I would recommend the Maytree Policy School to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of advocacy work and how to work with government.
Laura Anonen

Laura Anonen

Community Development Worker 
Don Valley Community Legal Services
(MPS ’24)

Maytree Policy School is a transformative learning process that helps change-makers re-think, re-tool, and re-strategize to drive more effective impact on the issues they care about.
Samantha Fernandes

Samantha Fernandes

Project Manager 
Ending Violence Association
of Canada (EVA Canada)
(MPS ‘ 24)

Maytree Policy School is a thoughtful program that provides access to top thought leaders and policy experts. What truly set this program apart for me was the strong sense of community among peers, fostering collaboration, and support.
Alex Noreau

Alex Noreau

Officer, Communications and Advocacy 
Ottawa Food Bank (MPS ’24)

This program has been invaluable in helping me sharpen and articulate my strategic policy thinking. The knowledge, tools, and connections that I gained have already made my advocacy more effective.
Sahar Raza

Sahar Raza

Vice President, Research and Advocacy,
Daily Bread Food Bank (MPS ’24)

Participation in Maytree’s Policy School provided me with not only the technical and tactical skills required to shape a policy strategy and narrative for my organization but also the confidence to deliver on it.
Vanessa Rankin

Vanessa Rankin

Director, External Relations 
Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (MPS ’24)

I really loved this program! I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in change-making in the non-profit sector. The connections and networks I made through this program have provided so much meaningful community, shared visioning, and critical strategic coalition building.
Savhanna Wilson

Savhanna Wilson

Acting Executive Director Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness

There are so many great things about Maytree Policy School… my favourite part was building lasting relationships with the amazing cohort of non-profit leaders who are just as nerdy about policy and passionate about advocating for a better world as I am.
Ashley Quan

Ashley Quan

Manager, Research & Government Relations Feed Ontario

[Maytree Policy School] gave me excellent insight into the public policy landscape in Canada and an understanding of how decisions that impact me and my community are made, and how they can be influenced.
Rebecca Stulberg

Rebecca Stulberg

Board Director & Chair of the Advocacy Committee, The Neighbourhood Group (MPS ’22)

Maytree Policy School is a must for leaders and activists looking to make greater impact to address the pressing issues in our communities.
Pablo Vivanco

Pablo Vivanco

Executive Director, Albion Neighbourhood Services (MPS ’22)

Maytree Policy School was a fabulous opportunity to learn from and with peers in the non-profit policy sector. The connections made in the program have really advanced our work.
Kaelen Boyd

Kaelen Boyd

Senior Policy Advisor, Ontario Association of Social Workers (MPS ’22)

Maytree Policy School is a deep-dive into public policy. It provides an environment of learning, networking and exposes you to critical insight into government decision-making. It was helpful at building individual and organizational capacity to advance public policy and strengthen your advocacy muscles.
Michelle Westin

Michelle Westin

Senior Analyst – Planning, Quality & Risk, Black Creek Community Health Centre (MPS ’22)

Maytree Policy School was an incredible opportunity to learn from exceptionally talented policy professionals and peers. The knowledge, tools, stories and inspiration will stay with me always and inform my work moving forward in meaningful ways.
Janet McCrimmon

Janet McCrimmon

CEO, Strides Toronto (MPS ’22)

Maytree Policy School is a comprehensive package on all the nuts and bolts of policy advocacy for your organization. The faculty and speakers bring timely issues and real-world experience to illustrate how the complex world of policy advocacy works.
photo: Jonathan Lai

Jonathan Lai

Executive Director, Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (MPS ’21)

For grassroots and small non-profit organizations trying to enhance the scope and impact of their work through policy, Maytree Policy School is a powerful place to enhance the capacity of senior leaders to deliver results for the communities we serve. From the faculty to the Maytree Policy school peers, everything is designed to increase your impact.
photo: Paul Bailey

Paul Bailey

President, Black Health Alliance (MPS ’20)

The non-profit sector has an important role to play in advocating for progressive public policy. Maytree Policy School is helping to build the sector’s capacity to effectively do that work. A must-do program for anyone wanting to engage in advocacy and policy in our sector.
photo: Christina Palassio

Christina Palassio

Director of Communications, Right to Play (MPS ’21)

Maytree Policy School is the perfect program to learn and enhance one’s skills and understanding of strategies to effectively influence government actions and decisions. Thank you to the fantastic faculty, superb speakers, and remarkable non profit colleagues for creating a vibrant community for growth and development.
photo: Carol Zoulalian

Carol Zoulalian

Executive Director, St. Jude Community Homes (MPS ’20)

Maytree Policy School provides participants with access to some of the foremost thought leaders and public policy professionals. The content, staff, faculty, and peers provide unparalleled access to nurture your ideas into action.
photo: Doug Pawson

Doug Pawson

Executive Director, End Homelessness St. Johns (MPS ’21)

[Maytree] Policy School represents a rare opportunity to learn how to successfully advocate for policy change directly from folks who’ve done it before. The program is worth it for the content alone. But what really has me energized is the community that Maytree is building through this work. The insights of those in my cohort not only rounded out the learning experience, but will also offer a wealth of experience, advice, inspiration, and friendship for years to come.
photo: Terence Hamilton

Terence Hamilton

Policy Specialist, UNICEF Canada (MPS ’20)

Maytree Policy School is an exceptional training program that is engaging and informative. Understanding policy work, and being able to do it well, is a key tool for people working in the community and non-profit sectors, and [the program] ensures that graduates of the program are well-equipped to do this work.
photo: Bronwyn Underhill

Bronwyn Underhill

Director of Health Promotion and Community Engagement, Parkdale Queen West CHC (MPS ’21)

Maytree Policy School provided very practical tips and advice to effectively influence policy. Perhaps most importantly, the program connected me with a cohort of incredible peers that I can count on for mutual support as we continue our policy careers.
photo: Talia Bronstein

Talia Bronstein

VP, Research and Advocacy, Daily Bread Food Bank (MPS ’20)

The generosity and insight of the Maytree Policy School faculty and instructors combined with dedicated and thoughtful non-profit peers, brought the policy materials to life. I left the course feeling supported and capable of wading into the important policy debates impacting low-income Ontarians.
photo: Vanessa Emery

Vanessa Emery

Staff Lawyer/Social Assistance Team Lead, West Scarborough Community Legal Services (MPS ’21)

A thoughtfully-designed program that provides access to an incredible group of faculty and subject-matter experts. A powerful experience that has improved my ability to influence.
photo: Sibel Cicek

Sibel Cicek

Senior Manager, Government Relations, YMCA Ontario, YMCA of Greater Toronto (MPS ’20)

Maytree Policy School was an incredible opportunity that elevated our policy work. The engaging presenters and faculty, practical learning and tools, thought-provoking curriculum, and peer connections created a dynamic learning environment that will have lasting impacts for the effectiveness of our work.
photo: Dominica McPherson

Dominica MacPherson

Coordinator, Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination (MPS ’21)

Maytree Policy School has been a crash course in government, systems, data, communications, and everything in between that is relevant to influencing policy. The faculty as well as the participants are extremely knowledgeable, generous with their expertise, and not afraid to ask the tough questions. The strategic learnings from this program have transformed our organizational advocacy initiatives to be much more thoughtful and productive.
photo: Dina Al-khooly

Dina Al-khooly

Director, Research and Evaluation, Vision of Science Network for Learning (MPS ’21)

Maytree Policy School brought together a highly skilled and generous group of instructors. My organization has gained new tools and resources, and connections to fabulous peers and organizations.
Shelagh Pizey-Allen

Shelagh Pizey-Allen

Executive Director, TTCRiders (MPS ’19)

Maytree Policy School was an outstanding opportunity to fine tune my policy strategy skill sets and connect with other like-minded individuals and organizations. I highly recommend this program!
photo: Nigel Barriffe

Nigel Barriffe

President, Board of Directors, Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) (MPS ’21)

Maytree Policy School was invaluable. It helped me systematize and move forward our policy work. The faculty were knowledgeable and engaging, and the other participants have now become a close network I can call on.
Sasha McNicoll

Sasha McNicoll

Policy Manager, Community Food Centres Canada (MPS ’19)

Maytree Policy School brought together an expert faculty team who generously shared their wealth of knowledge and experiences. I really appreciated how each session was meticulously planned and specifically tailored for us in the non-profit sector.
Tesfai Mengesha

Tesfai Mengesha

Executive Director, Success Beyond Limits (MPS ’18)

Maytree Policy School gave me the opportunity to carve time from my busy schedule to focus on policy strategy and engage in interesting policy discussions among peers. I am looking forward to incorporating these learnings and to continuing to engage with the network moving forward.
photo: Miriam Kramer

Miriam Kramer

Executive Director, Government & Corporate Relations, OCAD University (MPS ’21)

Maytree Policy School completely surpassed my expectations. It’s a course anyone should take who strives to be a strategic influencer at any level of government and regardless of who’s in power.
Brian Davis

Brian Davis

Executive Director, Houselink Community Homes (MPS ’19)

Having the focused time along with the incredible depth of knowledge from the presenters and other participants made this program worth every minute. The shifts in our approach and development of a policy strategy will have long-term impact for our organization and our mission at Pillar.
Michelle_Baldwin

Michelle Baldwin

Executive Director, Pillar Nonprofit Network (MPS ’19)

[Maytree Policy School] is professional development par excellence! Changing the world does take “relentless incrementalism” and this program should be mandatory for every leader.
photo: Bruce Pitkin

Bruce Pitkin

Executive Director, ArtStarts (MPS ’20)