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MISSION

CityHive’s mission is to transform the way young people shape their cities and the civic processes that engage them.

VISION

We envision cities where youth are actively involved in civic planning, shaping, and decision-making. A youth-engaged city is a resilient, sustainable, and livable city—not only for young people, but for all current and future generations.

Click here to read our 2022-2024 Strategic Plan.

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Our vision connects to the work that we do, where we envision:

Each city has its own unique program or hub to engage youth that live there to learn about how cities work, become directly engaged in city shaping processes
Decision making process are designed in a way where youth participation is sought, and youth are seen as experts in their own lived experience
Complex issues are tackled in a way that actively includes youth’s perspectives
Youth are more committed, excited and knowledgeable to continue to participate in shaping their cities over their lifetimes, because they got a taste of what it feels like to be engaged meaningfully and shape a process, decision or outcome

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OUR STORY

Growing up on Coast Salish territories in Vancouver, Tessica and Veronika met each other during the TREK Outdoor Education Program and found themselves continually challenging norms. Whether they attended a town hall meeting or started initiatives advocating for sustainability, they noticed that political leaders and decision-makers were not seeking out or valuing the input of youth. Their peers weren’t at municipal open houses, they weren’t invited to speak on important issues, and they weren’t being consulted on issues that affected them. They started to question:

Why aren’t young people engaged in civic processes?
What would our communities, decisions and cities look like if we meaningfully included youth and young people?
What tools, knowledge, opportunities and connection are young people missing to be engaged in civic processes?

And so the vision for CityHive was born.

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In its first year, in partnership with YouthfulCities, CityHive developed and hosted their first 30Network. This cohort program brought together thirty young people under thirty to explore and develop projects to address various social issues. The first 30Network explored the topic of housing and affordability, followed by a spring 2018 program that delved into civic engagement. The 30Network became a model for their rapidly expanding innovation labs and cohort programs more broadly ,which now include the Envirolab, City Shapers, multiple civic education programs in collaboration with municipalities such as the North Shore Young Citizens’ Forum and New West Cities 101. Over the years, CityHive has also delivered dozens of workshops on best practices for youth engagement, facilitated processes that have engaged youth, and created a bustling, strong community of youth across Metro Vancouver.

Less than a year after its founding, Veronika and Tessica won the Emergent Leaders Award from the Real Estate Foundation of BC:

Since its humble (and bold) beginnings, the CityHive team has grown and changed but continues to work diligently with institutions and youth to tackle some of our most pressing and complex urban issues.

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OUR TEAM

ROWAN GENTLEMAN-SYLVESTER

Executive Director

Biography

Rowan (she/her) is an experienced convenor, educator, and engagement practitioner, and has a deep passion for democracy in action. As a settler who has spent her life on Coast Salish lands, Rowan strives to bring a critical lens to the roles of power, privilege and place in shaping our communities.

Transitioning into the Executive Director role in 2023, Rowan built upon her prior experience at CityHive, where she spearheaded various youth-centered initiatives across Metro Vancouver. Her leadership has been instrumental in projects intersecting civic engagement and climate advocacy, such as Transport2050, BC Hydro’s Clean Power 2040, and CleanBC. Rowan has also designed and delivered many youth programs like City Shapers, the North Shore Young Civic Forum, and the Elections Ambassadors. Recently, she co-chaired IAP2 Canada’s Young Professionals’ Community of Practice.

With a profound interest in experiential education, civic engagement, and place-based climate action, Rowan has extensively researched the involvement of youth (ages 13-30) in democratic processes, exploring the balance between activism and voter turnout. She finds inspiration in witnessing the innovative ways young people contribute to their communities and tackle complex challenges head-on.

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MILEY LEONG

Engagement Consulting Manager

Biography

Miley Leong 梁伟祺 (she/hers) is a facilitator, strategic thinker, and community builder. Miley is a Hakka Chinese immigrant-settler from Malaysia living on unceded, stolen Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh homelands. She thrives when she’s able to apply creativity and strategy to support meaningful social transformation work.

With a degree specializing in Organizational Change and Consulting, and Gender, Race, and Social Justice from UBC, she is interested in re-imagining the ways that people and spaces are organized. Miley believes in meeting people where they’re at while holding a sharp analysis on systems and the ways we interact with power.
From critical youth engagement at Apathy is Boring and Vancouver Foundation, provincial policy and public engagement with BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, transformative consulting with Bakau Consulting, and transformative accountability processes at Salal Sexual Assault Support Centre (previously known as WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre), Miley has a wide range of experience leading values-oriented work. She is personally and professionally committed to centering collective liberation and working in service of communities she’s a part of as well as communities she seeks to be in right relationship with.

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JOANNE NELLAS

Programs Manager

Biography

Joanne is committed to uplifting the voices of underrepresented groups through meaningful, inclusive and intentional engagement. She strives for an equitable and just city where all people feel empowered and equipped to lead positive changes in their communities. Joanne has a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from UBC with a concentrated focus on planning for equity-seeking communities, and a Bachelors in Environment from SFU. Merging her two passions and knowledge, Joanne feels most energized when working within the intersection of climate action and the needs and interests of marginalized communities. She has worked on engagement projects and research with various organizations on municipality-level climate justice, urban and rural Indigenous housing, homelessness action, equitable transportation, civic engagement for racialized groups, and more. To recharge, Joanne loves being a tourist in her own city, volunteering, and trying new things.

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DIMPLE / NHYLAR T.

Communications & Development Manager

Biography

Nhylar/Dimple (she/they/he) is a queer GNC storyteller, media artist, community builder born in India, and a recent settler on MST territories. They are an experienced marketing content manager with a passion for creating engaging digital experiences for diverse communities. From marketing and communications at Indian Summer Festival, Vancouver Short Film Festival, she has a proven track record of growing social media audiences, project management community nourishment, and engagement. Craving the deliciousness of building inclusive non-binary, femme and QTBIPOC space, they founded Queer Art Exchange: an event series for the QTBIPOC community. He also became a collaborator as an event producer and community builder with Vancouver Pride Society, Creative BC, Sher Vancouver, Queer Arts Festival and Transgender Expressions Haven. For Nhylar, they were inspired by the epiphany that a single piece of media, or the gathering of the 2SLGBTQ+ community from a deep place of genuine inclusion, can change your core belief about something and make us see the world anew. His work has been published in Gaysi, BrownGirl Mag, Queer Toronto Mag, Queerly Collective, Bloom, Perennial Press, Lesbians are Miracles, In Plain Speak among others.

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MARLEE POOLE

Operations Manager

Biography

Marlee (they/them) is a Two-Spirit Métis and mixed-European youth, born in northern Manitoba near Athapa’puskow Saka’higan (“rock on both sides of the lake”) and later raised in their ancestral homeland, the Selkirk area of the Red River Métis community. Since 2013, they have lived on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations.
A proud policy nerd with a background in urban Indigenous health, Marlee is driven to explore the ongoing relationships between colonialism, capitalism, city planning, and community wellness. In their previous work at Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society, Marlee developed policy frameworks for revitalizing Indigenous health systems and practices in urban health care settings. Marlee is a member of the grassroots Métis youth collective Red River Echoes, has previously sat on the City of Vancouver’s Urban Indigenous Peoples’ Advisory Committee, and has advised on urban and Métis-specific UNDRIP implementation at local and regional levels.
In addition to their lived and work experiences, Marlee holds a Certificate in Indigenous Health Administration and Leadership (UBC, 2022), a Master of Public Policy and Administration (Adler University, 2021), and a B.A. in Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice (UBC, 2017). Out of office, you may find Marlee at a flea market, bookstore, or sushi spot in East Van.

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OLIVIA SHAW

CityShapers in Schools
Team Lead

Biography

Olivia is a passionate facilitator and curriculum designer who places equity, authenticity, creativity, and care at the heart of her practice. She holds a BSc. from UBC in food system sustainability and is a BC certified Teacher with experience leading inclusive arts-based and place-based educational programming for students with diverse needs both internationally, in Singapore and Grenoble, and locally, across 2 Metro Vancouver school districts. She has created and facilitated programming for the Museum of Anthropology and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and is leading CityHive’s classroom-based civic education program after having engaged over 1000 students durings a very successful pilot year.

Olivia is extremely excited by the transformative possibilities CityHive’s programming can offer youth when done through a collaborative and decolonial lens in consultation with community partners, stakeholders, and knowledge-keepers. When not on the job, Olivia can be found organizing or attending local music shows or exploring the landscape and foodscape of the city on foot or by bike.

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AAYUSH SHARMA

Workshops Coordinator

Biography

Aayush is an experienced facilitator, workshop designer, and health researcher. He holds a Master of Science degree in Health Science and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Science from Simon Fraser University. He was also a graduate fellow with the Community-engaged Research Initiative at SFU and acquired research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in Canada for his Master of Science work. Aayush is committed to empowering and amplifying the voices of equity-denied groups and advancing health and social equity. Aayush’s interests lie at the intersections of health and the built environment. His thesis was about 15-minute neighbourhoods, where Aayush mapped access to amenities, facilitated focus groups with equity-denied groups, and then redid the maps based on community feedback. Aayush has experience working with cities, community organizations, and researchers in various research and municipal projects in his time with the Cities, Health, and Active Transportation Research lab and the Research and Action for Health Cities lab at SFU. When he is not working, Aayush enjoys watching and playing soccer and going on hikes with his friends and family.

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VICKY KIM

BIPOC Mentorship Program Coordinator

Biography

Vicky is a first generation Korean immigrant-settler, living on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Human Geography, and Sustainable Food Systems from UBC, and is deeply passionate about fostering community and accessible knowledge-to-action pathways through a justice- and care-centred lens, especially for equity-seeking groups in our cities.
Combined with her academic background, Vicky’s lived experiences and diverse work experiences in academia, industry, and non-profit sectors have led her to advocate for underrepresented youth voices in numerous capacities. She has mobilized youth social action through co-founding ReImagine17, researched just emergency preparedness for post-secondary students, and worked at the intersections of science and engagement by creating accessible workshops on climate and environment for students of all backgrounds.
When resting, Vicky loves to go for walks with a camera in hand, enjoy a warm cup of coffee, and play and watch basketball.

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ANJALI CARTER-RAU

ClimateWorks Lab Coordinator

Biography

Anjali (she/her) grew up in a political, multiracial household on the stolen lands of the Maara’yam (Serrano) people in Southern California. Her teachings from a young age included conversations about colonization and the need to build a just world, ultimately laying the foundation for the work she has been doing on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations for the past 6 years. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from UBC, with a focus on International Economy and Development.
Anjali has been involved with the labor movement in multiple roles, including organizing, bargaining, and stewarding. She has worked with the Youth Climate Corps as an organizer and Youth Committee member, and is passionate about green jobs, a Just Transition, and youth voices being uplifted at all levels of government and leadership. Having seen the way in which social determinants of health impact marginalized communities, fostering care and community are integral to Anjali’s holistic vision for change. When not working, Anjali loves to be outdoors (swimming, biking, running), watching/playing soccer, or reading!

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MIU HU

CityShapers Program Assistant

Biography

Miu (she/her) was born and raised on the stolen ancestral and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Her mixed Japanese and Hakka-Taiwanese background led her to study International Relations at the University of Toronto, where she was a strong advocate for youth civic engagement and empowerment initiatives. Miu enjoys studying the diverse cities around the world and believes that Metro Vancouver’s innovative policies can be bettered by youth-led decision making. When not on the job, Miu can be found at a yoga studio or at your local thrift store.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MARIA MONTENEGRO

Biography

Maria is a Leader of Evaluation and Strategy at the Virtual Health Department in Fraser Health Authority and is an independent evaluation consultant. Through her evaluation practice and volunteer activities, Maria has been involved with several non-profits working in immigration and settlement, gender equity, youth engagement and others. Maria is also the Chair and co-founder of EvalYouth North America, a network that promotes engagement of youth in evaluation processes. She participated in CityHive’s City Shapers program shortly after moving to Vancouver from Alberta and this experience helped her navigate moving to a new city and engaging with her community. After contributing as a CHYA member and supporting CityHive’s events over the past few years, she is excited to become more involved as a Board Member.

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ANNIE LAI

Biography

Annie Lai is currently a Manager, Human Resources at UBC. Through her progressive HR career in both the private and public sectors, Annie has been recognized as a proactive HR business partner to collaborate with leaders and align people and culture strategies with organizational results. Committed to community leadership in the areas of youth and early career leadership development programs, Annie previously co-chaired the YWCA Metro Vancouver Youth Advisory Council and served on various advisory councils including the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and CPHR BC & Yukon. Annie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from UBC, and looks forward to bringing her unique blend of HR professional expertise and youth development advisory experience to CityHive.

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YASH MEHTA

Biography

Yash is a social impact professional passionate about empowering individuals and organizations to reach their full potential. He currently serves as a Manager at the LEAP Pecaut Centre for Social Impact, where he provides strategic support to social purpose organizations striving to improve public health outcomes and women’s economic well-being. Yash holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University and has prior experience in investment research. In addition to his role at LEAP, Yash coaches non-profit executives on revenue diversification strategies to help them achieve financial sustainability. He hopes to leverage his experience to help CityHive scale its impact.

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MOLLY HENRY

Biography

Molly is passionate about building democratic processes and public policies that are shaped by and reflective of the people they serve. She thrives on connecting people and ideas and working with others to make systems-level change. Molly holds a master’s degree from the Simon Fraser University School of Public Policy and has worked as a communications and policy strategist on environmental and political campaigns. As Ministerial Advisor to BC’s Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Molly worked on initiatives such as the provincial housing plan, the introduction of gender-based analysis into government, and the province’s annual budget. She has also served as the Policy and Engagement Specialist in the Vancouver Mayor’s Office. She currently works at Vancity developing and implementing the credit union’s public policy advocacy strategy.

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ELDON CHANG, CPA

Biography

Eldon was born and raised in Vancouver, BC, on the
unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam),
Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh
(Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. He is a designated Chartered
Professional Accountant (CPA), and has a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Queen’s University.
Eldon brings 8 years of experience working with a variety
of entrepreneurs, private corporations, and not-for-profit
organizations. He currently works at the professional
services firm, MNP LLP, as an Audit and Assurance
Manager in the Private Enterprise Services practice.
Previously, he worked as a Senior Associate at the
consulting firm, Westcoast Actuaries Inc., consulting small
business owners in pension and retirement planning.

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IAN MOORE

Biography

Ian Moore is a law reform-oriented lawyer with a passion for helping redesign and decolonize legal and governance structures to align with the needs of both communities and Nature. He operates a sole-practice law firm that provides ecologically-focused legal services to clients throughout British Columbia in the areas of local government law, Aboriginal law, non-profit and business law, and environmental law. He also works as the Canada Lead for Earth Law Center, an international organization focused on building up and strengthening ecocentric legal systems. Ian was born and raised within a settler family in amiskwaciy-wâskahikan (Edmonton, AB), in Treaty 6 territory. He now lives and works in Vancouver, BC, on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

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MICHAEL VENIEZ

Biography

Michael is a research generalist, passionate about breaking down the knowledge barriers that exist to further a sustainable future. He works at the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE), a non-profit that mobilizes investors to build a sustainable, inclusive, and productive economy. In his current role as Research Officer, Michael works with some of Canada’s largest pension funds to help chart a path for Net-Zero emissions by 2050. He is excited about the opportunity to help CityHive equip Canadian youth with the tools necessary to mobilize towards creating more equitable and sustainable communities.

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ZOEY LI

Biography

Zoey is a first-generation immigrant who now lives on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She consults nonprofit and government organizations on inclusive services for all community members so that everyone can easily access essential services that we otherwise take for granted. Zoey currently works as a Service Designer, consulting the government on staff processes and tools with a human-centred design lens to better service Canadians, and is a usability consultant with IncluCity, an organization that conducts usability testing with diverse public members for nonprofits, educational institutions, and government, to ensure their technology works for everyone.

With a goal in mind to amplify the voices of the community so that nobody is left behind, she aims to contribute to building an equitable and just society. Zoey studied management information systems at Simon Fraser University. Through her educational experience, she was involved with unforgettable programs similar to the programs offered at CityHive and feels immense value in equipping the next generation with the tools, knowledge, and skills to take meaningful action. Zoey hopes that within her role, she can further the organization’s ability to build capacity for youth to shape the future of their city.

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ISMAIL ASKIN

Biography

Ismail Askin (he/them) is a settler of Turkish/Mexican descent living on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. He works as the Community Engagement Coordinator with the Worker Solidarity Network and is also the Equity Chair of his municipal party in Vancouver and involved in organizing for provincial and federal politics. He got his start in the world of changemaking through a CityHive cohort program, and since then has worked to stay involved via the CityHive Youth Advisory Committee and in other capacities to ensure CityHive can continue to open doors for young people the same way it opened them for him. He wishes to join the Board as, having been a cohort member, project partner, observer, and a member of other boards, he believes this is the next natural step for him to utilize his skills and experience to support CityHive.

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ZARIA ALIBHAI

Biography

Zaria is a public engagement practitioner with a passion for building meaningful relationships and fostering inclusive dialogue. Through her experience working in the field of community engagement, she has developed an appreciation for the importance of building trust, and finding common ground as a path forward for decision making. A long-time community volunteer, Zaria commitment to service is rooted in the understanding that all people share a common humanity. Her volunteer work embodies the ethics of inclusiveness, compassion, and personal responsibility for the betterment of the communities and societies in which we live. Working in local government, Zaria’s experiences navigating the municipal government system have highlighted the barriers that society has constructed for young people seeking to find place and influence their communities. Eager to guide CityHive’s growth, Zaria aims to contribute her expertise in public engagement and her passion for community impact to the organization’s long-term success.

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CITYHIVE YOUTH ADVISORY

CARLOS LOPEZ SANDOVAL

Biography

Carlos is passionate about entrepreneurship and social impact. His trajectory involves over six years of experience in entrepreneurial support, project management, marketing, business development, and business education in the non-profit and private sectors. In Canada, he has worked with Spring identifying and nurturing values-aligned partnerships to support its impact-focused business incubator and with Small Business BC developing initiatives to connect the small business community in the province. Back in his home country of El Salvador, he led a social impact initiative aimed at developing soft skills in high school students through an experiential 12-week curriculum in entrepreneurship. He was also involved in politics and civic engagement initiatives. Carlos holds an MBA from SFU Beedie School of Business and a double degree in International Business and Marketing from John Brown University.

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ELIZABETH (TUMI) FABIYI

Biography

Tumi is in her first year of engineering at the University of British Columbia and has always been deeply driven by a love for leadership, problem-solving, and social consciousness. Throughout her schooling, she actively sought opportunities to delve into the world of tech while championing inclusivity and equity in her community. Passionate about making a difference, Tumi seamlessly combined her love for technology with a commitment to community service. In high school, she dedicated over 1500 volunteer hours to her local Food Bank, Library, and church, and notably founded a volunteer society that organized impactful initiatives, including donations of food and jackets to those in need in the winter. Tumi’s commitment to impactful work in the tech sector is evident in her previous role as a Data Science and SWE Intern at EHS Analytics. Here, she revitalized legacy codebases and designed accessibility-focused dashboards. Her belief in the transformative potential of science and technology motivates her to contribute to a fairer society through community-focused initiatives. Tumi is inspired by the power of creativity and technology to shape a better future and is excited to leverage her experience to serve youth in Vancouver.

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EMILY ČERVENKA

Biography

Emily Cervenka is a dedicated advocate for environmental sustainability and has pursued this passion in many ways throughout different stages in her life. She holds a Master’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology, where she used bacteria to make bioplastic out of CO2 in an effort to help fight the plastics crisis. While in university, she co-founded a grassroots youth climate organization that successfully worked with academics, advocates, and politicians to improve the city of Kingstons’s climate action plan. Today, she works as a junior researcher in a consulting firm that works with Indigenous groups to problem-solve and negotiate for better agreements with governments and big companies. In her free time, you can find her taking pictures, cycling, climbing, or reading a good book.

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ERI ACORN

Biography

Eri Acorn who was born in Hiroshima, Japan learned a lot from her childhood about the tragedy of the A-bombing from the survivors.
She started her career as a pharmacist after completing a six-year pharmacy course at a Japanese university. Her seven-year career in Japan includes a managing pharmacist at several pharmacies, a staff at holiday emergency health care for the health board of local government and a Drug Control Officer at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
She got married her Japanese wife in Vancouver in 2019 found it’s difficult for a lesbian couple to live in Japan where LGBTQAI2+ and women are discriminated against. Therefore, Eri and her wife are currently applying for refugee claim as a rainbow refugee.
Since coming to Canada, she is joining “I Belong” program as an LGBTQAI2+ and learning about JEDI as a cohort 2 in the “SCOPE” program at MOSAIC. She also has many relationships through the English Corner at the community center with immigrant communities and the Canadians who support newcomers.
Eri aspires to use her lived experience to make helping vulnerable people her life’s work. She will start her career in Canada from this position at CityHive.

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EUREKA LIU

Biography

Eureka Liu (she/her) is a Taiwanese-Canadian student passionate about mental health advocacy, getting youth involved with civic engagement, and amplifying the voices of disadvantaged youth.

Eureka plans on pursuing post-secondary studies in health science-related fields, while furthering her work in various organizations and continuing her personal pursuits in advocacy. She currently serves on the Mood Disorders Society of Canada’s Youth Advisory Council as a core council member, is an ambassador for Anxiety Canada, and leads the Surrey Youth Newcomer Council. Her experience with leading multiple projects and events dedicated to raising money and awareness for mental illnesses among youth, and the challenges that newcomer youth encounter, has helped her gain insight into the different ways to address these issues and make existing services more accessible for youth.

As a student who enjoys studying biological sciences and is determined to make the healthcare system more accessible, Eureka spends her free time conducting research in labs that examine the illnesses and health issues that many Canadians face, while helping to find new solutions to treat these diseases. She is also involved with projects that focus on making healthcare treatments more youth-friendly, such as collaborating with Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP) to create a procedural pain management toolkit for healthcare professionals across the country to use when working with children.

Additionally, Eureka wants to start her journey in ocean conservation and create more sustainable solutions for environmental issues. She also likes creating and performing art, participating in physical activities, reading, and having philosophical discussions.

She is excited to join the CHYA and work with other members to address the issues that she is passionate about, while learning from diverse perspectives.

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GALA MUNOZ-CARRIER

Biography

Gala Munoz-Carrier is a white, queer settler on the stolen lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Wautuh peoples. They are passionate about community collaboration that is just, creative and accessible. They hold the firm belief that true sustainability can only be achieved if no one is left out of the conversation. They strive to work alongside their inspiring youth peers to co-create the future we all deserve to have.

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HADIA SAMIM

Biography

Hadia Samim (she/her) is a first generation Afghan-Canadian passionate about community development and dedicated to serving disadvantaged populations particularly refugees, women and youth.

Hadia has extensive experience working in both the public & private sectors with focus on managing initiatives encompassing public affairs, development, impact, and settlement. She has worked with international organizations such as the UNHCR and UNICEF to coordinate complex emergency relief efforts in conflict zones. Additionally, she has been involved in various Canadian Federal initiatives to assist with governmental efforts in facilitating the arrival of immigrants, providing protection to refugees, and establishing settlement programs for newcomers in Canada.

More recently, Hadia has been working with the World Bank Group to represent Canadian youth and make policy recommendations for development challenges. She currently works for a leading Tech company managing partnerships and ventures encompassing areas of Environment, Social and Governance.

Through her non-profit organization, BC4Afghans Community Services, Hadia and her team supports the settlement and integration of refugees in BC. To date, BC4Afghans have supported over 800 refugees.

Hadia holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Global Health & Policy from SFU specializing in social inequities and policy.

Hadia is thrilled to be part of the CHYA and hopes to use her platform to promote civic engagement and political participation of youth.

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JOAQUIN MERCADO

Biography

Joaquin Mercado (he/him) is an International Relations student whose experiences as a first generation immigrant-settler from the Philippines have informed his passion for community organizing and breaking barriers for marginalized communities.

His interests include urban planning, community organizing, local events, and anything to do with guitars.

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JOLEE WEN

Biography

Jolee Wen 温嘉祺 is a first-generation Chinese immigrant settler interested in community development, legal education, and environmental law. She is currently a first-year university student studying legal administration, and aspires to become a paralegal working in public policy and litigation.

Jolee is an avid public speaker, winning the 2023 CAHSLAW Mock Trial competition and earning an honourable distinction as the lead opening statement lawyer. Through her ventures into public speaking and debate competitions such as the Barry Sullivan Cup, Ethics Bowl, and Model UN, she discovered her passion for researching community issues, and dissecting the roles of individuals, institutions, and governments within them.

A former coach for her high school Ethics Bowl team and an enthusiastic advocate of socratic seminars and all things philosophical, Jolee understands the role of inclusive dialogue in promoting social change. As a member of the CHYA, she wishes to continuously educate herself and others on issues relating to civic processes, urban development, and the role of law in civics. Her future wish for her home city of Surrey is to further community development programs in legal aid and education, and advance development of equitable transportation.

In her spare time, she can be found wandering libraries, hammering out jazz pieces on public pianos, or visiting her local orchestras.

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JOY RALAMBAORISOA

Biography

Joy is from Madagascar. She came to Canada to pursue studies in architecture, social innovation and environmental studies. Being the first person in her family to have access to post-secondary education, she has always understood the importance of education in youth empowerment. Joy has a strong commitment to the causes of social and environmental justice. She is passionate about nature and is fascinated by the interconnectedness of a community’s well-being and its built environment. Joy works in community development and continues to advocate for a more equitable, sustainable, healthy and inclusive environment for everyone. She’s continuously working to find a way to combine her interests and various skills to bring positive social change within her community. Her favorite pastimes include reading, exploring new places and catching sunset.

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MELVIN SINGH

Biography

Melvin (he/him) is a third-generation Punjabi-Sikh from Malaysia with a BArts Degree in International Studies from SFU, specializing in Security and Conflict. He’s now pursuing his MA in International Affairs and Diplomacy with the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

As an SFU Semester in Dialogue alumnus, Melvin is dedicated to creating spaces for meaningful conversations on critical issues. Currently, he serves as the Dialogue and Engagement Coordinator on the Centre’s Social Enterprise team.

His diverse interests include the areas of migration, conflict management, human rights, and political accountability. Beyond his professional commitments, Melvin enjoys writing comedy skits and exploring Vancouver’s neighborhoods, often in search of the city’s best chai spots.

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SAYEMIN AZAM NAHEEN

Biography

Sayemin (she/her) is an empathic young sustainability professional, striving towards a more equitable and inclusive future, one project at a time.

Born and raised in Bangladesh, Sayemin is an immigrant settler. As a Policy Analyst with BC Public Services, she channels her passion for sustainable development and social justice into impactful projects. Her commitment to learning and empowerment has led her to roles across non-profit, development, and education sectors in Canada, USA, Bangladesh, and Kazakhstan.

Outside of her professional commitments, Sayemin continues to engage with her passion for environmental action. She serves as a co-director of Mentorship with Connecting Environmental Professionals (CEP) Vancouver Chapter and is a proud new member of the Global Shapers Vancouver hub.

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SEBASTIAN PATTON

Biography

Sebastian is a Métis undergraduate student pursuing Environment & Sustainability studies at the University of British Columbia.

Alongside his formal education, Sebastian has conducted research into climate change induced impacts on human health with UBC and the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, completed a certification with the International Institute for Sustainable Development, provided environmental consulting services to organizations such as the City of Vancouver and Lush Canada, and served as the team lead for his housing co-op’s Climate Action Team, focusing on creating and implementing methods for the housing co-op to limit its negative environmental impact, promote sustainable living practices, and assist in the transition to a more sustainable future.

Sebastian is currently working at entrepreneurship@UBC (UBC’s startup incubator) in the Climate Venture Studio, positioning himself at the intersection of academia and private industry and helping to leverage the fast-paced problem-solving ability of startups to help solve real world problems.

Sebastian is passionate about sustainable aviation, helicopters/EVTOL, AI, nuclear energy, ecological economics and UBI, effective altruism, entrepreneurship and building a future that is worth being excited about.

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STEVEN SHARMA

Biography

My name is Steven and I have been involved with City Hive with their Civic Renovators cohort and YCIL cohort this past year. Being involved with CityHive have resurrected my passion for youth engagement and outreach. So I am beyond stoked to be part of the new Youth Advisory cohort! I recently graduated from SFU with a Bachelor of Arts. I currently with the City of Burnaby as an Aquatic supervisor. I also volunteer in different capacities with the City and non-profits. I am passionate about social change, climate justice, government reform, and making the world a better place. If you want any cooking tips, hit me up because I love to cook!

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WILL CROLLA

Biography

Will lives on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and Səl̓ilwətaɁɬ people. His pronouns are he/him.

Will is a co-founder of SURGE, a non-profit aimed at building Canada’s first living breakwaters. The project started as part of Envirolab, of which Will is an alum and a former facilitator. Will works on the Ocean Wise Seafood team as a Partner Relations Coordinator pushing for healthy oceans through sustainable seafood and is also a founding member of the organization’s Social Justice Committee. For his efforts, Will was named a Top 25 Environmentalist Under 25 in Canada. Previously, he has worked in zero waste policy and as an independent sustainability consultant with small businesses and 3D ocean farming. Will attended the 2nd UN Ocean Conference as part of a Canadian youth delegation.

Will’s focus is ocean conservation, but he aims to listen, learn from, and amplify the voices of young leaders from diverse backgrounds. To him, a leader in the environmental space is usually not someone that looks like him, and that is a good thing.

When Will isn’t working around sustainability, you can find him enjoying Vancouver’s vibrant coffee community or whipping something up in his kitchen.

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PAST TEAM MEMBERS

As a young organization, we have been deeply shaped by all those members of our team and community who have given their time, energy, and passion to our work. We are grateful to each of the following people for their contributions to our mission at a critical time of growth.