Our Team
We have a dynamic Board of Directors championing our cause, while helping to strengthen the organization and scale our impact.
Mary Martin
Chair
Mary has been passionate about the safety of youth for many years, starting with being involved in the start up of Kids Help Phone in Surrey. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of the David Foster Foundation, advocating for families of young children going through major crisis in their lives. During her tenure as a City Councillor for the City of Surrey for 13 years, she had the opportunity in meeting Joe, and recognized immediately the significant impact that YBYG had on the many vulnerable youth. With the support of her colleagues on Council, she was able to establish funding for the program in Surrey which is ongoing today. In her downtime, Mary can be found running around with her 3 grandsons and spending time with her large family.
Kevin Torvik
Vice-Chair
Kevin has been a police officer for 23 years working in patrol, drug, outlaw motorcycle gang and gang enforcement units as well as having supervisory roles in the recruiting, human resources and school liaison sections. In that time, he took a leave from policing to be a senior adviser to Canada’s Minister of National Defense. Kevin’s passion supporting youth targeted anti-drug and gang initiatives helped lead to the creation of YBYG. He first met Joe when they were both students at Templeton Secondary; little did they both know the positive impact that would result years later.
Barry Capozzi
Secretary
Barry Capussi brings over two decades of experience with the Teamsters, where he has served as a union representative and shop steward for five years. His extensive tenure has given him a deep understanding of various trades and professions, enabling him to facilitate career pathways for union members. Being instrumental in developing the YBYG-Teamsters partnership for the last three years, Barry is poised to contribute meaningfully as a member of YBYG's board of directors. Passionate about advancing YBYG's youth mentorship and employment initiatives, he aims to empower young individuals by bridging the gap between education and stable, good-earning careers with promising trajectories. His dedication to fostering opportunities aligns seamlessly with YBYG's mission and vision.
Justin Borsato
Justin has been teaching in Vancouver’s inner-city for over 20 years. He is passionate about education and providing his students with opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom. He is the first recipient of the 2012 UBC Alumni Teacher of the Year award and completed his Master of Education in urban learning. Justin spends his time coaching basketball, soccer and hockey in addition to volunteering with the HEROs hockey program at the Britannia ice rink. Justin is excited to be a part of the YBYG team and looks forward to having a positive impact on the youth he mentors.
Kevin Lee
Kevin has been in operations for over 30 years and has vast experience in everything expansion. From startups to established corporations such as MolsonCoors, he has helped organizations establish footholds and scale their operations in new markets while making them more efficient. Kevin came onboard with YBYG Youth Initiative in 2017.
Paulo Sarmento
Paulo has been an educator for years and the principal of two schools in the Surrey School District for twelve years. As the principal of one of YBYG’s largest and most engaged schools, he has been a strong advocate of YBYG. Paulo became involved with YBYG early on when it started in Surrey and has witnessed firsthand the impact YBYG has had on children, schools, school districts, and communities. YBYG has done remarkable work in collaboration with districts and law enforcement, continuing to be a key partner in the community. The values, mission, and vision of YBYG for creating impact with youth have always been in alignment with Paulo's own. He hopes to continue supporting YBYG in some capacity as he retires from his education career. In addition to his career in the school district and working with youth, Paulo is passionate about athletics, music, and travelling.
Dylan Van Rooyen
Dylan is a career firefighter and dedicated community advocate, now serving as the Senior Manager of the Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society (SFFCS) after an 8.5-year tenure on the Board of Directors. In his leadership roles, Dylan has overseen substantial budgets, coordinated major fundraising initiatives, and built strong partnerships with numerous charitable organizations. His commitment to community engagement is evident in his support for over 130 charitable initiatives, including the Child Development Foundation, Surrey Hospital Foundation, and Peace Arch Hospital Foundation. With a proven track record in non-profit management and a passion for making a meaningful impact, Dylan brings valuable insight, experience, and dedication to the YBYG Board of Directors.
Howard Chow
Deputy Chief Constable Howard Chow, O.O.M. Deputy Chief Howard Chow was born and raised in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and moved to BC in 1985 to attend Simon Fraser University, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology. He further continued his education by earning a Masters of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of the Fraser Valley. He is the Officer in charge of the Operations Division. The division includes all four patrol districts of Vancouver; Diversity, Community, and Indigenous Relations Section; Court and Detention Services; Emergency Response Section; Operations Support Section, Traffic Section; Emergency Operational Planning Section, and the FIFA World Cup VancouverTM Integrated Safety Security Unit. He has worked in several capacities as a Superintendent in charge of Personnel Services which includes Human Resources, Professional Standards, and Training and Recruiting. Deputy Chow is currently the Co-Chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Law Amendments Committee. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee on Provincial Police Standards where his extensive operational, investigative, and administrative police experience is relied upon to review, analyze, and provide ongoing feedback on crucial policing and public safety matters. Deputy Chow serves on the Justice Canada Steering Committee on Justice Efficiencies and Access to Justice. He is also a past president of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police.
Ken Leggatt
Ken has worked in senior roles throughout his career and was intimately involved with the strategic functions of each organization, collaborating with the senior executive teams and boards. This includes working in both for profit and non-profit organizations, developing boards, engaging with communities, volunteers and other stakeholders within the community, to develop strategic programs and fundraising initiatives. At St. John Ambulance, Ken served as the interim CEO, CFO and COO; overseeing the operations of seventeen branch locations and approximately one hundred employees across BC. These branches provided in class training and retail product sales. As St. John Ambulance is a federated model, he worked closely and collaboratively with the management of other councils in Canada to build systems and processes that provided efficiencies for all councils in the country.
Marcel De Luca
Marcel has dedicated over 40 years to public education, serving in a variety of roles as a teacher, consultant, and administrator. Throughout his career, he found the greatest fulfillment in working with inner-city students, where he spent the majority of his time providing direct support and resources for marginalized youth. This work has been the most rewarding aspect of Marcel’s professional journey, offering some of the most meaningful experiences of his career in education.
Yves LaCasse
Yves spent 28 years in law enforcement, retiring from the RCMP in 2013 as the Officer in Charge of the Kamloops RCMP Detachment. After his distinguished career in law enforcement, he transitioned to the private sector, where he served as the President and CEO of the Dawson Group until his retirement in April 2024. In this role, he oversaw the operations of five large businesses with 32 offices across the province, managing an overall annual revenue exceeding $200 million.
Yves has also been active in community service, serving on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club and the United Way. He chaired the United Way campaigns for two years. In 2023, he was asked to lead the Memorial Cup Hockey Tournament as the event's Chair.
Yves brings unique and diverse experiences and is passionate about helping youth succeed in life.