Board

Everyone on YouthCO's Board of Directors is a youth! Together, we are responsible for providing organizational leadership, upholding YouthCO’s mission, values, approaches, and commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, and operating in the best interests of youth most impacted by HIV and Hep C.

New Board members are always welcome to get in touch and learn more about our responsibilities, and how to get involved in governance at YouthCO! To contact us, email [email protected].

Taylor Atwater

Taylor Atwater

pronouns: she, her, hers

Taylor Atwater is Stó:lō, from Semà:th (Sumas) First Nations with mixed ancestry. She has a background in clinical exercise physiology and is currently a MSc student in Indigenous population health at Simon Fraser University. Her research uses a Two-Eyed Seeing approach to understand the intersection of cultural wellness and chronic illness. She has over 4 years of quantitative and qualitative research experience, with the most recent working at the First Nations Health Authority. She is passionate for advancing the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples, promoting cultural safety and humility, and exploring structural racism. She is currently employed with the BC NEIHR as an Indigenous Health Research Facilitator for both the Vancouver and Fraser Regions and lives on the unceded and occupied lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations.

pronouns: she, her, hers

Taylor Atwater is Stó:lō, from Semà:th (Sumas) First Nations with mixed ancestry. She has a background in clinical exercise physiology and is currently a MSc student in Indigenous population health at Simon Fraser University. Her research uses a Two-Eyed Seeing approach to understand the intersection of cultural wellness and chronic illness. She has over 4 years of quantitative and qualitative research experience, with the most recent working at the First Nations Health Authority. She is passionate for advancing the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples, promoting cultural safety and humility, and exploring structural racism. She is currently employed with the BC NEIHR as an Indigenous Health Research Facilitator for both the Vancouver and Fraser Regions and lives on the unceded and occupied lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations.

Harman Grewal

Harman Grewal

pronouns: she, her, hers

Harman Grewal is an uninvited Panjabi settler on the traditional, unceded, and stolen territory of the Stó:lō nation. She has a background in biology and public health, having earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in these fields at UBC and SFU. Previously, Harman has worked with South Asian communities to deliver culturally and linguistically tailored information on chronic disease prevention and self-management, in addition to working with Indigenous Elders, Chiefs, and healthcare providers to bring Indigenous voices to healthcare professionals to advance cultural safety. She is currently a research assistant with the RE-IMAGYN BC study, which focuses on working by, with, and for 2S/LGBTQ+ youth to co-create diverse understandings of gender and relationship equity. Outside of work, she enjoys checking out new, trendy cafes, hiking and running, and cheering on the Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Seahawks and a couple of different NBA teams.  

pronouns: she, her, hers

Harman Grewal is an uninvited Panjabi settler on the traditional, unceded, and stolen territory of the Stó:lō nation. She has a background in biology and public health, having earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in these fields at UBC and SFU. Previously, Harman has worked with South Asian communities to deliver culturally and linguistically tailored information on chronic disease prevention and self-management, in addition to working with Indigenous Elders, Chiefs, and healthcare providers to bring Indigenous voices to healthcare professionals to advance cultural safety. She is currently a research assistant with the RE-IMAGYN BC study, which focuses on working by, with, and for 2S/LGBTQ+ youth to co-create diverse understandings of gender and relationship equity. Outside of work, she enjoys checking out new, trendy cafes, hiking and running, and cheering on the Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Seahawks and a couple of different NBA teams.  

Charity Mudhikwa

Charity Mudhikwa

pronouns: she, her, hers

I am a master's student in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University doing research focussing on the reproductive and sexual health of women living with HIV. I am particularly interested in how different forms of discrimination intersect to impact access to sexual health supports. I also work as a research assistant on a BC-based study that uses a "cell-to-society" framework to investigate women's healthy aging. I was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe and moved to Canada to pursue my undergraduate studies, where I developed a great passion for epidemiology and health equity. In my spare time, you'll likely find me exploring a new Vancouver restaurant, listening to a true crime podcast or hiding out in my apartment like the introvert I am.

pronouns: she, her, hers

I am a master's student in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University doing research focussing on the reproductive and sexual health of women living with HIV. I am particularly interested in how different forms of discrimination intersect to impact access to sexual health supports. I also work as a research assistant on a BC-based study that uses a "cell-to-society" framework to investigate women's healthy aging. I was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe and moved to Canada to pursue my undergraduate studies, where I developed a great passion for epidemiology and health equity. In my spare time, you'll likely find me exploring a new Vancouver restaurant, listening to a true crime podcast or hiding out in my apartment like the introvert I am.

Zoe Osborne

Zoe Osborne

pronouns: she, her, hers

Zoë Osborne is a queer, white woman and uninvited guest on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations. Originally from small town Alberta in Treaty 7 territory (traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations), she moved to Vancouver in 2021 to complete her Master of Public Health degree at Simon Fraser University. Zoë is now a community-based research coordinator with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Centring gender equity, she works in partnership with women living with HIV and queer and trans youth. In her work and activism, Zoë strives to leverage her skills and privilege to amplify the voices of those who have been systemically marginalized. She cultivates joy in her life through dinner and game nights with friends, health equity and investigative journalism podcasts, water polo, new crafting hobbies, and her orange kitty, Lucy.

pronouns: she, her, hers

Zoë Osborne is a queer, white woman and uninvited guest on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ Nations. Originally from small town Alberta in Treaty 7 territory (traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations), she moved to Vancouver in 2021 to complete her Master of Public Health degree at Simon Fraser University. Zoë is now a community-based research coordinator with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Centring gender equity, she works in partnership with women living with HIV and queer and trans youth. In her work and activism, Zoë strives to leverage her skills and privilege to amplify the voices of those who have been systemically marginalized. She cultivates joy in her life through dinner and game nights with friends, health equity and investigative journalism podcasts, water polo, new crafting hobbies, and her orange kitty, Lucy.

Alistair Virgo

Alistair Virgo

pronouns: they, them, theirs

Alistair is a Mixed nonbinary transfemme and first-generation uninvited settler for the past 25 years on unceeded Musquem, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh lands. Some may also know them as Asian Barbie or the blonde in pink who discourages the use of brain cells in favour of ✨following your heart✨. They have ancestral ties to Hong Kong, Japan and the Shan/Karen tribes in Myanmar and have a background in film/animation, later moving into the traditional and holistic wellness field. Some endeavors include founding the QTBIPOC led project "BLOOM Zine Collective", 4 years of community and consulting work and 4 years as YouthCO's GVAN Mycelium Coordinator. Alistair is currently a Medical Esthetician and Nail Tech focusing on bringing fat positive, FUN, and identity affirming services to our local Queer + Trans community. They are always actively hyper-fixating on the newest skin technology, uses for different herbs, and biohacking ways we can break cycles of stress to make pleasure and wellness more accessible to our community. Alistair believes that there is no wrong amount of spaghetti to cook and that whatever portion our hand takes was the portion of ✨destiny✨. Ask them about Fallout, D&D, or why everyone should have a full suit of armour in their wardrobe.

pronouns: they, them, theirs

Alistair is a Mixed nonbinary transfemme and first-generation uninvited settler for the past 25 years on unceeded Musquem, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh lands. Some may also know them as Asian Barbie or the blonde in pink who discourages the use of brain cells in favour of ✨following your heart✨. They have ancestral ties to Hong Kong, Japan and the Shan/Karen tribes in Myanmar and have a background in film/animation, later moving into the traditional and holistic wellness field. Some endeavors include founding the QTBIPOC led project "BLOOM Zine Collective", 4 years of community and consulting work and 4 years as YouthCO's GVAN Mycelium Coordinator. Alistair is currently a Medical Esthetician and Nail Tech focusing on bringing fat positive, FUN, and identity affirming services to our local Queer + Trans community. They are always actively hyper-fixating on the newest skin technology, uses for different herbs, and biohacking ways we can break cycles of stress to make pleasure and wellness more accessible to our community. Alistair believes that there is no wrong amount of spaghetti to cook and that whatever portion our hand takes was the portion of ✨destiny✨. Ask them about Fallout, D&D, or why everyone should have a full suit of armour in their wardrobe.