Meet Our Board!
Winjoy Tiop
President
The visionary and president for Golden Mti, Winjoy is taking a Bachelor’s of Science at the University Of Calgary. Winjoy has seen the under-representation of South Sudanese and other African women in S.T.E.M. programs.
She believes that there are many young black students who desire to pursue these programs but school counselors have pushed many BIPOC students to lower stream classes. She believes that by showing the younger generation that they have so much more to offer it will strengthen the community. Winjoy believes that the only way to strengthen and to build up a community is by investing and empowering the younger generation.
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Golden Mti starts at the ground level and helps guide African children through tutoring and mentorship. The goal is to create an environment where children are about to see and explore their full potential!
Her volunteer experience with FHL, an organization that provides low-income children with the opportunity to get involved with sports, has shown how giving children opportunities they might not find elsewhere, really transforms them. The child becomes more confident both physically and mentally. And it is the same goal here at Golden Mti
Theresa Chris-Amadin
Vice-President
Theresa is a Psychology student at the University of Calgary. Originally from Nigeria, she grew up being involved with after-school programs like the Boys and Girls Club, which served as a safe place to connect with her community, foster positive relationships with peers and build practical skills.
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Her experience with the Boys and Girls club left a long-lasting impact, as she saw firsthand the positive impacts of volunteering, inspiring her to want to be involved in her community and work with youth.
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She is fortunate to have her parents greatly involved and supportive in her educational journey. However, by acknowledging her own privileges and support systems, she is able to recognize that not everyone has access to the same opportunities and resources.
Therefore, she hopes that her efforts at Golden Mti will promote more equitable and accessible learning environments for BIPOC youth.
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Chantal
VP Marketing
Chantal is a first year student at the University of Ottawa, where she it undertaking a Bachelors of Science in Computer Technology and a Bachelors of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering.
Through her participation in volunteer programs at the Calgary Public Library, the Youth Employment Centre, and Alberta Health Services, all of which she chose to partake in because of firsthand knowledge of the impact these organizations can have. She fostered her interest in community involvement.
Through Golden Mti, Chantal hopes to help BIPOC youth in Calgary access as many resources they need to optimize their personal and professional development.
Idy Vien
​ Idy is a third-year student at the University of Calgary studying Biochemistry. Being a second-generation Canadian, she has experienced first-hand struggles that come with navigating the Alberta education system and the pursuit of post-secondary education. Given that both of her parents are immigrants, Idy lacked the critical guidance from her parents to guide her through the process of pursuing post-secondary education. From her experience as a tutor, she found that many students struggling with their studies were not able to access tutoring services due to the cost of these services.​
Idy hopes to use her experiences and knowledge to give marginalized communities access to the same opportunities as their peers. Idy’s goal for Golden Mti is to inspire confidence in youth of underappreciated communities and in turn, break down the socioeconomic barriers that may limit them from achieving their full potential.
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Varinder
VP Marketing
Varinder is a student at the University of Calgary pursuing a Bachelors of science in Psychology. He is very familiar with the struggles that BIPOC and immigrant students face throughout their educational journey.
Through Golden Mti, he hopes help students overcome those barriers and he also hopes to encourage more BIPOC students to pursue higher education.
Chantelle
Community Chairperson
Chantelle is our Chairperson for the Internal Affairs Committee at Golden Mti, overseeing the Human Resources team!. She is currently on her fourth year studying Biomedical Sciences at the University of Calgary and second year of volunteering with Golden Mti.
I am a full Filipino and passionate about finding ways to ensure educational equity for BIPOC students. In her free time, she enjoys powerlifting and walking with her friends’ dogs!
Gabriela Dziegielewska
​ Gabriela is a fourth year chemistry student at the University of Calgary. Her experiences as an immigrant in junior high and high school have shaped her passion for equitable education. Having first-hand experience in the shortcomings of school support services for immigrant children drove her to volunteer with Golden Mti. Gabriela believes that students from underserved backgrounds deserve the same quality of education and support and is hoping to level the field through her position at Golden Mti.
​ In her free time, she enjoys reading and baking.
Ariet Okuori
​ Ariet is in her fourth year of a combined Biology/Sociology degree. She is a South Sudanese immigrant from Saskatchewan and attends the University of Calgary. She has experience working at a multicultural childcare centre and currently volunteers at a crisis nursery.
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​ Golden Mti piqued her interest because she knew first-hand what it was like to tackle secondary and post secondary school with no guidance or mentorship. Ariet wanted to be part of an organization that would help alleviate this stressor for BIPOC youth.
