Our people

Recognized by Forbes in 2013 as an Innovative Rising Star in Education, Healthcare and Environment, Jennifer Corriero has designed and delivered youth engagement programs since 1999 when she co-founded TakingITGlobal. Jennifer earned her BA and Masters in Environmental Studies from York University and was appointed as Adjunct Professor by the Faculty of Health.

Michael has appeared on Oprah, presented at TED, and was named one of Teen People's "Twenty Teens that will Change the World". Over the last decade, he has keynoted over 100 events, sharing his technology expertise and passion for youth engagement and educational reform to audiences in over 30 countries.

Liam is a community organizer with a background in sociology, semiotics, improvisation and environmental issues. When he is not connecting and mobilizing youth with innovative solutions to global challenges, he enjoys riding bikes, swimming to music, cooking without recipes and drinking copious volumes of tea.

Tania’s passion for global issues and youth advocacy led her to TakingITGlobal, where she supports educators in inspiring others to become global citizens. She believes education is a continuous process that is shaped not only in the classroom but also by our lived experiences. When she's not connecting and mobilizing educators and youth to act on global challenges, you can find her sharing memes with her friends.

Originally from Mexico City, Edgar arrived to Canada in 2009 to study Graphic Design at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. Currently, he is one of the several artistic minds at TIG, working mostly for print and web design purposes as well as providing technical assistance. Big coffee drinker, foodie, animal and nature lover, and a fan of lifting heavy things.

Silvia is TIG's accounting assistant. She obtained a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. At TIG she is part of a team that is responsible for making sure that the flow of cost and revenue between the various projects is accurately accounted for and managed.

Susanna has a passion for numbers. Her tireless efforts keep the TIG team on track with their financials and reporting . She is a chartered professional accountant with many years of experience. In her spare time she loves to cook and spend quality time with her children.

Mali is a retired teacher with 35 years experience as a classroom teacher. Over the past 18 years, she has used ICT and successfully integrated literacy and content area curriculum to have her students connect, communicate and collaborate with several classes from around the world. Mali collaborates with museums, art galleries, artists and a variety of individuals and institutions to develop content for students in remote areas of Canada for the Connected North program. In her spare time, Mali loves to travel, take photos and journal her experiences in scrapbooks.

From Ecuador, Cristian came to Canada when he was young and that's where he used his first computer. Since then, he has become so fond of them that his degree is in Computer Science. He likes how TIG empowers youth to understand and act on the world's greatest challenges through the use of technology and as a web developer he would like to keep helping with this greater cause.

Waukomaun is an Ojibwe from Wasauksing First Nation. He has a background in the television and film industry and has travelled across Canada documenting and sharing inspiring stories from Indigenous communities across the country. He loves to experience the outdoors by camping, fishing, learning traditional survival techniques, and connecting with Mother Nature… and video games!

Mitch is an urban Kanien’kehá:ka man with family from Ohsé:ken (Six Nations of the Grand River). Mitch is a graduate of the Environmental Studies program at York University. Mitch helped to develop the Whose Land app alongside a great team. He currently works on a number of projects at TakingITGlobal. Mitch is passionate about music, language (Kanien'keha), and Indigenous rights.

Having lived in several African countries during her early life has sparked Filsan's passion for participating in the creation of a more sustainable world. This resulted in her completion of an undergraduate degree in International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa. Filsan's time volunteering as a facilitator in Tanzania also propelled her belief in youth empowerment and engagement as a means of development.

Dallas is an Indigenous educator, community builder, and social innovator. His greatest goal in life is to be a role model for Indigenous youth and to help bring the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. In his spare time, Dallas love biking, swimming, jogging, long boarding, and going for long walks.

Magdalena is Coast Salish from Stol:o Nation, born and raised in Vancouver, BC. From being a part of a dance company in New York, to a non-profit in Vancouver, Magdalena is excited to take her experience in Aboriginal business and apply it at Connected North! As Magdalena loves networking and working with people, she is excited to contribute in making a difference in Aboriginal youth’s lives.

Melissa is driven by a passion for global economic equality and a strong belief that today’s youth will create a more unified future. Her work over the past 14 years in marketing communications and project management has led her to work on initiatives spanning the globe. As a Program Manager at TIG, she will leverage her expertise and acquired skills in hopes of creating lasting impacts in our communities.

Michael's role at TIG involves serving Connected North partner school communities as well as involving Indigenous youth throughout Turtle Island in leading projects supported by the Rising Youth Community Service Fund. He also loves to travel and has visited Peru, Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany. On his spare time, Michael enjoys boxing, hockey, lacrosse and other sports.

Kayla is a Indigenous educator who was raised in Pinehouse Lake, located in northern Saskatchewan. She has a Bachelor of Education degree courtesy of University of Saskatchewan. She works towards inspiring and encouraging Indigenous youth to believe in themselves and follow their own dreams. Kayla also enjoys working out and spending time outdoors fishing, quadding, and boating with loved ones.

Anusa is experienced in project management and policy analysis. She is passionate about community involvement and volunteerism, primarily community & civic engagement, and youth, racial, and gender inequality. Anusa holds a BSc in Environmental Science. In her spare time she loves traveling the world, reading fiction, and trying new food.

Ashley holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and is a proud Indigenous woman of Ojibwe and Métis heritage on her father’s side and Filipino heritage on her mother’s side. She is a natural storyteller and public figure whose story has been featured in many outlets. In her spare time, she daydreams of becoming a thrice published Indigenous economic development expert/famous stand-up comedian.

Shavonté is a passionate community activist with the hopes to continue to help others find the resources needed to help themselves. This local Nova Scotian Rapper/Songwriter has had the privilege to witness first hand power of community and togetherness and hopes to see it continue to be explored through her position as TIG Nova Scotia's Youth Engagement Activator!

Tinisha's love of mysteries and problem solving led her to I.T where she has found an endless number of interesting technologies to explore. She likes the way TIG uses technology to touch the lives of people in remote communities, making the world a larger place. Lover of puns, coffee and gardening, Tinisha finds the adventure in each day.

Amira is a Youth Engagement Activator in the province of Quebec. She has a Master in International Studies - specialization in culture, conflicts and peace and has been working on the rights of return of the Palestinian refugees. Amira is very passionate about traveling, creating project, fashion and sharing love!

Sarah has a background in research with youth across Atlantic Canada and using unique methods to help youth share their journeys to impact change. Her educational experiences in psychology and mental health services influenced her passion towards improving programs, education, and awareness in this area. In her free time Sarah loves yoga, being at the beach, and listening to music.

Jeevana has a background in education, management and human resources. Her passion in equality and providing opportunities for all is the driving force behind her joining TIG's team. Outside of her obsessive reading and eating, you can often find Jeevana taking long drives along under explored routes in our beautiful country.

Umairah is a graduate from the University of Toronto, with a focus on Biology and Environmental Management. Umairah is passionate about education, health equality, and children's rights and is always looking for ways to volunteer in the community. When not at work, Umairah can be found reading books that offer insights to current and historical world events, binge-watching Grey's Anatomy (for the millionth time), or planning her next travel destination!

Originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, Lauren grew up travelling and living around the world. As a lifelong learner, she completed a BA in Political Science with a focus in International Relations and Human Rights from Concordia University, postgraduate studies in Social Responsibility and Sustainability at University of Toronto, and Baking and Pastry Studies from George Brown College. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys cooking, baking, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.

Justine is a communications and marketing strategist for the social impact space and has worked with organizations all around the world. She also recently launched Living Hyphen, an emerging magazine that explores the experiences of people living in between cultures across different diasporic communities. Justine’s mission is to stir the conscience and spur social change.

Cory Herc comes from a rich history of community organizing and non-profit work in Halifax, Guelph, and most recently Moncton - where he currently resides. He works there as a Youth Engagement Activator with Rising Youth, engaging with his drive to help youth engage meaningfully with the issues that their communities face. His passions include food and climate justice, exploring new avenues of connectivity and resiliency in rural and isolated communities.

I am very passionate about giving back and supporting those who want to make a change. I was once mentored and able to develop the confidence to utilize the greatness within me. Over the last several years, I have worked closely with several organizations and all types of youth demographics and gotten to witness people turn to leaders. I intend to keep working towards this and helping activate the greatness within our communities.

Born in France from globetrotter parents from West Africa, Aida immigrated to Canada as a toddler. She strongly believes youth are key agents of transformative change. In her formative years, she developed a great passion for community work, in particular with underrepresented and immigrant populations. Aida is ready to bring her bilingual experience to the team and help empower youth.

Recognized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2018 as the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy, Tanjit has worked tirelessly to give back to her community. Tanjit has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Manitoba and is now pursuing a Masters in Business Administration at the I.H. Asper School of Business. She loves meeting youth who want to make their communities brighter with the help of the #RisingYouth Community Service Grants!

Jayson Moore is an OCT certified teacher by trade and holds an MA in Child Study and Education. His focus on culturally relevant pedagogy and social justice education led him to the Connected North program where he works as at engaging educators through curriculum-aligned virtual field trips and professional learning opportunities. Jayson is able to utilize his years of teaching experience abroad and his work with Northern communities as a researcher to help provide support to the TIG Team.

Anne-Marie holds a Master's degree in Psychology and found her passion for education while teaching in Guyana, South America. She is committed to building engaging and empowering classrooms where each child feels safe to be themselves and learn. In her spare time, you can find Anne-Marie working out, drinking coffee, petting every dog on the street, and trying new foods.

Natasha is a classroom teacher with 8 years teaching experience. Most recently, she has returned to Iqaluit, Nunavut where she used TakingItGlobal content to help her students make connections and be able to participate in authentic learning opportunities not usually available to rural areas. She works for TIG to help other schools across Nunavut have the same access to these learning opportunities. In her spare time, Natasha enjoys cooking, reading a good book, travelling and spending time with her family and friends.

Becky is an educator that has taught in Pangnirtung and Iqaluit for 5 1/2 years, as well as, a year in the Lambton Kent District School Board in Sarnia. As an educator that has taught in Nunavut, she is very excited to be able to bring such a valuable tool to teachers and students to gain authentic learning experiences. Becky is a fitness enthusiast and when she's not wrangling her 2-year-old son Sawyer, nurturing her newest son Sutton, and spending quality time with her husband, Brandon.

Brandon has been teaching for 7 years, 5 years in Pangnirtung & Iqaluit Nunavut and the past 2 years for the for the Lambton Kent District School Board. He now has the opportunity to work with Connected North to easily connect session ideas with curriculum goals in a fun and engaging way. In his spare time, Brandon enjoys spending time with his wife Becky and two children, Sawyer and Sutton.

Jesse is a geek at heart who's been perpetually attached to the Internet for years and has a Diploma in Information Security Management from the University of Winnipeg. As part of the Connected North team, Jesse enhances education and experiences through a partnership with the Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre. Binges music, reading, writing, watching vids, coding, tech, food and cats.

Brenda is Ontario educator with an M.Ed in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning from OISE who has held many roles over the past 32 years at the school, district, and provincial level. She is thrilled to have joined the TIG team as an Education Coordinator with Connected North and Code to Learn. Brenda believes that technology has the power to unite people, expand worlds, make change, amplify knowledge, and empower learners of all ages. The best days start with skiing fresh tracks with her family and great coffee!

Eva was raised between France and Canada, leading her to study and work in different countries in the last few years. She completed a MSc degree in Conflict Resolution and Governance at the University of Amsterdam in 2017 during which she conducted a research on the humanitarian response to the refugee crisis in Northern France and volunteered with a charity organization in Calais. Eva's field experience has reinforced her strong belief that youth are key players in developing any sustainable development initiative.

Mikayla is a recent graduate from Technical Production for Theatre and Live Events at Sheridan Institute of Technology. During her time completing her degree she interned at the Harbourfront Centre working on their event, Cripping the Arts. Since then, Mikayla has worked as an events associate and Yonge-Dundas Square, playing a lead role in event execution and management. In her spare time Mikayla likes to spend time with friends, watch too many TikToks, EAT, and find new music.

Erica is very excited to be joining the TakingITGlobal Team as Inuit Outreach Coordinator. With vast experiences working collaboratively with Indigenous communities (primarily as a classroom teacher) across Canada, it is with a humble and gracious heart that she steps into this role in support of Inuit youth, alongside Inuit community members and leaders. When Erica isn’t working at her computer, she can be found out in nature, on her yoga mat or adding to her creative writing repertoire.

Tammy, a certified coach in Infinite Possibilities, has a diverse background, specializing in humanitarian relief for both land-based and health crisis response in British Columbia. Tammy continuously works at being an ally for First Nations in BC, whether in urban centres or the small rural areas of British Columbia. Tammy is excited for the opportunity to be a part of the RisingYouth team as a Community Partnerships Coordinator. Her hobbies include beach-combing , hanging out with her grandchildren and dancing with the magic of life.