The YESS Executive Leadership team is excited to welcome a new and critical member to the YESS team. Joyce LaBriola is YESS’ first Chief Development Officer. This role has been created to help YESS achieve its bold vision to provide better and lasting outcomes for Edmonton youth in crisis. Her proven track record of providing valuable insights, results and strategic impact, will benefit YESS as an organization and the many youth we help each year.
Joyce has been an advocate for youth and social justice, a community builder, and an experienced leader throughout her impressive working life. She has decided to return to Edmonton to contribute to our mission and vision after serving as the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra in Los Angeles, California. Joyce’s career spans two decades with leadership roles in the sports industry (the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, the CFL’s Edmonton Elks, the ECHL’s Phoenix RoadRunners, and the ECHL League Office), the arts world (Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Winspear Centre for Music, the Citadel Theatre, and the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra), and the non-profit sector (HIV Edmonton, Unusual Suspects Theatre Company).
In addition to her professional work, Joyce founded the Artists for Life Foundation in 2009, an Edmonton-based volunteer-run non-profit organization with the mission of advocating for those affected by HIV/AIDS, those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and vulnerable and marginalized populations while celebrating the philanthropic spirit of the arts. She was selected as one of Avenue Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” in 2012 and has been celebrated for her work in community engagement in Edmonton Woman Magazine and MUSE Music. Joyce has been awarded many honors, such as the National Philanthropy Day Award by the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and won the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose’s Jean Lawson Award for her advocacy work. In addition, Joyce was nominated for the John Poole Promotion of the Arts Award and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award in the Arts and Culture category. As a leader in her field, Joyce was appointed to the City of Edmonton’s WAVE (Women’s Advocacy Voice of Edmonton) Committee and was named as a You Can Play Ambassador representing Western Canada. Joyce is a graduate of Rider University/Westminster Choir College and spent her entire life on the musical theatre stage. She is a professional musician, writing and performing her own work, as well as singing with Edmonton Opera and the South Pasadena Arts and Music Academy.
We are fortunate to have Joyce as a part of our leadership team and we are excited to benefit from all she has to bring! I look forward to our YESS community of support getting to meet her in the near future!
Corey Mowles
President & CEO
Youth Empowerment and Support Services