Joshua Bell | National Co-Chair
He/Him, Hamilton, Ontario

A dedicated mental health advocate and community leader, Joshua brings a wealth of knowledge and personal lived experience to the mental health sector and to various national and local projects, boards, and organizations.

Passionate about mental health and suicide prevention, Joshua has worked tirelessly to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention efforts, educate on the types of resources available, and push for key policy changes to improve the mental health of Canadians. This includes his advocacy for the National 988, a national suicide prevention strategy, a national mental health transfer, and much more. Between 2020 and 2024, Joshua started and operated a youth mental health advocacy organization in the Hamilton region.

Joshua currently sits as National Co-Chair for the National Advisory Council of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, Chairs the Pre-Budget Submission Committee and is a Member of the National Advisory Council of the National Initiative for Eating Disorders, and is a Community Champion with Unsinkable. Joshua is also a Member in good standing of the Eating Disorders Association of Canada and the Global Mental Health Action Network.

In early 2025, Joshua was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal by the Governor General’s Office on behalf of the King for his significant contributions to Canada for his mental health and suicide prevention work.

Eden Agulnik | National Co-Chair
Toronto, Ontario

Eden Agulnik published her first book at 14, as she continues to improve the mental health of others, she started her care package small business creating and shipping internationally to those struggling. She has almost sent 200 since the time she started in 2021. She attends York University for her bachelors of Social Work. As she has been on the council for about five years now, she is grateful to sit as co-chair. When she isn’t supporting the NYAC, she continues to follow passions in volunteering including supporting in hospice, those with intellectual disabilities, moving domestic violence survivors and their personal belongings to a safer environment, supports survivors of assault on the crisis line, and overall aids seniors in calling, visiting, delivering groceries and escorting them to medical appointments.

Laetitia Satam | Immediate Past National Co-Chair
She/Her, Newfoundland and Labrador

My name is Laetitia Satam (she/her), and since I was 12 years old, I have been on a mission to improve mental health care in Canada. I have experience serving on multiple boards for mental health organizations, creating mental health resources, and conducting research. She first started volunteering with MDSC in 2021, and since then, has co-chaired the NYAC, contributed to projects including podcasts, resource creation, and has worked on the Improving Veterans Wellness program and Defeat Depression campaign. In her free time, Laetitia enjoys baking, running, hiking, and going to the gym!

Christina Lam | Chair, Podcast Committee
British Columbia, Simon Fraser University

Christina is a student at Simon Fraser University, studying in the health sciences and social sciences. Christina has been passionate about mental health for many years because even though it is part of everyone’s life, it is too often dismissed, ignored, or overlooked. Throughout the past few years, Christina has spearheaded several projects in my community to increase knowledge on mental health and wellbeing, particularly in youth and students. Christina aspires to continue this work by joining the Council and becoming part of this group of amazing, passionate individuals. Christina hopes that through our initiatives, we will be able to continue moving toward a society where everybody has safe, equitable access to spaces and resources to care for their own mental wellbeing, have conversations on mental health with the people in their lives, and seek care and support for any struggles they may experience.

Jailen Spurrell
She/Her, Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial University

Jailen Spurrell (she/her) is a community support worker, artist, and art instructor. She grew up in Labrador West and now lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Jailen is currently studying at Memorial University with the goal of completing a Bachelor of Education (primary/elementary) and holds a Diploma in Community Support Work. She hopes to one day offer a classroom that not only supports students’ academic learning, but also promotes healthy minds and overall student well-being. Jailen believes strongly in the impact of creativity-based approaches to advocacy, mental health support, and community engagement. As a member of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada’s National Youth Advisory Council, she is excited to amplify youth voices, promote evidence-based mental health information, and support MDSC NYAC initiatives! In her free time, she enjoys staying involved with local student and community groups, creating arts and crafts, yoga, baking, and exploring the beautiful views of Newfoundland and Labrador with friends and family!

Nicholas Marini
He/Him, Toronto, Ontario

Nicholas is a mental health advocate with extensive lived and living experience navigating the mental health and addictions system in Ontario. His advocacy is informed by years of involvement with inpatient and outpatient care, addiction recovery, and community-based mental health supports. These experiences have shaped his commitment to improving how systems respond to young people with complex and intersecting needs.

Alongside his advocacy work, Nicholas has a background in engineering and software development and is currently pursuing social service work, with a strong interest in the intersection of technology, accessibility, and mental health care. He is passionate about building human-centered tools that reduce barriers to support, amplify youth voices, and create more compassionate pathways to care. Nicholas is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to NYAC’s work and support initiatives grounded in lived experience and equity.

Vanessa Poon
She/Her, Toronto, Ontario, Johns Hopkins University

Vanessa Poon is currently a student at Johns Hopkins University pursuing a dual degree in Psychology and Dance. As an undergraduate research assistant at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, she contributes to studies focused on anxiety and related disorders, enhancing her understanding of mental health issues. Vanessa has volunteered as a crisis responder with Kids Help Phone and is currently a member of the National Youth Action Council at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where she collaborates on initiatives aimed at improving youth mental health services across Canada. Vanessa is grateful to be part of the Advisory Council at MDSC, and is excited about the opportunities to make a meaningful impact in the field of mental health.

Edita Treacy
She/Her, University of Guelph

Edita is a new member of NYAC, and is currently a first-year student in Family Studies and Human Development at the University of Guelph. She is passionate about supporting individuals with disabilities and mental health challenges. In her spare time, Edita volunteers with United for Literacy Guelph, the Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Empowerment and Diversity, and writes for The Ontarion. Edita is excited to be a part of NYAC, and make a positive difference through initiatives and mental health advocacy.

Stacie Smith
She/Her, New Brunswick, University of New Brunswick, Dalhousie University

Stacie is a 2020 Dalhousie Kinesiology graduate from Saint John, New Brunswick. She completed a certificate in Health, Wellness & Recreation at Eastern College in 2014, She was the President of both the Student Association of Health & Human Performance and the Dalhousie Kinesiology Society during her time at Dalhousie. In this capacity, she has worked to draw attention of senior leadership at Dalhousie University regarding the needs of both faculty and students within the Kinesiology program. She is also Executive Director of the Young Canadians Roundtable on Health, the founder of the COVID-19 Student Support Network and a Youth Partner at Frayme. She was the recipient of the PHE Canada Student Leadership Award in 2018-2019 for her leadership role in the School of Health & Human Performance. She will be attending the University of New Brunswick this Fall in the Bachelor of Education program.

Monica Taing
She/Her, Quebec, University of Oxford

Monica Taing is a clinical neuroscience graduate student who believes in making psychiatry and psychology accessible for everyone. To achieve this goal, she volunteers with national organisations such as Kids Help Phone, Frayme, and the Mood Disorders Society of Canada to develop resources and disseminate outreach projects. Monica is keen on taking a holistic approach (clinical, theoretical, experiential) to create healthier mental health communities in Canada.

Sandy Luu
She/Her, Ontario, BSc, McMaster University

Sandy is studying at Life Sciences at McMaster University, specializing in sensory motor systems. if there was something she could spend hours and hours on, it would be trying to answer the following question: “What exactly is mental health? Could it be as simple as the absence of mental illness?” But maybe there is no single, concrete answer, after all. Her lived experiences have taught her that our definitions of a “normal life” may be entirely different from someone else’s. and that’s totally okay. The stigmatization of mental health and illness can be a huge barrier for folks wanting to seek support and Sandy would like to work towards changing that – To normalize taking psychiatric medication and making treatment and other support options accessible. To make it so that when someone is having a hard time managing their thoughts and emotions, its not seen as a weakness or a flaw in society, but rather, a sign of internal strength. With that, she is super excited to be working together with the NYAC team and helping to connect youths across Canada to make this vision a reality.

Colt-Harrison
Ontario

Colt-Harrison is a game developer and writer from Ottawa, Ontario. We are thrilled to have Colt-Harrison help with script writing and production for Project Blue.

Shiza Hirani
She/Her, Saskatchewan, University of Regina

Shiza Hirani is a youth mental health advocate, researcher, public speaker, and nonprofit founder committed to advancing equitable, stigma-free access to mental health supports for young people across Canada and globally. She is a member of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC), currently serving on the Podcast Committee. Shiza’s contributions to mental health research and knowledge mobilization in Canada include the development of arts-based therapeutic approaches, open-access toolkits for migrant and newcomer youth communities, and culturally responsive resources addressing psychological wellbeing, cognitive brain development, and emotional resilience. Shiza has also supported the creation and dissemination of educational e-resources and interactive activities focused on youth mental health literacy, psychological safety in the workplace, and early intervention strategies.

Shiza has undertaken workplace-focused research examining systemic and structural barriers that prevent psychological wellbeing, with a particular focus on occupational mental health, stigma, accessibility, and policy gaps. Her research interests lie at the intersection of youth mental health and wellbeing, Canadian mental health policy, and barrier-free, stigma-free access to supports, services, and evidence-based resources. Shiza’s leadership and impact have been recognized through numerous accolades, including the RCE Education for Sustainable Development Recognition Award from the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and the Outstanding Youth Philanthropist Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Adil Mukhi | High School Committee Chair
He/Him, Toronto, Ontario

I’m Adil Mukhi, public speaker, youth advocate and changemaker. I lead initiatives that empower tens of thousands of young people, including founding Dr. Interested and contributing to the Play-to-Heal movement. I’ve supported youth focused research and policy, including a CIHR grant with SickKids for the OPTIMAL Project and recommendations presented to the Future of Sport in Canada Commission. Passionate about mentorship, research and leadership, I aim to create opportunities for youth to innovate and lead. Learn more at adilmukhi.vercel.app.