Cameron Hicks was a young person who experienced anxiety during high school. With support from health-care professionals, school staff, family and friends, Cam was able to successfully reintegrate to school and manage his anxiety. Cam began to thrive in his later high school years, reengaging in sports and extra-curricular activities. 

In September 2014, Cam started his university journey at the University of Ottawa. Sadly, just two months later, Cam was struck by a motor vehicle.  

In May 2015, the Hicks family founded Cam’s Kids Foundation to share Cam’s story and raise awareness about anxiety. Now, as a youth ambassadorship program at Kids Help Phone, Cam’s legacy of love, kindness, and hope is being honoured by naming him Honorary Mental Health Ambassador. This also celebrates the Hicks family’s commitment to youth mental health and well-being. 

Anjana Sudharshan (she / her) is passionate about collaborating with like-minded individuals to help spread awareness about the importance of mental health and well-being. Her own experiences and work in mental health research led her to joining the NYC to connect with and help other youth, and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. Anjana is currently studying life sciences at McMaster University, with an interest in public health and science communication. She hopes to continue supporting youth-led mental health initiatives with the NYC to help increase access to and awareness of mental health resources and create safer spaces for youth to express themselves. In her spare time, she enjoys birdwatching and singing.

Breanna Laggo hopes for more, equal and affordable access to care for equity-deserving communities, and that makes them passionate about youth and their mental health and well-being. As a soon-to-be teacher, they want the students in their class to feel like they can be themselves without judgment. They’re a coffee enthusiast, dog lover and enjoy creating art.

When Fazayl Zahra (she / her) became involved in her school’s student council a few years ago, she realized that some of the student population faced barriers to accessing mental health resources in her small, rural community. Ever since, Fazayl has become passionate about advocating for those affected by the disparity in mental health resources across the country. She decided to join the NYC because it was the ideal opportunity for her to try to highlight her community and make an impact on a national level. In addition to her advocacy of equitable mental health, Fazayl is also involved in other health and wellness initiatives, including those related to nutrition and facial differences. A fun fact about Fazayl is that she’s bilingual, being fluent in both English and Urdu. In her spare time, she likes to play basketball, read and spend time with her birds.

Ida Demair (she / her) is highly passionate about law and criminology as it pertains to youth, homelessness and mental health. Her research and career interests stem from her lived experience with the law and foster care systems as a young person, which remain a motivator for her to support youth who experience adversity within the law, at home and at school. She hopes to go to graduate school for developmental clinical psychology to achieve her goals of supporting kids and teens as a clinical pediatric psychologist. She’s currently a third-year student at the University of Guelph studying psychology with a double minor in neuroscience and family and child studies.  Alongside being a member of the NYC, Ida is a volunteer crisis responder at Kids Help Phone. She also supports other organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Homewood Health Centre, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), SickKids and more. Additionally, she serves as a member of the Youth Advisory Committee at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the Early Lab at the University of Ottawa. She hopes to learn more about youth who face mental health challenges through her research and the NYC. In her spare time, she loves to go to the gym, spend time with her family, watch movies and cook new recipes.

James Ehiagwina (he / him) is deeply committed to bringing about change in his community’s youth mental health landscape. He aspires to be an advocate for change and support for people who are new to Canada and may be experiencing mental health challenges. James has worked as a youth intern for the Newcomer Youth Leadership Development Program at the YMCA and as a member of the Youth Advisory Squad at OneChild. He also hopes to grow as a youth advocate and leader on the NYC. James enjoys reading novels and taking photographs, and is now learning to play the piano in his spare time.

Jorja Cain (she / her) is a Grade 12 African Nova Scotian student raised in North Preston, Nova Scotia. Jorja enjoys travelling, swimming and playing rugby. She’s one of the captains on her school’s rugby team and played for the Keltics U17 Women’s Team, who won gold at the 2023 Atlantic Championships. Jorja is also a member of her school’s student council on the social justice and events committees. In her spare time, she’s a Sunday school teacher, a member of her community church’s Black youth and fellowship choir and volunteer community consultant with Cole Harbour Public Library. This past summer, she participated in the Nia Summit as one of the youth ambassadors and received the Human Rights Commission Youth Award. Jorja became a member of the NYC to share personal experiences from her community to help generate ideas and educate others. Through this work, she hopes to help offer more African Nova Scotians and African, Caribbean and Black youth support to help mitigate any stereotypes related to mental health that they may face.

Joshua Chooi (he / him) realized the importance of mental well-being in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through his own mental health challenges, it was ultimately the people he connected with and the network of support he formed that helped him the most. Joshua first got involved with Kids Help Phone as a volunteer crisis responder for the organization’s texting service, which has been one of his most rewarding experiences. As a part of the NYC, he enjoys learning and collaborating with like-minded individuals. Currently in university studying psychology, Joshua hopes to get involved in mental health research. In his spare time, he loves playing tennis, drawing, listening to music and spending time with his dogs.

Josh Clarke (he / they / she) is passionate about supporting mental health initiatives in their spare time, along with watching reality TV shows in Canada and reading queer romance books. In the future, they hope to include a culinary approach to mental well-being.

Kade Nolan (she / he / they) is an Anishinaabe-kwe from Missanabie Cree First Nation, raised in Brampton, Ontario, who travels to Missanabie Cree’s Traditional Land in northern Ontario each summer to participate in Indigenous teachings. Committed to serving her community, she holds the rank of Petty Officer First Class at the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and has experience as a crewmember on a tall ship. She’s a high school student studying in the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Program in arts and culture. She’s an artist, painter and illustrator who’s been passionate about creating art since childhood. Her artwork was featured at a 2023 Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony in Brampton, which is now on display at Brampton City Hall. She also showcased her artwork at the PIXEL: Indigenous Art Exhibition, which helped to foster her connection with art and her culture. Navigating mental health challenges and a learning disability has made her very aware of the stigma that can affect many young people. This experience has underscored her goal to advocate for youth and their mental health and well-being. She’s passionate about 2SLGBTQ+ activism and is an active member of the Missanabie Cree First Nation Youth Council, where she dedicates her time to supporting other young people.

Laetitia Satam (she / her) began her mental health advocacy journey when she was 12 years old by volunteering with Kids Help Phone. Today, she’s 20 years old and serves as co-chair on the NYC and co-chair on the Board of Directors at Kids Help Phone. She’s also a member of the Campaign Cabinet at Kids Help Phone. Having lived all across Canada from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador, Laetitia is inspired to address inequities that often exist in accessing mental health care services, especially among members of equity-deserving groups and remote communities. As a second-year nutrition student at the University of Alberta, with a minor in global health and a certificate in international learning, she’s passionate about holistic health practices and works as a researcher on a wide variety of nutrition and wellness-related topics.

Maxine is a second-year medical student at the University of Montreal. She has been volunteering with Kids Help Phone as a member of the National Youth Council since 2018. She is passionate about public health, community involvement and disruptive technologies that have the potential of optimizing patient care. Maxine is the founder and president of “Et si on se racontait?” an intergenerational program in partnership with the non-profit Contact Aînés, which aims to connect older adults and youth over the phone. Based on the phone exchanges, an intergenerational book is written, printed and published each year. In her spare time, she enjoys playing sports and she loves outdoor activities.

Might Gouta (he / him) is a passionate philosophy student at the University of Toronto. Might is actively engaged with youth organizations and has observed the pressing need for advocacy. As a university rugby player, he understands some of the challenges athletes may face, which motivates him to become a mental health advocate with the hope of empowering others. Might is dedicated to bridging gaps and addressing issues within the athletic community along with many others. His journey in philosophy and theology inspires him to reflect on Scripture, contributing to a more holistic approach in his advocacy work. With a desire to make a difference, he thrives on community engagement and values every opportunity to connect with people. In his spare time, Might enjoys the camaraderie of rugby, community involvement, learning and relaxing.

Having navigated the COVID-19 pandemic as a young person, Paniz Arbabi (she / her) knows personally the toll it has taken on many youth and other demographics. This experience motivates her to help as much as she can, hoping that more and more people can get the support they deserve. Paniz first learned about Kids Help Phone through a poster at her school. She connected with the organization to determine if there were any opportunities to help others and decided to join the NYC. Paniz enjoys art and figure skating in her spare time. She also likes going to the gym and trying new things.

Paula (she / her) invests in advocacy of inclusive and equitable mental health because of her own personal experiences, and she became very involved with youth initiatives through teaching rock climbing. This led to her continuing passion for youth and their well-being. Her work with young people for around five years as a rock climbing instructor and camp counsellor gave her a more diverse perspective on youth experiences. For her bachelor’s degree, she did a project on inclusivity and figure skating. This, combined with her work experience, led her to join the NYC. In her spare time, she enjoys video game reselling, soccer and scrapbooking.

Raissa Amany (she / her) is pursuing an undergraduate degree in health sciences at the University of Ottawa. Having personal experience with the mental health system in Ontario, Raissa continues to advocate for the improvement of accessibility, equity and youth engagement within the sector. Passionate about systems-level change, she’s the co-executive director of the Young Canadians Roundtable on Health and serves on the Youth Advisory Council with the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions. Beyond these roles, she also holds various leadership, research and advisory positions within the mental health and pediatric health-care sectors. In her spare time, she enjoys trying new foods, overanalyzing medical shows and curling.

Ray Manji (he / him) knows that for people who identify as men, there can especially be a stigma around communicating about mental health and seeking support. As someone who identifies as a man, he knows personally how hard it can feel to open up or connect for support, and he strives to help more people feel more comfortable with their emotions, themselves and asking for help. Playing sports throughout his life, he knows that the pressures and expectations of sports can affect one’s mental health. Due to this, he wants to reduce the stigma associated with talking openly about mental health in sports communities. He wants everyone to know you don’t always have to feel “OK,” and that help is available right around the corner. At school, Ray has accepted many leadership roles, such as club executive and student council member, and works toward making his community a better place. He volunteers at his local women’s shelter and is a swim instructor at a nearby university too. In his spare time, Ray enjoys lifting weights, watching soccer and playing video games.

Rick Aiyer (he / him / il) is a young person on the move across Canada as well as Europe, East Asia and the Middle East. His travels exposed him to the continuing inequities and barriers in access to mental health services on both a national and global level, particularly among equity-deserving and rural communities. He first began advocating for improved services and destigmatizing mental health care in high school as the student representative on his school’s Board of Governors. He’s continued his advocacy through Kids Help Phone since 2019. A university student studying law, Rick is a “Big Brother” mentor to first-year students, which often involves having conversations about finding a balance between academics and wellness. Outside of school, Rick has recently been involved with a Quebec non-profit organization that supports newcomer and racialized women. He previously served on the National Youth Advisory Committee at the RCMP, where he supported the development of their youth engagement programs. Rick is fluently bilingual in English and French, and functional in Mandarin, Hindi and Tamil. He’s an avid skier and enjoys touring farmers markets in the summer.

Rukshika Krishnamoorthy (she / her) is passionate about cultural diversity. She’s observed racism and noted the way it can affect people’s mental health and well-being. She wishes to support people facing racism to help minimize its effects on their mental health and well-being. At school, she’s the president of a cultural club, Zaga-Gon Cultural, which shines light upon diversity and makes space for people to celebrate their cultures. Rukshika’s hobbies include dancing, painting and reading. She also dances a cultural dance called Bharatanatyam and loves to put on mini shows with her siblings.

Sanjeevani Kumar (she / her) is passionate about mental and emotional well-being because of her own mental health challenges and wants to be able to give back and support other youth. She wants young people to be a part of the conversation when it comes to making services for them. Sanjeevani’s work on the Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee (OYEC) and many other youth initiatives led her to being a part of the NYC. Sanjeevani loves art and dance. She’s had art exhibited in Europe and performed a dance called Odissi on Parliament Hill.

Serena Bains (she / her) wants to help address the stigma around mental health and educate others about it because she’s observed the effects of mental health challenges in many ways. Being a person of colour, she’s especially dedicated to enhancing mental health services for people in remote communities and members of equity-deserving groups. A cause that’s important to her as a student athlete is helping to destigmatize mental health care in sports, which she advocates for in her local community. She’s had her art displayed in a gallery and enjoys spending time with friends when she can (when she’s not in the gym or listening to music).

Stevie Lanigan (he / they) is driven by a desire to channel personal experiences into meaningful change. He joined the NYC to help shape Kids Help Phone’s services so that they can offer more support to youth facing interpersonal challenges. Stevie takes initiative to support causes close to his heart and considers his involvement in the NYC as an opportunity to contribute to creating real change. Believing in the importance of prioritizing mental health regardless of age, Stevie is proud to be a part of an organization that places a strong emphasis on this critical aspect of well-being.

Hannan (she / her) is an award-winning policy researcher with a successful track record in citizen engagement and mobilization. As an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta 2019, Hannan studied a dual BA in Psychology and Sociology. Her research explored the importance of understanding the impacts of historical and contemporary oppression and trauma on policy development and decision-making.

Currently, Hannan is a law student at the English Common law faculty. Hannan has advised political parties, consulted organizations and writes about the need for an intersectional and critical race analysis on a freelance basis. She has been elected by her peers to be a board member on the University of Ottawa’s board of governors and has recently also joined the Canadian Council of Muslim Women’s board of directors.

Evelyn Bradley (she / her) is the owner of the diversity, equity and inclusion consulting company Bradley Consulting. She works with non-profits, businesses and universities to develop materials that centre on culturally competent programming. Her passion for food, cultural diversity and the community is rooted in every aspect of her personal identity.

Kafiya Mudey (she / her) was born in Somalia and grew up in Toronto. Kafiya is an activist who organized with Black Lives Matter – Vancouver, created and held events like Know Your Rights, A Night of Black Magic, and March on Pride. Kafiya has also organized with the Hogans Alley Society and held discussions and art tours. Kafiya has a strong interest in advocacy, protection of people’s privacy, rights, the arts and so much more.

Lianne Hannaway (she / her) is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), an experienced financial executive and an investor. Lianne helps first-generation business owners bringing in six figures or more (but not seeing that in their bank account) achieve financial freedom by taking control of their business finances. She is a Board Member and Treasurer at The Equality Fund, a groundbreaking collaboration that supports women’s rights organizations and feminist movements globally with a backing of $300 million from the Canadian government. She is also a board member of Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only 24/7 national support service providing professional online and telephone counselling and volunteer-led, text-based support to youth across Canada in both English and French. Previously, Lianne was an advisory partner at KPMG and held a variety of senior finance roles at TMX Group.

Martha (she / her) is a Black organizer passionate about activism, community empowerment and mental health, especially among the Black community.

Martha is currently based in the Anishinabe / Ottawa region, although her heart is in Tio’tia:ke / Montreal. As a member of the Black Healing Fund, she focuses on translation, finance administration and grant application.

Mdu (he / him) is a current Master of Global Affairs candidate at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. He works at the Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity helping support the creation and enhancement of infrastructure to support black youth pursuing and in the employment space. Outside of school he enjoys reading about finance and economics, and looks to become a strategy consultant in the long-term.

In 2019, Melissa Booker (she / her) completed her MHE at the University of Waterloo, following the completion of her BA in Health Studies at the University of Toronto, St. George campus. To fulfill her graduate requirements, Melissa completed her practicum at the AIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program of Ontario and obtained a teaching assistantship for the Foundations for Program Evaluation course (HLTH614). Her core research interests include: mental health and access to culturally safe care for black and LGBTQ+ populations, as well as HIV and sexual health care epidemiology.

Melissa’s undergraduate research focused on the barriers to the utilization of sexual health care services faced by women who have sex with women living in Canada. She then began working as a research assistant at St. Michael’s hospital with the Centre for Global Health Research, supporting large-scale epidemiological studies that aimed to prevent mortality and improve health outcomes in lower and middle-income countries. Today, she continues to strengthen her research skills and demonstrate her commitment to health equity and social justice by volunteering at CANVAS Arts Action Programs, an arts-based not-for-profit organization that promotes the unlearning of gender-based violence, sexual violence, homophobia and transphobia.

Neyna (he / him) was born in Ghana and raised in Toronto where he currently resides. He is a Consultative Digital Media Professional with 10+ years of experience within Advertising and Media industries – including Rogers Sports & Media, St. Joseph Media and now currently at Spotify, to name a few. His areas of expertise include strategic media consultation, identifying revenue upselling opportunities, cultivating key relationships and growing an organization through new business development. As a young Black man having worked in corporate for most of his career, Neyna is fully aware of the lack of Black representation within the corporate environment, specifically within leadership positions at Advertising and Media companies. As a leader, mentorship is a key focus area for Neyna. He’s helped out numerous BIPOC folks who’ve reached out to him as they navigate their own careers around Advertising and Media. His hope is to one day see more diverse representation across the Director-level roles and above within corporate organizations.

Tee Garnett (they / them) has been developing equity and inclusion-based services with marginalized communities and programs for over two decades. Tee’s roles have all been in support of bringing attention to inherent systemic barriers. Tee’s work as a senior executive provides the expertise required when supporting leaders in change management, yet their genuine openness invites anyone to be comfortable and feel included and belonging. Tee is committed to offering transformational equity, which involves providing the psycho-educational cognitive support to leaders who are interested in creating more equitable and safer workplaces.

While completing her Psychology Degree at the University of Windsor, Tyjondah started her career in gaming in 1994 with Casino Windsor. She began working for OLG in 1999 and has held management positions at OLG Slots at Mohawk Racetrack and OLG Slots at Woodbine Racetrack. During her 20+ years with OLG, Tyjondah has had progressive leadership roles.

She is currently the Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion within People and Culture. She oversees OLG’s Diversity & Inclusion Council and other Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Tyjondah is accountable for the Equity Diversity and Inclusion strategy for the organization and helps to create a sense of belonging for OLG’s employees.

In 2019, Tyjondah received the Vaike Murusalu Empowerment Award at OLG. Her dedication for leadership and empowering people to reach their goals has been her driving force with every position she undertakes.

In 2020, Tyjondah became one of Canada’s 100 Accomplished Black Women by 100ABCwomen authored by the Honourable Jean Augustine.

Tyjondah is a married mother of two and resides in Brampton, Ontario.

Winjoy Nyariaki Tiop (she / her) was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to South-Sudanese and Kenyan parents. At five years of age, her family immigrated to Canada. Currently, she is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Chemistry with a minor in Computer Science at the University of Calgary.

Winjoy is an active member of her community. She currently volunteers with The Football Hockey Link (FHL), the South Sudanese Youth of Canada (SSYC), Centre for Newcomers and is the founder of Golden Mti. The FHL supports new Canadian youth using sports as a tool to assist in integrating a sense of belonging and leadership development. SSYC is an organization that connects South Sudanese youth across Canada to support a holistic integration in their local communities while creating a strong base of youth leaders. The group has organized and executed a series of nationwide conferences in multiple provinces for the South Sudanese Youth. Winjoy is involved in community research for the Centre for Newcomers, specifically, their Regional 5-year initiative aiming to standardize the coordination of newcomer youth settlement services. Lastly, Golden Mti attempts to address barriers to post-secondary education for BIPOC children by equipping youth with resources to succeed through professional tutors, workshops and mentorship.

Being a first-generation immigrant that arrived in Canada as a refugee, Winjoy understands the significance of having services available to youth. As a result, she is committed to helping fill gaps she has seen.