IPC's Youth Advisory Council

• The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario oversees Ontario’s access and privacy laws. These laws give the public the right to access their personal information as well as general information from public institutions.
• These laws also set rules to ensure that personal information held by public institutions, health care providers, and child and family service providers is private and secure.
• You can learn more about our office by visiting our about us page.

• The IPC’s Youth Advisory Council is a group of ten young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Members will share their voices and help the IPC stand up for the access and privacy rights of children and youth.
• The IPC wants to give young people a voice in policy decisions that affect them, and help us build policies that reflect their priorities.
• One of the strategic priorities guiding our work is Children and Youth in a Digital World. Working together with the council, the IPC will champion the access and privacy rights of Ontario’s children and youth by promoting their digital literacy and the expansion of their digital rights while holding institutions accountable for protecting the children and youth they serve.

Angela is a first-year university student with an interest in sociology, criminology, and social justice. She is also a member of the university’s school newspaper and Junior Varsity Volleyball program. In high school, Angela volunteered as an assistant coach at her volleyball club and took on various leadership roles — such as President of the Social Justice Club and School President — where she organized many social justice campaigns and fundraisers. During her post-secondary studies, Angela wants to conduct sociological research about youth experiences across educational systems, as well as criminological research about young offenders and how education systems play a role in youth crime. In the future, Angela wants to pursue a career in education. She is dedicated to amplifying the voices of systematically oppressed groups and is committed to channeling her passion for social justice into initiatives that can create meaningful change across Ontario.

Baraa is a bilingual high school student who is passionate about science and mathematics. Baraa has volunteered at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ottawa, where he shared his passion for coding with children. He participated in the 2022 eQuality Project Youth Summit and is interested in issues surrounding privacy policy in Ontario as a way to create concrete change. He has committed to using his voice to ensure the views of children and youth are heard during policy discussions and decision-making processes, given the important implications of privacy on his generation. In addition to his interest in science, math, and privacy issues, Baraa is also a certified soccer referee and junior baseball player.

Ciaran is a first-year university student, enrolled in Business Administration, who joined the IPC’s Youth Advisory Council to give back to his community and ensure youth voices are heard. Ciaran was born in England, where he lived for eight years before moving to France and then Ontario in 2018. He is bilingual in English and French and has worked as a biking and ski instructor and a waiter, and has volunteered with Global Medic Ontario and the Red Cross. Ciaran is active, curious, and is always looking to learn new things. He keeps up with modern technology trends and the privacy risks that come with them. Ciaran plans to use his outgoing, social and confident personality to make a difference through sharing youth perspectives on privacy matters and concerns discussed by the council. He recognizes the need to address child and youth privacy rights in a digital environment, especially as children start to enter the digital world at a younger age.

Cynthia is a grade 12 student who is currently completing the International Baccalaureate program. Prior to high school, she participated in the 2018 New York Montessori Model United Nations Conference, which has inspired her to become the four-year founder and head of her school’s Model United Nations Club. After attending multiple STEM hackathons, Cynthia has also taken on several leadership and coordination roles in various technology-focused organizations. This year she participated in the eQuality Project Youth Summit, which has allowed her to become a student ambassador for the project. This led her to the IPC’s Youth Advisory Council, where she hopes to contribute to and collaborate with others towards improving our future.

Ella currently works as a Youth Engagement Coordinator with the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centre’s (OFIFC). She is passionate about ensuring youth voices are heard at all levels of government. Ella’s interests include technology, cooking, and social change and she has over six years of experience sitting on boards of directors and youth councils across Ontario. For example, Ella sat on the Board of Directors for the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre for over five years where is held roles as Youth Rep, Secretary, and Vice President for two terms. Ella is committed to using her voice to create meaningful change and is interested in ensuring the voices of youth/young adults are represented in discussions and decision-making processes.

Gladys is a high school student who is passionate about policy and technology and the intersection between them. She has been a Teen Ambassador with Canada Learning Code since 2020, volunteers as a Program Coordinator with Model City Hall, and is one of her school’s Model United Nations Club presidents. Committed to advocating for positive change in her community and beyond, Gladys wants to see effective and consistent policies that mitigate privacy risks to youth and hold data collectors accountable. She also enjoys playing the violin and viola in her spare time and is the third chair of the first violin section of the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Hayden is a first-year law student at Osgoode Hall Law School and a recent graduate from the Rotman School of Management. He is passionate about advancing the protection and promotion of youth’s privacy rights and looks forward to sharing his experiences with the council. While at Rotman, Hayden served as the Student Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and has mentored 2SLGBTQ+ students for over five years. He is currently an executive with his school’s OUTLaws Society, Associate Editor of the Osgood Hall Law Journal, and Clinic Fellow with the Intellectual Property Innovation Clinic. Hayden is dedicated to advocating for greater protection and promotion of youth rights, especially the rights of those belonging to marginalized communities.

Justin is a student at the University of Toronto who is passionate about youth equity and justice. Justin participates in two youth advisory committees organized separately through the University of Ottawa and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), which examine digital action and knowledge mobilization and their impact on policy across Ontario and Canada. Throughout high school, Justin participated in multiple initiatives to raise awareness for bullying and discrimination against members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, including organizing a meeting with the founder of Pink Shirt Day Canada. They also participated in conferences across Canada and internationally and served on several committees centered on youth advocacy. Justin is a youth advocate passionate about justice, dignity, and respect, and aims to ensure voices of youth across Canada are heard.

Keith is a first-year student at McGill University, studying political science and religion. He is an active community member and student leader who is dedicated to promoting inclusion and well-being. Keith was previously the TCDSB Student Trustee and the President of the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association, where he worked alongside Ministers and school board administrators to implement a menstrual equity program and advocated for 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in Catholic school boards. At McGill, Keith has been working to improve the lives of students in the fields of policy and student governance. He is currently the Deputy Director of McGill’s Policy Association, a Member at Large for a variety of SSMU Committees and the First-Year Representative for McGill’s Political Science Association. Keith began his involvement with our office through the IPC Privacy Day webcast as a student speaker, after which he was invited to join the IPC Strategic Advisory Council. Keith is very excited to continue his work with the IPC through the new Youth Advisory Council.

Kezia, a senior in high school, is interested in youth psychological well-being, peer pressure, impoverished community empowerment, cyberbullying, and economic development. She also works with Community Justice Initiatives in addition to being a member of her high school's Black Student Union Association. Kezia also participates in humanitarian campaigns, writes poems, and organizes community events. She is dedicated to effecting positive change in her community, schools, and region. Kezia hopes to enrich the lives of young people while also sharing her insights and ideas on how typical landed immigrants adapt and go about their everyday lives in the face of adversity.