As a passionate advocate for youth empowerment, I serve as the Executive Director of Learning Buddies Network (LBN). My journey with LBN began over eleven years ago as a volunteer during high school, and I have since progressed through various roles, including Director of Operations and Programs, to my current position.At LBN, we provide free one-to-one mentoring to over 300 children across British Columbia each year, empowering them to achieve their educational goals. I believe in the transformative power of grassroots charities and community support, which are essential for creating change. My goal is to inspire future leaders within our organization and the broader community.I hold a Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia, where I contributed to research on adolescent mental health. My professional experience includes managing UBC’s Depression, Anxiety and Stress Lab. Feel free to connect with me to discuss collaboration opportunities or share insights.About LBNLearning Buddies Network (LBN) was founded on the belief that no child should be left behind in education. We work to ensure that as many children as possible are equipped with the literacy and numeracy skills they need to succeed in school, the workforce, and life. Through dedicated, one-on-one mentorship, we aim to fill the cracks that many young students — our Little Buddies — fall through in their learning journey.The mentor-mentee relationship is not just beneficial to our Little Buddies. Our volunteers benefit just as much. Each year, LBN trains more than 500 young people as reading and math mentors. We encourage initiative, leadership, creativity, personal development, and self-confidence in our volunteers, empowering them to become the changemakers of today and tomorrow. Our organization is primarily volunteer-led and adopts a youth-leading-youth model. None of our work would be possible without our volunteers’ dedication.We are proud to support all youth, whether mentor or Little Buddy, on their journey towards success.