OUR TEAM | 

Ryan Lo
​Co-Founder

M.U.P., B.E.S.

Ryan Lo is an urban planner, community engagement practitioner, and youth advocate. As Co-Founder of Urban Minds, he bridges the gap between youth and decision makers by developing youth engagement strategies with municipalities and community partners. His work includes organizing the annual 1UPToronto Conference and the 1UP Leaders Lab program, where high school students learn about city building and gain practical skills in civic leadership. Ryan is also a Project Coordinator at internationally renowned non-profit, 8 80 Cities, with extensive experience in facilitating engagement events for placemaking and transportation projects across Canada and the US.

janice cheung
project manager

Janice Cheung is an urban designer and planner, passionate about the design of cities and public spaces. Her work is shaped largely by her strong understanding of planning policy, social equity and economics as it relates to city building. Janice’s particular interests lie in the understanding of people-first design strategies that create macro level impact, while delivering experience at the micro individual level. 

As Project Manager at Urban Minds, she brings forward design-thinking and vibrant energy to meaningful youth engagement strategies. Outside of Urban Minds, she can be found either at the gym, training for her half-marathon, or rapidly scribbling designs in her notebook.

justin ye
photographer

Justin is a student at Marc Garneau C.I. Believing that art can unite people in a way that nothing else can, Justin has developed a passion for photography as a means for artistry. When he's not looking for the next perfect shot, Justin spends much of his time watching late-night comedy shows, playing Ultimate Frisbee, and spending time with friends.

Angela Ng
co-founder

M.Arch., B.Arch.Sci.

Angela Ng is an architectural designer, educator, and youth advocate. As Co-Founder of Urban Minds, she elevates youth voices in the decision-making process of cities by delivering educational school workshops about urban planning and by mentoring a growing network of high school students. Angela is the recipient of the Sappi Ideas That Matter Grant, which funded the production of her 1UP Starter Kit, a key resource for high school students to lead their own community design-build projects. Her design expertise is recognized as winner of the City of Toronto’s Everyone is King: Design-Build Competition with her team’s youth-friendly curb lane public art installation, #WouldYouRatherTO.

davidsion ly
intern

Davidsion is a student at A.B Lucas Secondary School in London, Ontario. By assisting Urban Minds and their 1UP Youth City Builders Program, he hopes to refine his interpersonal, digital design, planning, and photography skills. Davidsion enjoys travelling, the world of aviation, and designing virtual cities in his spare time.

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.

justina li
design strategist

Justina is an Innovation Designer at the International Rescue Committee where she can be found researching, prototyping, testing, designing, implementing, and managing new ideas to solve social issues in the world. Her work has brought her to New York, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Uganda, but mostly online for early morning Skype calls.

Justina felt it was time to start working on the issues in her own backyard, so she joined Urban Minds to use her business brain to take the ideas of Toronto's youth to the streets (literally).​ 

Justina is also a dancer and performer in contemporary, ballet, hip hop, and urban styles.

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!

eric zhao
photographer

Eric is a student at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute. He hopes to capture moments of youth-driven innovation while learning about the ways we can positively impact and change our communities. Apart from photography, Eric enjoys creating art, going on runs, and travelling to new places.