My name is Malika Ladha and I am stoked to be your chairperson for this term. Volunteering has always been a part of my life and I was honoured to be given the 2007 Stars of Alberta Award.  My first experience was as a youth member of the Ismaili Volunteer Corps at the age of three. Since then, volunteering has become my greatest passion:  I have contributed locally and globally in a variety of capacities, such as co-president of the Jasper Place Leadership Team and team captain for the World Partnership Walk. In addition, I've organized projects that have supported Oxfam, the Jane Goodall Foundation and the United Way. I've also had the opportunity to sit on the City of Edmonton Youth Council and the Minister's Student Advisory Council. In 2008, I became vice chairperson of AYV, with a vision to encourage more young people to contribute to their communities in unique capacities.

I currently attend the Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta. I love hockey and cheer for the Edmonton Oilers. I enjoy yoga and scrapbooking, and Glee and Gossip Girl are my top shows!

I am looking forward to working with all of you in some way or another. Send me an email with any questions, ideas or an update about how you're making a difference (malikaladha@youthvolunteer.ca) in your area of the province!

Edward's experiences in volunteerism began in 2001 with Child and Youth Friendly Calgary. Through them Edward attended Community Foundations of Canada National Conferences in Kelowna and Quebec City to network and to learn about what other volunteers are doing across Canada. As a board member for the Calgary Youth Foundation, he was involved in granting $10,000 to youth initiatives and youth-driven projects to help encourage and advance youth leadership in the province. Besides being involved with Alberta's YouthVOLUNTEER! Society for the past five years, Edward is actively engaged in supporting local charities and events including the Ronald McDonald House of Southern Alberta Golf Charity Classic and the Terry Fox Run. Currently, Edward is assisting the recruitment of 400 international delegates for the 2009 Student World Energy Congress. In his spare time, he loves playing sports, always playing hockey, basketball, volleyball and badminton. Awards that Edward has earned for his community engagement include the 2006 Premier's Citizenship Award, the 2006 Millennium Excellence Award, and the 2004 International Youth Optimist Award. Edward is looking forward to continuing to work on this initiative to promote and support youth volunteerism in Alberta, hoping to open doors for other youth and to give them a new perspective on life. He is currently pursuing his studies in Commerce and Kinesiology at the University of Calgary

My name is Sheldon Chow and I am the secretary for Alberta’s YouthVOLUNTEER! Society. As part of the Vitalize 2010 committee this year, I helped to organize the youth mentor program of the Volunteer Provincial Sector Conference. This involved planning, set-up, emceeing and creating a video about youth who are passionate about volunteering. I have also been a volunteer with the YMCA for the past six years. Within the organization, I have taken on several roles including a member’s services assistant and a YMCA Strong Kids Campaigner. With other campaigners, more than 11 000 donors contributed $454 000, to help more than 12 000 people in Edmonton. The YMCA Strong Kids Campaign gives children the opportunity to participate in YMCA programs such as swimming lessons, tutoring and childcare, despite their financial situation. In my current volunteer duties, I am an assistant instructor of the Saturday Morning Mania program. In this program, I am involved with the healthy living and social development of program participants. In my spare time, I enjoy cross-country running, badminton, watching CFL and NHL games as well as speech and debate. In addition, I am a gallery guide interpreter with the TELUS World of Science and I coach my high school’s Reach for the Top team. I will be starting my second year at the University of Alberta where I hope to pursue a career in pharmacy. I hope to continue contributing my skills to making Alberta’s YouthVOLUNTEER! Society a success and I encourage all youth to take part in something they care about.

Hello! My name is Jennifer Lo, and I am the Treasurer of the AYVS Board of Directors. I recently graduated at the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science degree in Honours Pharmacology. I am originally from Hong Kong, but I have been in Edmonton for more than 10 years, so I’m fluent in both Chinese and English. In fact, I participated in the International Summer School at the Chinese University of Hong Kong after I received a Study Abroad Award from the U of A, which was a great experience because I got to experience a different learning environment along with classmates from all around the world! Some of my past volunteering positions included accompanying patients at the Edmonton General Continuing Care Center and teaching Cantonese with the Student Volunteer Campus Community of U of A. Although I have very few volunteer and work experiences because I started to volunteer only late in high school, all of my positions lasted for more than one year, showing that I am committed to my tasks. Of course, it is not the number of volunteering jobs that matters; what matters about volunteering and any kind of careers is the work and effort that you put into it as well as your commitment and interest in your tasks. Since I regret having started volunteering so late in my life, I am here on the Board of Directors to help persuade more youths to get into volunteering early, to tell others that volunteering can be both rewarding and fun! In my free time, I enjoy a variety of sports including badminton and biking. Aside from volunteering with AYVS this year, I will be starting Medical School at the U of A working hard towards pursuing a career of being either a cardiologist or a pediatrician.

Stephanie was bit by the volunteering bug one summer and has never looked back since. She started with Child and Youth Friendly Calgary and went on to organizations such as Alberta Health Services, the Canadian Red Cross, The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, the Calgary Inter-faith Food Bank, Alberta Ballet, local libraries, and children summer day camps. Her volunteering adventures led her to leadership positions such as a steering committee member of the Youth of Distinction Awards, and the student leader who initiated a Youth Volunteer Corps Volunteer Club in her high school which is still operational to this day. Volunteerism is such an integral component of Stephanie’s life that she is even employed as a Volunteer Coordinator at the Peter Lougheed Centre and takes care of all the wonderful volunteers within the hospital. Additionally, Stephanie is actively volunteering in the Emergency department at the Peter Lougheed Centre, the Radiation Therapy department at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre, and as an University of Calgary Orientation Leader. In recognition of her community involvement, Stephanie has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Citizenship Medal, the Premier’s Citizenship Award, and the Millennium Excellence Award. She is currently studying Medicine at the University of Calgary. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, squash, swimming, photography, and of course, volunteering! She is very excited to be a part of Alberta’s YouthVOLUNTEER! Society and looks forward to sharing more volunteering adventures with youth across Alberta!

I am very excited to be a Director of Alberta’s Youth Volunteer! Society.  I graduated in 2009 from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Health Sciences.   Now I’m pursuing a Master of Arts with Athabasca University. Currently, my volunteer commitments include serving as the Chair of the Alberta Graduate Council, Vice President External with Athabasca University Graduate Students’ Association and sitting on several other Athabasca University committees. During my term I will strive to promote and support youth volunteerism in Alberta.  I personally hold great pride in volunteering and would love to instill a similar passion in today’s youth. Aside from volunteering, I am employed full-time with the University of Calgary Students' Union.  My friends joke that “no” isn’t a word in my vocabulary.  During my “limited” free time I can be found hiking or snowboarding in Banff, attending fitness classes, reading fiction novels and traveling to far away places. 

My name is Rabia Ladha and my passion for volunteering began at the age of four. Along with Alberta’s YouthVOLUNTEER Society!, I have actively been involved with the Jasper Place Leadership Team, the Western Canada Key Club, the City of Edmonton Youth Council and the Ismaili Volunteer Corps. My experiences involve organizing and implementing local and global outreach projects and events such as the Terry Fox Walk and Hearts for Haiti. My goal, serving on the board of directors, is to implement events and create resources that youth can use to gain the knowledge, skills and help to become active volunteers in their communities. I currently am completing my secondary education at Jasper Place High School. In my spare time, I love to draw, paint, and of course cheer on the Edmonton Oilers!

Brendan began volunteering at a very young age. Growing up in Vulcan, Alberta, Wade spent many hours volunteering and coaching at school and community level and developing an important sense of community.  In recognition of his many volunteer endeavors throughout High School he received several scholarships including; Alberta Milk Never Stop Scholarship 2005, Vulcan Lions’ Scholarship, and the Ware & Lewis Memorial Scholarship.  Brendan has been involved with the Vulcan Tinman Triathlon Society extensively volunteering from 1998-2010 and sitting as the President of the Board for the Vulcan Tinman Triathlon Society from 2009-2010. Brendan attended the University of Lethbridge graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and double major in political science and history.  While attending university Brendan spent a summer working as a researcher for the Manning Centre for Building Democracy in Calgary.  As the founder and president of the Food and Beverage Club at the University of Lethbridge, Brendan was committed to improving the campus community.  A political science background is helpful in his current position as the Executive Assistant to the Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta.  When he’s not working he enjoys spending time outdoors; hiking, climbing, biking, skiing and traveling.

I am Sherry Thang, currently a third year sociology and economics student at the University of Alberta. Throughout my volunteer experiences, Alberta Youth VOLUNTEER! marks my first time as a director on a formal board; previously I have been involved in mostly operations-side or face-to-face children-focused programs. For example, I was a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I have run after-school programs at Norwood Elementary, and I have fundraised for the Stollery Children's Hospital. Through Alberta Youth VOLUNTEER! I hope to give youth that much needed hand in finding the "where", "when", and "how" of getting involved in their communities. It is my personal goal to let everyone know about Alberta Youth VOLUNTEER! Everybody benefits from volunteerism, be it the youth who achieves personal growth or the community that becomes more a more cohesive, more nurturing place. Volunteering is invaluable to society! Apart from school and volunteering, I currently work as a receptionist/clerk at one of the city's many law firms. I hope to get some understanding of the profession as I would eventually like to pursue a career in corporate law or dispute mediation. In my spare time I enjoy baking, catching up on TV shows (like How I Met Your Mother!), and practicing hot yoga. Recently I rediscovered the joy of riding a bike! You never do forget how to ride, apparently.

As a second year student at the University of Calgary, I'm absolutely thrilled with the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors for Alberta’s Youth VOLUNTEER! Society. Born and raised in Medicine Hat, I've enjoyed being involved in numerous worthwhile causes for quite some time. While at university, I hope to accomplish a Bachelors of Social Work followed by a Masters in the field, with the ultimate ambition of heading into senior public administration with the Government of Alberta. My greatest passion lies in making the voices of youth heard on all issues, and I have worked tirelessly to do so. In August 2008, I received an appointment to the Alberta Government Premier’s Youth Advisory Panel housed in the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. I’m currently completing my second and final term on the Panel. I’ve also remained dedicated to the Progressive Conservative cause in Alberta. After serving as a Director on the Executive of the Progressive Conservative Youth of Alberta (PCYA) for a year, I became the Executive Vice-President of the Association, which is dedicated to engaging young Albertans in the political process and advocating for the elimination of apathy. I also served as President of the Medicine Hat Rotary Interact Club for three years. While in this position, my Executive managed to raise enough funds to sponsor a third world water project in India with our local club. As I consider Rotary International one of the leading service organizations in the world, I’m most looking forward to officially becoming one of the youngest members through the Calgary Urban Spirit Rotary Club. I truly believe that those who dedicate their time in the form of volunteerism make a lasting difference on our society. I’m looking forward to working with all of you in making Alberta a better place to live through this fine organization, Alberta’s Youth VOLUNTEER! Society!

My name is Julia McGarvey and this is my first year as a Director for Alberta's Youth VOLUNTEER! society. I am a Sociology major and Religious studies minor at the University of Alberta and started 

volunteering at the age of 14. My first volunteer job was with The Works Art and Design festival, and i continued to volunteer with them for about 6 years. I also volunteer with iHuman Youth Society, an organization that helps high risk youth use art forms to help in keeping up a healthy mind, body and spirit.Volunteering has been an important aspect in shaping the kind of person i am and hope to 

become. It has also been an asset with my current job as a Support Worker for mentally ill people in the inner city.

Tim is very excited to take on the role of Executive Director of Alberta’s YouthVOLUNTEER!.  Over the years, he has volunteered a great deal through coaching various sports and by sitting on a number of Provincial and Community not for profit Boards.  Tim has worked and volunteered extensively with young people, and whether he was coaching Jr. High Badminton, College basketball or working with youth in school or care settings, it always seemed that he was the one learning and growing.  “My experiences with young people over the last 20 years have continually showed me that youth offer society more than they are given credit for and that engaging them is key to improving our communities, our cities and our world.”