Team & Supporters
The Team
Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Y4Y Québec?
Meet our incredible team of movers and shakers!
Adrienne Winrow
Executive Director
A graduate of Concordia Political Science, Adrienne Winrow, Director of Y4Y, has been working in community outreach, volunteerism and non-profit organisations for many years. Her involvement in municipal politics led to her acceptance into the Cité Elles conference of 2017, an invaluable experience for young women who wish to know more about the intricacies of the political landscape in Québec, and use that knowledge to become leaders in their communities. A strong believer in continuing education, Adrienne recently attended the Workshops on Social Science Research at Concordia University, where she engaged with both youth and prominent Canadian leaders to discuss how current political realities intertwine with Canadian history, and affect citizens in their daily lives. As a parent, her commitment to ensuring positive outcomes for youth is absolute. As the Director of Y4Y, she is dedicated to the growth and success of the organisation, as it strives to support English-speaking youth across the Province.
Alexandre Pettem
(He/Him)
Director of Policy
Raised by a French-speaking mother and an English-speaking father, Alexandre has been navigating Québec’s two official language communities his entire life. He completed his BA in English at McGill University, then his MA in French at l'Université de Montréal, both in Political Science. As Director of Policy at Y4Y Québec, Alexandre wants to share his passion for civic engagement with the next generation, and make sure their voices are heard by those in positions of power.
Maria Mahdessian
(She/Her)
Director of Communications
Maria is a sucker for visual communication and tends to have an eagle eye for details. She received her MA in Design Research from Bern University of the Arts in Switzerland and her BFA in Design from Concordia University in Montréal. She is interested in using her creativity, design, and communications expertise to give voice to individuals, who feel left out of society, and to raise awareness on topics of disparities in rights, basic needs, and vulnerabilities. Born in Montréal and raised in Beirut with an English-educational background Maria recognises the challenges English-speakers face while living in Québec.
Isabella Giosi
(She/Her)
Volunteer Coordinator
Isabella is currently a student at Concordia University in the Early Childhood Elementary Education program. With aspirations of becoming a teacher, Isabella has always taken an interest in helping others and joining non-profit and governmental organisations. Her previous experiences include her presidency of the Vanier College Student Association as well as being a volunteer here at Y4Y. In her spare time, Isabella enjoys spending time with her big Italian family, playing soccer and baking. She hopes to help the community in any way she can here at Y4Y.
Adrian Smith
(He/Him)
Project Coordinator
Adrian is proud to be taking on the Leaders of Tomorrow project at Y4Y. Coming to Y4Y from a Director of Operations position, he facilitated team building and leadership programming for youth across Québec. Adrian has also been working in the community theatre scene since 2016 and is currently directing a musical in the Broadway and Beyond program at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. In this capacity, Adrian has built a strong working philosophy of compassion and student-led learning. He loves working in a collaborative space with young people as they explore their skills, passions, and interests.
Cecilia Eraso
(She/Her)
Grant Writer
Cecilia is passionate about supporting youth and community organisations in Québec. With experience as a Project Coordinator and Event Planner, she's eager to put her writing skills to the test at Y4Y Québec. She graduated with a B.A in Political Science with a focus on Latin American politics, which included research on human rights and marginalised communities. Her academic formation and research group participation, equipped her with the necessary tools to contribute to revitalisation efforts. She looks forward to contributing to community development by working in the grant application process.
Arielle Rakoto Rina
(She/Her)
Project Coordinator
Born in Madagascar and raised in Montréal, Arielle embodies the spirit of adaptation. She holds a degree in Communication Studies with a specialisation in sound recording from Concordia University, complemented by a minor in Women & Gender Studies. With a passion for community engagement, music, languages, and diversity, Arielle found her calling at Y4Y, seeing it as the perfect platform to merge her interests. Her dedication to fostering inclusive environments and her love for music drive her aspirations to build a career centred around both community work and music. At Y4Y, Arielle aims to use her diverse background and skills to contribute meaningfully to the community and create positive change. She is committed to making a lasting impact through her work and looks forward to connecting with individuals from all walks of life.
Samantha Restall
(She/Her)
Communications Assistant & Project Coordinator
Sam completed her B.A. in Honour’s sociology with a concentration in Gender, Diversity & Equity studies, along with a minor in psychology at Bishop’s University. She brings to the team a heightened understanding of social problems with a focus on community building, accessibility, and inclusivity from her experience in the non-profit sector. She is driven to always keep learning, and enjoys exchanging and analysing ideas. As part of the communications team, she aims to build bridges for discussion and meaningful connections among youth from across the province.
Freya Wilson
(She/Her)
Communications Assistant & Project Coordinator
Growing up in London, Freya graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a honours degree in French and History, specifically centred around interdisciplinary research on gender, sex and sexuality. Outside of her studies, she loved getting involved in student societies, charity fundraising and volunteering, including working on projects that promoted learning French as a second language. As the former President of the University of Edinburgh’s French-language theatre society, Les Escogriffes, Freya is passionate about the importance of creativity and collaboration when learning and developing new skills. Excited about her next chapter in life here in Montréal, Freya hopes to continue to inspire English-speaking people in their French-learning journey.
The Board of Directors
Sufia Langevin
President
Sufia was born and raised in the West Island of Montréal and spent five years in the Eastern Townships achieving her Bachelors of Arts in Educational Studies and Social Studies from Bishop’s University. A recipient of the 3M National Student Fellowship for Leadership and Innovation, she volunteers with the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, creating space for student voices. An avid researcher, she has presented at multiple conferences and holds a Jarislowsky Postgraduate Research Fellowship, engaging in projects focussed on re-wiring systems for human flourishing. She has a strong passion for community-building practices and creating spaces that cultivate joy while empowering others. Outside of volunteering and work she can be found reading, experiencing nature, and laughing.
Michael Lecchino
Vice President
Michael Lecchino is a quadrilingual student from Montréal, Québec. He currently works for Parks Canada and volunteers as the president of his borough’s youth council. He was recently selected to represent Canadian youth as an Official Delegate and Communications Coordinator at the 2022 G7 Youth Summit (Y7) in Berlin, Germany. Passionate about youth advocacy, Michael is excited to address pressing issues and strategize possible solutions to ensure the future wellbeing of youth across Québec.
Hayley Campbell
Secretary
Hayley is a graduate of the business administration program at Bishop's University and is a member of the board of directors for Youth for Youth Québec. She has a strong sense of belonging to her community and hopes that with this group, other English-speaking youth will feel more engaged with Québec Society. She is involved with the Pontiac Agricultural Society and Alpha Phi. She was previously the Ambassador of the Shawville Fair. In 2018, Hayley was honored with the QCGN Young Québecers Leading the Way award for her extensive record of community service.
Caleb Owusu-Acheaw
Treasurer
Caleb is currently a graduate student at the University of Ottawa in Public Administration. A born and raised Montréaler, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University in Political Science and Economics. His community and political involvement started at Vanier College as the treasurer of the CEGEP student association, held a few executive positions at undergraduate associations then with the Commission-Jeunesse du Parti libéral du Québec as a regional president. Although brief, Caleb has worked for various parts of the civil service such as Canada Border Services Agency and the Library of Parliament. He remains active with his ethnic Ghanaian Presbyterian church in Montréal as an administrative assistant. His interests include reading, writing, playing soccer and basketball, sustainable development, constitutional law and has recently taken up jogging. Caleb is proficient in English and French and comfortable in the Twi language. His desire to get involved with Y4Y comes with wanting to make young Anglophone Québecers feel welcome at home in the province while encouraging bilingualism in their lives.
Benjamin-Taylor Sauvé
Director
Benjamin is an undergraduate student majoring in History and Geography. Along with his studies in these subjects, he is also active in student governance and organising. Currently, he is the VP of Finance for McGill’s Borderless World Volunteers. He is also a former Dawson Foundation Board Member and former VP of Finance for the Dawson Student Union. In Dawson College, he studied international development, giving him the opportunity to go on a solidarity trip to Cuba. In his spare time, he likes to cook, read, volunteer, and make educational content for YouTube. As someone from a French Quebecois family who has mostly gone to English schools, joining Y4Y is the culmination of formative years and useful experiences.
Julia Tesolin
Director
Julia is a doctoral student in Human Development at McGill University. She holds an M.A. in Child Studies from Concordia University, where her research focused on gender role socialisation in childhood and the impact of gender stereotypes. Her dedication to inclusive and supportive youth programming extends beyond academia: Julia has worked with the Social Collective, a non-profit organisation, developing sexual violence prevention programs for student communities and higher education institutions. Through her current research, Julia seeks to promote gender diversity acceptance and mental well-being among English-speaking adolescents in Québec, particularly through Social- Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives. Julia aspires to bring her expertise to the Québec Ministry of Education to influence policies that reflect these values.
Joanna Kanga
Director
Joanna holds a bachelor’s in political science and double minor in Economics and International Development from McGill University. Her public service and community involvement started early as a political volunteer and constituency youth council member. She is a former outreach and event coordinator of Black Girls Gather, an initiative she had recently launched with a group of dynamic Black women, in partnership with the West Island Black Community Association, designed to be a safe space for Montréal Black girls' empowerment through literature. Her desire to get involved with Y4Y comes from a passion for public service and a desire as a bilingual francophone to strengthen the bridge between the English and French speaking communities across Québec.
Alicia Buffit
Director
Alicia is an Anglophone from the Côte Nord Region. Originally from the Lower North Shore, Alicia has been living in Sept-Îles for 18 years. She is passionate about all things youth mental health, and has been an advocate for the English community since she was a teen. She is currently employed at the North Shore Community Association as the Projects Coordinator for the Youth Mental Health Initiative, and many other projects. She hopes to bring the realities of the isolated eastern Quebecers to the Y4Y and continue to bring awareness of English speakers across her region!
Latesha Fequet
Director
Latesha is an Anglophone from the Lower North Shore of Québec. She ventured to Edmonton, Alberta to complete a Social Work Degree at MacEwan University but since has moved back to the Lower North Shore. She is passionate about mental health and hopes to bring more resources and information to the community and youth of the Lower North Shore. In her current role as the Senior Manager of Mental Health at the Coasters Association, she is able to further pursue her passions. As a mom of 2, Latesha is committed to supporting the growth of the region and providing avenues for youth to express themselves and become leaders in their communities.
Mary Lynne Loftus
Director
Born and raised in Montréal in a multicultural family, Mary Lynne was raised with a deep love for the city’s multiculturalism. During CEGEP, she had the opportunity to attend Bishop’s Forum and her connection with other passionate English-speaking youth motivated her to become further involved in her community. Mary Lynne served as a Daughters of the Vote delegate in 2021 and represented Canadian youth at the UN Commission on the Status of Women’s 65th session. Mary Lynne holds a BA from McGill University in Political Science and Communication Studies and an MPP from University College Dublin with a specialisation in Citizenship, Rights & Policy. Mary Lynne is currently a Consultant in Deloitte Canada’s Human Capital Workforce Transformation practice, and she volunteers with the firm’s Community Advisory Projects, which provides pro bono consulting to non-profit organisations.
Kenneth Clarence
Volunteer at Y4Y & ROC member
Kenneth is a second-year student at Dawson College in the Law, Society, and Justice profile. Driven by a strong commitment to public service, Kenneth has consistently sought ways to contribute to his community. His drive to contribute led him to run for and win the presidency of the Dawson Student Union, as well as being chosen as the Local Youth Ambassador for the Montréal region. In his free time, he volunteers for his borough’s youth council and enjoys watching documentaries. These experiences motivate him to one day secure a position in the government, where he can challenge the status quo and advocate for the marginalised.
Funders
We would like to thank our funders for their generous contributions to Y4Y Québec.
Without them, our work would not be possible.
