Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Beck Family CEO Mark Williams Joins ‘Game Changers Toronto’ to Empower Youth Through Mentorship
.jpg "TSO Beck Family CEO Mark Williams (Photo by Philip Maglieri)")
As part of his ongoing commitment to community and mentorship, Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Beck Family CEO, Mark Williams, is proud to join Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto’s new initiative, Game Changers Toronto. By uniting a group of influential leaders, this program seeks to address the urgent need for mentorship opportunities, particularly for youth from underserved communities. With over 420 children and youth in Toronto waiting for a mentor, Game Changers Toronto aims to connect young people with consistent, caring role models who can guide them toward brighter futures.
Learn more about this vital program and how it’s empowering youth across Toronto by reading the full press release below—and discover how you can help support the next generation through mentorship.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto Announces ‘Game Changers’ Initiative, Uniting Prominent Leaders and Changemakers to Empower Youth Through Membership
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto (BBBST) is proud to announce Game Changers Toronto, a new initiative that unites the collective power of influential leaders and changemakers to help tackle key issues impacting youth today, by creating awareness, access, and opportunity through mentorship.
Across Toronto, there are over 420 children and youth waiting for a highly motivated mentor that can guide them towards a brighter future. Of those, over 180 children and youth on our waitlist identify as Black and 71 children and youth identify as Mixed Race.
To address this urgent need, Game Changers Toronto will work together to expand access to mentorship opportunities in the community and create impactful experiences for Littles, reinforcing that mentorship isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity.
To celebrate the launch of the Game Changers Initiative in Toronto, BBBST will be hosting a special panel event, In Conversation with Game Changers Toronto, on February 20, 2025.
The inaugural group of Game Changers includes:
- Omar Allison, Founder, Mental Balance
- David Boroto, Chair, Board of Directors, Engineers Without Borders Canada
- Mark Harrison, Founder, MH3 Collective
- Ryan Knight, Founder, Detailing Knights and Afro-Caribbean Business Network
- Henoc Muamba, CFL Sports Analyst, TSN
- Warren Salmon, Founder, Black Board International & First Fridays
- Ricardo Stanford, Vice President, Strategy, Planning and Support, TD Group
- Stefan Thomas, Founder, Success Waves
- Mark Williams, Beck Family Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
"At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, we believe that mentorship is the foundation for building brighter futures," says Stachen Frederick, President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto. "Game Changers Toronto is our call to action for leaders in our community to collaborate, and inspire others to help transform the lives of young people across our city. Together, we can ensure every child has a caring, consistent mentor so they can thrive."
Born out of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Game Changers Toronto will lend their voices and support to shift perceptions of mentorship and encourage more volunteers to get involved. Game Changers Toronto also represents an invitation for partners, BBBST alumni, and supporters to help spark countless mentoring moments that can make a big difference.
For more information, and to join us at the Game Changers Launch event on February 20, 2025, visit BBBSToronto.com/GameChangers.
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About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto
For over 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto (BBBST) has enabled life-changing mentoring relationships to ignite the power and potential of young people in Toronto. In 2023, BBBST mentors volunteered over 44,100 hours, mentoring 1,524 youth across the city. BBBST’s data-driven framework provides successful outcomes for young people facing adversity.
For more information, contact:
Melise Brereton, Manager, Marketing and Communications
Email: melise.brereton@bigbrothersbigsisters.ca
Phone: 416-925-8981 ext. 4154
For more than a century, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has played a fundamental role in shaping and celebrating Canadian culture. The TSO’s commitment to musical excellence and ability to spark connection remain as strong as ever. With a storied history of acclaimed concerts and recordings, Canadian and international tours, and impactful community partnerships, we are dedicated to engaging and enriching local and national communities through vibrant musical experiences. Music Director Gustavo Gimeno brings an expansive artistic vision, intellectual curiosity, and sense of adventure to programming the 93-musician orchestra that serves Toronto—one of the world’s most diverse cities. As a group of artists, teachers, and advocates who share the belief that music has the power to heal, inspire, and connect people from all walks of life, we engage audiences young and old through an array of community-access, health-and-wellness, and education initiatives including the TSO-affiliated Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra—a tuition-free training program dedicated to cultivating the next generation of Canadian artists. Join us for a concert at Roy Thomson Hall, or experience the TSO in your neighbourhood. Visit TSO.CA or Newsroom.TSO.CA.
The TSO Season Presenting Sponsor is BMO.
The TSO acknowledges Mary Beck as the Musicians’ Patron in perpetuity for her generous and longstanding support.
The TSO relies on the generosity of thousands of donors and partners who provide a critical base of funding that makes possible all of the TSO’s music-making on stage and in the community.
The TSO is grateful for the support of the Toronto Symphony Foundation and all levels of government, including the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Ontario.