Lynn Chau, Chair of the Board

Lynn Chau is an original founder of Hand Over Hand and currently is Chair of the Board. She is excited to return to HOH and be part of the next chapter of its growth with some of the people she considers to be the best in the world. With an educational background in business, Lynn has been part of organizations in both the non-profit and private sectors. She has worked for AIESEC, the world's largest student-run non-profit organization, where she took on local- and national-level duties in human resources and alumni relations, including coaching and mentoring. She has also taken on roles in sales, brand strategy, and general management across various private sector industries in three different global markets, including her own entrepreneurial venture. In returning to HOH, she hopes to bring a fresh approach that bridges her experience from all of these worlds to unlock the next stage of transformational growth for the organization.

Sean Messenger, Executive Director

Sean Messenger joined Hand Over Hand in 2013 as a Junior Executive on the Volunteer Recruitment and Management team. In 2014 he transitioned into the role of Senior Executive of the newly created Analytics Committee, followed by a 3 year tenure as VP Internal Operations. In 2019, Sean joined the Board of Directors and accepted the role of Executive Director of Hand Over Hand to lead the organization's operational activities. Outside of Hand Over Hand, Sean is a Senior Manager for a medical device market research firm. Sean graduated from the University of Waterloo, specializing in Biotechnology and minoring in Economics. For fun, Sean likes to play the guitar and was a performer at Hand Over Hand’s very first Family Music Festival!

Melissa Ngo, Board Secretary

Melissa Ngo is a Director and VP of Community Outreach of Hand Over Hand, and is proud to be one of its co-founders. Melissa knew she would be involved in the field of disability rights and advocacy from a very young age. After completing a BA in Equity Studies at the University of Toronto, she immersed herself in over 15 years of work with the disability community. She currently works at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and is in the Inclusive Design graduate program at OCADU. Melissa is grateful for the community that has been built together over the years and strives to diversify HOH's networks to provide more accessible and safe spaces.

Rosa Chu, Board Treasurer

Rosa Chu has been a part of Hand Over Hand since 2005. She graduated from the University of Toronto with degrees in pharmacology and nuclear medicine technology. She is currently a Director, and Fundraising and Finance Executive of Hand Over Hand. Rosa believes that Hand Over Hand provides a great opportunity not only for Hand Over Hand members to make friends and develop their social skills, but also for volunteers to improve their communication and organization skills. Through Hand Over Hand, she hopes to help raise awareness in the community about various disabilities, and to try to erase the stigma associated with disabilities so that everyone can be treated fairly and with respect.

Sanket Ullal, Board Member

Sanket Ullal has recently joined Hand Over Hand's Board of Directors. Having a passion for advocacy, wellness, and building communities, Sanket wants to use his knowledge in the legal field to support HOH reach new heights. He has a law degree from the University of Ottawa and a Master's in Public Health from University of Saskatchewan. Sanket also brings ten years of experience working in community health. He especially looks forward to learning from participants, parents, and colleagues at HOH. In his spare  time, Sanket enjoys running, hiking, and listening to music.

Anna Chu, Quality Manager

Anna Chu has been involved with Hand Over Hand since the organization began in 2005. She is a founding board member, and previously held leadership roles as the VP of Communications, and as the Executive Director of Hand Over Hand. She holds degrees in pharmacology and nuclear medicine technology from the University of Toronto. Anna joined Hand Over Hand because she felt that this would be an amazing opportunity for her to learn more about disabilities, and to create friendships while developing her communication and interpersonal skills. She hopes that Hand Over Hand can continue to provide a safe and welcoming environment where individuals of all abilities can interact, and to offer to people with disabilities, services that are unavailable or difficult to access in York Region.

Laura Dawson,  Social Media Manager and Administrative Assistant

Laura Dawson is Hand Over Hand’s Social Media Manager and Administrative Assistant. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Politics and Governance from Ryerson University in 2019.

Laura has worked in administrative and public relations roles with nonprofit organizations like Egale Human Rights Trust and Citizens With Disabilities- Ontario. She is passionate about accessibility and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities in Ontario. Laura lives in Brantford, Ontario and enjoys going on walks in nature with her dog and her partner.

Rosa Chu, VP Internal Operations

Rosa Chu has been a part of Hand Over Hand since 2005. She graduated from the University of Toronto with degrees in pharmacology and nuclear medicine technology. She is proud to be a Founding Director and VP of Internal Operations of Hand Over Hand. Rosa believes that Hand Over Hand provides a great opportunity not only for Hand Over Hand members to make friends and develop their social skills, but also for volunteers to improve their communication and organization skills. Through Hand Over Hand, she hopes to help raise awareness in the community about various disabilities, and to try to erase the stigma associated with disabilities so that everyone can be treated fairly and with respect.

Michelle Chan, VP Internal Operations

Michelle Chan joined Hand Over Hand in 2014 as part of the Volunteer Recruitment and Management Committee. She holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University, with a specialty in biomedical/biochemical engineering. Michelle commits her time to HOH because she believes that the work that’s been done by this team to build a strong and supportive community have been phenomenal, and she wants take part to guarantee that this important work continues. She also wants to ensure that volunteers gain rewarding experiences and are able to contribute and collaborate to a great cause!

Natalie Colaiacovo, Member Resources Manager

Natalie Colaiacovo joined Hand Over Hand in 2015. She has a background in library and information studies and currently works as a librarian at Centennial College. At Hand Over Hand, Natalie works on the internal operations team to coordinate our Social Group Program, planning monthly events from bowling, to gingerbread house decorating, to nature walks and more. Through her time at Hand Over Hand, Natalie has most enjoyed forming friendships and getting to personally know Hand Over Hand's unique and diverse membership.

Lianna Kuzminski, Volunteer Recruitment Manager

Lianna Kuzminski joined Hand Over Hand in early 2020 as a volunteer with the Social Group Program and is excited to be our Volunteer Recruitment Manager. After her first event, Lianna felt connected to the organization and its mission to create safe and accessible spaces where everyone feels welcome. Lianna has always been involved in her community and loves meeting new people through volunteering. Lianna graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce and continues to pursue her passion for talent management and leadership development. In her new role, Lianna is excited to support the engagement and growth of HOH’s volunteer base to facilitate the organization’s amazing programs.

Melissa Ngo, VP Community Outreach

Melissa Ngo is a Director and VP of Community Outreach of Hand Over Hand, and is proud to be one of its co-founders. Melissa knew she would be involved in the field of disability rights and advocacy from a very young age. After completing a BA in Equity Studies at the University of Toronto, she immersed herself in over 15 years of work with the disability community. She currently works at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and is in the Inclusive Design graduate program at OCADU. Melissa is grateful for the community that has been built together over the years and strives to diversify HOH's networks to provide more accessible and safe spaces.

Shauna Eisen, VP Community Outreach

Shauna Eisen has been with Hand Over Hand since 2013 first as the VP of Member Engagement and now as a VP of Community Outreach. A York Region native, she has worked with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a variety of capacities including in direct service as an Occupational Therapist, as well as Research Coordinator for research with this population at the University of Toronto. Shauna currently works as a Program Manager with the Canadian Mental Health Association and is able to provide a unique mental health lens to her work with HOH. She is currently completing her Doctorate in Rehabilitation and Health Leadership at Queen’s University to further support her work creating positive system-level change for vulnerable populations. Shauna is working with our current community partners as well as is involved in developing new partners and programming. She truly enjoys connecting with members and their families at events and supporting their engagement throughout our community.

Laura Dawson,  Social Media Manager and Administrative Assistant

Laura Dawson is Hand Over Hand’s Social Media Manager and Administrative Assistant. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Politics and Governance from Ryerson University in 2019.

Laura has worked in administrative and public relations roles with nonprofit organizations like Egale Human Rights Trust and Citizens With Disabilities- Ontario. She is passionate about accessibility and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities in Ontario. Laura lives in Brantford, Ontario and enjoys going on walks in nature with her dog and her partner.

Jasmine is a graduate of University of Toronto with degrees in psychology and occupational therapy. Since 2012, Jasmine has been a researcher at U of T on projects that collaborate with people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Jasmine’s master’s project draws on critical disability perspectives to explore identities of young adults with IDD, with particular focus on positive disability identities. She worked as a researcher on a project examining links between dementia and mental health at Baycrest Health Sciences, a U of T affiliated hospital in Toronto, and currently works as an Occupational Therapist in education.

Yuen Ngo, VP Parent Engagement

Yuen Ngo joined Hand Over Hand as a Founding Director to launch the new Parent Support Program in 2013. She has an educational background in Nutrition Management and her work experience includes food service and early childhood care for children with and without disabilities. Yuen comes to Hand Over Hand with her unique and valuable experience as a parent of a son with Autism. She is knowledgeable in navigating services and advocating for her family and her son, and believes that having a support circle is important for other families to learn and to grow with their child. Her goal is to create a peer space for the HOH parents to encourage support and understanding, and to share ideas on new initiatives and solutions in the community.