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In search of home by Vanessa Vargas 

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Vanessa Vargas is the heart and soul behind PSW to the Rescue, a Oakville -based agency providing compassionate, consistent, and personalized support for seniors and individuals living with dementia. With over a decade of experience as a certified Personal Support Worker (PSW), Vanessa built her business out of pure passion for helping families feel confident and cared for. Known for her dedication, warmth, and deep understanding of the aging journey, Vanessa ensures every client is treated like family. PSW to the Rescue is more than just a service—it’s a movement that inspires people to rethink what personal care looks like, with heart at the center of everything.

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Website: www.pswtotherescue.ca

Instagram: @psw_to_the_rescue

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ANcTynAFy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Golden Coin by Allyah Dickie 

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Allyah is a performer, composer, and creative from the GTA and currently is a 3rd year at Sheridan College studying musical theatre performance. With extensive background in dance, classical piano, and singing she looks forward to the beginning of her performance career. Allyah currently works as a composer for video games and film with her latest release to Spotify and all streaming platforms titled Blood Money, an indie film she composed music for last year. Additionally, she attended Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in their musical theatre program. One of her motto’s is “Teamwork makes the dreamwork”! Shoutout to my found family.

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The Blind Prince by Alex Sheppard- Reid  

Alex is a first-year musical theatre student at Sheridan College. Born and raised in BC, Alex moved out to Ontario this past September to start College. He wants to thank his parents for always being so supportive and loving of him and his dreams. He’d also like to thank Ue Tran and June Cupido for involving him in this Story Slam! 

Asante Haughton

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Asante Haughton is a lot of things--entrepreneur, activist, organizer, speaker, writer, poet, and mental health worker. His accomplishments include being named as one of Canada's top 150 influencers in mental health. Most notably, he co-founded the Reach Out Response Network, an organization whose advocacy directly paved the way to the Toronto Community Crisis Service, a new fourth emergency service that supports folks in mental health crisis with mobile crisis teams instead of police officers. In his day job, Asante is the Manager of Storytelling at Unsinkable, a mental health organization that amplifies stories for the purpose of awareness and change.

A lover of celebrity gossip and sports analogies, Asante's passion is for the betterment of all people. He is engaged in the lofty ambition of trying to change the world, one person and one community at a time.

He can also be found on Instagram @asantetalks and on LinkedIn his full name, Asante Haughton.

The Hidden Tower by Olivia Frisico 

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Olivia is a classically trained musical theatre performer with a passion for integrating art forms to create dynamic, innovative experiences. A graduate of York University, where she specialized in devised theatre, Olivia is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans across theatre, fashion, literary and visual art, and education. Olivia teaches these disciplines to students in local public schools, fostering creativity and self-expression in her community.

In addition Olivia runs a small fashion business, @calabriankiss where she explores the intersection of artistry, design and social justice. Above all, Olivia is driven by a deep commitment to push the boundaries of how life and art can intersect to inspire and empower youth. 

The Magical Mushroom by UE Tran 

​UE Trần is a Vietnamese-Canadian performer and musician born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam. UE is currently in her first year at Sheridan College in the Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance program. Her selected credits include Heart’s Desire (Odyssey Theatre), ANIVIA (Factory Theatre), The Addams Family (RHSA), and Dừa - Coconut (TIFF). As a musician, UE has performed with the Oakville Choral, the Toronto Chamber Choir, and the VIVA Singers. Besides singing, she served as a conductor at RHSA Chamber and SATB choirs, as well as a composer. UE is thrilled to be part of the Story Slam project. She was introduced to Story Slam with the theme being “Fairy Tale.” She is grateful to her storycoach and director, June Cupido, for providing her with such a meaningful experience. She wants to thank Senn Gelinas for introducing her to Story Slam, and Alex for joining her in this project. 

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The Storyteller Michael Williams 

Michael Williams is a writer, storyteller, and end-of-life planning facilitator. Born and raised in Hamilton, he studied English at the University of Western Ontario before moving to Edinburgh, Scotland to take up a Ph.D. After a career in teaching, Michael became a professional storyteller and education consultant. In 2009, following his time in the Middle East, Michael established a story coaching practice, working with individuals as well as community and corporate clients on issues of leadership, conflict resolution, and managing chronic illness and mental health. In 2017, he returned to Hamilton where he spends his time writing, teaching, and helping men and women sort out their end-of-life plans.

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www.michaelwilliamsstoryteller.com

 June Cupido 

Creative Director of the Story Slams. 

We all have a story ...let's hear yours! 

As a dramaturge I have been developing personal narratives through story coaching for over 15 years. I am passionate about creative approaches that will provide transformative insights into what affects good story writing, positive mental health and well-being. As Joseph Campbell wrote, “The most rewarding mythological experience you can have is to experience how it lives inside yourself.”  

If you are interested in developing your personal narrative, or to develop a story please contact me here directly. 

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Please review Story Coaching Testimonials from people who have benefited from working with me. 

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Michael Mulrooney Music Director 

Michael Mulrooney studied piano, conducting, and voice at University of Toronto and has pursued an eclectic musical career centred on theatre. He has served as musical director, conductor, pianist, arranger, and/or composer on over 200 theatrical productions of every conceivable shape and size. He works as music director for Grace United Church in Burlington and as an adjunct professor at Sheridan College.

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 Hannah Fogel

Hannah fell in love with the resonance of ensemble casts while singing in the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus. A comedian and singer/songwriter, Hannah applied the development of Truth and Illusion to her own recovery journey, with the help of June Cupido’s story-weaving magic. Now completing her studies, Hannah has seen how laughter, creative expression and psychodynamic exploration of narrative can fruitfully benefit overall health, and one’s search for deeper meaning.  

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