A dedicated team of young adults
Each bringing lived experience and critical consultative input.

Carmen Li
“Sometimes navigating your mind feels like competing in a triathlon without knowing how to walk, run, jump, swim, or all the fun bits you were already supposed to know already. Know that you don’t need to go about it all on your own.”
My name is Carmen; nice to meet you! I am currently working as a graduate student in oral immunotherapy clinical trials for children with food allergies. You can usually find me at SickKids Hospital. In my spare time, I enjoy trying new recipes and rereading the Sandman by Neil Gaiman.

Charlotte Johnston
“I’ve chosen to volunteer with Eli’s Place because there is an enormous gap in residential treatment services for young folks with severe mental illness, something I have witnessed both professionally and personally. I am eager to see this change and appreciate that EP is including the voices of young adults with lived experience in their program development.”
Charlotte (she/her) is a mental health clinician working with young adults with mental health challenges in community practice in Toronto. Charlotte completed her MSW at the University of Toronto, and BAH and BEd at Queen’s University. Charlotte’s work is informed by lived experience navigating the mental health system, work in peer support and workshop facilitation, and experiences working with children and youth in educational settings. Charlotte is passionate about advocating for access to support for young people that are anti-oppressive and trauma-informed.

Emma Little
“I’ve chosen to volunteer with Eli’s Place because I wanted to ensure young people had a voice in the development of the program and more importantly, I believe that Eli’s Place is going to transform the mental health system for young adults in Canada.”
Emma Little graduated with her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California in 2022. Her focus was on Social Change and Innovation. She is working at the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto as an Organizational Specialist.

Lucksini Raveendran
“Eli’s place will be a safe space where young people with diverse mental health needs and challenges can call home while providing them with the recovery-centered supports needed to one day transition back into the community.”
Lucksini is a first-generation Tamil-Canadian and a health policy professional. Her interests are focused on improving equitable and sustainable access to health service delivery for priority populations, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized populations, seniors, those facing homelessness, among others. This also includes addressing knowledge gaps to better bridge scientific evidence and public policy through timely engagement with different levels of government. She is passionate about the need to incorporate a health equity, trauma-informed and anti-oppressive lens in the implementation of future policies across Canada’s healthcare system.

Stephanie Wang
“When I think of Eli’s Place, it’s an approach I wish I had access to for my recovery as a young person with lived experience.”
A passionate advocate for relatable and recovery-orientated supports for mental health