A dedicated mental health advocate and community leader, Joshua brings a wealth of knowledge and personal lived experience to the mental health sector and to various national and local projects, boards, and organizations.

Passionate about mental health and suicide prevention, Joshua has worked tirelessly to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention efforts, educate on the types of resources available, and push for key policy changes to improve the mental health of Canadians. This includes his advocacy for the National 988, a national suicide prevention strategy, a national mental health transfer, and much more. Between 2020 and 2024, Joshua started and operated a youth mental health advocacy organization in the Hamilton region.

Joshua currently sits as the National Co-Chair for the National Advisory Council of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, Chair of the National Advisory Council of the National Initiative for Eating Disorders, and is a Community Champion with Unsinkable. Joshua is also a Member in good standing of the Eating Disorders Association of Canada, Global Mental Health Action Network, and a Member of the 988 Community Member Advisor Network.

In early 2025, Joshua was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal by the Governor General's Office on behalf of the King for his significant contributions to Canada for his mental health and suicide prevention work.

I am currently a second-year physiotherapy student who will be graduating this August. Prior to PT school, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at Laurentian University. 

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time outdoors with friends and family, whether it’s fishing, watersports, or spending the evening around a campfire. I’m always up for trying something new and enjoy staying active through sports, and training for HYROX. Recently, I’ve also developed a love for travelling and exploring new places.

Having firsthand experience with these challenges, I recognize how valuable awareness, support, and understanding can be, which is what inspired me to get involved with NEID. I hope to use both my personal experiences and healthcare background to help support and advocate for individuals who may be going through something similar, while reminding them that they are not alone and that things can and do get better.

I joined NIED because I believe that eating disorder education should be accessible, inclusive, and representative of all experiences, especially for an at-risk demographic like young people. I’m passionate about advocacy and wanted to be part of an organization that takes real action through education, awareness, and policy change. I truly value working with like-minded individuals to support youth and make a meaningful difference. I love being one step closer to helping the many young people struggling with eating disorders.

I joined NIED because of my passion for supporting individuals with eating disorders and making treatment more accessible. I believe a supportive environment is crucial for effective recovery, and by joining NIED, I hope to advocate for improved resources and support for those in need.

Gabriella is very excited to be serving another year on NEID’s Youth Council. As a member since the council’s inaugural cohort, she has contributed to a wide range of initiatives, including the youth social media research project, blog posts, brochure creation, and ongoing team projects. She is currently supporting the analysis of NEID’s youth social media usage study.

Outside of NEID, Gabriella is a first‑year medical student with a passion for mentorship in science, especially for underrepresented and Indigenous learners. She enjoys rom‑com novels, spin classes, and building community through supportive, equity‑focused work.

Gabriella looks forward to another impactful year with NEID, expanding outreach, strengthening resources, and supporting projects for youth navigating challenges related to body image, food, and exercise. She is always happy to connect and meet with like-minded individuals.

I'm Zarah Hamidi, and I'm a freshman at UC Berkeley studying Public Health on the pre-med track. I joined NIED to help bring awareness to eating disorders and reduce the stigma surrounding treatment by creating more resources that can inform others about the effects of eating disorders as well as create a strong support system for those affected. Outside of the council, I love hiking, spending time with friends, baking, and journaling!

My journey with recovering from an eating disorder has not only shaped my understanding of health and wellness but has also ignited my passion for reforming the healthcare system, particularly in the treatment of eating disorders. I joined NIED to further my goals of improving healthcare outcomes for individuals with eating disorders and fostering a broader cultural shift that reduces stigma and promotes mental health awareness.

I joined NIED to be a voice for young people struggling with eating disorders. Through raising awareness and creating more resources for our youth, I hope we can make support and recovery seem more accessible.

My name is Joey Sieradzki and I am in grade 11 in the city of Toronto. I am very excited to join NIED's national Youth Council. I have a particular interest in spreading awareness OF eating disorders having been in recovery from Anorexia Nervosa for about 2 years. I want to help promote resources for families struggling with children consumed by eating disorders because of the way it impacted my family. I am a competitive dancer and I use dance as a way to de-stress and have fun!

I joined NIED because I have a strong passion for mental health and helping others, and I have seen firsthand how eating disorders can affect people. Eating Disorders are a topic I am extremely passionate about, and I want to help create change and raise awareness about it.

I joined NIED to use my experience in disordered eating advocacy to create resources for affected youth, to develop educational initiatives to prevent illness onset, and to raise awareness to achieve equity within the broader community.

Jesie first connected with NIED in re-developing its Hand-Knit Hope initiative into a space for youth to connect and create together while supporting eating disorder recovery in her community of Vancouver, BC. Drawing upon her own experience with the often invisible challenges of social isolation and loss of identity resulting from disordered eating, Jesie led a group of youth in handmaking items for donation to and in support of the Adult Eating Disorders Program at St. Paul's Hospital, furthermore providing an inclusive space for youth to foster social connection while developing healthy coping skills through handicraft and education surrounding disordered eating. In joining the National Youth Council, Jesie seeks to continue helping combat disordered eating with emphasis on the challenges it poses towards socioemotional wellbeing.

Jesie is an incoming first-year student in Life Sciences at the University of Toronto, where she hopes to further her pursuit of a career in medicine. Besides knitting and other crafts, she enjoys going on long walks, thrifting, travelling, and learning about world cultures and languages.