Heart & Stroke Young Leaders Committee

Bianca Jozwiak, co-chair

Bianca is a senior graphic designer, bringing a wealth of experience and specializing in crafting accessible, impactful design solutions. A passionate advocate for social impact, she has volunteered with Heart & Stroke and many other not-for-profits for nearly three years. Her ethos—design for social good—is the cornerstone of everything she does, blending creativity with meaningful change. Fueled by a love for connection, facilitation, and digital marketing, Bianca is constantly seeking new ways to highlight the incredible work the committee does for 2025 and beyond.

Emily McAughey, co-chair

Emily is an associate director of business transformation with a leading global media agency, working on strategic initiatives across all facets of the business. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University and has recently completed her MBA at Ivey Business School. Emily is passionate about Heart & Stroke’s dedication to centering women and driving equity in heart and stroke research. She is honoured to continue her grandmother’s legacy, who has been a volunteer with Heart & Stroke over the past decade.

Morgan Byrne

Morgan is a director of sales at Middlefield, with nearly a decade of experience in the financial sector. Born and raised in Toronto, Morgan attended Dalhousie University, where he had the opportunity to explore the beauty of Canada’s east coast. Diagnosed with a congenital heart disease at a young age, Morgan has become passionate about raising awareness and supporting research for this cause that is close to home. This is Morgan’s first year with HSYL and looks forward to organizing some incredible fundraisers for 2025. In his free time, Morgan enjoys training for Ironman competitions, skiing, embarking on canoe trips, and spending quality time with his fiancé, friends, and family.

Nicholas Grubic

Nicholas is a doctoral student in Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (University of Toronto). He obtained his Master of Science in Epidemiology, Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences, and Certificate in Business, all from Queen’s University. His research focuses on cardiovascular epidemiology, sudden cardiac arrest, social determinants of health, and sports cardiology. Nicholas is also actively involved as a trainee member of various national cardiovascular groups, including the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Cardiovascular Network of Canada, and the Canadian Cardiovascular Research Collaboratory. In his free time, Nicholas enjoys staying active (through running, cycling, and skiing) and playing the brač.

Kathryn Hong

Kathryn Lauren Hong is a resident physician and aspiring clinician scientist at the University of Toronto, who  is passionate about addressing gender disparities in heart disease, where misdiagnosis and mistreatment disproportionately affect women. Her decade of research into cardiovascular disease has led to numerous contributions, including international publications, and recognition through grants and editorial roles. Kathryn's dedication to helping build a healthier future not only drives her mission to advance stroke education and prevention on HSYL, but her advocacy work in leading her own non-profit focused on inspiring the next generation of young leaders.

Nivitha Jeyakumar

Nivitha is a Senior Consultant at McMillan Vantage. In 2020, she was diagnosed with a rare heart condition that prompted a significant reevaluation of her views on age and health. Nivitha is looking forward to working with the Young Leaders Committee to help spread awareness, support research, and advocate for individuals of all ages who are impacted by heart-related conditions.

Jasmin Malhi

Jasmin is a graduate student in Medical Physiology at the University of Toronto and an advocate for equity in healthcare. Originally from Vancouver, BC, she is passionate about health education and promoting healthy lifestyles. Her participation in Heart & Stroke initiatives at the University of British Columbia, along with research funded by the foundation, has deepened her commitment to addressing health disparities in underrepresented communities. Inspired by her grandmother’s heart condition, Jasmin is dedicated to advocating for cardiovascular health as a first-year HYSL committee member. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and cooking for family and friends.

Laura Mantella

Laura Mantella is an Internal Medicine Resident at the University of Toronto, with expertise in the field of cardiovascular health. She earned her MD from Queen's University, as part of the MD/PhD Program. Her PhD research focused on the use of ultrasound in assessing heart disease and cardiovascular risk. Her research garnered widespread recognition and has been published in prestigious international journals and cited in clinical practice guidelines. In Laura’s free time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs, making jewelry and sailing with her friends and family.

Marc McAdam

Marc is a director of process engineering at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. He has earned a Bachelor in Commerce and Finance at the University of Toronto, and completed his Masters of Business Administration at the Schulich School of Business.  He has had various family members and friends who have experienced strokes or heart conditions, which inspired his involvement with Heart & Stroke.  He is Jamaican-Chinese, captains a softball team, and enjoys swimming, reading and cooking in his leisure time.

Olivia Meier

Olivia Meier is a law student at the University of Ottawa in the English Common Law Program. She is a Canadian international badminton player who most notably represented Canada at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Her personal connection to stroke and various heart conditions in her family has motivated her to become involved with Heart & Stroke. In her free time, Olivia enjoys photography, reading, playing racket sports, and spending time with her family at the lake. She is passionate about promoting equity and inclusion, particularly within the legal and sport sectors.

Sherika Nelson

Sherika is a program manager at TELUS Health and author of the children’s book Larry Lung learns to breathe. Sherika has a Degree in Pharmacy, pursued graduate studies in public health and health promotion and is a certified Project Management Professional. Sherika is passionate about health advocacy and education due her own father’s journey with complications of stroke and heart attack. She hopes to honor her dad by helping others avoid a similar fate and this has led to her involvement with Heart & Stroke. Originally from Jamaica, Sherika enjoys going on adventures, volunteering with dogs and watching soccer.

Lisa Sullivan

Lisa is a marketing specialist at CPA Ontario, where she focuses on attracting the next generation of CPAs through strategic lead generation and marketing campaigns. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a Major in Marketing Management from Dalhousie University, where she also competed as a varsity athlete on the women's soccer team. Committed to fitness and wellbeing, she is excited to join the Young Leaders Committee to drive meaningful change through fundraising and awareness initiatives. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys pottery and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Sabrina Trani

Sabrina is a finance and operations professional. She earned a Bachelors of Science degree at the University of Waterloo, majoring in Science and Business. She has six years of experience in the nonprofit space advocating to accelerate gender equity.