She started by volunteering in MLI’s early Japanese group programs and then as a teen she experienced her own student exchange program in the vibrant city of Seville, Spain. After teaching English in Japan for three summers, Alissa travelled to Scotland to complete her university education and lived and worked there before making the move back to her homeland with Scott. But not before making a few trips to Paris of course! Alissa is serious about Paris, from the culture to the fashion to the sweet delight that is the macaroon, she fell in love with this city and so it’s no surprise that we have a program today that showcases the French capital.

Alissa is the Operations Manager at YES Canada, which means that she is the captain of our ship! Alissa makes sure that we have the best possible program offerings at YES Canada and works with our management team, our partner agencies abroad and school boards across the country to ensure that we are providing the best possible service and experiences. Alissa is from small town Canada but has a world-class approach to what she does and we hope you will see this in the quality and range of our programs.

Scott is YES Canada’s Student Recruitment Manager, which means that he and his team of recruiters get to speak to all of the interested students and families across the country about what we do. Scott’s travels in Canada have taken him from coast to coast and he loves working with students to find the country and program that fits best.

Coming to the Great White North to start your YES Canada study abroad program? Julia is our Inbound Program Coordinator and she is here to guide you through your adventure in Canada.

Whether you are a budding host family ready to welcome your first international explorer or an international student navigating your way through the excitement of exchange in Canada, Julia is there to make your journey a success.

Julia is proud of her own German family roots and has always had an international outlook having grown up travelling the world with her family. Julia also learned the value of study abroad programs early on, travelling on a social justice trip to Nicaragua during high school and later in university for a semester abroad in Shanghai as part of her degree in Global Development Studies at Queen’s University.

Julia also has a wealth of experience in welcoming newcomers to Canada and before her time with YES worked for over 4 years with Settlement Services in Banff, ensuring that immigrants to Canada of all ages were set up with the best possible start. During her time in Banff, Julia also developed a real passion for connecting with nature and the great range of outdoor and adventure opportunities Canada has to offer – feel free to ask her about some of exciting things you can take advantage of in the great Canadian wilderness!