• Hi there!

    We are sending you our warmest welcome. Thank you for stopping by to learn more about SSIPP. We hope you consider getting involved in our initiative to put smiles on seniors’ faces.

    - The SSIPP Team

  • Board of Directors

    Photo of a female medical student seen standing on the lawn of U of T St. George campus.

    Monisha Persaud

    CO-FOUNDER, DIRECTOR

    directors@ssipp.info

     

    Monisha is a fourth year MD and Master's student in Systems Leadership & Innovation at the University of Toronto, with a previous BHSc degree from McMaster University. She's been an advocate for social isolation in older adults after seeing the heartbreaking impacts of isolation on her grandmother before she passed away. Monisha is passionate about building a society that is kinder to older adults and socially accessible to all.

    Photo of a male medical student against a wall of leaves.

    Geoffrey Sem

    CO-FOUNDER, DIRECTOR

    directors@ssipp.info

     

    Geoff is a fourth year MD and Master's student in Systems Leadership & Innovation at the University of Toronto. His passion for SSIPP stems from early caregiving experiences of his grandfather with dementia. This led him to volunteer at long-term care facilities as a youth activity coordinator to help seniors combat loneliness. Geoff's previous volunteer work with refugees, immigrant youths, and Canadian war veterans further inspired him to advocate for social justice. Outside of SSIPP, he enjoys breakdancing in his spare time.

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    Victoria O’Driscoll​

    CO-FOUNDER, DIRECTOR

    directors@ssipp.info

     

    Victoria (Tory) O’Driscoll is a fourth year MD student and recent graduate of a Master’s degree in Systems Leadership & Innovation at the University of Toronto. Tory is passionate about health promotion and social equity, with an interest in systems-level innovations that address the social determinants of health. Advocating for the better health and social inclusion of older adults is extremely important to Tory, as she has seen first-hand the positive impact that social connection has on physical and mental health through both her personal experiences with her grandparents and her volunteering experiences. These passions have fueled her desire to help further grow the SSIPP program to reach older adults nation-wide.

     

     

    Misha Dhuper

    CO-CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (2021-22)

    My name is Misha and I am a third year medical student at the University of Toronto. I first got involved with SSIPP as the Officer of External Relations and have been a volunteer at the Toronto chapter for two years. I absolutely love having the opportunity to interact with the older adults at the local and national level and it’s been a pleasure to work alongside like-minded individuals to improve social connectedness in our communities!

     

     

    Jamila Skinner

    CO-CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (2021-22)

    Hi, My name is Jamila! I am a third year student at the Schulich School of Medicine at Western University! I was very excited to get involved with SSSIPP as a first-year medical student and now, to expand my involvement as one of the members of the Board of Directors. Having lived in a rural community and witnessing first-hand the impact of isolation on older-adults I love seeing relationships develop between volunteers and community members!

    National executive team

    Navpreet Langa

    CO-CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    My name is Navpreet and I am a second year medical student at University of Calgary. This year, I’m one of the two co-chief operating officers. Since my undergrad years, I've enjoyed working with older adults and I look forward to playing an active role in supporting the health of older adults in the community through SSIPP!
     

     

     

    Madison Farago

    CO-CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    My name is Madison and I am a fourth-year compressed nursing student at Trent University. I am currently involved at the national level of SSIPP as the Co-Chief Operating Officer. I first became involved with SSIPP in 2021 when initiating the Trent Chapter and since has held the position as the team’s Communications Lead. I love being a part of the SSIPP team, no one should have to experience social isolation, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to help combat and prevent social isolation in the older adult population at both national and local levels!

     

     

    Aleena Malik

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Hey! My name is Aleena and I am a second year medical student at the University of Toronto! I am super excited to be the Chief Financial Officer of SSIPP this year and look forward to working with our volunteers and fellow execs! I have worked in finance for many years and currently serve as the VP Finance for Medical Society at UofT, so I am very happy to be able to serve a similar role here. I have worked in similar organizations and have seen first hand the positive impact that communication can have on everyone, especially older adults. I look forward to working with the team and making a difference to help everyone get through these tough times!

    Jae Lee

    CO-DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

    My name is Jae and I'm a third-year medical student at the University of Toronto. I first got involved with SSIPP by volunteering with the local chapter, and witnessed how meaningful a 30 minute conversation could be for a senior, especially during times of isolation due to the pandemic. I look forward to working on existing and new initiatives with the team!

    Janet Tang

    CO-DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

    Hi! My name is Janet and I’m a second-year medical student at the University of Toronto. I first started volunteering with older adults when I was in high school. Since then, I have been involved in various organizations, both during my undergraduate degree and now during medical school, that support the social well-being of older adults. As one of the Directors of Communications, my goal is to raise awareness about the harmful effects of social isolation on older adults and encourage more people to volunteer their time!

     

     

    Tulip Marawi

    EDUCATION & ADVOCACY OFFICER

    Shilpa Balaji

    EDUCATION & ADVOCACY OFFICER

    Shilpa is a second-year MD student at the University of Toronto, with previous MSc and BMSc degrees from Western University. Her passion for advocacy to improve seniors’ lives stems from her personal experiences with her grandparents while growing up and from the strong relationships she built with long-term care residents as a therapeutic recreation volunteer. As the Education and Advocacy Officer for SSIPP, she aims to create a more inclusive environment for older adults of all backgrounds and abilities to participate in our programs, and establish a streamlined training regimen to best support our volunteers nation-wide in promoting social wellness among older adults.

    Harris Sheikh

    RESEARCH & EVALUATION OFFICER

    Harris Sheikh is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Toronto. His personal and academic interests led him to complete a Masters in Biomedical Engineering at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering alongside his medical training. Harris hopes to use this training to bridge the gap between medicine and engineering in the realm of medical devices, with patient safety at the forefront of his innovative projects. In his current role as SSIPP Research and Evaluation Officer, he hopes to support and initiate projects that will directly impact seniors’ health in our communities and improve the way we approach care of the elderly.

    Michelle Pradier

    RESEARCH & EVALUATION OFFICER

    Michelle Pradier is a second-year medical student at the University of Ottawa. In her current role as SSIPP Research and Evaluation Officer, she hopes that she can help target an effective way to reduce social isolation in seniors. As well as ascertaining that all the volunteers are enjoying their experience and feel comfortable in their role.

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    Yujin Suk

    LIABILITY & LOGISTICS OFFICER

    Chapter teams

    University of Toronto (founding chapter)

    Monisha Persaud
    Geoffrey Sem
    Victoria O'Driscoll
    Sumana Naidu
    Nitish Dhingra
    Laura Diamond

    Natalie Pitch

    Lauren Kanee

    Catherine Meng

    Grace Huang

    University of Saskatchewan

    Masooma Bhatti
    Kristina Swatzky
    Leah Rusnell
    Madeline Parker
    Jessica Froehlic
    Tayyaba Bhatti

    University of Ottawa

    Jennifer Rowe
    Evelyne Guay
    Chelsea Haliburton
    Celina DeBiasio

    Stephanie Chevrier

    University of Toronto, Mississauga

    Andrea Rossos
    Emily Evans
    Sarah Khan
    Catherine Meng
    Grace Huang

    University of Manitoba

    Kaleigh Ducas-Mowchun
    Ann Ding
    Kara Frejuk
    Nebojsa Oravec

    University of Calgary

    Sarah Moore
    Chin-Vern Tan
    Scott MacKay

    Western University

    Jia Yan Zhang
    Karina Liubchenko
    Erika Haberfellner

    Trent University

    Madison Farago

    Brianne Elbers

    Katelyn Bell

    Dr. Kirsten Woodend