2026 Cohort

Based in Edmonton, Aaron is a seasoned political communications strategist and digital campaign organizer at a government relations firm specializing in Alberta politics. Aaron has dedicated his career to empowering others to become stronger advocates. With extensive experience in organizational governance, he has served as the constituency association president for the Edmonton-Whitemud Alberta NDP, vice-chair of HIV Edmonton, and as an advisor/director with the Edmonton Inclusive Hockey Association.

Since 2011, he has supported candidates at all levels of government in Canada to amplify progressive voices in our democracy. Most recently, he was the canvassing lead on the campaign for the new Mayor of Edmonton. He has also assisted multiple candidates who now serve in the Otipemisiwak Métis Government in Alberta, of which he is a proud citizen.

Ahsen Bhatti works at the intersection of policy, urban planning and community development in priority neighbourhoods across Toronto. Through his work with non-profits, including the Toronto Community Benefits Network, CP Planning, the Jane-Finch Centre, Alliance for a Liveable Ontario and the Moss Park Coalition, he has contributed to numerous innovative and impactful social programs centred around food security, affordable housing, community safety, youth employment and refugee rights. For his advocacy, he has been recognized as a Top 30 Under 30 Global Changemaker, profiled as one of Toronto’s key community leaders, and awarded the Terry Buckland Memorial Award and William Gardner Leadership Award from the University of Toronto. 

Ahsen is passionate about designing municipal and provincial policy frameworks that deliver equity, sustainability and affordability for our most vulnerable communities. Ahsen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Diaspora & Transnational Studies, and is proud to call Toronto his home.

Mustafa Abbas is a social policy advocate working across climate action, refugee protection, and democratic governance. Growing up in Sudan under authoritarian rule, he became politically active during the 2018 Revolution, co-founding a youth-led political movement that mobilized for freedom, peace, and justice. That experience shaped his commitment to social democracy and the belief that strong public institutions must protect rights and expand opportunity for all.

After arriving in Canada as a refugee, Mustafa continued his advocacy within and beyond the Canadian Council for Refugees, contributing to coordinated national efforts to strengthen protection pathways and advance newcomer youth leadership. He has worked on biodiversity and climate policy with Nature Canada, advised Global Affairs Canada on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and served as a Youth Delegate on Canada’s delegation at COP29. Through grassroots organizing and institutional policy engagement, Mustafa works to advance inclusive, evidence-based progressive change in Canada and globally.

Dr. Angela Dong is an internal medicine physician and occupational medicine fellow at the University of Toronto, where she is completing an MSc in Community Health. She also holds a Global Health Education Initiative certificate from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and is completing an Osgoode Law Certificate in Privacy Law and Information Management in Health Care.

Angela represents Ontario on the Canadian Medical Association’s Committee on Ethics, where she was instrumental in amending the national Code of Ethics. During COVID-19, she founded the MP–MD Health Policy Apprenticeship, a non-partisan program that pairs medical students with parliamentarians working on health legislation, and previously served on governance committees with iGEM, focusing on ethical oversight of emerging biotechnologies.

As a journalist with the Investigative Journalism Bureau, and writer for Healthy Debate, her reporting focuses on migrant-worker injury, health-care AI, data sovereignty, and other fault lines in Canadian health systems.

Blossom LaBillois is a Mi’kmaq/Maliseet from Eel River Bar First Nation, NB, where she resides and works remotely. She has a background in Business Administration, Human Services, and Project Management.

Blossom currently serves as Tajikeyumk Coordinator with Tajikeimik, the new and developing health and wellness organization leading health transformation in the 13 Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia.

Since 2013, she has also owned and operated a sexual health and wellness consulting business, supporting women through life changes while empowering communities in health, wellness, and pleasure. Family is the backbone of her experience and success, passionate about sports, she finds joy at the hockey rink and on the golf course. Her guiding philosophy: “Leave a positive imprint on Mother Earth.”

Christy is a press secretary and a former federal candidate committed to building a more just and equitable Canada. She immigrated to Canada as a young adult and went on to study Political Science and Equity Studies at the University of Toronto, grounding her work in a deep commitment to social justice. Christy has organized alongside grassroots groups to expand mental health supports for immigrant communities affected by war and political unrest, an experience that inspired her to run for federal office. Provincially, her work in media and communications for the Ontario NDP is centered around tackling the housing crisis, strengthening public health care, and fighting for fair wages and economic security for young people. Through her work, Christy strives to bring diverse voices into politics and help shape a future where every community can thrive.

Diana Pérez is a progressive communications leader and organizer, with almost a decade of experience working in the labour movement. She currently serves as the Managing Director of Member Engagement & Growth at UFCW 1518, where she is focused on developing members’ activism and building sustainable union organizing models.

Diana believes in the power of technology to help social movements organize smarter and reach further. Previously, she worked as a Digital Organizer at the MLK Labor Council in Seattle, contributing to major multi-union organizing wins and the development of cutting edge organizing tools. From 2019 to 2021, Diana served as Chair of the BC Young New Democrats. She currently sits in the BC NDP Provincial Council. 

As a first-generation immigrant, Diana is passionate about working at the intersection of migrant justice and unionism. In her career, she has worked to uplift the voices of historically underrepresented communities in the labour movement and build cross-movement coalitions.

Diana holds a degree in Sociology from the University of British Columbia and a professional certificate in User Experience Design from the University of Washington.

Jessica Bailey is the Housing Intake Coordinator at YWCA Halifax, where she advocates for women’s access to safe, permanent, and affordable housing. She works to address food insecurity and systemic barriers impacting women in her community. Jessica also serves as a Board Member at Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, where she is a strong advocate for systemic change within the sexualized violence sector. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies from Mount Saint Vincent University and is currently completing her Bachelor of Social Work at Dalhousie University. She is a mother of two and a dedicated foster parent, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to her work.

Katie Francis is a Full-Time Vice-President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), an eighty-thousand member public service union largely representing federal government workers. First elected to the PIPSC board of directors in her twenties, Katie broke barriers, proving that young professionals have a place in union leadership. As a third generation union activist, Katie has deep roots in the labour movement and holds strong values rooted in social justice and democracy. Katie has a passion for diversity, equity and inclusion and has chaired her union’s human rights and diversity committee. Prior to joining PIPSC full-time, Katie worked as a scientist with the federal government and holds degrees in the field of food microbiology. Outside of the union, Katie enjoys spending her time volunteering with a wildlife rehabilitation centre and with an amateur astronomy club where she organized free public stargazing events for the community.

Lindsay Debassige is a Two-Spirit M’Chigeeng Anishinabek born and raised in Sǫ̀mba K’è, Denendeh. They are the current Executive Director for Qmunity Camp NWT, providing on the Land opportunities for Two Spirit, Indigiqueer, and Transgender Indigenous Youth in the North. Within their work, Lindsay strives to build joint solidarity through regenerative relationships and advocates for her kin in reclaiming their birthright to belonging in community and culture. They are passionate about creating ethical, anti-racist, decolonial spaces that empower Indigenous Peoples of the North to connect with their traditions, languages, and identities. #LANDBACK

Melinda Holligan is a justice-focused advocate and emerging leader working at the intersections of gender-based violence prevention, justice reform, and worker equity. With frontline experience supporting survivors, marginalized communities, and incarcerated individuals through restorative programming and trauma-informed practice, her leadership is grounded in lived experience, anti-racism, and intersectional equity. As a certified harassment and discrimination prevention investigator, she advocates for fair workplaces, psychological safety, and institutional accountability.

Her career path is driven by a deep commitment to social democracy, community empowerment, and policy-informed change that centers dignity, equity, and collective care. Melinda plans to pursue law school to strengthen her ability to influence public policy, advance worker protections, and reform systems that disproportionately impact racialized and marginalized communities. She is dedicated to translating lived experience and community-informed insight into systemic solutions that promote justice, accountability, and equitable policy and institutional reform.

Sharlene Henry is a Toronto based community and labour activist. She serves as Co-chair of the York South Weston Tenant Union (YSWTU), where she champions affordable housing, collective action, tenant power and grassroots organizing. As a tenant activist, Sharlene has been at the forefront of the historic Toronto Rent Strikes of 2023.

A proud member of Unifor Local 1285, Sharlene’s work within the labour movement bridges the struggles of workers and renters. She continues to advocate that union solidarity is essential to addressing the housing crisis and advancing economic justice for tenants.

In September 2025, Sharlene was elected by her peers to the Unifor National Executive Board as the Black and Worker of Colour Representative — an accomplishment she holds with great pride.

Vickita Bhatt is a labour leader, educator, and unapologetic social justice organizer committed to building collective power for working people. She serves as Vice-President and Chief Negotiator of the Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local, one of the largest educator locals in Ontario, where she leads bargaining, member defense, and campaigns to protect and strengthen public education. A recipient of the ETFO Political Activist of the Year award, Vickita has mobilized thousands of educators through strategic organizing, creative communications, and grassroots action that pushes back against austerity and privatization.

Beyond her Local, she has held leadership roles with the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Ontario NDP, advancing equity-driven reforms and amplifying the voices of Black, Indigenous, and racialized workers. A former French Immersion teacher, Vickita holds a Master of Social Justice Education from OISE and is fluent in English, French and Gujarati. Her work bridges negotiation, movement-building, and systemic change.