ABOUT US

Learn about who we are, why we do this and the people behind Get REAL

Our Story

 

Get REAL began as a small student project in 2011, at Western University. As O-Week volunteer leaders, we saw excellent results combatting homophobic, transphobic, and racist language and attitudes one-to-one with our first year students: countless students changing their language within a matter of days, and countless others coming out to us and telling us they felt comfortable being themselves. We wanted to see if our approach – friendly, honest, diverse, and personal-story driven – could be translated into a workshop for some of our old high schools, and the idea for Get REAL was born.

 
 
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Our People

Chris Studer - he/him

Marley Bowen - she/her

Wren Bond - they/them

Monica Henao - she/her

  • An ardent learner and community builder, Courtney has been speaking with The Get REAL Movement for over a year. In that time she has reached thousands of students, staff and parents across Canada.

    Courtney is passionate about working with people to help them understand the world around them. She uses her story and experiences as a Black woman in the 2SLGBTQ+ community growing up in predominantly white neighbourhoods to explain the intersectionality of discrimination and inspire listeners to make positive changes for themselves and those around them.

    “Getting to speak with young people across Canada, as well as parents and teachers has been the ultimate privilege. I have always wanted to have a more direct impact on communities and getting the chance to be in the classroom (even virtually) and speaking with students has been so special and rewarding to me.”

    When not speaking with Get REAL, Courtney works for another non-profit as a program coordinator, where she supports student volunteers in their goal to provide free music education programs to vulnerable children across Canada.

  • Joseph was born and raised in Toronto's Driftwood neighbourhood. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Indigenous Studies with plans to return to his home community as an Educator. He believes that every kid has the potential to be something great with the proper resources behind them. Being an Afro-Latino trans man, he hopes to empower youth through sharing his story and eventually make an impact for students who need it the most.

Jonas Khayat-Stark - he/him

Laur Favacho- they/them

  • Jonas has been a Get REAL speaker since his graduating year of high school. Inspired by seeing a Get REAL workshop when he was a student himself, Jonas joined Get REAL as its youngest facilitator. His work ethic, public speaking skills, and ability to relate to audiences all across Canada has led to him being a leader within the organization, speaking to tens of thousands of youth across the Canada over

    the past four years. Born and raised in Toronto, Jonas is passionate about mental & physical health within the trans community, and empowering young queer folks as a whole.

    As a Queer Transgender man of Middle Eastern descent, Jonas prioritizes anti-oppressive politics as a daily practice, and centers intersectionality and amplifying others' voices through his daily work. Jonas' facilitation and consulting style is inclusive, curious, vulnerable, and cultivates an exceptional passion for continuous learning. This perspective has given Jonas the lens of privilege and opportunity; something not all of us have. Jonas specializes in vulnerability and sharing key factors that further personalize his work. His values are firmly planted in trauma-informed care, accessible points of learning, and ultimately - a future of Queer liberation.

  • Bio coming soon!

Raia Carey - she/her

  • Raia “Coach” Carey is our director of partnerships, facilitating new corporate funders, celebrity endorsers, and event sponsors. A 2x certified Life Coach and motivational speaker in her own right, Raia also helps with facilitation, which is how she got involved with the organization in 2017. Her personal story of losing over 300 lbs, and persevering through bullying and adversity faced due to her weight, her race, and her sexual orientation continues to resonate with students and corporate audiences alike.

    Raia currently ensures Get REAL has the right partners in place to enable growth, and so she is always on the look-out for new companies, events, and new ambassadors to collaborate with. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Raia currently lives in Toronto and loves fitness, delicious food, practicing self-care, and assisting people discover their hidden confidence through her profession as a Life Coach. Oh, and her dog Jax!

Janine Fernandes - she/her

Max Denley - he/him

  • Janine Fernandes is a 2SLGBTQ+ social worker and proud member of and advocate for the queer community. Through her many years of experience, Janine has learned to centre the youth she works with as the experts of their own lives. She acknowledges every individual has had their own unique journey to get here and her curious stance allows her to partner with youth to chart their own paths forward. Janine has completed a vast variety of educational trainings with a focus on inclusive and anti-oppressive practice for trans and queer youth in healthcare, social work, and therapy. Her youth clients and their chosen advocates, friends, and/or caregivers help drive the topics, focus, and goals in counselling and she uses motivational interviewing approaches to let them determine their level of readiness, their barriers, and the desires they hold for lasting change. No matter where you are in the process, Janine is willing to walk with you towards the future that you are hoping for and to make those important dreams come closer to reality

  • Max Denley is a trans man and Registered Social Worker based in the Toronto area, whose practice focuses on supports for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, families, and communities.

    As a member of this community with lived and professional experience, he is passionate about supporting people to be who they are, and building strong allies. In addition to holding space for exploring and processing identity related experiences, he supports clients experiencing a variety of mental health symptoms and concerns, navigating relationships and social situations, "coming out," and coping with other life challenges.

    Max uses a flexible approach that incorporates multiple therapeutic modalities and can involve individual, family, youth, or caregiver sessions to best suit the needs of each client. He aims to meet clients wherever they are at in their journeys, and support the direction they would like to move towards without judgement or pressure.

Charlie Eckert - they/them

Tiffani Sawatzky - she/they

  • Charlie Eckert is a Queer, Trans Non-Binary person of colour. During the week, Charlie works with early years students in a wonderful school. They love connecting with and celebrating all of their students throughout their many successes in their lives! When they are not working, they enjoy walking their Great Pyrnees, Jasper, singing karaoke, and thrifting gender affirming outfits for themselves! They also compete for a local track team, Flying M where they throw weightoss, hammer and shotput.

  • Tiffani Sawatzky is one of our After-School Manitoba Coordinators! Tiffani is a legal articling student on their way to becoming a lawyer, and they couldn’t be more excited to be involved with Get REAL. Tiffani has been involved in activism and community organization for about 7 years, and proudly identifies as queer and neurodivergent. She enjoys spending time with her partner, kids, two dogs, and going to local dog parks, sewing, cooking, hiking, gardening, teaching makeup lessons, and generally connecting with their community!

Calvin Campos - they/them

Clem Moudiongui - he/him

  • Clem has been a Get REAL Speaker for the past year, and has spoken to hundreds of students across the country. Working at Get REAL and the connections made with the students has allowed Clem to learn so much about himself and the power of vulnerability. Outside of Get REAL Clem is a francophone cultural activities coordinator for one of 12 fully French school boards in the province of Ontario .

    “I hope that by sharing my story, this will empower all those who hear it to re-learn empathy and ways of helping others. I am so thrilled to meet you all, and hope that together we get to plant seeds of change for the future!” - Clem

Noah Couto - he/him

Alyssa Jeffrey - she/her

  • Noah is a specialized honours student at York University, currently pursuing a degree in psychology. He uses academia as a way to advocate for the 2SLGBTQ+ community through conducting research and educating others in the field. Noah hopes to obtain training in the area of clinical psychology, work in a practice treating youth who identify with the 2SLGBTQ+ community and eventually become a professor to educate other potential psychologists on 2SLGBTQ+ topics.

    When he was first discovering his own identity, he had the privilege of attending a Get REAL conference at his high school. That day was truly life altering for him and from that day forward he knew that he was not alone in his journey and that there are others like him that are living happy and healthy lives. And now, Get REAL has provided him with another avenue to continue his work with the community.

    Apart from advocacy and academia Noah enjoys spending time with his family, his partner and of course, his pets. His favourite ways to take care of his mental health are listening to music, being outdoors, working out and watching movies.

  • Alyssa is one of our newest Get REAL Speaker. Outside of Get REAL, she likes to play guitar, read a lot (especially biographies), and dance! She recently completed her Master's Degree in Information Studies which is a combination of library, museum, archives, and records management studies.

    “I am very passionate about the Get REAL Movement and being part of giving to younger folks the vocabulary, understanding and overall discussions of these topics that I never had as a child growing up. To be able to spread positivity, love, and acceptance, and provide tools to others to do the same, is a privilege that I acknowledge and look forward to every time I speak.” - Alyssa

Kamau Peterson - he/him

Shannon Webster Millward - she/her

  • Kamau is a retired pro athlete, Grey Cup Champion, and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian in 2008. Athletics has always been a strong force for change in his life and he uses his athletic influence and background to reach and mentor young people all over North America through his NPO Level Fields.

    Kamau comes to the Get REAL Movement as a passionate speaker and advocate against anti-Black racism and will continue to look for opportunities to be impactful in the fight against racism, and the uplifting of the culture.

  • Shannon is a mental health professional, working at Get REAL as a part-time speaker and at a mental health treatment program in Toronto as an addiction worker.

    Her passion for equity, inclusivity, and mental health awareness drives her advocacy for her clients and the students she meets.

    Shannon's first Get REAL experience was as a student, when she attended a workshop at her high school. Now, years later, she works with Get REAL as a speaker and also shared her journey as a keynote speaker in our 2022 Steps of Pride event, of finding herself and learning to be proud of her pansexuality. She is excited to have been given the chance to share her story and continues to do so as a speaker.

    When she’s not working, Shannon likes to embrace her creative side by sewing quilts, playing the ukulele, and practising karate.

Rachael Berwald- she/her

Kiona Osowski - she/her

  • Rachael is a current university student working toward her Bachelor of Social Work. After a long career working in customer service and sales, she decided to pursue her passion for social justice by leaving her career, getting involved in her community, and returning to school to upgrade her education.

    Born and raised in the Niagara region and the GTA, Rachael is passionate about making a difference through activism all the way from the busy city to the small-town life. Rachael is a proud member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and is also of mixed Indigenous descent.

    Growing up without any positive queer representation was difficult for her, and through community work and activism Rachael hopes to make a difference for others who may be struggling with their own identities.

  • Kiona is an honors student at the University of Toronto, studying Ethics, Society and Law and Sociology, while also working in many areas focused on social justice advocacy. She has worked in prison reform and education, developed curriculum focused on mental health awareness and most recently has pursued research on incorporating Indigenous perspectives and knowledges into educational institutions.

    Kiona hopes to pursue a law degree in Indigenous law combined with Canadian common law.

    Moving away from the small towns she grew up in to the big city, Kiona finally had a chance to embrace her identity. When she found Get REAL, it was an incredible opportunity for her to gain a sense of community and become proud of not just her identity but sharing her story. She is passionate about ensuring 2SLGBTQ+ youth feel accepted and celebrated for who they are. Further, she hopes to use her story in workshops to break the stigma around eating disorders and mental health, and to ensure youth who are part of the 2SLGBTQ+ have the supports they need.

    In her free time Kiona loves rock climbing, exploring the outdoors, writing, spending time with friends, meditation, yoga and using sarcasm whenever possible.

Rita Bhandari - she/her

Sierra Haynes - she/her

  • From a young age, Rita Bhandari's French Canadian and South Asian background fostered in her a deep curiosity about race. Her biracial identity and lived experiences have fueled her curiosity about the science and history of race and inspired her to become an educator and advocate for equity and inclusion.

    Rita has been teaching for ten years and earned an Antiracism Certificate from the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, three certificates from the Equity Literacy Institute and a professional Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.

    Rita lives in Toronto, Canada, with her partner and children.

  • Sierra Haynes is an emerging, multiple Dora Mavor Moore Award winning, mixed-race, LGBTQ, multi-disciplinary artist from Treaty 4 (Regina, SK), now establishing herself in Toronto, ON.

    Some notable projects include: The Squeaky Wheel: Canada (Series Writer/AMI-tv); The Raft (Director/Studio 58); Miss Caledonia (Globe Theatre); and A Tonic For Desperate Time (Theatre Gargantua).

    Sierra recently released a podcast in association with The Globe Theatre called Stage Write: The Playwright’s Podcast, where she facilitated conversations between some of Canada’s most exciting playwrights in discussion about their craft. She is the Apprentice Dramaturg at the 2024 Banff Centre’s Playwrights Lab.

    In high school, Sierra helped form the first GSDA in a Catholic School in the province of Saskatchewan, and since then she has worked to improve and inspire the lives of LGBTQ youth whenever she can! 

Cassandra Reece - she/her

  • Cassandra joined the Get REAL movement as a new speaker this year. Built of a creative heart and a passion for helping people, she loves seizing any chance she can to create magic in the world; whether it’s through her writing, public speaking, or the little interactions throughout her day. Proud of her Italian and Bajan heritage, she strives to make the world a place where everyone, no matter their background or differences, feels like they belong. 

    A professional student of life, Cassandra takes what she’s learned from her varied experiences to help others understand how to navigate their unique paths. She believes in authenticity and living a life that is “abundantly you!”

    In her free time, when she is not hanging out in the whimsical worlds in her mind, she volunteers at the local dog shelter to get her much-needed dose of canine company.

Veronique Russell - she/her

D’Andrew Dunn - he/him

  • Véronique, originally from Markham, ON, now calls Dublin, Ireland home, where she thrives as an educator. A former varsity rugby star at Acadia University, Véronique’s athletic achievements are commendable. In her final year, she not only helped lead the team to a 2015 AUS Championship but was also named to the AUS All-Star team, earned All-Canadian honors, and was celebrated as one of the Top 15 Women’s Rugby Athletes of the Decade (2010-2019).

    Despite early success in financial marketing after earning a post-graduate certificate from George Brown College, Véronique felt drawn to more meaningful work. Inspired by her family’s roots in education, she made a bold career shift, trading her corporate role for the classroom. This leap was a natural progression, given her passion for shaping minds and fostering change.

    Véronique’s dedication extends beyond teaching. She is a curriculum builder and workshop speaker for the Get REAL Movement, where she champions diversity and inclusion. Additionally, she served as a research assistant at the University of New Brunswick, where she earned her Bachelor of Education in 2022.

    In August 2023, Véronique completed her Master of Education at Trinity College Dublin, with a dissertation titled "Unveiling Narratives, Shaping Perspectives: Investigating Black History Representation in Canadian Curricula." Her work explores how untold stories of visible minorities can be more deeply integrated into Canadian education systems, with the ultimate aim of influencing educators and policymakers alike.

    With a remarkable blend of athletic prowess, academic excellence, and a passion for social change, Véronique is on a mission to reshape the future of education—one curriculum at a time.

  • Born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario, D’Andrew is a proud Black trans male with over six years of experience as a child and youth worker. Currently serving as a community and partnership developer for queer youth across York Region, he is a passionate advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

    Through his work with the Get REAL Movement, D’Andrew continues to champion 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion. In his free time, he enjoys creating memories with his son, listening to music, and playing basketball. 

Saidat Vandenberg - she/her

Tiff Kriter - she/her

  • Saidat - "Happiness Infuser" is an award-winning community leader, children's entertainer, artistic director, and motivational speaker. Her program, "The Saidat Show," was born from a desire to make people smile and a wish to build confidence in the younger generation. Saidat has now reached over 800,000 students across Canada.

    “I am passionate about speaking with Get Real because of our message's lasting impact on young people. “ - Saidat

  • Tiff Kriter (she/her) from London. A graduate from Western University where she studied Anthropology and Dance, Tiff has been a part of the Get REAL team since 2012. Outside of Get REAL, she works as a professional tap dancer, teacher and choreographer.

    Tiff was a coordinator of the Western Chapter for three years, and organized and executed various events including first-year residence workshops, social events, fundraisers, and our participation in the Pride London festival. She also worked as the University Chapter Manager for three years, overseeing Get REAL chapters across Canada.

    “I am passionate about Get REAL and working on campaigns and initiatives that combat discrimination because it is something that I was not exposed to at a young age, until I went to university. I truly believe in the statement, "Be who you needed when you were younger." As a queer woman myself and as someone who works with youth on a daily basis, I am very passionate about being a positive role model for younger generations and working to instill love, kindness and respect for all.” - Tiff

Lucah Rosenberg-Lee - he/him

Isabella Ramirez- she/her

  • Lucah is a Toronto based independent filmmaker, brand strategist & entrepreneur. Lucah was adopted from the Dominican Republic into a Toronto family where he developed his love of activism through film and his passion to tell stories.

    Lucah’s produced and directed a variety of film projects that have been screened at TIFF, Inside Out and Sundance. He specializes in both documentary and LGBTQ+ content, bringing unique stories to life from marginalized voices, including his own. Lucah’s spoken to over 20,000 students from British Columbia to Newfoundland about his personal experience being a Black trans man in todays society and the importance of LGBTQ representation, kindness and acceptance.

    Currently, Lucah works as a Brand Storytelling Strategist at his own company that works to create compelling pieces of digital content in todays modern marketing landscape. He’s also in post-production for a feature length documentary that explores the magical life and mysterious disappearance of pioneering transgender R&B soul singer, Jackie Shane.

  • Isabella was first introduced to Get REAL during an impactful allyship workshop at Western University while volunteering as an Orientation Leader.  This workshop touched Isabella as she aligned with Get REAL’s mission to promote acceptance and end bullying and discrimination of all kinds. This motivated Isabella to intern at Get REAL as the Community Outreach Coordinator. During this internship, she got hands-on experience managing Get REAL’s social media, editing summit videos, working on graphic designs, executing merch research, and more!

    After graduating from Ivey Business School Isabella now works as an Account Manager at a tech scale-up. Outside her full-time role, she continues to collaborate on many Get REAL projects, such as the Virtual Career Conference, the Latin American Locals & Legends Playlists, and she even began a new initiative by launching the Trailblazer in Sport video series campaign.

    Isabella was born in Colombia and raised in Canada which inspired her passion for travel and learning new cultures (she even speaks 4 languages!). Isabella also loves playing sports and maintaining an active lifestyle.

Francesca Mendaglio -
she/they

Jem Roberts- he/they

  • Jemuel Roberts (also known as J3M) is a musician, and an educator that shares stories & melodies that'll live in your head rent-free.

    The award-winning singer/songwriter/producer has collaborated with Canada's most promising artists (LU KALA, Yukon Blonde, Tanika Charles) and is a recipient of the RBC/Canada's Walk OF Fame Emerging Musician Prize.

    He also contributes to initiatives such as the Get REAL Movement and various Songwriting and Artist Mentorship programs.

    Known as both a local and international performer, his EP "AFRONAUT" which made its debut on CBC Q, is out now!!

  • Francesca is a multimedia artist and writer making the world a better place with love, laughter and a fierce interest in life long learning. Working with the Get Real movement has provided an opportunity for them to continue their work advocating for 2SLGBTQ+ rights and inclusion. Students being able to see themselves represented in the stories Francesca shares, shows how important opening up to each other is.

  • Marley Bowen is the dynamic force behind Get REAL’s expansion over the past three years, and a proud leader of the organization. Hailing from Gros Morne, Newfoundland, Marley got involved with Get REAL while she was in university on the east coast, because she felt like her high school environment wasn’t a place that people felt comfortable coming out and being themselves.

    After coming out as gay herself, she wanted to give back and help others who may be struggling accepting their sexuality. After flying to Toronto for a high school speaking tour, she took on the second ever full-time staff position and has been growing the program ever since. Her unwavering optimism and unparalleled work ethic has enabled Get REAL’s workshop program expand to one of the largest in Canada, impacting 8 provinces (and 3 states), and over 150,000 young people to date.

    As Executive Director, Marley manages all of the organization’s workshops, keynotes, and other speaking engagements year-round, in addition to being a prolific speaker herself. She is the key player in Get REAL’s social media growth, merchandise designs, fundraisers, and new partnership development -- really, anything that helps the organization grow. Her instincts for the Get REAL brand have helped define the organization internationally, and carve out its unique place in the LGBTQ+ non-profit landscape, and her fearlessness and her belief in the organization’s results have navigated Get REAL through the many challenges a non-profit organization faces.

    Born in Newfoundland, Marley currently lives in Toronto and loves exploring the city (good food and hip coffee shops), spinning, meeting new people, and spending far too much time at the dog park with the newest (and furriest) member of her family.

  • One of the founding members of the organization, Chris got involved in Get REAL because of the success he was having speaking to first year students about homophobic, transphobic, and racist language during his time in the Western Orientation “Welcome Week” program. He found he had an ability to get through to kids who reminded him of himself at a younger age by sharing his own experiences of friends coming out to him, embracing his own differences as a Black man adopted from South America, and learning from others to be a supportive friend. He helped found Get REAL as a small student group with three other friends, and has been a leader in the organization ever since.

    Chris currently oversees fundraising, sponsorship, finances, legal, social media, web development, merchandise, new partnerships, events, the university chapter program, and is one of the lead speakers at the organization, having spoken everywhere from Ted X Youth, to Amnesty International’s youth summit, to 20,000 youth at We Day Toronto. Born in Lima, Peru, Chris currently lives in Toronto and loves playing drums, listening to podcasts, reading biographies, and consulting with younger organizations looking to make an impact on the world.

  • Wren Bond is our Education & Corporate DEI Manager. A genderqueer educator with a Bachelors of Education degree from Mount Saint Vincent University, Wren first joined Get REAL as a speaker having seen firsthand the need for 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and education in classrooms and schools.

    Wren brings with them multiple years of teaching experience, an in-depth and evolving understanding of intersectionality, anti-oppression, and 2SLGBTQ+ realities, dedicated involvement with queer youth, and leadership and coaching positions in and out of schools.

    As a millennial who grew up without queer role models they desire to spread queer joy and empower students to be who they are and fight injustices of all kinds.

    An athlete and hospitality industry veteran, Wren is also passionate about advocating for trans and queer inclusion in these and all spaces. Wren currently lives in Tkaronto and loves cycling around the city, taking care of their houseplants, camping with their partner, and cuddling with their dog, Shark.

  • Monica Henao is our Content Manager and Lead Speaker. She is a Media Communications graduate from the University of Guelph-Humber and has brought her multifaceted experience to Get REAL.

    Born in Colombia, and raised in Canada, Monica embraces all parts of her identity and wants youth to do the same. Her passion for human beings - hearing their stories, their experiences, their struggles, & their triumphs gives her the drive to continue to create and amplify content that highlight the voices we don’t hear everyday.

    In her downtime, she loves to hang out with her family and friends, rollerblade, play basketball, watch sunsets, travel and dance in her living room.

Joseph Enriquez- he/him

Courtney Allain - she/her

Garrison Thomas - he/him

Nicolas Echeverri Parra- he/him

  • Garrison is an active member in his community and organizes basketball training clinics with local health & wellness organizations. These experiences help youth see their value and worth, through positive coaching and skills training. As a biracial man, Garrison brings unique perspectives to the current racial climate, and breaks down the many stereotypes and biases facing people of colour today.

    Garrison earned his Honours English & Communications BA at Wilfrid University in Waterloo, Ontario. He also has a post graduate degree in Sport & Event Marketing and is currently pursuing his Bachelors of Education at Brock University. He is a dedicated mentor to youth and gives them confidence to be the best version of themselves on and off the court.

  • Bio coming soon!

Impact Report 2024

Get REAL’s Impact Report 2024

Click here to read all about our journey last year and the wonderful community behind it all!

We are proud to be a Buy Social Canada Certified Social Enterprise.

We are focused on selling with impact and part of the growing movement of community capital creators.

Our Board of Directors

  • Jay Brewster - he/him

    I proudly support the work that the Get REAL Movement does to reduce 2SLGBTQ+ discrimination, racism, and bullying in schools, summer camps, and workplaces. I did not come out until later in life and have dealt with years of self-hate, rejection, and loneliness. Something I would never wish on anyone. These workshops create safe spaces where youth are encouraged to be proud of who they are and to live their life as authentic selves. It creates opportunities for growth by learning from others' lived experiences. It focuses on building empathy, dispelling stereotypes, and showing that we all face challenges. I hope that we can all learn to be a little kinder, after all, we are more alike as humans than we are different.

  • Lauren Vandervoort - she/her

    Get REAL is inviting young people to create a more kind and inclusive world. Since its founding in 2011, I have been proud to support their mission and watch the team grow to reach thousands of youth on a personal and impactful level. Now a parent myself, I'm so happy to be a part of a movement that is making the schools and communities that she'll live that much more positive, safe, and accepting.

  • Matthew LeBlond - he/him

    I’m proud to support the work that the Get REAL Movement does because it educates, mentors, and empowers youth regardless of their own sexuality, creating allies along the way. I remember being in the closet, and feeling so alone and alienated. The Get REAL Movement helps start the conversation to create a supportive environment for youth and encourages being yourself.

  • Andrew McGuire - he/him

    I couldn’t be happier to support Get REAL. It’s very difficult to put into words the kind of impact the Get REAL program has on young people, and specifically those who are struggling with their identity. I believe that there aren’t many things more important than a sense of community and belonging, especially for young adults, and Get REAL provides that for those who need it most. Hearing people describe the impact Get REAL has had on their lives is inspiring, motivating, and highlights the importance of this organization. The core values of Get REAL have shaped the way I live my own life, and I’m honoured to have played a role its development.

  • Chelsey Roy - she/her

    Chelsey first got involved with Get REAL in 2019 during a business strategy session hosted at her workplace, and hasn't looked back since. She brings her experience as a lawyer and business owner to the board of directors, and is proud to work with such a dedicated and passionate team in furthering Get REAL's mission across Canada.

    Chelsey hails from Bathurst, New Brunswick, and is a lawyer and forensic consultant working at one of Canada's largest advisory firms. She is passionate about soccer, Marvel movies, universal basic income, free tuition, and good coffee.

  • Steph Rebello - she/her

    I’ve been lucky to witness the rocket ship that is Get REAL for the past 3 years. They lead with kindness, and are unafraid to speak boldly about the need for justice, equity and a community that holds space for all identities. Working with and alongside Marley, Chris and the rest of the board, I am constantly floored at the level of humility, humor and compassion. The entire Get REAL community of facilitators, staff and partners are committed to dismantling exclusive and disempowering spaces, and educating folks on how they can and should embrace differences. I am so proud to support the growth of this organization in any possible way.

Our Partners

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