OUR TEAM |
Ryan Lo
Co-Founder Ryan is a Project Coordinator at 8 80 Cities, an international non-profit organization, and a Master of Urban Planning graduate from McGill University. An urbanist, designer, and youth advocate, he has worked on various projects in the realms of placemaking, community engagement and youth empowerment in communities across Canada and the U.S. Having spent his childhood years in Hong Kong and over a decade now in southern Ontario, Ryan has lived the opposite spectra of city life going from hyper-density to ever-sprawling suburbia. These contrasting experiences have inspired his passion of city-building, and his pursuit of innovative, human-centred and design-driven solutions to complex urban challenges. He is always on the search for creative opportunities to push for change. 
wendy wang
director of finance Wendy is a student at University of Toronto Schools. She hopes to help create and participate in an open-minded and youth-driven environment that pushes for progress in local communities. She joined the 1UP Youth City Builders Program because of her interest in sustainability, particularly as it relates to urban life and infrastructure. She is also interested in medicine, specifically urgent care, which stems from her experience in life-saving. 
Jemma Tam
director of programs Jemma is a student at Bill Hogarth Secondary School. She wants to help youth develop fun, unique, eco-friendly communities where people would come and enjoy. Jemma loves travelling to different places, gaining new experiences that ultimately help people, and always putting a smile on people’s faces. 
michelle ng
community manager Michelle is a student at A.Y. Jackson Secondary School. She wants to improve a nearby park, Duncan Creek, and hopes to expand her comfort zone while making a positive and permanent impact on the community. She loves art, reading, and writing. 
alena song
community manager Alena is a student at Earl Haig Secondary School. She wants to address the issue of students jaywalking instead of using the crosswalk, and hopes that she is able to make a physical change in her community and improve the quality of her school area. She loves playing sports (skiing, tennis) and hanging out with friends. |
Angela Ng
co-founder Angela is an Intern Architect at RevelHouse and a Master of Architecture graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her portfolio is built on international work experience including master planning, urban design, entertainment, commercial, residential, and healthcare architecture. Having presented and exhibited her award-winning projects, Angela’s creative thinking has been recognized in both the architecture and urban planning communities. Angela brings her passions for community engagement and human-centred design to Urban Minds. She enjoys travelling around the world to experience new urban environments. In her spare time, she pursues other creative endeavours including cooking, dancing, film-making, painting, and sewing. 
allen lu
director of marketing Allen is a student at A.Y.Jackson Secondary School. He hopes to develop his business acumen and artistry while learning more about urban planning and sustainability, a field that he is considering for his post-secondary education. In his spare time, Allen likes to chat with friends and get involved with various musical activities. 
Karen Yeung
Director of Events Karen is a student at Markville Secondary School. Through the 1UP Youth City Builders Program, she hopes to create opportunities for youth to build change into their communities and cities. Karen loves photography, poetry (especially spoken word), music, and meeting new people. 
Emaan Qazi
community manager Emaan Qazi is a student at Glenforest Secondary School. She strives to improve the livelihood of her community, while promoting youth involvement and initiative as well. She is passionate about making a positive change in her community, and building relationships with people from all over the world! 
karissa liu
photographer Karissa is a student at A.Y. Jackson Secondary School. She believes that when youth come together, great things happen and she loves to being a part of that. Besides photography, reading, and the typical netflix, she loves meeting new people and making friends! |
chantel guo
president Chantel is a student at York Mills Collegiate Institute. She wants to address the elevated levels of academic related stress among the student population, so her goal this year is to improve their mental and physical health. She is a frequent reader and sports enthusiast who can often be found stressing about the little things. 
amir asgarali
director of programs Amir is a student at Markville Secondary School. He hopes to empower youth, to help them spark change in their communities, and to explore sustainable options in urban planning. He loves swimming, skiing, photography, and Kanye West. 
jessica lim
director of technology Jessica is a student at Agincourt Collegiate Institute. She hopes that through 1UP Youth City Builders Program, youth will become empowered as they realize the positive impact they can have in their community. Jessica loves being active and exploring different experiences that help her discover her passions. 
anya sarvanandan
community manager Anya is a student at Earl Haig Secondary School. She hopes to address the issue of public safety within her community and explore ways of doing so through effective urban planning. Anya hopes to become a better leader through Urban Minds and learn to take initiative within her community. The only multitasking she does is when she is simultaneously plugged into Spotify and capturing the world around her through a camera lens. 
mary wang
photographer Mary is a student at St Robert Catholic High School. This year, in serving the 1UP Youth City Builders Program, she would like to improve her photography and Photoshop skills and learn more about videography. Mary loves to play the cello, travel, and imagine small ways of making the world a better place. |