About Maya

 

Hey, I’m Maya. I’m an author, 2x-TEDx Speaker, and advocate for mental health, gender equity, and children’s rights. I am also proud to be a TELUS Wise #EndBullying Ambassador.

I hold BA in Child Studies, with Distinction and Dean’s Honour List, from Concordia University and was awarded the Malone Medal at graduation for an outstanding contribution to the university’s internal community by improving the quality of student life due to my work as President of the Concordia International Students’ Association.

I completed an MA in Educational Leadership, with Dean’s Honour List, from McGill University. As a Policy Fellow at the McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy, I researched the Queen Rania Family and Child Center's abuse prevention model and methods of increasing women and girls’ community involvement.

In 2011, I launched my first social enterprise pioneering healthier child development ideologies in Lebanon. I created and delivered teacher trainings, parenting seminars and private consults, and a children’s etiquette and life skills series. In February 2013, I became the first person in the Middle East to speak on live, international TV about the rights of LGBTQ children for unconditional love. It’s one of my proudest moments.

At TEDx Montreal Women, I advocated for gender equity and discussed the media's impact on mental health. During a keynote addressing the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Commission in Helsinki, Finland, I spoke for the rights of children to fair and equal opportunities and their future outcomes on the economy.

Though all this may sound impressive, that’s not my goal. Over the years, I’ve been privileged with the opportunity to motivate thousands of individuals around the world to make positive changes in their lives. However, this came at a cost. I burned out frequently before 30, leaving me depleted. 

My 20's were consumed by work and burnout. In the end, there was nothing left of me to give. Late one night in 2013, having hit rock bottom, I had to accept that this pattern was unsustainable. 

While recovering back in Canada, I wrote a blog post called You Matter. And for the first time, I began to realize that I mattered, too. Since then, I've focused on holistic self-care, personally and professionally.

This has led to my current work delivering speeches and workshops on topics such as mental health, burnout prevention, and gender equity in the workplace. I'm based in Toronto, Canada, and love traveling to wherever my work takes me. 

Which brings me to you. 

Should you be interested in having me visit your school, workplace, or speak at an event, send me a note and I'll be happy to chat. 

The products listed on my website are here to serve as daily reminders that You Matter.

Thank you for visiting,

xo, Maya

 

A portion of all sales from this website are donated to CAMH.