Meet Our Exec!
Stephanie Dephoure: Co-President
Hi! My name is Stephanie and I am a fourth year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program specializing in Global Health. I am so excited to be one of the co-presidents of Smiling Over Sickness this year alongside Lara! I’ve been a part of SOS since first year and it has truly become one of my favourite communities on campus to be a part of, and such a memorable portion of my experience here at McMaster. I first became involved in Smiling Over Sickness in my first year as a member of Smile Squad, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be one of the Smiles Squad Coordinators for the past 2 years. This year, I am so excited to take on a new role in this club as Co-President. I’m excited to see the all of the amazing impact our club will have through events, fundraising initiatives and volunteer opportunities in the upcoming year. I very proud to be part of this dedicated group and I’m excited and honoured to help SOS continue to succeed in the upcoming year.
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Lara Murphy: Co-President
Hello! My name is Lara and I am a fourth year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program specializing in Global Health. I am thrilled to be serving as co-president for Smiling Over Sickness this year! SOS has had a special place in my heart since my first year at McMaster. I first became involved in Smiling Over Sickness in my first year as a member of Smile Squad, was lucky enough to be one of the Fundraising Coordinators in my second year, and last year took on the role of Vice President External. Being part of this club has truly been one of my favourite parts of university, and it has been so rewarding knowing our efforts within SOS have a positive impact on the lives of sick children and their families. I am so proud to be part of this dedicated community, and am so excited to help this club grow throughout the upcoming year.
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Mateusz Faltyn: Vice President External
Hey! My name is Mateusz and I am a third-year student in the Arts and Science program. Some of my favorite things to do include playing soccer, watching Game of Thrones, and eating pizza! I have had the pleasure of being a member of Smiling Over Sickness for the past two years; I had the opportunity to plan and run events for children in the Hamilton community with a passionate team of volunteers as both a Smiles Squad Junior Executive and Coordinator. I am very excited to continue volunteering within Smiling Over Sickness as this year’s VP External. Being a member of this club is an amazing experience; the work we do helps brings smiles to the faces of sick children and their families!"
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Sandra Lee: Vice President Internal
I am in my fourth year of Health Sciences in the Child Health Specialization and have served on SOS since my second year as part of the Hospital Arts & Crafts Subcommittee and subsequent Hospital Volunteer Coordinator. I am so excited to be coming back as your VP Internal, taking care of lots of behind-the-scenes work for initiatives that the amazing execs and volunteers will be doing. As a people-person who is passionate about kids, volunteering, and event planning, I can't wait to see what SOS will achieve and to be a part of its vision. I hope to serve the rest of the club as best as I can! Here's to another superb year.
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Julia Labricciosa:
Smiles Squad Coordinator Hi there! My name is Julia and I’m currently a second-year Health Sciences student. Coffee, nature, museums, and my grandma’s cooked meals are a few of my favourite things. Last year I was a member of Smiles Squad and it was definitely one of my favourite first year memories! Being a member of SOS has given me the opportunity to belong to a community that is passionate about making a difference in the lives of sick children by engaging with them and working with organizations that share the same vision. This year I’m so excited to be working alongside Bryan as Smiles Squad Coordinator. I can’t wait to collaborate with other like-minded students and bring some new ideas to the Squad!
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Bryan Wong: Smiles Squad Coordinator
Hi! My name is Bryan, and I’m currently in my third year of the Bachelor of Health Sciences program. For the past two years, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to be a member of Smiles Squad (a Smiley as I like to call it!), and this year, I am so thrilled to be one of the Smiles Squad Coordinators alongside Julia! From Pumpkin Hikes to Hospital Carnivals, I have always loved the opportunities that SOS provides to interact with local Hamilton children and their families. I cannot wait to work with an amazing group of Smileys and an incredible SOS team this year to inspire joy and encourage smiles on the faces of children and their families!
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Christian Kleiser:
Ronald McDonald House Coordinator Hello! My name is Christian and I am a fourth year Kinesiology student. When I’m not in the library studying, I enjoy playing hockey, the piano and travelling the world! For the past two years I have been with SOS as a member of the Ronald McDonald House subcommittee where I had the amazing opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of the many families living at the house. I am thrilled to be able to continue my involvement with the Ronald McDonald House as this year’s Volunteer Coordinator. I am excited to work with a team of wonderful volunteers and another great year with SOS!'
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Yuanxin Xue: YFIT4U Coordinator
Hi there! My name is Yuanxin and I’m a fourth-year Health Sciences student. Some of my hobbies include playing ultimate frisbee, watching any and all series on Netflix, and drinking coffee! I joined SOS in my first year as a Y Fit 4 U member and I have been helping with this team ever since. Over the last two years, I have had the opportunity to work with many remarkable clients at the YMCA who have and continue to inspire me with their enthusiasm and growth. I am fortunate enough to continue my work with Y Fit 4 U as its Volunteer Coordinator for the 2019-2020 academic year and I look forward to another amazing year with SOS!
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Sallie Han:
Hospital Arts & Crafts Coordinator Hello! My name is Sallie and I am in my 4th year in the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program. I joined SOS in my first year as a Smile Squad member and continued my involvement throughout the following years as the Dance Marathon Coordinator, VP Internal, and now the Hospital Arts and Crafts Coordinator. SOS holds a very special place in my heart - not only is it the first club I joined at McMaster, but it truly stands out to me as a club with a strong vision to bring joy to the children in the Hamilton community, and this is so evident in the passionate exec members and volunteers we get to work with. I am so excited to take on the role of Hospital Coordinator this year to work with dedicated volunteers and to implement their creativity into the crafts that we will make with the paediatric children at McMaster Children's Hospital, in hopes to brighten their day or to bring a smile to their face. Looking forward to what this year has in store for us!
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Jennifer Yu: Treasurer
Hello! My name is Jennifer and I am a fourth year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program. You can often find me watching cooking videos on Youtube, journalling, or looking out for cute dogs passing by on the street. I have been a member of the Ronald McDonald House subcommittee for the past three years and I am very honoured to be a member of the SOS executive team this year as Treasurer! Being a part of SOS and seeing the positive impact the club has made in the lives of children and their families has been extremely humbling and rewarding. I have made so many amazing and unforgettable memories over the years and I'm looking forward to making many more with this wonderful team!
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Joelle Li: Fundraising Coordinator
Hi there! My name is Joelle Li, and I’m a second-year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program. Having been a part of SOS throughout my time at McMaster, I am beyond excited to be serving as one of your Fundraising Coordinators. Working with Heba, I hope to assist Camp Trillium and Angel Hair for Kids in providing exceptional services that make an incredibly positive impact in the lives of sick children and their families. I’m looking forward to an amazing year with SOS, and hope to see you all come to support our events!
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Heba Shahaed: Fundraising Coordinator
Hi There! My name is Heba Shahaed and I am a third-year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program! I have been involved with Smiling Over Sickness through the Hospital Arts and Crafts Committee since my first year here at McMaster where I have had an amazing experience planning and performing crafts with patients at the McMaster Children’s Hospital! I am super excited to be one of the Fundraising Coordinators this year alongside Joelle and can’t wait to make a positive impact in the lives of many children and families. SOS always goes above and beyond with all fundraising events whether it be Locks for Love, Dance Marathon or Shave for a Cure. I am positive that this year will be no different and we will do everything we can to make it the best year yet! Looking forward to working with some incredible individuals and doing some amazing things!
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Jordan Chin:
Promotions/Communications Coordinator Check back to read more about Jordan!
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Esra Rakab:
Promotions/Communications Coordinator Hello!! My name is Esra and I'm in my second year studying Neuroscience! I started in SOS in my first year as a member of the Smiles Squad, and had a lovely time engaging with the team and the Hamilton/McMaster community. Seeing smiles on peoples faces during our events has been a huge highlight for me. Aside from studying, I also love travelling, eating, and playing video games. I've also always loved visual art! My interests range from digital illustration to graphic design, and so I'm ecstatic to be working for promotions this year with my lovely co - Jordan! I'm hoping the graphics and promotional materials reflect the vision and joy of what this club represents. I'm looking forward to what this year with SOS will bring!!
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