Our Team
We are here to Elevate and Ignite You
We are a community of people passionate about the impact of education in changing the world: come meet our full-time and part-time staff, as well as volunteer-driven Board of Directors.
Laura Barbosa
Education:
International University of Malaya Wales, Malaysia
Favourite Quote:
“Take only memories, leave only footprints” – Chief Seattle
Extra Curricular Activity:
Writing Poems
Oriana Beltran
Education:
Advanced Diploma in Business Administration
Favourite Quote:
“If you’re going to do something, do it right”
Extra Curricular Activity:
Go to the gym and dance
Jessica Peverill
Education and Work:
Bachelor of Science in Bio-Medical Science and Neuroscience from the University of Guelph
Favourite Quote:
“We meet no ordinary people in our lives.” – C.S. Lewis
Extra Curricular Activities:
Writing! I love to create short stories and character studies, in particular, though also write a bit of poetry and have some longer pieces too.
Maria Caro
Education:
Honours Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto, 2020
Favourite Quote:
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind”— Dr. Seuss
Extra Curricular Activities:
Any opportunity to travel or hang out with dogs.
Our Board of Directors
Adam Hamovitch
Adam’s contributes an endless passion for personal and group development to SOS, which also fuels his work as an HR professional. He is currently Talent Principal for XPV Water Partners, and previously played roles with BMO as Senior Consultant for Organizational Effectiveness, and with Deloitte as a Senior Partner. Adam is an avid skier. Adam completed his MSc from The University of Oxford and London School of Economics. Adam has been a member of SOS’ Board of Directors since 2016.
Laura Viselli
Laura has been involved with SOS since 2012 in many roles including a volunteer at Laurier SOS, an Outreach Trip participant, and a Head Office staff member. Her commitment to SOS is fuelled by the impact she continues to see the organization making each and every day. Laura brings a wealth of historical knowledge about SOS to the Board of Directors, as well as experience in program development, management, and evaluation.
Mike Ziemerink
Mike was first introduced to SOS during International Development week in 2018 as a student at Centennial College and joined the board three years later. After completing his studies in International Development and Fundraising Mike began working for The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, the Anglican Church of Canada’s agency for sustainable relief and development. Mike supports SOS by using his experience and education in fund development and donor stewardship to assist the organization’s growth and strengthen future programs.
Rob Scott
Rob first connected with SOS as a member of an Outreach Trip for Laurier Alumni in 2014 and has been involved ever since; inspired by the first experience, Rob launched a fundraising effort in support of SOS and our international partners in Nicaragua called ‘Winds of Change’ that has supported. Rob is Managing Partner of a boutique management consulting firm for C-suite executives, Ember Advisory. Rob previously held senior roles with PriceWaterhouseCooper, Ernst & Young, and Capgemini. Rob supports SOS by harnessing a multi-decade career in management consulting to assist the organization’s continuous improvement and growth.
Grace Guo
Grace is an accounting professional that joined the SOS Board of Directors in Jan 2022. She holds both Canadian CPA and US CPA with experience in public accounting. Joining the Board of Directors of SOS gives Grace the opportunity to make a difference for underserved youth and to create a lasting impact. She’s a strong believer in education and wishes to help underserved youth to gain access to education. Grace provides support in the accounting capacity. She is thrilled to join the SOS and excited to provide adequate guidance in the annual budget and year-end audit process.
Caroline Sanders
Caroline is an Associate at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, with a focus on tax law. Caroline has always loved to travel and while completing her law degree at Osgoode Hall Law School, she had the opportunity to spend a semester studying abroad in Copenhagen. Joining the Board of Directors of SOS has given Caroline the opportunity to provide legal guidance to an organization that embodies her passion for travel and cultural exchange.
Jensen Arsenault
Jensen is an elementary school teacher with a passion for equitable access to education. She got involved with SOS in 2019 supporting the planning and coordination of the virtual exchange programs. Jensen was inspired by all of the students she worked with, both in Canada and Guatemala, to continue her work with SOS. She supports SOS by bringing her knowledge of curriculum development, program planning, and equitable learning.
National Advisory Committee
Konrad Suesser
PROGRAM:
BSc Honours Neuroscience
COACHING CLUSTER:
YOUR MOTIVATION:
“One of my favourite parts about SOS is always seeing how enthusiastic students are when they become aware that we are a not-for-profit organization. In addition to this, I love teaching and seeing the “moment” when students finally understand a concept. It brings me a lot of joy. ”
YOUR EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS
Konrad has been involved with SOS for over 2 years now. He has spent the entirety of his time as an exam-aid instructor, 1 year as a VP of Educational development, and 1 year, so far, as a Co-President of the UVic SOS chapter. Konrad has always been enthusiastic as expanding UVic SOS as a chapter and branching out to try new things.
FUN QUESTION:
To be honest, this is a very difficult question and I do not think I can narrow my list down to one person for all contexts, but if I had to choose based on what I currently want to learn more about, I would pick David Goggins. His perseverance and grit, shown by his life story, is something to strive for. I would love to pick his mind to learn about what makes him tick.
PERSONAL INTERESTS/HOBBIES:
I really enjoy research, volunteering, powerlifting, reading, hiking, and spending time with family and friends! 🙂
Dominique Baillargeon
PROGRAM:
University of Windsor Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Graduated in 2020
COACHING CLUSTER:
International Development
YOUR MOTIVATION:
“Personally, I feel my SOS experience was most rewarding when I volunteered on an SOS Outreach Trip to Las Arrugas, Guatemala! I was able to fully immerse myself in the culture of the community, build meaningful relationships, and create memories that I will cherish for a lifetime. It was truly a once in a life time experience that I would highly recommend to anyone that is interested! “
YOUR EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS
Dominique held the role of Exam-Aid Instructor for two nursing courses in her second and third year of university and was the SOS Trip Leader on her Outreach Trip to Guatemala in August of 2019. In her 4th year, Dominique held the role of VP of International Development and was selected as one of the National Student Ambassadors during the SOS 2019-2020 award ceremony.
FUN QUESTION:
I would have dinner with Greta Thunberg so we could discuss today’s environmental issues and our planet! I’ve always been very passionate about environmental activism and would be able to learn a lot from her. 🙂
PERSONAL INTERESTS/HOBBIES:
I love to run, travel, hangout with friends, and binge watch Netflix shows!
Karyssa Hamann
PROGRAM:
Medicine, 1st year
COACHING CLUSTER:
International Development
YOUR MOTIVATION:
“SOS has been one of the highlights of my university career. The model not only allowed me to make a difference on my own campus, but also pushed me beyond my own environment, allowing me to make an international impact. SOS has been a huge part of my own personal growth and enrichment and I continue to give back in order to elevate this experience for the leaders to come.”
YOUR EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS
2 years as VPID, 1 year as chapter president at Laurentian, EAI for PSYC 1105, trip leader in the May 2019 trip to Santa Apolonia, Guatemala, part of the national advisory board now. Outside of SOS – attending medical school at McMaster as of August!
FUN QUESTION:
Jesus, so I could hear the stories firsthand!
PERSONAL INTERESTS/HOBBIES:
Gym, piano, hiking, yoga
Brian To
PROGRAM:
University of Ottawa, Accounting, Recent Graduate (June 2020)
COACHING CLUSTER:
Finance
YOUR MOTIVATION:
“I was inspired to be part of SOS because of its entrepreneurial initiative in making a meaningful world impact in education; not just helping post-secondary students in Canada, but also helping communities elsewhere such as Latin America through Global Impact Fund projects. Even today, there are still many communities who do not have the infrastructure and access to quality education. Education is such a fundamental part of our growth and our future. SOS inspires students to become leaders of tomorrow and break down barriers to education. I want to be a leader and giveback to those who may not have been as fortunate as I am to quality education.“
YOUR EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS
Brian held the role of VP Finance (for the uOttawa Chapter) for two years. Being the only commerce student on the executive team, he has provided the team with valuable inputs and ideas from a business perspective to improve the chapter’s operations and presence on campus. His prior experience taking on executive roles in event planning and finance, as well as his advanced proficiency in Excel, has allowed him to implement a unique financial process that ensures better transparency, accuracy, and completeness of the chapter’s financial performance. Even though Brian has graduated from university, he continues to be involved with SOS.
FUN QUESTION:
If I could have dinner with any person, it would be Jack Ma, the co-founder and former executive chairperson of Alibaba Group, one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies. He is the definition of perseverance. No matter how many challenges and failures he faced and how many people doubted his abilities, he never gave up. His determination and willingness to experiment is what led him to success. I have learned a lot about him from reading articles to watching his keynote speeches. It would be an honour to meet him in person and get to know him on a personal level.
PERSONAL INTERESTS/HOBBIES:
Hanging out with friends, Volunteering in my community, Going on foodie adventures (exploring new food places, immersing myself in a new culture, taking food pictures, writing food reviews), Learning new languages, Travelling and Road Trips
Katerini Hatziantonis
PROGRAM:
U of T, mathematics, graduated 2009
COACHING CLUSTER:
Finance
YOUR MOTIVATION:
“I felt my SOS experience was most impactful when I attended a meeting with my fellow VPs and saw a slideshow of the work achieved in a recent outreach trip to Guatamala. I was able to see actual university students accomplishing actual tangible change in developing communities. What struck me most was that these educational endeavours are sustainable and work with the local community to increase the local economy.”
YOUR EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS
While Katerini held the role of VP of Finance, she never hesitated to lend support to her other VPs when in need. She acted as a spokesperson and spread the word of SOS across campus when attending events held by other groups and succeeded in recruiting some students.
FUN QUESTION:
Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, author, and science communicator. I find his one-hour radio talk show, StarTalk, both engaging and entertaining. He has the ability to discuss complex ideas in very simple terms. Great speaker.
PERSONAL INTERESTS/HOBBIES:
I love to craft, crochet, button making, graphic design, and eat spicy food.
Jayden Robins
Education:
Wilfrid Laurier University, Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing Concentration
Favourite Quote:
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow, Learn as if you were to live forever” – Mahatma Gandhi
Extra Curricular Activities:
Hiking, Spontaneous Adventures, Watching Reality TV
Local Partners in Guatemala
Isabela Toma Zacarias
Education:
Bachelor of Business Administration, Mariano Gálvez University of Guatemala.
Favourite Quote:
“”If you can dream it, then you can achieve it” – Zig Ziglar
Extra Curricular Activities:
Walk and contemplate the beauty of nature
Noé Caal
Education:
Natural Resources Technician, Fox Valley Technical College, USA.
Favourite Quote:
“We all leave footprints as we journey through life – make sure yours are worth following”-Bob Teague
Extra Curricular Activities:
Extracurricular activities: Playing soccer and mountain biking