Chantelle Edwards, SCC Lead, Skills Development. Passionate about using relationship building to create safer spaces for youth.

Christian Everall, SCC Coordinator, Skills Development. Experienced facilitator in Participatory Action Research though her community involvement in Prince Edward County.

Emma Cognet, SCC Coordinator, Skills Development. Passionate and experienced in youth employment experiences, and in creating safer spaces and building trustful and meaningful relationships with youth.

Fiona Amara, SCC Lead, Analysis and Knowledge Mobilization. It feels rewarding to pursue meaningful work that impacts the lives of youth.

Heather Lawford, PhD, Professor, Bishop’s University, SSHRC TII Canada Research Chair, Youth Development, 3M National Teaching Fellow, Co-Director, Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement

Heather Ramey, PhD, Associate Professor, Brock University, Co-Director, Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement

Jennifer Markides, Ph.D. SSHRC TII Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Youth Wellbeing and Education Associate Professor, Curriculum and Learning, Werklund School of Education & Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary 

Jocelyn Gallant, SCC Coordinator, Skills Development. From Golden, BC to Prince Edouard Island, it feels incredible to connect and work with youth from across Canada.

Kwaku Agyemang, SCC Lead Production and Content Creation. With a media production background and a degree from Toronto Metropolitan University, he brings valuable skills to scale the organization's communications impact.

Lauren Wengle, SCC Coordinator, Skills Development. An energetic, creative individual who finds joy in connecting with new people and uses the power of conversation to build trust, challenge stigma, and spark hope around substance use and community care.

Linda Rose-Krasnor, PhD. Professor Emeritus, Brock University, Founding Academic Director of the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement

Matt Drabenstott, PhD, The Students Commission of Canada. Bringing 12+ years of youth engagement to scalable upstream initiatives, he designs and evaluates multi-year, national programs that promote holistic well-being. Published 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 8+ years at (post-)secondary levels; he also holds a Masters and PhD in Education. Matt is particularly passionate about helping suicidal young people choose to stay.

Pallvi Sehijpaul, SCC Coordinator, Skills Development. Her main areas of research interest include identity-based conflict, violence prevention and countering violent extremism.

Rebekah A. Norman, MA (She/Her), Research Coordinator and Relief Program Facilitator, Young Caregivers Association. She is a young adult carer, a PhD candidate in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University, and a Research Coordinator at the Young Caregivers Association, where she co-founded and leads the Young Caregiver Council of Canada, a grassroots advocacy group of young carers across Canada. Rebekah’s research centers around supporting young carers and their families, with an increased focus on critical theory, mental health, disability, and care. Her background is in participatory and arts-based methods of collaboration with young carers, including research exploring the relationship between leisure and care.

Roy Murnaghan, Youth Leader. As someone who lives with an anxiety and depression disorder, it is important to me to advocate for youth like to me to have equal opportunities to become leaders and advocates for their communities. Through volunteering with the Students Commission of Canada, I’ve met many youth from all around Canada that are facing similar challenges to myself. Since getting involved, I’ve been able to become a leader myself and facilitate spaces for more youth to become leaders as well.

Sharif Mahdy, Chief Executive Officer, Students Commission of Canada

Steven Whitaker, Founder, Sports, Wellness and Achievement Network (SWAN)

Stoney McCart, SCC Director of Strategic Partnerships, Co-Founder Students Commission of Canada, Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement

Tanya Halsall, PhD, Scientist, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at The Royal, Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University

Tara Switenky, SCC Lead, Skills Development, 25+ years experience working with young people in education, justice and community settings in Canada and international locations

Todd Ward, SCC Director of Art and Visualization. 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.

Vanessa Turchio, SCC Lead Research and Impact Measurement. She has always had a passion for working with youth and contributing to meaningful research, as well as a keen interest in all things data science.

Victoria McLuckie, ALP Coordinator, 820 Chris Hadfield RCACS and Lead- Skills Development, SCC 

Yana Berardini, , PhD, Assistant Professor, Child and Youth Studies, Trent University