Catherine Hacksel has a personal passion for social justice. Catherine moved from Toronto to Ottawa to attend Carleton University, where she attained a degree in Communication Studies and minored in Political Science. Catherine loves to travel and has visited various locations within and outside of Canada, but what really appeals to her at this point is the idea of working in smaller communities. Catherine currently works for Ottawa U’s HIV and Hepatitis C Prevention Research team, where she is a vocal advocate for harm reduction in health care, including the opening of a Supervised Injection Sites in our nation's capital.
A lover of art, politics, animals and science, Catherine also finds joy in working and engaging with other people. She is fascinated by live shows and debates, where passionate and expressive people are able to interact and learn from one another. Catherine constantly seeks to impact the people around her in a positive way, and enjoys making others feel appreciated, comfortable and empowered however she can. Through Next Up, Catherine plans to advance her organizational and advocacy skills, while furthering her understanding of social justice issues and expanding her professional network.