Team

Meet the amazing individuals who work hard on the frontlines and behind the scenes—our Board of Directors, Staff, Program Facilitators, and Advisors.

Staff

Shewit Kalaty

Executive Director

Shewit (she/her) has worked for many years as a creative consultant and storyteller. She has worked for a myriad of organizations and companies, helping streamline culture and business strategies. She turns narratives to normalize the authentic, positive, and dynamic experiences of others and helps shape powerful brand stories.

Amanda Nicholls

Program Director

Amanda (she/her) has an extensive background in arts education and was the Program Coordinator of College’s Jump Theatre Project for several years. She also has worked with Piece of Mine Arts, The Living Arts Centre and has been working with New Leaf for the last 6 years. She is a certified yoga instructor and alumni of Humber College’s Post Graduate certificate program in Wellness Coaching and Theatre Performance. Amanda has trained as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator and is currently completing her Mindfulness-Based Chronic Pain Management Certificate.

Faith Jones

Partnerships & Operations Coordinator

Faith (she/her) is Operations Coordinator and a Senior Program Facilitator with New Leaf Foundation. She is a Holistic Health & Wellness Professional—Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor and Thai Massage Practitioner. Along with extensive training in movement and massage, Faith has comprehensive knowledge of trauma-informed and anti-oppressive frameworks.

Rochelle Miller

Teaching Coordinator

Over the past several years, Rochelle (she/her) has led New Leaf programs in elementary and secondary schools as well as drop in programs in Rexdale and Regent Park. Rochelle is Teaching Coordinator and a Senior Program Facilitator with New Leaf. She is also a community leader and connector. She strives to create spaces for free expression and embodied movement through the practices of Yoga, Mindfulness and a playful inquiry of self exploration.

Board of Directors

Balaji Swaminath

Treasurer

Balaji (he/him) holds a Doctoral degree in Dental surgery and has been in private practice since 2001. He is currently a partner at Martindale Dental, a group of dental offices across the GTA. Balaji has been part of a large medical and dental team that offers volunteer services to residents of Ghana.

Ameena Marsh

Secretary

Ameena (she/her) was a youth participant and intern at New Leaf. Following high school, she remained connected to New Leaf and yoga practice. Now, as a RSSW Psychotherapist, Ameena supports individuals having trouble coping with Addiction, Anxiety, Depression, & Trauma, is a member of the Ontario College of Social Work and Social Service Workers and is currently studying to become a Psychologist.

Billy Lourakis

Billy (she/her) is a life coach and mama. She is currently engaged in projects where she integrates soul-centered living principles through entrepreneurship and compassionate community engagement. Billy holds an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology and a B.Sc. in Physiotherapy.

Sasha Manes

Sasha (she/her) has connected philanthropists to meaningful change for 15 years. She is Head of Major Gifts at OCAD University and former Head of Major Gifts at YWCA Toronto. Sasha helped establish two Toronto-based mindfulness organizations and holds an MEd in Adult Ed & Community Development. She has extensive Board experience, including as VP & Chair of Marketing & Communications with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Rwanda Survivors Foundation, and Bishop’s University Foundation.

Facilitators & Mentors

Anand

Amy

Carrie

Faith

Imesia

Nicole

Rochelle

Stefanie

Tai

Training Faculty

Laura Sygrove

Laura (she/her) co-founded New Leaf Foundation. She is a registered social worker, therapist, and a certified mindfulness-yoga teacher. Laura brings more than 15 years of experience developing New Leaf's youth programming, creating and leading training curriculum, and studying trauma-informed, healing-centric and relational practice. She delivered frontline programming with New Leaf for more than a decade, working primarily with young people experiencing incarceration.

Julia Gibran

Julia (she/her) is a registered Social Worker and Educator who uses mind-body practices to engage with communities. Her Masters in Social Work: Indigenous Trauma and Resilience, has framed her practice in identifying root causes and bolstering community supports. Her studies in yoga began at age four alongside her grandfather, long before she learned a physical posture. Teaching in schools, hospitals, studios and retreats for over a decade, her approach is therapeutic and trauma informed. Julia’s lived experience as a survivor fuels a passion for social activism and working with other survivors of all ages.

jamilah malika abu-bakare

jamilah's (she/her) work relating anti-oppression to yoga and mindfulness is rooted in her work as co-visionary of the (now defunct) Positive Space Initiatives at Kula Annex dating back to 2010. In addition to teaching trauma-informed, mindfulness-based yoga, she is an artist and a writer (SAIC MFA ‘19.) Her work investigates the endlessness of what it is to be a black woman in the world. (Photo credit: RJ Eldgridge)

Rochelle Miller

Andre Talbot

Andre (he/him) enjoyed a 10-year career as a professional football player in the CFL where he achieved numerous accolades including Grey Cup Champion. Since retiring from the CFL, he has continued to explore different disciplines of movement and stillness practices. Andre’s interest in mindfulness a practices led him to formal study and training with Poep Sa Frank Jude Boccio, Empty Mountain Sangha. Andre has also served as a facilitator with New Leaf Foundation. He continues to share his experience and practice with others at his Toronto-based studio the Spirit Loft Movement Centre. He also leads teacher training, retreats, and workshops.