Transforming the culture of STEM towards inclusivity
Our Vision
We envision an inclusive culture within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) where interdisciplinary approaches are used for positive social change.
By highlighting the potential for science and technology to better our communities, we anticipate an increase in the diversity of people, perspectives, and ideas in STEM, resulting in more innovative and sustainable solutions.
Our Vision
We envision an inclusive culture within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) where interdisciplinary approaches are used for positive social change.
By highlighting the potential for science and technology to better our communities, we anticipate an increase in the diversity of people, perspectives, and ideas in STEM, sparking more innovative and sustainable solutions.
Our Mission
Empowering youth to transform lives through STEM.
Our Values
Diversity
Our work starts from a place of compassion, empathy, and integrity. We welcome and value different viewpoints, experiences, and sources of knowledge. We are curious about different ways of doing things while staying true to our individual sense of self.
Collaboration
Our team improves through mutual respect, learning, and contribution towards common goals. Working together, we aspire towards our mission of advocating STEM for social impact and our vision of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the STEM fields. Within our team, we foster a growth mindset while remaining solutions-oriented.
Creativity
We thrive on the opportunities presented by the unknown. We value process and positive risk-taking because meaningful change and authentic innovation can only be achieved by trying something new. We believe our creativity will help us find emerging possibilities.
Meet our Team
Leadership
Andrea Hemmerich
Toronto
Andrea is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Queen's and McMaster Universities and Co-founder of Up4 The Challenge. Her expertise in biomedical engineering and global health informs her teaching practice in Human-Centred Design to tackle social justice issues. She is excited to work with a growing team and expand the impact of Up4 The Challenge. Also serves as a Director on the Board
Lauren Folk
Virtual Office
Lauren earned her Master’s in Civil Engineering at York University while co‑founding Up4 The Challenge and helping launch its Ottawa and Toronto programs. Now an associate traffic engineer, she uses systems thinking and community data to advance inclusive transportation solutions. Lauren brings this same approach to Up4, showing youth how STEM can address real‑world challenges in equity and accessibility, and currently supports the core team and Board of Directors.
Robyn Roy
Virtual Office
Robyn has over 15 years of experience in teaching and success coaching. With specialized training in pedagogy, special education, and literacy, Robyn is known to facilitate creative solutions to educational practices that minimize barriers and allow all students to engage in their learning fully. Also serves as a Director on the Board
Team Members
Ariadni Athanassiadis
Ottawa
Ari is a lawyer, consultant, and educator. As Chair of WISE-Ottawa she helped co-found Up4 The Challenge and continues to provide invaluable advisory support to the organization.
Patience Diala
Virtual Office
Patience Diala is a Grant Expert and Social Impact Strategist who supports nonprofits and social enterprises in securing funding and building sustainable systems. With experience across community development and social impact initiatives, she helps organizations strengthen their programs, align with funders, and position for long-term growth.
Lauren Seto
Toronto
Lauren joined our team as our Digital Media Design Consultant. She is a recent graduate of the Toronto Metropolitan University. In addition to creating amazing content like the video on our home page she has helped facilitate numerous design programs.
Jackson Yu
Toronto
Jackson Yu, a McGill Global Challenges Award recipient (2024), developed our digital STEMflower activity for our Up4 The Challenge youth programs. He continues to support our team with the design of instructional materials while studying Bioengineering and Applied AI at McGill University.
Board of Directors
Lauren Folk
Virtual Office
Andrea Hemmerich
Toronto
Robyn Roy
Virtual Office
Selena Jagdeo
Hamilton
Selena joined Up4 The Challenge in 2024 as a Digital Outreach & Learning Facilitator, co-leading program design and facilitation while driving strategic communications. Selena is pursuing a degree in Global Peace, Social Justice, and Political Science at McMaster University.
Sneha Nemichand
Toronto
Sneha is a Strategy, Operations, and Transformation leader with 7+ years of experience driving people-centric improvements across the public sector, healthcare, and IT. She applies Lean Six Sigma, business process reengineering, and change management to create sustainable system transformations. A wellness educator and lifelong learner, she integrates critical thinking and strategy to drive lasting impact.
Cody de Leijer
Toronto
Cody is an experienced leader dedicated to social impact with over seven years of experience in the field. He has extensive experience in program design, leadership development, and youth engagement. He currently works as the Chief of Staff, Strategy & Operations at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). Prior to joining CIFAR, Cody worked as the Director, Programs with Enactus Canada, supporting over 2,200 post-secondary students in launching social ventures and community impact projects. He was recently named a 2025 Emerging Leader in Social Impact.
Cody holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, specializing in entrepreneurship and innovation from Simon Fraser University.
Yuchen Zhang
Vancouver
Yuchen is a Strategy Manager at Accenture. Yuchen helps guide organizations from setting strategic direction to designing operating models and applying AI to drive measurable value. He partners with leaders to translate strategy into execution, building roadmaps and leading cross-functional teams to deliver outcomes.
In addition to his client work, Yuchen leads nonprofit partnerships, advising organizations on strategy, fundraising, and program delivery to maximize community impact.
Micah Wong
Toronto
Micah is a mechanical engineering student at the University of British Columbia with a strong interest in assistive technology. As a Board Member for Up4 The Challenge, he aims to create a future with human-centered, conscientious engineers.
Post-Secondary Students
We have been very fortunate to have had so many fantastic students from various universities across Ottawa, Hamilton, and the Greater Toronto Area join us as part of their learning experiences.
Thanks so much for all of your hard work and contributions!
