ICN Youth Delegation at Cooperation Canada's Leaders' Forum 2025

My name is Brandy Chief-Mathias, I am 24 years old from Timiskaming First Nation, Quebec. I am the Youth Council Coordinator for Keepers of The Circle, where I facilitate youth programming focused on culture and life skills. I also serve as Treasurer on the Timiskaming First Nation Youth Council and as the youth representative on the Algonquin Nation Tribal Council Board of Directors. My experiences have strengthened my passion for creating opportunities where Indigenous youth feel supported, empowered, and proud of who they are. I believe in the importance of uplifting underrepresented voices and ensuring youth are included in leadership spaces. The Cooperation Canada Leaders Forum is meaningful to me because it creates space for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing among diverse leaders. I am eager to bring an Indigenous perspective, learn new approaches, and share insights with youth in my community while continuing to grow as a leader myself.

Wendy Ihama is a Policy Analyst with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, where she supports the policy initiatives in tourism, culture, arts, and recreation. With over four years of experience in public service, policy research, and program development, she has worked across government, academia, and the nonprofit sector.

As a youth leader at the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC), Wendy has actively engaged with youth voices in Atlantic Canada through civic participation and initiatives. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the City College of New York.

Passionate about inclusive policymaking, equity, and global collaboration, Wendy looks forward to bringing her Atlantic Canadian perspective to Cooperation Canada’s Leaders’ Forum while connecting with peers to advance innovative and sustainable solutions.

Steven Lin is passionate about empowering youth to achieve their goals through capacity building, self reflection and soft skill development. Steven has spent the last decade working with various nonprofits to tackle SDG 4 quality education. Some examples include his work with the Alberta Mentorship Program providing high school students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills or working at the Terra Centre to help teen parents advocate for themselves and for policy and system change. Currently he works with several non-profits to engage in service delivery and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Training. In addition to that Steven has been engaged with young leaders globally through Creative Leadership as well as Global Shapers to support young professionals in tackling local issues in their community. Steven follows the model of Servant and Authentic leadership in his daily practice.

Mapenzi is a fourth-year Chemistry and Biochemistry double major at Dalhousie University. She resettled in Canada as a refugee at the age of eleven, an experience that shaped her values of resilience, inclusion, and community support. Passionate about science, health, and equitable opportunities for youth, she is committed to bridging gaps in education and empowerment. She volunteers with Together for a Strong World Inc., a member organization of the MCIC, where she helps deliver programs connecting youth with global development issues. Through research, tutoring, and community engagement, she inspires youth to see themselves as change-makers regardless of financial barriers. As an ICN Youth Delegate, she looks forward to sharing a Manitoba youth perspective at the 2025 Cooperation Canada Leaders’ Forum and bringing back strategies to strengthen youth-led initiatives.

Rochelle Prasad is an educator and policy advocate shaping Canada’s future through youth leadership, education equity, and global engagement. She founded the SPARK Foundation, a  nonprofit that has reached over 500,000 young people with life skills and leadership programming, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Canada. Rochelle also teaches at University Canada West and UC Berkeley, where she equips the next generation with the tools to lead with purpose and equity.

She advises the United Nations and the Government of Canada on education and youth engagement policy, contributing to strategies that expand opportunity and reduce barriers for young people. Her advocacy has reached the UN General Assembly, the World Bank, and Canadian Parliament right here at home. Rochelle joins the Cooperation Canada Leaders Forum to strengthen collective leadership and co-create policy solutions that advance youth well-being, equity, and Canada’s global role.

Ira Mamis is a social worker, immigrant, and community advocate from the Philippines, raised in the Yukon. Her upbringing has fueled her commitment to addressing challenges faced by marginalized communities, particularly youth, immigrants, refugees, and those living in northern regions. Ira’s personal experiences drive her passion for dismantling systemic barriers and advocating for social justice, equity, and inclusion.

Ira has held advisory roles at both local and national levels, helping shape policies that prioritize the needs of underserved groups. She currently works as a social worker in the Yukon, providing direct advocacy and support to marginalized communities. Her leadership combines lived experience with professional expertise, bridging the gap between those impacted by systemic inequalities and the policymakers who can drive meaningful change.

At the 2025 Cooperation Canada Leaders' Forum, Ira looks forward to collaborating with changemakers to develop transformative solutions for a more resilient and inclusive future.

Attending the Cooperation Canada Forum 2025 as an ICN Youth Delegate would let me bring a vital health systems and equity lens to national discussions on Canada’s role in global cooperation. I am a bilingual registered nurse and immigrant from Burundi, deeply committed to gender equality, social justice and sustainable international development.

Through frontline nursing in Ottawa, I have supported newcomers, children and people experiencing homelessness. I have witnessed how global policies shape local realities and create systemic barriers. My advocacy with Results Canada and work in the OCIC Youth Policy-Makers Hub strengthen my understanding of how grassroots experience connects with broader policy frameworks.

I believe youth bring crucial insight and creativity to issues like climate change, conflict and inequality. This Forum is a chance to collaborate with diverse leaders, champion overlooked voices and help shape inclusive cooperation strategies grounded in justice, lived experience and authentic representation

My name is Taz, and I am currently in my third year of the Social Work program. I chose this path because I have always been passionate about helping people and supporting those who may not have a voice. Social justice is at the core of who I am, and I believe in advocating for equality and fairness in all aspects of society. I am especially interested in working with marginalized communities and contributing to positive change through both individual support and broader systemic advocacy. Outside of school, I love to travel because it allows me to experience different cultures, perspectives, and ways of life, which I feel enriches my ability to connect with others. Meeting new people and exploring new places inspires me to bring fresh ideas into my work and studies.