developing educational workshops. Academically, Rebecca has completed an undergraduate degree in psychology, and a graduate certificate in mental health and addictions. She is currently studying at the University of Toronto, completing a Master’s Degree in Health Service Research with specializations in health service outcomes and evaluation, and public health policy. Rebecca believes in the importance of providing supportive, empowering, and inclusive spaces for youth to grow and thrive. She is committed to meeting youth where they are and supporting their unique needs through engaging programs and opportunity building.

Administrative Assistant, Rising Together

 Ivana has an academic background in sociology and public policy and is passionate about fostering stronger mental health literacy. She recognizes a broader gap in addressing youth mental health and believes in the value of a safe and inclusive space that provides youth with the opportunity to speak openly about their experiences. Ivana has held several administrative roles that have allowed her to gain experience with program support and data integration in both professional and volunteer capacities. She is looking forward to integrating the knowledge from her administrative experience to support and empower youth in the Rising Together program.