Christina Wong

Christina brings a diverse skillset to the team, reflecting a combination of: 19 years of involvement in the DTES community, 15 years of sponsorship experience, a major in Psychology from SFU and eight years working with people who face disabilities. She is very fortunate to have a passionate and competent team to help achieve a mission that is much greater than us - empowering entrepreneurs to overcome barriers and beat the odds. Recently, she was nominated for the 2024 YWCA Women of Distinction in the Community Champion category and a recipient for the Globe and Mail Top 50 Business Changemaker recipients in Canada.

Christina can be found being walked by her dog Tater Tot (he is strong), losing her mind over collecting tiny things and feeding baby capybaras.

Isa Seto

Isa is passionate about creating an environment and culture where individuals feel valued, appreciated and seen and will carry this into all her work at Employ to Empower. She is excited to own all things engagement, culture, volunteer and operations within the Employ to Empower community.

Charissa Landicho

Charissa has been a part of ETE’s roots since 2018—starting as a volunteer for the Vancouver Street Store 5.0 and 6.0, and Cardboard Project 1.0 and 2.0, before joining as ETE's very first employee in 2020. Since then, she has worn many hats, leading our entrepreneur storytelling through in-person and online talk shows, documentaries, podcasts, educational workshops, and more. Today, as the Brand and Marketing Lead, she continues to champion ETE’s storytelling—sharing the unique and inspiring journeys of our entrepreneurs across all modalities and platforms, and spearheading our annual flagship event: Make Change Market.

Driven by the belief that everyone has a unique strength to offer, Charissa views storytelling as a powerful catalyst for connection — she believes that storytelling is a powerful tool for individuals to feel seen, heard, and understood, ultimately expanding the narratives of what we believe is possible.

Lara Debie

Pillar: Business Education & Training

Lara is responsible for the Business Training pillar within ETE, this includes participant outreach, community partnerships, leading workshops and leading the two main programs: the 8-week BST program and the SMART-start program.
Originally from the Netherlands, she holds a Law Degree (LL.M), specializing in Health Law. After moving to Canada she became a certified coach and started her own coaching practice. She joined ETE initially as a Volunteer Community Mentor in September 2021 and then started in her role in April 2022.
Lara especially loves seeing the participants grow their self-believe and self-confidence — from coming in with 'just' an idea, to presenting their initial business vision. In her personal time, she loves exploring different places, taking long walks and eating good food; cheese is a necessity.

Vivian Wong

Pillar: Entrepreneur Engagement

For the past four years at ETE, Vivian has jumped into various roles at ETE — from leading the 9th Vancouver Street Store, diving into the world of marketing, and currently the Entrepreneur Engagement Lead. Alongside her team, once our entrepreneurs have graduated from the Business Skills Training Program, they gain access to our monthly activities that range from monthly EntrePEERneur Gatherings, community socials, educational workshops, and our Make Change Market Program.

Anastasiia Illarionova

Pillar: Mentorship

Anastasiia is our Mentorship Lead who fosters meaningful connections between mentors and entrepreneurs, driving personal and professional growth. With over nine years of experience in customer relations, engagement, and team management, she has a proven track record of empowering others. Her diverse career includes roles such as Case Manager, supporting displaced Ukrainian nationals in securing meaningful employment, and Project Team Coordinator, where she led software development teams across eight countries, meeting strict timelines and budgets. These experiences have honed her ability to build trust, navigate complex challenges, and deliver tailored solutions. Passionate about mentorship and its transformative power, Anastasiia leverages her international background and multicultural team experience to create inclusive, inspiring environments. Outside work, she enjoys exploring Vancouver’s outdoors, personal development, and mentoring.

Jasmitha Mendonca

Pillar: Business Education & Training

Jasmitha joined ETE in June 2025 and Jasmitha is the Business Skills Training (BST) Coordinator, where she supports building community partnerships, conducting outreach events and workshops, along with the intake of entrepreneurs into the BST program. Her background- spanning engineering, sales, customer service, sports, and psychology- informs her belief that continuous learning, change, and making meaning in discomfort are core to personal and collective transformation (especially when we have the right people with us).

After pivoting into psychology, Jasmitha found her footing in work that aligns with her passion for mental health, Learning & Development, and working with the community. She brings a love for “everything psych,” a commitment to cheering for her people, and a value for both self and collective compassion in everything she does.

She is excited to build connections with our entrepreneurs,learn about the incredible ideas they're working with, and most importantly, be a part of their journey from the first spark of inspiration to building their business model to making their first sale and more.

Outside the 9–5, you can find her exploring trails, jumping into lakes, reflecting on what it means to belong in this world, and finding more ways to move and play.

Salim Ba Saiwar

Pillar: Business Education & Training

Salim is driven by a deep belief in the power of human connection, community, and resilience. As a Business Skills Training Facilitator at Employ to Empower, he finds purpose in supporting individuals as they unlock their potential and work toward their goals. His passion lies in creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered. With experience in inclusive education, community engagement, and mentorship, Salim is energized by the relationships he builds and the growth he witnesses. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the night sky and sharing his curiosity about space with others.
You can always find her with her planner, a cup of green tea, and playing her Spotify Daylist.

Rebecca Visser

Pillar: Business Education & Training

Rebecca has 10 years of experience in tech startups as a digital marketing leader, is a two-time entrepreneur, and a certified coach. As a Facilitator for the SMART Start program, she blends her business expertise with her coaching skills to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into MVPs. Rebecca believes deeply in the transformative journey of self-employment and is excited to support entrepreneurs as they reach the exciting milestone of their first sale. Outside of work, she’s passionate about personal development, sustainability, and all things cats.

Samantha Devlin

Samantha is our in-house counsellor, offering individualized wellness support to our entrepreneurs as well as mental health education and consultation to the ETE team. She has 9 years of education and clinical training in psychology, counselling, and human development from SFU and UBC; as well as 10 years of collective experience from different non-profit organizations in Canada. Samantha is passionate about providing client-centered care in her community. She strives to create a warm and welcoming space where client's can share their story, navigate life's challenges, and collaboratively accomplish their personal growth goals.

Deirdre Nair

Dee brings the power of storytelling to ETE, leading our digital marketing and social media efforts. With seven years of entrepreneurial experience, she launched her own business while still in high school, driven by a strong passion for creativity.
She began her post-secondary studies at Douglas College, earning a Communications certificate before transferring to Simon Fraser University, where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Communications.
Outside of work, Dee is always on the hunt for the perfect matcha latte, enjoys taking her dog for long walks, and loves spending an evening out dancing - her favorite way to unwind!

Kristine Bernardino

Pillar: Entrepreneur Engagement

Kristine is the Entrepreneur Engagement Coordinator at Employ to Empower, where she focuses on local change, equity, and community while supporting entrepreneurs through relationship-building, program navigation, and business development guidance. Passionate about connecting with people and learning from diverse perspectives, she is inspired by community impact and enjoys outdoor adventures, live music, and trying new foods in her free time.

Danya Dalanco

Pillar: Business Education & Training

Danya joined ETE as a Program Facilitator in June 2026. They have nearly 9 years of experience working with adults and youth in non-profits across Vancouver. After many years of support work, they transitioned to facilitation, spending a year facilitating recovery programming and their own LGBTQ+ SmartRecovery meeting before joining ETE.

Danya has an educational background in psychology and indulges their love of learning whenever possible, having a particular interest in American Sign Language. They are passionate about inclusion, empowerment and supporting resiliency. They believe that the tools and skills that once helped people survive may become unhelpful at other times in life, but those strengths can be repurposed, moving from surviving to thriving.

Danya pretends they are funny and often people are kind enough to laugh along. In their personal life, they enjoy swimming, dancing, thrifting, sushi and spending time with friends.

Vea Coronado

Pillar: Mentorship

Vea has over 12 years of experience in leading and consulting for non-profits and social enterprises. She launched Crown and Calling in 2019, as her work began to evolve from traditional business consulting towards one-on-one accompaniment and relational support for impact leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals. When she's not working, you'll find her reading at a cafe, watching local concerts, or sewing and making crafts at home.

Alisa Stephenson

Pillar: Mentorship

Alisa has over a decade of entrepreneurial experience spanning retail, e-commerce, and service-based industries. She brings a practical and thoughtful approach to mentorship, grounded in real world insight. Passionate about helping people discover their why, Alisa supports others in building intentional, purpose-driven businesses. As a Mentor in Residence, she offers curiosity, clarity, and supportive guidance to help entrepreneurs move forward with confidence.

Timothy Ames

Vayuri Bhagwandeen, CPA, CA (SA)

Ralph Baddour

Sarah Lubik

Alisha Masongsong

Len Pierre

Len is supporting Employ to Empower's leadership team with integrating indigenous worldview in to ETE's programming.

James Pelmore

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Sheila Kern

Sheila is supporting Employ to Empower's leadership team with defining the brand purpose to achieve the goals in to ETE's programming.

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