SSMU WALKSAFE has been in operation since 1990 with the mission of creating a safer space for those within the McGill community providing them with a safe means to get to wherever they need to go. For more than thirty years, we’ve sported our easily-identifiable red jackets providing our peers with a safe way to get to where they need to go. Since then, we’ve grown, added a new service to our operations called WALKBuddies, and continued our mission that we consider to be a labour of love.
Get to know the people who make it all happen below! See the Executive Team that gets everything ready and makes sure our big team of volunteers can contribute to the safety of our community.
2022/23 SSMU WALKSAFE Executive Team
President
Leon Picha (he/him)
Leon oversees all operations related to WALKSAFE and supports each executive member with their individual duties. He acts as the designated representative for the service and is WALKSAFE’s primary liaison with SSMU executives and McGill University. Leon has been a volunteer with WALKSAFE since 2019.
VP Internal Affairs
Sophia Howard (she/her)
Sophia is responsible for organizing and executing all training sessions along with handling recruitment of new volunteers. She is the liaison with all external training partners. She plans social events to foster a greater community within WALKSAFE. Sophia has been a volunteer with WALKSAFE since 2020.
Assistant Internal Affairs
Gabriel Karasik (he/him)
Gabriel supports Sophia with executing all the responsibilities listed under the VP Internal Affairs portfolio. He primarily focuses on helping to organize social events within WALKSAFE and assisting the VP Internal Affairs with training and recruitment logistics. Gabriel has been a volunteer with WALKSAFE since 2021.
VP Finance
(TO BE ANNOUNCED!)
This position is responsible for all finance-related matters. They prepare the WALKSAFE yearly budget, handles reimbursements for volunteers, approves all of WALKSAFE’s purchases, and communicates with the SSMU department of finance to ensure that WALKSAFE’s financial operations run without difficulty.
VP External
(TO BE ANNOUNCED!)
This position handles all of WALKSAFE’s booking requests. They organize fundraising activities and information tabling to facilitate a greater presence of WALKSAFE on McGill campus. They are responsible for maintaining communication with McGill affiliated organizations including clubs and fellow services.
VP Scheduling
Nick Mazza (he/him)
Nick manages all matters related to volunteer scheduling. He is responsible for sending out the monthly schedule and ensuring all shifts are at full capacity. Nick enforces rules and regulations as outlined by WALKSAFE’s disciplinary policy. Nick has been a volunteer with WALKSAFE since 2021.
VP Outreach
Luc Wilson (he/him)
Luc handles the creation and distribution of promotional material and updating all of WALKSAFE’s social media platforms. He is responsible for improving awareness of WALKSAFE within and outside of the McGill community and greater Montreal community. Luc has been a volunteer with WALKSAFE since 2019.
VP Communications
(TO BE ANNOUNCED!)
This position is in charge of handling internal communications between the executive team and WALKSAFE volunteers. They are responsible for sending out the Monday Weekly Report and organizing events to engage with the volunteers.
Daycare Coordinator
(TO BE ANNOUNCED!)
This position oversees the general management of WALKBuddies. They are responsible for assisting the VP Internal Affairs and Assistant with the recruitment and training of all WALKBuddies volunteers and acting as the liaison with the daycare staff and SSMU.
VP Social Media
(TO BE ANNOUNCED!)
This position creates the overall image for the service to the general public while also maintaining an adequate presence in various McGill social media outlets. They also create the infographics and service messaging that faces the public.