Leadership by Design is shaping Canada’s future leaders
March 11, 2026
To commemorate Jamaica’s 50th independence anniversary in 2012, the Lifelong Leadership Institute (LLI) was established a year later to cultivate ethical, empowered, and future-focused leaders who would shape Canada’s growth and development for generations to come.
Three years after its founding, the institute expanded its vision with the launch of its signature program, Leadership by Design (LBD), a transformative initiative created to help students intentionally shape their leadership journey, align their values with action and step confidently into roles of greater impact and influence.
Co-founded under the leadership of LLI chair Trevor Massey with key support from Dr. Avis Glaze, LBD is a multi-year leadership development initiative for young Black students in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
To mark its continued success, LLI will be honoured with a Chancellor’s Award at the 17th annual University of the West Indies Toronto Benefit Gala on April 25 at the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, recognizing its outstanding contribution to leadership development and nation-building.
The LBD program was created to do far more than supplement classroom learning. Its core purpose is to inspire and prepare youth to become confident and responsible leaders who have a real “seat at the table” in schools, communities, workplaces and beyond.
Starting in Grade 10 and continuing through high school and into post-secondary education, LBD equips students with a wide range of leadership skills -- effective communication, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, civic engagement, resilience, networking, and self-awareness -- that are vital for personal growth, career success and community contribution.
The program blends engaging Saturday sessions, mentorship opportunities, career and STEM exploration, scholarships, cultural experiences and family partnerships into a supportive environment that builds both academic confidence and real-world leadership capacity.
By focusing on soft skills valued by employers and communities while giving young people ongoing access to mentors, peers and opportunities, LBD actively helps participants achieve higher educational aspirations, pursue meaningful careers and step into leadership roles where they can shape positive change in the GTA and beyond.
Starting with 27 Grade 10 students in 2017, LBD admitted 141 students last fall, with approximately 400 young people having participated to date.
Trevor Massey emphasized the program’s impact on youth.
“We are mindful that the program we deliver to students must be the best possible experience we can give them,” he said. “We are in the business of delivering opportunities and tremendous learning experiences.”
Trevor Massey (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Glaze, a highly respected Canadian educator and international leader in education, co-chaired LLI with Massey and played a pivotal role in developing LBD before moving to British Columbia.
“As Black community leaders, we considered it important that we foster leadership development in our students so that they would become future leaders,” she said. “We felt that it was necessary for our children to have the role models needed to help them realize their aptitudes and abilities. We wanted to highlight the talents that exist within our community, help students achieve their aspirations, give back to the community and make a lasting impact as responsible and engaged Canadian citizens.”
Dr. Avis Glaze (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Glaze, Ontario’s first Chief Student Achievement Officer and chief executive of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, noted the importance of equipping children with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
“We do not want our children to be left behind,” she added. “We want them to possess durable skills for lifelong participation and success, with the necessary entrepreneurial skills, intellectual curiosity, creativity, self-confidence, relationship-building, resilience, adaptability, decision-making skills, empathy, emotional intelligence, respect for diversity and other 21st-century skills.
“These skills are not caught. They must be taught, practiced, and honed. We wanted to provide a forum in which our students can learn from and with role models. The old adage that success is where preparation and opportunity meet is applicable in this context.”
For many students, seeing an older sibling or close friend participate can make a powerful difference. For O’Neil Grose, joining the program carried added meaning because his sister Nia, who is three years older, had already participated. Watching someone close succeed made the opportunity feel tangible and attainable, offering encouragement and a clear example of what was possible.
The four-year Ontario Scholar also spoke about the importance of mentors and role models he encountered in the program.
“Their guidance helped strengthen my confidence and opened doors to additional opportunities, including programs such as Pursue STEM, which connect students with professors and professionals working in the field,” said Grose, a Loran Scholarship finalist.
Through Pursue STEM, a Canadian nonprofit organization that works to increase access, representation, and opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for young people from underrepresented backgrounds, he attended a physics program at Dalhousie University as part of the Imhotep’s Legacy Academy (ILA) Initiative which aims to increase representation of students of African heritage in STEM through mentoring, hands-on learning and tutoring.
The experience exposed him to university-level science and helped him better understand where his interests lay, ultimately guiding his decision about what to pursue in post-secondary studies
O’Neil Grose (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Grose is one of two Black students enrolled in the University of Waterloo Management Engineering co-op program that functions similarly to industrial engineering, focusing on optimizing systems, processes and organizations using analytics, operators research and technology.
The LBD program intentionally engages parents as partners in the leadership journey, including programming specifically designed for them. As a result, they have also witnessed the program’s transformative effect
“It is an excellent program that helps young people stand out,” said Tracey Grose who is a social worker. “It taught my son that he could be in any space he wants to, and that his voice matters. Programs like this give students like him the confidence to step forward and pursue opportunities they may not have imagined for themselves.”
Ifechi Okwuagwu, who joined the program in 2023, is now in her final year of high school at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Brampton.
“Although she has always been a high achiever, LBD has helped her sharpen her ability to stand out in a crowded room,” said her father, Ugo Okwuagwu, who is a business consultant. “Being part of a group of other high achievers has also shown her that she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to. She now has the confidence to apply for scholarships and pursue mentorship opportunities, and much of that assurance comes from the program.”
Before joining LBD, the teenager said she was never shy and has always been naturally sociable.
“However, LBD has helped me grow in many ways, particularly by making me more comfortable in professional environments,” said Okwuagwu, a finalist for the University of Toronto’s Wolf Scholars Program. “It has also helped me build networks, form meaningful relationships and pursue opportunities in leadership, scholarships and university preparation. LBD places a strong emphasis on sharing opportunities with students. Through the program’s support and extensive network, I have been able to participate in initiatives I might not have discovered otherwise.”
One of those opportunities was the Shad Immersive Summer Program, which focuses on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM).
“That experience helped me learn about entrepreneurship and meet students from across Canada,” Okwuagwu said. “Seeing people who look like me in those professional spaces is powerful. It shows me that if they can be there, I can be there too.”
The 16-year-old, who was born in Texas and lived in England and Switzerland before moving to Canada with her parents in 2014, believes the experiences she gained through the program will shape how she carries herself for the rest of her life.
“If it were not for LBD, I probably would not have pursued extracurricular activities or community outreach because I don’t think I would have felt empowered to do so,” said Okwuagwu.
Recently, she launched a leadership development program in her Halton community.
“They gave us the knowledge and resources to start something like that,” added Okwuagwu, who plans to study mathematics and economics at university.
Similarly, Milton District High School student Ifekeristi Akinloye, inspired by an older sibling’s participation, described LBD as ‘an amazing experience and a helpful launch pad’.
“Through the program, I participated in the Canada-Wide Science Fair in New Brunswick last year,” he said. “LBD also helped me gain confidence in public speaking. It is a strong preparatory program that supports Black youth in excelling.”
Ifekeristi Akinloye (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Akinloye is interested in a career in health care.
“I am exploring research or entrepreneurship, possibly starting a company in medicine and biotechnology,” said the 2025 Shad Program Valedictorian. “It will be in the field of science and medicine, but I am still trying to figure out exactly how I want to approach it.”
For Colin Heron, a graduate of Woburn Collegiate Institute’s inaugural LBD class in 2017, the program helped refine his career goals.
Initially considering a business career, he was exposed to new ideas and opportunities that shifted his interests and helped him focus on medicine.
“The mentorship and exposure to various fields also made the idea of pursuing an undergraduate degree much less intimidating,” said the third-year medical student at Queen’s University. “Through campus visits and conversations with professionals and students already pursuing careers I was interested in, I gained valuable insight into what those paths looked like in practice. That circle of mentorship proved to be especially impactful in helping me navigate my next steps.”
Colin Heron (Photo contributed)
Heron, the grandson of Tropicana Community Services Organization co-founder Robert Brown who died in 2004, hopes to specialize in sports medicine or emergency medicine.
A recent highlight of LBD’s programming was a one-day hackathon sponsored by CIBC and the ‘We Are Canada 2026’ visual exhibition, connecting students with Black professionals across industries, including STEM, arts, business and public service. Students conducted interviews, photography sessions, and wrote essays based on their interactions.
“The images send a clear message that Black Canadians are actively working to build their careers and contribute to the growth of Canada,” noted Massey who served as Centennial College’s registrar from 1986 to 2001. “It is important to recognize that this country doesn’t thrive without their contributions.”
Maryse Lauzon, a Grade 11 student at Thomas A. Blakelock High School in Milton, was paired with patent agent Dr. Pia-Lauren Reece.
“I gained insight into some of the challenges she faces as a Black professional in the legal field, and I received valuable advice on how to navigate my own path,” the aspiring pharmaceutical scientist said.
Dr. Pia-Lauren Reece (l) & Maryse Lauzon at the opening of the exhibition (Photo by Ron Fanfair)
Reece, the first Black female partner at Aird & McBurney, was thrilled to participate in the project.
“The experience was as meaningful to me as it was to her,” she said. “One of my lifelong missions is to ensure that students like Maryse see the possibilities available to them. I don’t take being the first female partner at my firm lightly. It is a huge honour and blessing, and I know my purpose is to pay it forward. I don’t want to be the only one at the table. I understand how large the table is, and I am welcoming students like her to have a seat with me. This is our birthright, and we deserve to be here.”
Through mentorship, skill-building and exposure to professional opportunities, LBD is empowering young people to recognize their potential, pursue their ambitions and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the nation. With each graduating cohort, the program solidifies its legacy of cultivating confident, capable and socially conscious leaders who are ready to step into the world with purpose, skill and vision.
