Amanda Barrett
Amanda is a Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Consultant and High School Counsellor in Edmonton, Alberta. Her work centres on the support of sexual and gender minority children and youth along with the fostering of good mental health for all students. Amanda’s commitment to the creation of inclusive, safe, and healthy work and learning environments is informed by her studies (most recently the completion of her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology) and many volunteer experiences.
She joined the Strong Minds, Strong Kids parent advisory council to support the use of psychological science to nurture resilience in children and youth and to share valuable information and opportunities with her professional and personal networks.
Kumudinie Kariyapperuma
Kumudinie believes that nurturing resilience in children and youth is very important for their well-being and achievement.
As a Parent and Caregiver Advisory Council Member, she has more opportunities to learn, explore and contribute to improving/developing the programs, tools and strategies that will help her daughters as well as other children and youth to build strong minds and be successful.
One fun fact about her is that she grew up on an Island, but she has no swimming skills. She took up a challenge to attend swimming classes next year.
Krystal Gray
Krystal is an Initiative Integrator and Chief Strategist at a Marketing Agency.
She joined the parent advisory council because as a single mom of three beautiful boys, she has a personal commitment to not only promote but advance the mental health and well-being of children and youth in Canada and feel being a member of the Parent Advisory Council is one way to manifest this. It’s also why she have gone back to grad school in psychology so that she can impact this space in further ways including increasing accessibility to mental health supports and strategies for children and youth.
One fun fact about her is that she is a big yogi and can do three types of yoga headstands!!
Anant Tailor
Anant is the Head of Product & COO at Dream Payments.
He joined the parent advisory council because as a father, he see first-hand the emotional ups & downs that children go through on a daily basis, as they face new challenges and learn to interact with others. He is continuously investing time & effort in building new skills, communication methods, and approaches in helping his children to overcome challenges, build confidence, and thrive. He is a firm believer that parents and caregivers play a primary role in fostering adaptability and resilience in children, as we set an example for them. He also joined the parent advisory council at SMSK because he has seen and experienced the great value and support that SMSK can bring directly to parents, and he want to play a part in helping SMSK to reach a broad base of parents that can benefit from their resources.
One fun fact about him is that he loves to travel. He has traveled to 28 countries around the world and 5 of the 7 continents.
Sarah Yaffe
Sarah is the Director of MASS LBP.
She joined the parent advisory council to reach more families who can benefit from the tools and resources we have developed and improve mental health for kids across the country, especially in this particularly challenging moment.
One fun fact about her is that she was once part of a travelling minstrels troupe!
Andrea Downer-ASHLEY
Andrea is a Financial Services Representative at Meridian Credit Union.
She joined the Parent Advisory Council because she is interested in contributing to the Spiritual, Mental, Emotional and Psychological well being of our future adults. Her involvement is also helping to heal her own residual childhood traumas while supporting her continuous role as mother to a 24 year old young adult daughter and paying forward for the people in her life who assisted her from childhood into adulthood to access her BEST, MOST AUTHENTIC SELF.
One fun fact about her is that she is Jamaican but she identifies as African.
Personal ethos: “ALWAYS be KIND”
