Gillian is an accomplished photographic artist, writer, editor and most recently, producer of the  'Life Outside the Box' podcast.  She is the owner and publisher of The 44 North Media and holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in both English and Psychology, with additional education in photography and fine art.  

​Outside of Canada, Gillian has lived and worked in the United States, England and Estonia, and her camera has traveled with her around the world.  She has published two books and currently lives in Northumberland County, Ontario with her family. When she's not working, she has a passion for literature, running, philosophy, chess, tennis and family pets Hudson and Coco.

​

As a survivor of suicide loss, she is also a tireless advocate for mental health literacy and suicide prevention. 

Mikaela Brewer (she/her) is a Canadian writer and editor. Her work has previously been published in SAPIENS, Free State Review, The Stanford Daily, The Headlight Review, Sport Literate, Global Sport Matters, and the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Some of her other work can be found online at mikbrew.substack.com. Mikaela played basketball for Team Canada & Stanford University, where she studied human biology (brain, behaviour, and mental health), creative writing, and earned a notation in science communication. As a multi-suicide-attempt and multi-suicide-loss survivor, she is currently working on several projects that braid suicide prevention with poetry, storytelling, voice, and music.

Asante Haughton has emerged as a leader in mental health. A veteran of the speaker circuit, Asante has presented across the globe, including a pair of TEDx talks telling stories detailing how family trauma impact mental health. Through his work, Asante was also named as a CAMH 150 Difference Maker, being awarded the distinction of being one of the top 150 difference makers in Canadian mental health. 

​

Having firmly entrenched himself in the mental health space at large, Asante is now devoting his time, energy and focus to the intersections of race and mental health, seeking to amplify the myriad experiences of Blackness across the diaspora in order to shed light on the ways in which being Black in a world that seeks to diminish Blackness impacts the mental health of Black people. Asante believes in confronting current and historical truths about our world and the human condition, however uncomfortable those truths may be, in order to move toward healing.

​

When not trying to save the world, Asante can be found laughing at his own jokes, Netflix'ing, checking his fantasy football stats, watching cartoons, and being frustrated with Toronto sports teams (except the Toronto Raptors!). Though Asante can be pretty laid back, he is loud about his advocacy and drive for change as he aims to deliver a message of social awareness, justice, community betterment, and above all, hope.

Abbigale Kernya is a recent Trent University graduate who majored in English with a specialization in creative writing. She has a passion for music, art, and reading. She currently serves as co-Editor-in-Chief at Arthur Newspaper, the independent student press at Trent University where she has a recurring column about her locally famous cat, Gator.

​

She constantly struggles with the question "what is your favourite book," but right now, she would have to say Bluets by Maggie Nelson.

Alaina Zhang is a junior studying English and Creative Writing at Stanford. She writes for the Stanford Daily in an ongoing column about nostalgia. On campus, she is involved with Stanford Splash (an educational outreach program) and Stanford Swingtime (a social dance performance troupe). In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, making art, and dancing. Recently, she's been thinking about her idea for the next great novel and how writing can better the world.

Hailey Hechtman is an award-winning mental health leader, speaker, and writer, and the Executive Director of Unsinkable, a national mental health storytelling charity founded by Olympian Silken Laumann. With over a decade in the social impact sector and having founded the Yukon Distress & Support Line at 24, she is a respected voice in Canada’s mental health ecosystem, recognized for her leadership in collaboration, community-building, and strength based, lived-experience-centered approaches. Hailey also serves as a mentor and coach to nonprofit leaders and as a board advisor to the Women’s Nonprofit Network.

Sylphia Basak is a journalist/writer and activist who uses a variety of mediums to convey the story she wants to tell. Her work prioritizes a decolonial lens and seeks to counteract and analyze Western media and culture as a way of highlighting the primary contradictions of the current political climate.

Emerson Prentice is a Freshman at Stanford studying Anthropology. At school, she is the Campus Life desk editor for the Stanford Daily, a DJ for the campus radio station KZSU, and an associate producer for the Stanford Storytelling Project’s award-winning podcast, “State of the Human.” For fun, Emerson also loves to run, cook, and birdwatch!

Kritika Sharda is a current Health Sciences student at McMaster University with a keen focus on supporting youth through education and mental health advocacy. As a proud Program Facilitator with Unsinkable Youth, Kritika champions mental health awareness, leveraging her role to empower and educate.

Helena Nikitopoulos is a writer, published poet, and graduate of Western University where she earned her degree in English Language and Literature. She also holds a certificate in Publishing and Editing from Toronto Metropolitan University and is currently pursuing her second degree in English in Teacher’s College at Brock University. Helena previously worked as a Content Manager and Writer for CTV, creating engaging digital content designed to inform and connect with wide audiences. Her poetry and articles have been published in The University of Toronto’s Bloom Magazine, Huron Literary Magazine, Penned by Western, The Western Gazette, and The Oakville Beaver, with much of her work focusing on mental health and wellness as those are topics she is deeply passionate about and committed to advocating for through her writing. With over five years working at The 44 North, Helena is excited to continue bringing creative pieces to life alongside an incredible team of writers. Blending editorial precision with heartfelt storytelling, Helena strives to create work that feels honest, empowering, and meaningful to those who read it. 

Wardah Malik is a Toronto-based researcher, editor, and historian. She is the founder of Historyless Magazine, an independent publication covering global affairs and underreported political narratives. Her work spans media, human rights, and community-based research, including projects on press freedom, public health, and gender-based violence. Her research interests include governance, decolonizing language, and the preservation of underrepresented histories. Wardah holds an MPhil in World History from the University of Cambridge.

Emma is a graduate of the Master of Arts: Music and Culture program from Carleton University in Ottawa. She currently lives in Toronto, ON and is working as a law clerk specializing in U.S. business immigration. A dedicated life-long musician, Emma releases original music under the artist name Maira. 

​

Passionate about mental health advocacy, environmentalism, and animal rights, Emma is proud to be working with The 44 North team to promote positivity for youth. During her free time, she enjoys reading, playing instruments, binging Netflix, and hanging out with her cat, Pearl. 

Catherine Mwitta has a bachelor’s in creative writing from Kwantlen Polytechnic University and a certification in Journalism from Langara College. She is an editor at Augur Magazine and INKspire. Likewise, bylines at Stir Vancouver, SAD Mag, This Magazine, C Magazine and Bluffs Monitor. 

Cole Martin is a writer from Atlantic Canada. He can be found on Bluesky @coleboy.bsky.social