Next Up

Parker is an educator and community builder who facilitates workshops and other learning spaces on a wide variety of topics, including gender-based violence prevention, support skills, risk assessment, and gender & sexual identity. Having grown up as a white settler on treaty territory in Albertan cities, Parker is passionate about learning to act in solidarity with Indigenous communities and other justice movements. As part of this learning journey, he is currently a part-time student in the Bachelor of Native Studies program at the University of Alberta. With a growing career as a university services professional, Parker has worked in a number of roles at the U of A since 2011, including positions with the Office of Sustainability, the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (iSMSS), the Sexual Assault Centre, and currently, the Helping Individuals At Risk program. Parker is fond of dogs, folk music, macgyvered solutions, lists, and the art of thrifty decorating.

Stephanie Kot is a graduate of the Glendon School of Public and
International Affairs at York University. She is excited to join Next
Up Climate Leaders. Stephanie sees a tremendous opportunity in the
green economy, and is ready, with her Program colleagues, to change
hearts and minds on climate change and renewable energy in Alberta.
This is the biggest issue of our lifetime - Stephanie vows not to let
future generations down because of inaction.

Julia spent summer months growing up at a little cabin on a lake in Central Alberta. These small town summer experiences and spending time in nature inspired her to pursue a degree in Conservation Biology at University of Alberta. With many areas of interest in social justice, Julia has volunteered and worked in the non-profit sector. She finds stories inspiring and currently works in industry to engage the public in providing input on development projects. These developments include energy generation, oil and gas extraction, electrical system upgrades and pipeline projects where she is able to advocate for responsible development and community values. 

 At home in Calgary, she can usually be found cuddled with her two cats and full focus on a good book or research on her computer. Julia enjoys a good thought provoking film, gardening, yoga and learning a bit more everyday.

Jana is a feminist, advocate, and critical thinker who loves to learn, challenge herself and explore the unknown. Originally hailing from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Jana graduated with a Bachelor degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary in 2011 with her senior practicum taking place in Pune, India. While living in Calgary, Jana worked on the frontlines of the homelessness sector and volunteered at the Distress Centre on a crisis line. Jana then traveled to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2013 to complete her Master of Social Work degree where she engaged in anti-oppressive practice and (un)learning. During her time out east, Jana worked with the Nova Scotia Advisory Council Status of Women where she researched for development of their provincial sexual violence prevention strategy and assisted in organizing a Campaign School for women. Currently, Jana works as a Social Worker at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, volunteers for the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, and is a board member for Starfish Family Resources. Jana enjoys reading, being active, and engaging in dynamic conversations around dominant social discourse. She hopes to continually be a part of anti-oppressive change within herself, community, and society.

Stacey is passionate about building inclusive social movements and creating an equitable world. Her work has included: calling for Canadian government accountability for its policies in Latin America; advocating for corporate accountability in Canadian mining operations abroad; providing peer support to womxn who've experienced sexual violence; and engaging in ecumenical & multifaith social justice initiatives. She is particularly inspired by thinking and actions by Indigenous womxn defending their territories from transnational mining in Guatemala. Currently, Stacey lives in Montreal, on the traditional territory of the Kanien'kehá:ka people.

Tiffany Rose was born in London, ON but considers Windsor, ON her home. She moved to Ottawa in 2014 for a fresh start. Tiffany is passionate about making a difference in issues regarding homelessness, addiction, mental health, sex work, women's abuse, and child abuse (specifically, Shaken Baby Syndrome).

Currently, her work consists of community-based research. Her ideal job would be working with youth and women in the community on harm reduction and drug use. Her work and passion is motivated by personal lived experiences. Some of Tiffany’s influential female role models include Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, and Rola Osman. When Tiffany isn’t working and pursuing community initiatives, you can find her watching Orange is the New Black, Wentworth, and Dexter. She loves the colour purple as well as Greek and Caribbean food, and considers coffee and chips her vices.

Rachel was born in Madison, Wisconsin and moved to Ottawa when she was seven. She was raised Quaker which was her entry into activism because of the community's progressive history. 

Rachel graduated from the University of Waterloo with a peace and conflict studies degree, with minors in music and psych. She is now working part-time at causeway foundation, volunteering at Shawnjeagamik drop in centre and Ten Thousand Villages AND taking a fundraising course at Algonquin.

Being an activist, Rachel’s interests include intersectional feminism, LGBTQIAP issues, Indigenous rights, disability rights and way too much more to list. Rachel has also worked and volunteered with organizations like the Canadian Friends Service Committee, KAIROS Canada, Project Ploughshares, and the Nobel Women’s Initiative.

After all of that, in her free time, Rachel likes to knit, go swing dancing and sing. 

Meet Braydon Dunn! Born and raised in Aurora, Ontario (just north of Toronto), Braydon has been active in expanding and shaping his progressive politics through constant open-minded learning and unlearning. He is currently working on his BA Honours degree in Human Rights at Carleton University. In his time there, he has been expanding his activist efforts through his involvement with groups on campus, like SAIA-Carleton (Students Against Israeli Apartheid), of which he's a committed member.

As a firm bottom-up grassroots believer, Braydon hopes to strengthen and build genuine solidarity with various communities. He has a special interest in refugee rights, rights of displaced persons, and water provision rights.

In his spare time, Braydon enjoys reading as many books as he can (particularly non-fiction), creative writing, as well as perspective and macro photography.

Above all, Braydon believes in taking down capitalism along with the Oxford comma!