Yakos is an entrepreneur and founder of Extra Ed. He has over 20 years of teaching experience under his belt, and he started Extra Ed with the goal of making education meaningful, accessible, sustainable, and fun for all ages.

He also believes that education and environmentalism go hand in hand, as what you learn is just as important as where you learn it. With that in mind, you can always spot him at Extra Ed outings and activities to clean up parks and plant trees. These are also attended by Extra Ed teachers, volunteers, students, and their parents, and always turn out to be great experiences for all involved.

Jonathan serves as both the Operations Manager and an Instructor at Extra Ed. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Windsor, and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Jonathan possesses over seventeen years of experience working with children in both the educational and recreational fields and as a certified teacher; he prides himself on making laughter, creativity, and imagination the basis of his teaching philosophy.

As Operations Manager, he works diligently to ensure that the often complicated scheduling and logistics of our programs is made simple, and meets the highest standard.

Anna is a certified teacher and the head Curriculum Developer. She also heads up Environmental Initiatives as Extra Ed. As a teacher, she merges play and storytelling into her Extra Ed classes, which makes her students feel valued and, in turn, encourages participation and growth.

Anna has a Masters in Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies, and a Bachelor of Education from Brock University. She believes in sustainable practices that are great for the environment and fun for all ages.

Vini completed his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at University of São Paulo and then did a post grad at Centennial College, where he specialized in coding in various languages. After that, Vini got into robotics and game development and started working with children to teach them science and technology.

Vini developed Extra Ed’s robotics and coding curricula, organized the necessary equipment for those programs, and trained the instructors on these courses. Vini also sets up the structure for Extra Ed’s website and online programs to make sure everything runs like clockwork.

Katya is Extra Ed’s Director of Programs, responsible for working with schools, community groups and members of the public to ensure that our innovative, rewarding and meaningful programs can be delivered in a way that meets their individual needs.

Katya has a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies (MMS) from U of T, and has worked in a wide range of educational organizations for over two decades, doing outreach and consulting with diverse communities to develop innovative programs at places like the Ontario Science Centre and the AGO. She believes that the key to a meaningful educational experience is connection, responsiveness and environment. Katya is an avid naturalist and is the mother to two boys.

Patti began her career in community-based education while on a post-war Truth and Reconciliation project in the West African Nation of Sierra Leone.

Following her time overseas, she returned to Calgary becoming the Aboriginal Outreach Coordinator at Quickdraw Animation Society where she developed animation programs and brought them into First Nation schools and communities.

This led to further opportunities for Patti to partner with organizations including Alberta Health Services, Treaty 7 Management Corporation, and the Stoney Education Authority to create Indigenous-centered animated productions.

In cooperation with Knowledge Holders, Elders, artists and students, these short films explored everything from culture, traditions, and storytelling to language revitalization. Patti is passionate about infusing Indigenous perspectives into educational programming.

Marcelo graduated from Humber College, and is Extra Ed’s Marketing Manager. He works to promote and position the brand on and offline. He is also in charge of online audience growth, sponsorships and partnerships.

Marcelo is a purpose-driven professional and he believes that high-quality education can transform lives for the better. He has a major in Business Administration and is a marketing and innovation specialist. Throughout his career he has worked in a variety of different companies, always in client-focused positions

Grace is Head of Social Media and Digital Marketing where she leads a creative team that develop educational content for online viewers as well as digital advertising and marketing campaigns. She manages Extra Ed’s social media platforms, driving online engagement, and sharing user experiences.

Having played chess for over 15 years, Grace is an accomplished competitive player, and has been consistently among the Top Doubles Chess players in the world, having ranked #1 on the leaderboard multiple times. She has introduced and taught Doubles Chess to numerous Chess Grandmasters and World Champions, and has participated in highly viewed online events with recognizable chess legends. Grace has taught Extra Ed Chess in TDSB and TCDSB schools.

As an Afro-Indigenous woman, Edyn has extensive experience working with Indigenous community members to facilitate Indigenous-based learning of cultural principles. Edyn has a BA in Indigenous Environmental Studies from Trent University. Over the course of her education, Edyn worked as Traditional Area Coordinator for First Peoples House of Learning at Trent University, where she enjoyed working in collaboration with Knowledge Holders, Elders and students from a variety of Indigenous identities. Edyn has also done educational projects with the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority and the Durham District School Board. Edyn is extremely passionate about the process of engaging with individuals and the environment. She loves the outdoors and seeks to always learn something new about the environment and the positive impact we can have on this planet.

Amanda Arcuri is a photo-based artist and visual art teacher who encourages creativity and inspires new ways of looking. Arcuri studied Photography at Ryerson University and completed her M.F.A. at Emily Carr University in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2015. She has exhibited her photography work at galleries and festivals nationwide and produced public art pieces for different cities in Canada.

She has taught at the Art Gallery of Ontario since 2012, as well as community centres, after-school programs, and for private families. Arcuri teaches all aspects of art making, from stop-motion animation and life-drawing to watercolours and printmaking. Arcuri weaves in art history and theory with an attitude of perseverance towards creating to show the endless possibilities in any medium.

Hi, I’m Dennis, founder of Kissifit fitness. I have over 20 years of coaching experience in health, strength & conditioning and mobility & flexibility instruction. As well, I am certified in I kettlebell and kickboxing training. I am also certified in Can-fit pro, CPR, 1st aid and mental health first aid. I am a monthly health and fitness contributor to Condo Nast magazine. I have experience in training all levels of fitness – my slogan is love who you are. I feel that a healthy lifestyle that includes physical literacy is an important key to boosting one’s confidence and self-esteem.

Jairus serves as the head of the music department at Extra Ed. He is responsible for the creation and development of the guitar, ukulele, and sing-a-long programs.

Jairus holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music from York University. During his undergrad, he had the privilege of singing with WIBI Acapella, Canada’s longest-running collegiate A Capella group. Jairus has conducted several choirs and bands within the GTA, and has performed at the Living Arts Centre, the TD Jazz Festival, and the Ontario Vocal Arts Festival.

As an educator, Jairus believes in building up the next generation of musicians with a love for the arts, while enriching families and communities through music.

Sarah serves as the Sport Programmer at Extra Ed, and the owner of Sarah Moxley Sports. She is responsible for educating athletes on the fundamentals of sport while developing leadership and the highest sportsmanship skills. She believes the key to a great team environment is creating good habits, being a good teammate and having fun.

Sarah is a Sport Management Grad from Humber College, and has worked from Junior Coach to Program Coordinator at Havergal College, Royal St George College, Albany Basketball Association, Canada Basketball and Raptors Basketball Academy. As a previous College Varsity Athlete, where she earned Female Athlete of the Year and Most Valuable Player of Ontario (MVP), she learned the importance of working together with her team to achieve the same common goal.

Abraham is the head instructor for the radiant filmmaking program at Extra Ed. He achieved his BA at Western University, and brings experience from the plethora of countries he’s travelled, and has distinctions in the entertainment industry.

A passionate writer, director, and actor, Abraham’s web series received over 40 thousand views on YouTube and achieved such awards as Ryerson’s Students Choice Award, and Best Film at The International Hollywood Film Festival, in Los Angeles. He’s currently in the process of publishing his first poetry book, and is working on an independent feature film. Abraham has led the way in making a fun and engaging filmmaking curriculum.

Paul advises on the Financial courses at Extra Ed, and has worked with individuals and companies with respect to budgeting, insurance, financial and retirement planning. He has been a financial advisor since 1981, and earned his CFP in the insurance and financial planning industry. He currently has his CLU and Ch.F.C.

A creative illustrator and digital artist with over 10 years of teaching experience, Dylan brings his enthusiasm for art to every class. As a super fan of comic books, movies, cartoons, and anime, Dylan believes that the things people love in their childhood become the fuel for their creative engine as they continue their artistic journey.

Using computers and technology in his artwork, Dylan is adept at using digital media and software to create his own original illustrations. In 2014, Dylan graduated with distinction in video game art. Dylan believes in the power of gaining skill, and that there is no such thing as talent.

Philippe resides in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec and is one of Extra Ed’s French language instructors and in-house translators.
Philippe worked in an eclectic array of professions before deciding to dedicate himself to teaching. Philippe has vast experience teaching French and chess both online and in-person, and is expanding his teaching repertoire to include Financial
Literacy, Codage and other subjects. Philippe attended the University
of Montreal to study cognitive neuroscience and is particularly interested in social psychology and epistemology. Philippe believes that we evolve intellectually by way of exposure to authentic, truthful and accessible education.

Xerxes Turingan Baluyot is an Electronics Engineer who holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. Xerxes has extensive experience in programming in various languages and has worked with a wide range of computer hardware and software, including audio-visual equipment, robotics circuitry and 3D printing. Xerxes came to love the experience of teaching STEM after coaching robotic teams for competitions. Xerxes is part of Extra Ed’s STEM program development team, and brings great humour and enormous patience to his role as an Extra Ed instructor.

Jacques Katz, d’après lequel nous avons nommé notre bourse scolaire, était un enseignant de l’élémentaire au Conseil scolaire du district de Toronto (TDSB) pour plus de dix ans. Il avait une passion pour l’enseignement, et avait un historique en développement de l’enfance, la langue écrite au jeune âge, la recherche sur le cerveau, et les approches de l’enseignement des mathématiques. Il possédait un baccalauréat en science appliqué en ingénierie informatique (B.ASc.), un baccalauréat de la science en psychologie (B.S.), une maîtrise de la science en neurosciences cognitives (M.Sc.), une maîtrise des arts en éducation (M.A.), et la désignation de l’Ordre des enseignants et enseignantes de l’Ontario (OEEO/OCT).

Jacques Katz était un bénévole généreux, même au cours ses dernières années, pour assurer que le curriculum de nos programmes de Littéracie Financière soit un complément et consistent avec le curriculum de l’Ontario tel qu’est indiqué par le Ministère de l’Éducation.