Tiffanie Tri

Chair

Tiffanie Tri is a community builder, musician and social entrepreneur with a long history of musical experience and a passion for improving our music communities. She is the Chair of Girls+ Rock Ottawa where she works to increase representation and inclusivity in the music scene – on and off the stage. She has led the organization’s significant growth, including securing a TD MusiCounts Community Music Program grant and being named the United Way Ottawa’s GenNext Community Builder of the Year in 2018. Tiffanie lives in Ottawa, ON, where she serves as a Deputy Director for the Government of Canada. Tiffanie is a graduate of Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.

Maya McDonald

Treasurer

Maya McDonald is a Toronto-born, Ottawa-grown lover of learning, who uses that passion to educate others and make learning accessible to marginalized communities. With a political science degree from the University of Ottawa, and over five years of experience working with non-profit organizations and serving on various boards, Maya has developed a practice of accountability by providing operational and administrative support to enhance the working capacity of volunteer-run and volunteer-led groups in Ottawa, and abroad. Her current academic pursuits in human resources management has allowed her to broaden many self-taught skills in accounting and finance, in organizational communication, and in risk management. As a writer and a community educator, Maya believes that sharing one’s talents for the benefit of community growth is essential to developing leaders in all industries, and she hopes to put her operations knowledge to good use with Girls+ Rock Ottawa by developing resources to ensure the sustainable, continued success of the organization.

Marilena Gaudio

Director of operations

 Marilena Gaudio is one of the unsung movers and shakers in Ottawa’s live music scene. She started at the University of Ottawa with an arts degree majoring in arts administration which led her to an internship at the Lincoln Center for the Performing arts in New York City. She’s earned her stripes on the front lines of the Ottawa live music scene with five years as the manager of beloved local band The PepTides, live music programmer at local club Mercury Lounge, promoter of multiple shows – most notably the 2014 sold-out Amelia Curran album release show, and currently at the National Arts Centre working with NAC Presents as the Programming and Rentals Officer. In her current role, she overlooks the majority of local programming, community and national rentals, as well as managing most of the NAC Presents shows. Marilena has worked in many areas and positions within the music industry, and has always been a passionate supporter of the performing arts. Through her work, she hopes to help support and encourage more Queer+ Women+ building their careers and working within the music industry.

Abla lamrani

Director of Sponsorships & Partnerships

Abla was born and raised in Morocco until she was 18. Since then, she has lived in Switzerland, Vermont, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. She has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Literary Studies from Middlebury College in Vermont, USA; and a Masters in Arts Leadership from Queens University. She worked at the National Gallery of Canada Foundation where her love for the Arts and connection with the community was discovered. She currently works at a small equity firm in Toronto and is excited to work with Girls+ Rock Ottawa. She lives in Toronto with her husband and their three chihuahuas.

Amanda Lowe WARNAKULASURIYA

Director of programming

Born in Sri Lanka and raised on Prince Edward Island, Amanda Lowe Warnakulasuriya is an Ottawa-based musician, educator, and community builder. Her work spans the civic engagement and creative industries and is grounded in a collectivist approach. Amanda was one of the youngest recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work within her communities across PEI. Currently, she is the Associate Program Officer at The Canada Council for the Arts. Prior to this position, Amanda was the Program Coordinator for Girls+ Rock Ottawa. In her spare time, Amanda supports emerging BIPOC, Queer, and Trans artists play rad shows/tours, plan album releases, and receive grant funding!

Our Team

Rose-ingrid benjamin

Program Coordinator

Raised in Ottawa, Rose-Ingrid Benjamin (she/her) is a member of the Haitian diaspora settled in what is commonly known as Canada. Rose-Ingrid has performed as a singer, poet, and actor across Canada and the US with credits including: Hart House Theatre, The Extreme Tour, Creative Mornings, Orlando Fringe, and Oh Canada Eh?. Rose-Ingrid is passionate about issues surrounding racial justice, LGBTQ+ inclusion and has had the privilege of being a member of The Center For Justice and Renewal’s Justice Leadership Institute for Emerging Leaders of African Descent as well as The Reformation Project’s 2018 Leadership Cohort. A recent graduate of Seneca College’s Independent Music Production program, Rose-Ingrid is inspired by songwriters and leaders like Nina Simone who have left their mark on the world and is humbled to be able to play a part in continuing that legacy not only in her art but through the work of education, advocacy and as a member of the Girls+ Rock Ottawa team.

Emma Kenny

Communications Coordinator

Emma is a lifetime music enthusiast and self-identified punk, born and raised in Ottawa. After a brief stint in Halifax to complete an undergraduate degree in English and Gender Studies, she returned to her home town to earn an MA in English Language and Literature from Carleton University; they currently work for the City channelling their passion for making Ottawa awesome. Emma bounced around between woodwind, brass, piano, and vocals during her time in middle and high school band, and although nothing really stuck, they believe in the power of music and are passionate about making arts programming accessible to everyone. Drawn to Girls+ Rock Ottawa by its goal of creating a more diverse and inclusive local scene, Emma is excited to be working with an organization committed to visions of gender equality and justice that also – quite literally – rocks!

Kyla Hidalgo

graphic designer / VIDEographer

Kyla grew up in the suburbs of Toronto where she began playing acoustic sets at coffee houses from the age of 13. She moved to Ottawa to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Interactive Multimedia and Design and now works as a Graphic and Multimedia Designer. Along with some of her good pals she met in Ottawa, she started a band called No Mistakes in Space and has now taken some of her acoustically written songs to a new level with a full band. Inspired by her own experience in the music scene and journey of self-growth and identification, she gains fulfillment from helping out with Girls+ Rock Ottawa and feels that it is important to inspire and empower other self-identified girls to not be afraid to be loud, confident, and to express themselves through music.

Ariane Bell Vila

Communications Officer

Born in the UK, Ariane moved to Ottawa when she was six and has just recently returned to the city after living and working in New Zealand for a year and graduating from Laurier University in Waterloo, ON with her B.Mus in Voice. Being raised on an eclectic mix of her dad’s cassettes, her mom’s Spanish artists and her own music tastes, Ariane grew up with all kinds of genres and sounds; loving every minute of it. She firmly believes in the power of music and the joy it brings to both the people listening to it and creating it. She currently teaches voice and piano while working on her own music and learning new things about the arts industry.

Vivian Masswohl

Communications Officer

Vivian Masswohl is a Project Officer for Natural Resources Canada by day and a music-loving radio host bi…weekly on Wednesday nights. Her radio show “Femme Vitale” on CKCU 93.1 FM celebrates women, non-binary and trans musicians, and has been her treasured personal project since May 2018. Originally from Ottawa, Vivian grew up singing from a young age and went on to study vocals in the Canterbury High School Arts program. While pursuing her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in European Studies from Dalhousie University, she channeled her love of music into becoming the Volunteer Coordinator at CKDU 88.1 FM. After graduation, Vivian returned to her hometown and threw her education for a loop by focusing on her love for writing and communications. Vivian is so excited to be able to contribute her work to Girls+ Rock Ottawa and support women, two-spirit, and gender non-conforming folk in music!

Yassie Jeyarajan

Governance Officer

Yassie Jeyarajan is an aspiring activist, self-care addict and R&B enthusiast. She is eager to break out of her “introvert comfort zone”, and make use of her public policy background and lived experiences to uplift and empower girls, womxn, two-spirit, and gender non-conforming folk through the healing power of music. As someone who experienced uneven access to the arts throughout her upbringing, Yassie hopes to make music more inclusive and accessible to everyone, particularly to racialized communities. Born and raised in Toronto, Yassie now lives in Ottawa where she works as an analyst for the Government of Canada. She holds a BSc in Life Sciences from McMaster University and a MA from Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration.

emma morris

newsletter editor

Emma is a digital storyteller, self-care researcher, and social media enthusiast. She has a professional background in non-profits, currently working in the diversity and inclusion space. Emma holds a Master of Professional Communication from Ryerson University where her research focused on communicating self-care in feminist non-profit organizations. Both personally and professionally, she is passionate about and committed to amplifying the voices of girls, women, femmes, trans, non-binary, two-spirit, and gender non-conforming folk. Emma couldn’t be more thrilled to bring her enthusiasm for email newsletters (seriously) to supporting the incredible work of Girls+ Rock Ottawa!

Jessica Deeks

Rock Camp for Girls+ Photographer

Jess was born and raised here in Ottawa. Although her musical tastes were heavily influenced by the rock and blues music of her dad, a career in music never quite took off (“band practices” with friends mostly consisted of sleepovers watching School of Rock). She chose to focus her creativity on photography instead, and graduated from the Algonquin College program in 2010. She has photographed subjects like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Tom Mulcair, Rona Ambrose, and the Chief Justice, as well as advertising campaigns and corporate work. In 2016 she approached Girls+ Rock Ottawa about her vision of doing a personal series of portraits and candids during the camp. With the success of that project, she is excited to partner with G+RO to continue capturing these amazing individuals and one of a kind moments! You can see more of her work at www.jessicadeeks.com.

Sage mosurinjohn

LOGO Designer

Sage made the move from Peterborough to Ottawa at the age of 5 and has been in love with this city ever since! After graduating from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Journalism, she decided that just four years of school wasn’t enough and went on to Algonquin College to earn a diploma in graphic design. While her short-lived dreams of playing trumpet in a ska band in high school never quite panned out, she’s happy to have found a small way to contribute to the community by helping to grow the brand of Girls+ Rock Ottawa. You can see more of her work at http://designedbysage.ca/.