DAY 1

Asha Ulusow

She/Her

HIV Program Lead

Asha is the HIV Program Lead at St. Stephen’s Community House. She fosters youth involvement and innovation and elevates the experiences and expertise of BIPOC youth, especially those living with HIV in Canada. She encourages stigma-reducing conversations in her community on mental health, addiction, and STIs, mainly HIV and AIDS.

Session : Workshop Hour

Adnaan Islam

He/Him

HIV Program Lead

Adnaan is a member of the national conference planning team for NTTW 2022. His interests lie in public health and intersectionality in healthcare, addressing health inequities, and neuro-psychiatric epidemiology.

Welcome and Opening

Barbara Kemigisa

She/Her

HIV Activist

Barbara Kemigisa is a Ugandan activist living with HIV who inspires, mentors, and engages youth living with HIV. Kemigisa has demonstrated innovative ways to talk about HIV in different communities and has mobilized 300+ youth living with HIV through the Barbara Kemigisa Foundation to live safe, healthy, and empowered lives.

Boluwatife Ogunniyi

She/Her

Student at the University of Toronto

Boluwatife is a 2nd year student at the University of Toronto. She is passionate about healthcare, specifically how communities and organizations work together to make it more equitable for all.

Welcome and Opening

Caley Shalamuk

He/Him

Chief Medical Officer

Caley is the Chief Medical Officer with Freddie and an HIV/STI physician who lives in Calgary.

Session : Are we all in this together?

Cosima Lenz

She/Her

Technical Officer, Adolescents and Youth

Cosima Lenz is a Technical Officer supporting adolescent, youth, and child programs at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation (EGPAF). Cosima supports projects to develop training, technical tools and guidance, and coordinates the Committee of African Youth Advisors (CAYA).

Session : Are we all in this together?

Erika Dupuis

She/They

Consultant, UN Women

Erika organizes within the intersections of gender equality, drug policy, and sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. Erika currently works with UN Women and Harm Reduction International. In addition, Erika is the Country Coordinator for the Canadian Chapter of the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning and sits as Vice-Chair of the PACT and PMNCH's NGO Constituency.

Session : Against All Odds

Felice Marano

He/Him

International Yoga Teacher - HIV Educator - Author

Felice is an international yoga teacher and consultant in diversity and inclusion for startups and corporations. HIV was the main catalyst to his personal growth, to build up a meaningful career and to serve others in the process of accepting, managing and transforming the HIV diagnosis.

Session : Under the Surface

Hanley Smith

They/Them

Health and Wellness Coordinator for 2-Spirit, Trans, and Non-Binary programs, ACNS

Hanley Smith is the Health and Wellness Coordinator for 2-Spirit, Trans and Non-Binary programs at ACNS (AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia). Hanley is a non-binary activist and community leader in Nova Scotia’s queer and disabled communities.

Session : Workshop Hour

Jessica Lynn Whitbred

She/Her

Global Community Engagement Consultant

Session : Making Waves

Jody Jollimore

He/Him

Executive Director, CATIE

Jody Jollimore joined CATIE. He comes to the organization with two decades of experience in community-based research and services for HIV and sexual health. Jody got his start in the HIV movement at the “for
youth, by youth” Head & Hands clinic in Montreal, and has since worked for the Health Initiative for Men (HIM) in Vancouver and most recently as executive director of the Community-Based Research Centre. Jody currently lives and works in Toronto, the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the
Credit First Nation, the Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat.

Session : Keeping Up to Speed

Joy of Dance

Group

Ballroom Dance Academy

Joy of Dance is located in the heart of Toronto’s dance community. They strive to offer the very best in adult, youth and teen dance class instruction in a friendly and welcoming environment. They want you to feel at home here and know that dance is the fastest pathway to joy.

Welcome & Opening

Justice

He/Him

Artist, Songwriter, Activist

Dr. Trevor A. Hart is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Ryerson University. Dr. Hart’s research in HIV prevention and care spans a wide variety of fields, including psychology, epidemiology, and public health. Dr. Hart is also a practicing clinical psychologist.

Welcome & Opening

Kalvin Pugh

He/Him/His

Senior Advisor on Community Engagement, IAPAC

After his diagnosis in 2016, Kalvin committed his life to advocacy for PLWHA. Through social media, peer education, and campaigns, he discovered that if you say aloud what others fear to whisper, you become a voice, instead of a victim.

Session : Are we all in this together?

Kenneth Poon

He/Him

Health Promotion coordinator

Kenneth was born and raised in Hong Kong, China and has been living with HIV for over 35 years. Currently, Kenneth is the Health Promotion Coordinator at Asian Community Aids Services, where he provides educational workshops and therapeutic care services to East and Southeast Asian communities affected by HIV.

Laurie Edmiston

She/Her

Co-investigator and Executive Committee member

Laurie Edmiston is the Executive Director of CATIE. Laurie is currently a Co-investigator and Executive Committee member on CIHR’s Centre
for REACH in HIV/AIDS 2.0, a collaborator on the HIV serodiscordant couples in Canada:
a mixed-methods study of risk management, health and wellbeing and a co-investigator
on CIHR’s Clinical Trials Network in HIV/AIDS.

Session : Keeping Up to Speed

Marvelous

She/Her

Community Relations Manager

Employed by ViiV Healthcare Canada as the Community Relations Manager. Marvelous is passionate about seeking social justice in all its forms - not just by improving the lives of individuals, but by changing systems of oppression through collective action. An affirming HIV-positive Black woman, Marvelous sits on several national boards with a global reach, which she uses to uplift the narratives of those who face injustice. She believes that justice must be intersectional and inclusive in order to improve the quality of life for all.

Welcome & Opening

Martin Morberg

He/Him

Two-Spirit and Indigenous HIV Activist

Much of Martin's work and activism is rooted in community and grassroots initiatives and he acknowledges that many Indigenous leaders and community members have guided him in growing into the activist he is today.

Session : Are we all in this together?

Matthew Halse

He/Him/His

Director of Global Public Health

Dr. Matthew Halse works for ViiV Healthcare’s Global Public Health team focused on HIV prevention partnerships. He’s the former Executive Director of AIDS Community Care Montreal and holds a doctorate in Political Theory with a concentration in HIV.

Opeyemi Aladekoyi

He/Him/His

Director of Global Public Health

Session : Workshop Hour

Patrick Mwesigye

He/Him

Human rights activist

Patrick is a global young leader, a campaigner and a human rights activist with keen interest in SRHR, HIV, Gender Equality, Social Justice and LGBTQ+ rights, with over 7 years of experience supporting communities in Uganda to live quality lives with equity and dignity.

Session : Against All Odds

Peter Knegt

He/Him

Writer, Film Maker

Peter Knegt is a writer, filmmaker and arts curator whose work has focused on queer culture and identity. He currently writes and produces content for CBC Arts and curates and hosts the monthly Toronto event Queer Cinema Club. He is the recipient of four Canadian Screen Awards and his CBC column Queeries received the 2019 Digital Publishing Award for best column in Canada.

Session : Keeping Up to Speed

Ronnie Wray

He/Him

Co-Founder of KLUTCH North America's leader in Nightlife Marketing & Hospitality

Enjoys short walks to the fridge and naps

Session : Wake Up & Stretch

Sally Hamilton

She/Her

Community engagement on violence against women and girls, and counter terrorism

Sally is an Eritrean-born British American activist with a strong passion for addressing social injustice through an intersectional lens. Through her work she advocates for equality, inclusion and diversity. She currently chairs the GenEndIt steering group.

Session : Against All Odds

Senator René Cormier

He/Him

Independent Senator for New Brunswick (ISG)

The Honourable René Cormier is an independent Canadian senator who demonstrates a strong commitment to language rights, human rights, and parliamentary diplomacy. In 2021, he sponsored a successful bill banning conversion therapy practices. In 2020, he filed a unanimously approved motion asking the government to increase funding and action towards achieving UNAIDS’ target.

Session : Are we all in this together?

Shamin Mohamed Jr.

He/Him

CEO & Founder - Human rights activist

The Founder and President of LetsStopAIDS, Canada's largest Youth-HIV charity. His activism over the last 18 years saw him recognized at the age of 15 as Canada's 'Top 20 Under 20'. His response to the global Youth-HIV epidemic has made positive impacts over 72 countries. He continues to use his voice to speak out for global Youth-HIV issues.

Session : Making Waves

Shane Pope

He/Him

Health & Wellness Coordinator, 2SGBQ+ Men's Programs

Shane Pope is a proud queer gay man living in Mi'kma'ki, territory of the Mi'kmaq. As the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia’s Health and Wellness Coordinator, he works directly with Two-Spirit people and gay, bisexual, and queer men, focussing on sexual and mental health programming and HIV and STI prevention.

Session : Keeping up to Speed

Skylar Louttit

He/They

UNDRIP Coordinator and Policy Analyst

Skylar is First Nations Cree from Treaty No.9 Attawapiskat First Nation. He advocates for 2SLGBTQQAI+ rights, HIV/AIDS, and Indigenous harm reduction regionally and nationally. He's presented on Indigenous health, policies, and rights and spoke at the UN on the political declaration on HIV and restrictive, punitive drug policy.

Session : Making Waves

Tammy Yates-Rajaduray

She/Her

Executive Director of Realize

Tammy C. Yates-Rajaduray is the Executive Director of Realize, which fosters positive change for those living with HIV. In 2015, Tammy became the first black female Executive Director of a national organization in Canada’s HIV response. She has extensive experience in Gender & Development and Sexual & Reproductive Health, including HIV/AIDS.

Session : Under the Surface

Tanaka Chirombo

He/Him

Advocate

Tanaka Chirombo, Malawi’s 2020 Adolescent Activist of the Year, believes youth are at the epicenter of global health. Tanaka studied public health at the University of Livingstonia and is the board chair of Y+ Global. He’s an ICFP trailblazer award recipient, alumni of the Next Generation CSO Leaders Academy, and UNAIDS intern.

Session : Making Waves

Tinashe Rufurwadzo

He/Them

Director of Programmes, Management and Governance

Tinashe is the Director of Programmes, Management, and Governance at Y+ Global, he leads efforts to advocate for the health, rights, and well-being of young people living, most at risk of and affected by HIV in all their diversity. He is an advocate, public health, and development practitioner.

Session : Against All Odds

Topaza Yu

She/Her/Hers/Elle

Prime Minister's Youth Council Member

Topaza Yu is a Counselling Psychology Ph.D. student at the University of North Dakota from Saskatoon, homeland of the Metis and treaty 6 territory. Her areas of expertise include youth empowerment and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), which she wants to positively impact through counselling psychology, advocacy, and entrepreneurship.

Session : Are we all in this together?

Trevor Hart

He/Him

Professor

Session : Under the Surface

Yung Panthers

Group

We are pozitive youth, from the African Diaspora, based in Toronto. We are passionate about Health care rights based on our own experiences and want to teach others on how to advocate for themselves.

Session : Workshop Hour

Day 2

Abishay Gill

He/Him

SRHR Activist

Abishay is a graduate student in United States, he's a SRHR Activist from Pakistan. He wrote and published several research papers on Health Communication. He worked with many national and international organizations to fight patriarchy and bring gender equality in Pakistan. Abishay is also currently teaching Public Speaking and Intercultural Communication at Missouri State University.

Alicia Sanchez

She/Her

UNAIDS Advisor, Youth engagement position

Alicia Sánchez graduated in Law and Political Science and held postgraduate studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology and Gender and Public Policies. She has over 15 years of experience working on HIV, SRHR, gender, human rights, and youth and development issues at the country, regional and global levels. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with community leaders, government officials, the private sector, donors, UN agencies, and other development partners. She is passionate about promoting youth leadership and meaningful adolescent and youth engagement at all levels of the HIV response and policy framing on areas concerning their health and wellbeing. Alicia currently holds the Advisor, Youth Engagement position at the Secretariat of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Andrew Gurza

He/They

Disability Awareness Consultant

Andrew is a Disability Awareness Consultant and content creator sharing their experiences of sex and disability and queerness.

Caroline Wannas

She/Her

Jnr. Project Coordinator

Caroline's work focuses on integrating creative arts into community programmes and fostering leadership in youth to reach their full potential through harnessing their passions.

Chris Glover

He/Him

MPP Spadina - Fort York

Chris Glover is a Canadian politician,who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election. He represents the electoral district of Spadina—Fort York as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party. He is very involved in social justice issues at the community level and activisim.

Darcy Fierce

He/Him

Personal Trainer

Darcy Pierce came out at 26 changed his name to Darcy Fierce. 36, gay AF - and very proud of it. He is a fitness professional (runs his own personal training business), published model, bootcamp instructor, and all around piece of work. He is the proud (biological) father to a 14 year old girl, and a 12 year old boy. Darcy grew up in a severely religious family on small town Belleville - population 46,000 - but has lived in Toronto 10 years now. He follows the work hard play harder philosophy that he finds common in Toronto. Darcy loves to workout, go out, and practice meditation daily.

El-Farouk Khaki

He/Him

Lawyer, imam, baba

El-Farouk is a refugee lawyer, founder of Salaam Queer Muslim Community, and cofounder & imam of ETJC The Unity Mosque. He an intersectional human rights and dignity activist, a TedX Speaker, & winner of many awards for his work and advocacy.

Ivana Musić

She/Her

Founder, Hello Nomad and VP, General Manager @ No Fixed Address Inc.

Ivana is an NLP Master Practitioner, a Mindfulness facilitator certified by the Canadian Yoga Alliance, a certified design thinker and a seasoned advertising professional. She created hello Nomad because she loves creating experiences and tools that help others change how they view themselves, step out of their stories and come out of hiding.

Khloe Fisher

She/Her/Hers

Onlyfans model and social media personality

Khloe is 19 years old from Ottawa, Ontario. She started in Social Media at 18 and shortly thereafter was able to turn it into her full time job. In the last year she has worked hard to be able to grow her knowledge of current social media platforms and how they can be utilized to the maximum.

Kimberley Gauthier

She/Her/Hers

Cell Biologist, Science Communicator

Kimberley is a cell biologist and researcher in Toronto. She blends her passion for science and community through science communication. She has run public townhalls and hosted workshops to alleviate hesitancy and misinformation about vaccines. She aspires to make scientific information accessible to the public.

Leslie Spence

He/Him/His

Niizhaayek Alliance, Podcast Director and WSR Lead Community Consultant

Leslie is a Two-Spirit person and caregiver from Webequie (web-bick-kwe) and currently lives in Thunder Bay. Leslie’s interests include reading Indigenous literature, software audio and creative programming, cooking and baking, and various spirituality topics and practices.

Matthew Halse

He/Him

Director of Global Public Health

Dr Matthew Halse works for ViiV Healthcare’s Global Public Health team focused on HIV prevention partnerships. He’s the former Executive Director of AIDS Community Care Montreal, and holds a doctorate in Political Theory with a concentration in HIV.

Ogonna Ojiaka

She/Her

Project Coordinator

Ogonna is a Project Coordinator at LetsStopAIDS and has a keen interest in developing public health projects that address the needs of underserved people especially that of young people.

Pamela Ip

She/Her

Clinical Pharmacist

Pamela Ip is a University of Toronto graduate and currently works as a pharmacist at The PrEP Clinic. She was co-president of PharmaPride, the pharmacy student advocacy group for LGBTQ+ people in healthcare. She has been on LGBTQ+ panels and podcasts, and has presented at continuing education modules and conferences.

Patrick Marano

He/Him/His

Advocate

Patrick is an HIV positive content creator living in Toronto. He advocates for sex work and sex positivity, while working to destigmatize and eliminate shame through his educational and entertaining videos on YouTube.

Patrick Mwesigye

He/Him

Human rights activist

Rhian Wolstenholme

She/Her

Project Cordinator

Rhian has experience working with youth and in environmental and health-related non-profit organizations. She is committed to helping make this world more sustainable, and inclusive for current and future generations.

Winny Clarke

She/Her

Yoga & Meditation Guide / Artist

Winny Clarke is an actor, comedian, yoga and meditation guide based in Toronto, Canada. She's been leading yoga classes for over ten years and guiding meditations for over three years. She has lead classes as big as 100 people and as small as one on one assistance. Her guiding values are accessibility and sustainability. Yoga and meditation were the building blocks that helped foster positive change in her life and she's thrilled to share it with the world!

Yvonne Su

She/Her

Professor

Yvonne Su is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Equity Studies at York University.

Calypso Cosmic

She/They

Drag Performer

Pretty, witty, glitzy, and ditzy! The Queen of the dolls and stylist to them all.
CalypsoCosmic is Hamilton's afro-latin Tailor-Made tease. She was on S1 of CALL ME MOTHER on OUTtv.
Catch her at the Drag Brunch ;)

Caroline Wannas

She/Her

Singer / Guitarist

Caroline's work focuses on integrating creative arts into community programmes and fostering leadership in youth to reach their full potential through harnessing their passions.

Fenton

He/Him

Acrobat, Personal Trainer

Fenton is an aerial straps performer. Fenton's goal is to help change as many lives possible and really make a difference in the health and fitness industry – to reconnect people back to their own possibilities and use his story to inspire growth in others.

Glory Dearling

She/Her

Acrobat

Most recently I competed on Canada’s Got Talent in the Semi Finals with my aerial troupe Trillium Entertainment.
Specializing as a soloist in flying aerial net, aerial hoop, and aerial skills, she is no stranger to performing at great heights. She loves to fly! She hopes to uplift everyone around her.
Make sure you come check Glory out at the Intersextion party!

KINGCHELLA

They/Them

Drag Artist

Drag artist located in the GTA!
KingChella is an Artist, Drag Performer, and Advocate. Catch them on Call Me Mother Season 2 on Crave;) and of course at the Drag Brunch!

LeeAnn Ball

She/Her

Acrobat

LeeAnn is a creative and entertainer who enjoys making and sharing art with the world. After graduating from a 3 year classical conservatory theatre training program, she found myself with a lot of free time. This time allowed me to find circus. It started as a hobby but quickly grew into a passion that turned into a career. Most recently, she debuted two new aerial trio acts on one-of-a-kind custom aerial apparatus the “hoop-eze” and “aerial carousel”. These acts premiered on Canada’s Got Talent with my performance troupe "Trillium Entertainment". She holds 4 Canadian National Championship titles in Acrobatic Pole and Aerial Hoop. Above all, LeeAnn is a storyteller. What she can’t say with words, she says through movement.

Natasha Meister

She/Her

Singer / Guitarist

Natasha Meister started singing in her local church at just 6 years old. Born in London, Ontario, Canada and raised just outside of there in the town of Thorndale to a Swiss father and South African mother, her father’s love of Country music and the sounds of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson were her first introduction to what would become her lifelong passion.

Come listen to Natasha perform at our NoTimeToWait conference!

Rush Kazi

She/they/he

Comedian

Rush Kazi is a Montreal-born, Toronto-based stand-up, sketch, and musical comedian.
Rush’s comedy style can be described as confessional, raw, and acerbic story-telling. Drawing on life experiences as unique as jail time and as mundane as getting a wax, Rush’s refreshing and hilarious delivery and unique point of view has not found its equal in her contemporaries. Rush’s debut comedy album, About Time, released in April 2022, saw Rush proclaimed as a “Queer first-generation Canadian Disruptor” and “a rare talent” by Parton and Pearl, while CBC Arts called Rush “your new favourite non-binary, pansexual, South Asian, Muslim comedian” (even if you don't know any others)!

RiVerse

Group

Justice & Khadija & Zak & Monroe

Meet the SUPERGROUP RiVerse - they are global Pop/R&B group.
This multiracial, LGBTQ+ AND VIRAL group has been praised for their innovative, creative, and impactful music.
Make sure you come check them out at the Intersextion party!

Sanjina

She/Her

Drag Artist

Sanjina is Toronto's Fijian BOLLYWOOD Remix. She has brought a unique spin to Drag by bringing her culture into the picture. She has performed a number of Bollywood numbers, keeping her connected to her roots.
Make sure to give DaBish a follow!

Sophie Jones

She/Her

Specializing in bringing it to you every time, and ensuring the fun and flirtiest of feels, Sophie Jones is a prominent queer DJ who has graced stages at Osheaga, Pride Toronto and AGO Massive, to name a few. This genre non-conforming DJ prioritizes effervescent positivity to set the mood on the dance floor to ensure a safe space for all.

Woody Fox

He/Him

Acrobat

“Education is important but acrobatics is importanter. 🦊🎪”

Make sure you come check Woody out at the Intersextion party!