Our Team

President & CEO

Corey Mowles is an accomplished, forward-thinking executive with a 20-year portfolio of leadership experience across diverse industries. Intellectually agile with a track record of quickly building trust-based relationships, he possesses a unique blend of skills in strategic planning and execution, talent development, coaching, and non-profit leadership. Recognizing it is people who drive results, he is a self-professed Culture Champion who encourages teammates to grow by “failing up.”

Corey has been fortunate enough to have held leadership roles in not-for-profit and philanthropic organizations in Edmonton, including the Alberta Construction Safety Association and the Edmonton Humane Society. Most recently, Corey has been an integral part of YESS in the role of Chief Operating Officer, devising and executing both strategic and operational plans, building new organizational infrastructure, cultivating a positive work culture, establishing and sharing best practices, and optimizing process efficiency.

An advocate for youth in crisis, Corey is passionate about YESS and is grateful for the opportunity to lead the organization’s bold new strategic plan to establish 24/7 Youth Support Centres across the Edmonton region. Corey is committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment where young people can thrive and reach their full potential.

Originally from Edmonton, Corey is married to his wife Talli, and they have three teenage daughters. A lover of live music and a lifelong fan of the Edmonton Oilers, Corey is a graduate of MacEwan University and earned his MBA from Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Chair of the Board

Steven Ewaskiw is the VP Finance at the Cantiro Group. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta’s School of Business and holds a major in accounting as well as a Chartered Accountant designation. Steven has volunteered as a minor hockey coach since 2003, giving him many years of experience building relationships, empowering and positively impacting young people.

Vice Chair

Maryann is now retired, and actively involved in governance, advocacy, fundraising and program implementation with several Not-for-Profit organizations including BGCBigs, Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS), EmployAbilities, CNIB Deafblind Community Services, MS Canada, Higher Landing and the Alberta University Hospital Foundation.

Prior to that, Maryann Everett was Assistant Deputy Minister of Workforce Strategies, responsible for leading the work of a large division developing policy and delivering programs focused on growing a skilled workforce for the jobs of today as well as tomorrow. In addition to ensuring employers have the tools they need to find the employees they require, she also worked with other ministries, the federal government and external Canadian and international partners to support the needs of newcomers, workers, employers and Albertans.

Maryann graduated from Dalhousie University with a Masters in Business Administration. She completed a B.A. Honours in French from Carleton University; and a post graduate degree in International Development and Cooperation from the University of Ottawa. She is in good standing as a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D).

Maryann started her career in international development and then joined the Government of Canada delivering programs and services for both Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Industry Canada. She began working with the Alberta Government on Investment attraction from Europe and Asia; labour attraction, economic strategy, and Expo 2000 in Germany. In 2007, Maryann became Assistant Deputy Minister overseeing a range of assignments from immigration policy and programs, labour market information and intelligence, justice services and workforce policy, strategy and programs. In 2013, she established the new Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour (JSTL) Ministry, which was renamed Labour in February 2016.

Maryann is married with two sons and lives in Edmonton, Alberta.

Treasurer

Kurtis is a Senior Associate at Dentons Canada LLP, specializing in restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy law, and corporate/commercial litigation. He has hosted internal seminars and information sessions at Dentons Canada LLP to summer students and articling students relating to areas of the law and best practices. He graduated as a Juris Doctor from the University of Alberta in 2016.

In his spare time, Kurtis is the Assistant Captain of Litigators Men’s League Hockey Team.

Secretary

Sarah Denholm is a commercial and civil litigator with Field Law LLP. Growing up in Edmonton, Sarah attended the University of Alberta for both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor programs. After spending a few years practicing law in Vancouver, Sarah returned to Edmonton in 2021. Sarah has always had a passion for helping youth, and an understanding of the valuable impact that youth programming and support can have.

Director

Okama Ekpe Brook is a Nigerian Canadian currently residing in Edmonton. Professionally, she is an international development expert having lived and worked for 25 years in 7 countries and traveled to over 50 countries. She studied at University of Calabar and Red Deer College before getting her MA in Development Studies and Public Policy from the Open University of Sri Lanka. She has delivered keynote speeches, presented academic papers, and led high-level missions to several institutions and countries including Clemson University USA, Caribbean Associations/Governments, United Nations HQ, Small Island States Samoa, South Pacific, Rotary Convention, Canadian Parliament, etc. 

Okama was awarded the UN Gender Champs Hall of Fame Award 2020 and CEO Award for pragmatic innovations in 2021. She is currently focused on positive reconnections of Africans and people of African Descent.

Okama is a loving wife and mother of three beautiful children and Mama of the Mamas for several children. As a young woman, she considers herself truly blessed to be in a position to uplift others and give back to the communities where she lives. Okama is a true global development leader. 

Associate Director

Maria Di Stasio is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Health and Community Studies at MacEwan University. She has made significant strides in her field, focusing on children and youth’s social and emotional development. Her research delves into the social contextual factors and learning climates that influence the well-being of sexually and gender-diverse youth and their self-determination.

Maria holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and a Master in Education from McGill University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec.

Her dedication extends beyond academia; she has volunteered for the YESS foundation and later joined its Board, driven by her passion for youth advocacy. Maria is studying the impact of learning climates in postsecondary institutions on gender and sexually diverse students who face multiple minorities.

Outside of work, Maria loves to dance and visit her friends and family back home.

Director

Amanda is a longtime supporter of YESS. She has been a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist in Edmonton for over 10 years after moving here from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is currently based out of the Misericordia Community Hospital.

As a parent of two teenagers, she is interested in issues surrounding youth.

Director

Emma Wynters is a Regional Sales Manager for Prollenium Medical Technologies where she is instrumental in the support and education of the brand across Western Canada. After attending the University of Alberta she worked in business development for global brands Starbucks and L’Oreal where she honed skills she now applies to her current role and in her philanthropic endeavors. Emma is the proud co-founder of Ladies on the Green, a golf tournament for women who don’t golf, raising over half a million dollars for a youth-focused charity.

Director

Cynthia is an anthropology professor at MacEwan University. For the past two decades, she has been working at MacEwan where her time is spent both mentoring and guiding students to better understand their local communities and make choices that are respectful for all. She uses both the classroom and extra-curricular activities to help students learn about our diverse city. For example, for the past three years she has planned and hosted the “Wardrobe for Women” event, whereby faculty, administrators, and students donated and purchased clothing with the proceeds going to a variety of community organizations that helped those in need feel supported and become empowered on their individual journeys.  

Cynthia comes from a family of seven who were born and raised here in Edmonton.  Giving back to the community and volunteerism was a cornerstone of her upbringing. She currently participates in a various not for profit organizations: as a board member of WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger), as a founding member of the Green and Gold community garden and recently, delivering food as part of Leftovers YEG. These opportunities are an important part of her essence, especially as our world is in a continuous state of flux. She hopes her work in the Edmonton community will model the importance of civic service for her three sons, and her students. She is excited to be part of the YESS Board of Directors and will support the strategic direction of the organization as it moves towards new and innovative ways to support and empower the youth of our city.