CityLAB Team Members
Jay Carter, Project Manager, CityLAB
Professional background: Jay has been working in community engagement, collaborative planning, and urban sustainability for over ten years. Most of Jay's experiences comes from working with various not-for-profits, the City of Hamilton, and co-founding the volunteer-led Sustainability Professionals Network and 100in1Day Hamilton. As a McMaster alumnus, Jay loves being able to connect his various passions through his work and has a Masters of Environment and Business at the University of Waterloo. Most recently he comes from McMaster University where he spent years in the Office of Community Engagement in various roles.
Favourite part about CityLAB: The diversity of skills, experiences, and passions that different students, partners, and staff members bring to the table to make Hamilton the best place it can be.
Raffaella Morello, Project Coordinator
Professional Background: Raffaella Morello is a dynamic municipal professional with a long career dedicated to developing and optimizing operational programs within the City of Hamilton. Her extensive career has been marked by a strong commitment that supports the City’s mission to provide quality public services to contribute to a healthy and safe environment. Raffaella’s academic journey as an alumni of McMaster University and Mohawk College provided the insight that would serve as the foundation for her career in municipal operations.
Favourite part about CityLAB: The CityLAB partnership provides a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, enabling students, faculty and staff to think creatively and navigate the complexities of municipal governance.
Zahra Selman, Events & Communications Coordinator
Professional Background: Zahra comes from a diverse professional background varying from customer service, to program coordination, this includes having recently served as a Youth Engager with the City of Hamilton. Through this role, and alongside her experience at the YWCA and YMCA, Zahra has supported programs that connect and uplift youth from diverse backgrounds, focusing on inclusivity and personal growth. Additionally, as a consultant with Al-Wilayat Islamic Center, she has organized initiatives that inspire and mentor young women, cultivating a sense of belonging and creativity. Seeking to continuously enhance her skills in community engagement and collaborative planning, Zahra considers herself a lifelong student.
Favourite part about CityLAB: Connecting students to real-world challenges and empowering them to see how their efforts, in collaboration with experienced city staff, can drive meaningful progress in our community.
Personal interests & Hobbies: Zahra loves music, especially live! She enjoys reading (or at least accumulating books to be read at some point), writing, movies (especially at the Playhouse), exploring local coffee shops, spending time with her friends and family, and travelling. Her hobbies are a revolving door of various things that peak her interest, currently this is pottery, but by the time you read this it may have changed. She is deeply passionate about social justice, the arts, and building a sustainable future for our planet.
Yufei Zheng, Communications Assistant
Professional background: Yufei is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts at McMaster University, where she has developed strong skills in video editing, graphic design, and 3D modeling. Her multicultural background brings a unique and diverse perspective, enhancing her creative approach to media arts. Fluent in both Mandarin and English, Yufei has gained extensive experience in graphic design and visual communication through roles such as Publicity & Design Director at MACCSSA and Communication Assistant Intern in Beijing, China. With experience working both independently and collaboratively, Yufei is enthusiastic about further developing her professional skills and learning from others. Her future studies will focus on the intersection of human interaction and technology, with a passion for creating human-centered designs.
Favourite part about CityLAB: Providing students and young adults with platforms to showcase their projects and collaborating with individuals from CityLAB and faculty across Hamilton’s post-secondary institutions to come up with innovative and sustainable ideas for a better Hamilton.
Personal interests & Hobbies: Yufei loves indoor climbing, especially bouldering. She enjoys watching movies and playing video games with friends. Additionally, she is working on developing her own small game, inspired by her experiences in Canada.
CityLAB Program Committee
The Program Committee is made up of staff from each of the participating institutions and advises on and assists with CityLAB program delivery, including coordination with faculty, evaluation, project matching, communications, and events.
Amanda Malkiewich, Director, Co-operative Education and Experiential Learning Mohawk College
Professional background: Before joining Mohawk College, Amanda spent fifteen years in several post-secondary institutions including; Brock University’s Goodman School of Business, the University of Victoria, Royal Roads University, and Bow Valley College. Amanda’s diverse background in post-secondary includes roles ranging from curriculum development, student leadership, student affairs, and experiential learning.
Favourite part about CityLAB: CityLAB provides valuable experiential learning opportunities for Mohawk College students while expanding their professional network within the city of Hamilton.
Personal interests and hobbies: Spending time with family, travelling, and exploring the great outdoors.
Harold DeVries, Director, Innovation Centre, Redeemer University
Professional Background: 20+ Years as a Business Advisor, Coach, and Mentor working with nascent, early-stage, and some well-established business owners and entrepreneurs. 10 Years teaching entrepreneurship and strategic business planning at Conestoga College.
Favorite part of CityLab: The opportunity to connect with and serve the community and interact with the people who form CityLAB.
Personal Interests and Hobbies: I am an avid amateur musician, active in the Kitchener Musical Society Band (French Horn); King Street Brass, a British style brass band (Tenor Horn), and the worship ensembles at my church (assorted folk winds). In fair weather, I enjoy cycling and fishing and teaching my grandkids to do the same.
Randy Kay, Outreach Director, CityLAB Semester in Residence, McMaster Office of Community Engagement
Professional background: Randy has lived and worked in Hamilton for over 20 years. Much of his work-life has been dedicated to helping create meaningful community engagement opportunities for undergraduate students, first with OPIRG McMaster, and now with CityLAB SIR. Randy holds a Journalism diploma from Sheridan College, an Honours BA in English from McMaster, and a Public Relations certificate from McMaster Continuing Education.
Favourite part about CityLAB: The students in SIR have proven to be a truly joyful, creative and dedicated force for innovation and change. CityLAB has provided important space for collaboration with city staff and community partners that helps strengthen the impact of the student project work.
Personal interests and hobbies: Randy loves to find ways to make positive change, whether it’s getting more street trees in Hamilton neighbourhoods or advocating for sustainable transportation, habitat rehabilitation, or supporting the work of other engaged groups and individuals in the city.