Professionals Delivering Programs for Youth

Founded in 1960, the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) is one of the largest and most comprehensive non‑profit agencies serving youth in this community. More than 350 caring professionals work from 20 locations across the city to deliver a vast range of programs and services that support at‑risk youth and their families.

YSB is a registered charity (#10822 8545 RR0001). We receive funding from the Province of Ontario, the City of Ottawa, and generous private donors. In 2023-2024, our annual operating budget was just over $34 million.

Our Strategic Priorities

The purpose of the YSB Strategic Plan is to provide a 3-year roadmap to strengthen our capacity as an exceptional leader and partner in responding to the needs of youth and families in our community. Click here to read the full document.

RESOURCES AND CAREERS

Media Kit

With more than 60 years of supporting youth in the Ottawa area, YSB is valued for its expertise in the areas of homelessness, housing, mental health, youth justice, employment, health, diversity, and youth engagement.

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Library

Get access to resources developed specifically for the YSB community.

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Careers

At YSB we offer you the opportunity to play a meaningful role in creating lasting, positive change in young people’s lives, as well in the lives of their families and communities.

FAQ

Find answers to frequently asked questions by our community.

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Our Vision: IMPACT TOMORROW TODAY

Our mission

We are committed to providing a safe, non-judgmental and accessible environment where individuals 12 years and older can pursue their life goals and be encouraged in making informed decisions.

Our mandate

YSB is a multi-service agency that provides services in French and English in employment, health and housing, mental health, youth engagement and youth justice. We work in partnership to develop, deliver and advocate for better conditions, services and opportunities for youth and families.

Through our services we:

Value our clients’ strengths
Believe in empowering youth and families
Value diversity
Believe in making our services accessible
Value accountability for our clients & ourselves
Believe in meaningful youth engagement as core to our practice
Value the continuous review of the quality of our work
Believe in collaboration

Our Blog

February 3, 2026

Now Recruiting New Members for the YSB Foundation Board of Directors

Volunteer Recruitment Posting - Director, YSB Foundation Board The Youth Services Bureau Charitable Foundation (YSB Foundation) is recruiting for qualified candidates to join its Board of Directors. We are particularly seeking candidates with strong connections within the corporate world and in the community. While the YSB Foundation was established more than 15 years ago, YSB [...]

Board of Directors

YSB’s Board of Directors is the governing body of the organization. Its role is to articulate our mission, set our strategic direction, define our goals, and measure and report on our performance.

To contact YSB’s Board of Directors, please email ysbbod@ysb.ca.

YSB Senior Management

Nina Gorka CEO
(She/Her)
Kim Fenn Director of Quality Assurance
(She/Her)
Terry Kharyati Director of Operations
(He/Him)
Bob White Director of IT
(He/Him)
Cynthia Peacock Director, Mental Health Services
(She/Her)

Christie Kopczyk Director, Lead Agency
(She/Her)
Mike Wade Assistant Director, Community Services
(He/Him)
Darren Graham Director of Community Services
(He/Him)
Amber Costello Director of Employment Services
(She/Her)
Jacinthe Rickman Assistant Director of Employment Services
(She/Her)

Vanessa Alvarado Assistant Director, Community Justice
(She/Her)
Josh Torres Assistant Director of Programs and Services, Youth Justice
(He/Him)
Tyrone Baugh Assistant Director, Operations (Acting), Youth Justice
(He/Him)
Ryan McKay DIRECTOR, YOUTH JUSTICE
(He/Him)
Michelle Doiron Interim Assistant Director, Clinical Services, Mental Health
(She/Her)

Tadiwa Muradzikwa Director of People, Culture, and Belonging
(He/Him)
Bonnie Graham Assistant Director, Mental Health Services
(She/Her)
Patti Murphy Executive Director, YSB Charitable Foundation
(She/Her)
Stacey Lauridsen Assistant Director of Community Services
(He/Him)
Rui Medeiros Assistant Director, Employment Services
(He/Him)

Wes Richardson Director of Finance
(He/Him)
Suzanne Fraser Director of Communications
(She/Her)

About YSB