Eureka Fellowship

Co-Founder, The Hope Sisters

Kenisha is a Forbes-recognized leader in global education and health advocacy, committed to improving health education and access for young women.

At 16, Kenisha began her advocacy journey as a School Board Trustee. She lobbied for free menstrual hygiene products in school washrooms, and recognizing the integral connection between education and health took her advocacy to the world stage, partnering with the President of the United Nations General Assembly to encourage Member States to improve access to and quality education.

Her passion for solving challenges like health equity led Kenisha to co-create The Hope Sisters, a non-profit organization with chapters across Canada, Malawi, India, and Austria. To date, The Hope Sisters has distributed more than 10,000 HopeBags with menstrual hygiene products and educational materials.

Discover more about The Hope Sisters on their website

Co-Founder, Green Mind

During his time living near an Indigenous reserve in rural Alberta, Inaam often engaged with his local community – deepening his connection to the land and fueling his passion to help amplify the voices of marginalized communities facing climate insecurities.

Inaam is the Founder and President of Green Mind Canada and a recipient of Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25. He is committed to creating a sustainable climate justice movement within his community that amplifies the voices of BIPOC, Indigenous and working-class communities.

His work has been recognized by organizations like Oceanwise Canada and Starfish Canada. Inaam aims to unite and lead individuals to a healthier and more sustainable planet for future generations.

Read more about Inaam’s work on his LinkedIn profile

South Slave Representative, NWT Climate Change Youth Council

Reegan is passionate about protecting her community and fostering a thriving future for the Northwest Territories. She is a driving force for harm reduction policies against drug and alcohol abuse and climate action in her community.

Reegan recently represented the Northwest Territories at the UN Global Goals Week and COP27 and is a member of the Northwest Territories Climate Change Youth Council. Reegan was awarded a Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalist in Canada by The Starfish and has supported events with environmental NGO Ecology North.

Reegan works to address pressing regional and global climate challenges like safeguarding water resources and encourages youth involvement in climate action.

Read more about Reegan’s work on her LinkedIn profile

Founder, Sisters in Sync

Joelle is committed to sustainable advocacy work supporting Black girls and women. She helps others “be, become and belong” through a range of programs, services, and advocacy efforts.

As the founder of Sisters in Sync, her work resulted in the establishment of the #MaybeNextTime campaign, focusing on reshaping access to justice for Black women and girls and advocating against victim-blaming practices.

To date, Sisters in Sync has directly impacted more than 500 girls and women across Canada, earning Joelle multiple awards including the 2022 L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth award and the 2022 Sr. Mary Lou McKenzie Young Alumnae of Merit from Brescia University College.

Discover more about Sisters in Sync on their website

Volunteer, Club Inclusion

Jenna is a volunteer for Club Inclusion, a facility that helps people living with disabilities join enriching programs like dance classes, music therapy, and community outings.

Jenna has battled juvenile arthritis and juvenile fibromyalgia from a young age and experienced firsthand how the healthcare system can fail someone with a chronic illness. This personal challenge began her journey as a champion of sustainability and chronic illness advocate; for over five years she has contributed to health initiatives such as serving as a mentor with Impact Trials and working with the IWK Health Centre.

Jenna is committed to DE&I and ensuring everyone receives equal opportunity and access to healthcare and promoting girl-driven programming – fostering an inclusive space for confidence-building and creativity.

Discover more about Club Inclusion on their website

Founder, O’KANATA

Justin is a passionate 2SLGBTQ+ advocate for environmental protection, Indigenous rights and health equity.

As the founder behind O’KANATA, Justin integrates traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern strategies to promote diversity, equity and inclusion and tackle sustainability issues like the impacts of climate change on health.

Justin’s advocacy work in issues related to sustainability is motivated by a deep connection to his Métis heritage and the pressing need to address environmental inequities. His work has been recognized through numerous awards, including the Indspire Métis Youth Award and the CBC Future 40 Under 40 Award.

Discover more about O’KANATA on their website

Masters of Business Administration Candidate, University of Business Innovation and Sustainability

As a dedicated youth activist, Tiana is committed to maximizing the voices of Indigenous communities and advocating for positive, sustainable change to address the complex environmental issues they face.

Tiana aims to use her cultural heritage and contemporary knowledge to address the inequities commonly experienced by Indigenous communities. This drive to achieve positive change is what drove her to pursue her Master of Business Administration at the University of Business Innovation and Sustainability.

Tiana regularly speaks at national and international conferences, aiming to foster sustainable development and economic empowerment within Indigenous communities.

Read more about Tiana’s work on her LinkedIn profile

Co-Founder, Scarborough Simbas

Farkhunda is an Afghan-Canadian professional footballer and social activist. After immigrating to Canada at the age of two, she discovered that sports could be a powerful tool for global citizenship.

For 15 years, Farkhunda has been working to create sustainable refugee solutions and be a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion. She is the co-founder of Scarborough Simbas, which aims to empower marginalized children and youth and ease the settlement journey of newcomers to Canada.

Farkhunda holds a variety of roles for various organizations: She’s the Respect and Inclusion Ambassador for Respect Group Inc., ambassador with Penny Appeal Canada, UNHCR Netherlands and Women for Women, and board member with League 1 Ontario and Canada Soccer's women’s soccer advisory committee helping to shape the future of women's soccer.

Discover more about Scarborough Simbas on their website

Co-founder, Inform Cannabis

Ronaar is a young researcher and award-winning entrepreneur with a passion for healthcare innovations, educational technologies, and operational management.

As a socially responsible leader, Ronaar is a co-founder of the Inform Cannabis, a project that addresses youth cannabis abuse through innovations and an AI-powered, simulation-based game.

Ronaar has also contributed to healthcare equity and community support initiatives by participating in a number of research projects. At the Owerko Cantre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Ronaar worked on early childhood education innervations and contributed to pediatric emergency medicine studies at the Alberta Children's Hospital.

Read more about Ronaar’s work on his LinkedIn profile

Former Project Manager, Re-Colour

Maahi is passionate about environmental protection, community engagement, and sustainable development. She recently obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Science Honours majoring in Environment and Society and holds a certificate in sustainability.

Maahi dedicates her time to numerous sustainability initiatives like Passion2Action, where she engaged over 26,000 youth to foster social responsibility among young Canadians. She was also the project manager of Re-Colour, a crayon recycling program through the University of Saskatchewan that diverted 27,000 crayons from landfills to benefit inner-city schools, daycares, and crisis shelters.

Through initiatives like INSPIRE, Maahi has worked to empower youth by providing them with platforms to express their ideas and drive sustainable change.

Read more about Maahi’s work on her LinkedIn profile

CEO and Co-Founder, Biocene

Kimia is a graduate student at McGill University and Mila whose studies focus on neuroscience, engineering, and sustainability.

As the CEO and Co-Founder of Biocece, Kimia leads efforts to improve water quality and address climate change. Motivated by her undergraduate studies in bioengineering, Kimia initiated the Algo project, Biocene’s current flagship product, with the McGill Biodesign team. The project gained recognition by the McGill Bicentennial Student Sustainability Challenge and was presented to the United Nations.

Currently, Kimia’s work revolves around innovation with Algo – optimizing water quality by turning algae from waste to resource – leading to effective interventions and reduced environmental footprints.

Discover more about Biocene on their website

Founder and Executive Director, Threading Change

With a commitment to ethical fashion, Sophia is passionate about sustainability at the intersection of climate, gender, and racial justice advocacy.

Sophia is the founder of Threading Change, a youth-led ethical fashion organization dedicated to creating a more equitable and climate-resilient fashion industry through education and legislation. She is also a Corporate Campaigner at Canopy Planet, working with global brands on supply chain transformation.

Sophia has worked for several notable environmental organizations spanning federal government agencies, NGOs and academic institutions. Her work has been widely recognized through numerous awards including the City of Vancouver's Greenest City Leadership Award in 2022.

Discover more about Threading Change on their website