OUR TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RYAN RECINE (he/THEY) - BOARD CHAIR
Ryan is a highly skilled and versatile Audio Engineer, Event Producer, Creative Director, Director of Photography, and Drummer with over 20 years of experience in the music industry and 15 years of touring.
Having worked across every Canadian province, every continental U.S. state, and more than 15 countries, Ryan has collaborated with Grammy and JUNO Award-winning artists, prestigious festivals, and iconic venues, solidifying their reputation as a leader in the industry.
Ryan has overseen teams for Vice President Kamala Harris, AR Rahman, The City Harmonic, Shreya Ghoshal, Robyn Ottolini, Hillsong, Classic Albums Live, and James Benjamin, while also working with teams behind Shania Twain, Luke Combs, Keith Urban, Tyler Rich, Tim Hicks, Lindsay Ell, Andrew Hyatt, Owen Riegling, James Barker Band, Dear Rouge, Elevation Worship, and Bethel Worship.
Ryan’s expertise in live sound and event production has led them to work at some of the world’s most renowned music festivals, including Bonnaroo, Boots and Hearts, CMA Fest, and Lasso Montreal. He has also contributed to major industry events such as the CMAOntario Awards and a CCMA Awards Main Stage Televised Performance. Their ability to deliver high-quality production has made them a trusted professional in the events and festival circuit.
As a creative director and director of photography, Ryan’s work has gained millions of views and international recognition. Their contributions to a widely recognized music video were featured on People.com, while their photography for a hit single appeared on Spotify Canada playlists and a billboard at Sankofa Square in Toronto.
Ryan is known for his welcoming, warm energy, impeccable work ethic, and meticulous attention to detail. His commitment to excellence and his ability to always go above and beyond in his work has earned him the respect and admiration of those around him.
Bullied throughout his school years, Ryan was left isolated and vulnerable-conditions that later exposed him to childhood sexual abuse, mental health struggles, and addiction. A survivor of all of these experiences, Ryan now dedicates his work to spreading love and positivity. As a neurodivergent person and a proud member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, he hopes to serve as a role model, showing that while trauma can shape your path, it does not define who you are-and that believing in yourself can make your dreams possible.
taimoor ali kureshi (he/Him) - Treasurer
A seasoned financial management professional with over 8 years of experience in financial leadership roles, Taimoor excels in management accounting, financial planning and analysis, profitability analysis, and general accounting. Taimoor recently joined the team at the Toronto Metropolitan Students Union as their Financial Controller! In previous international positions, Taimoor has successfully prepared specialized financial reports for internal audits and coordinated with audit teams to ensure compliance and accuracy.
Taimoor holds a CPA, CGA designation from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, a BSc in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University, and is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant from the ACCA, UK. He is committed to leveraging his extensive financial expertise to drive organizational success and give back to the community.
LEANNE GIBSON (SHE/HER) - SECRETARY
Leanne lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba with her fur baby golden retriever Kahla. She has a B.A from U of Winnipegn and works at a public library as the head of the Children's Department.
Leanne has been a witness to what bullying can do to a child and their self-esteem. Because of this, she is a huge supporter of NTFT and hopes to help it grow and become a household name around the country and world.
ARTISTS
ELSIE MORDEN (she/THEY) - TOUR PRESENTER & FOUNDER
NTFT was founded by performing artist and speaker Elsie Morden after surviving years of traumatic bullying. Through story and song, Elsie has delivered 750 keynotes across Canada speaking about bullying prevention, mental health awareness, neurodiversity awareness, 2SLGBTQIA+ visibility, and empowerment.
In recognition of her profound impact across the country, Elsie has been featured on national news outlets and has received prestigious awards including the Canadian Queer Chamber or Commerce’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the National Change Makers Award from Alan Doyle’s Dollar A Day Foundation, Atlantic Business Magazine's Top 30 Under 30 Award, and the CAMH 150 Leading Canadians for Mental Health Difference Makers Award. As a recording artist she has over 750,000 streams on Spotify and a top 100 song on Canadian country radio.
deedee Austin (She/Her) - TOUR PRESENTER
DeeDee Austin, is an 19-year-old Indigenous Pop Powerhouse and member of the Abegweit First Nation on PEI.
DeeDee, who you could call a hybrid artist embraces the contemporary and traditional Indigenous music which she creates and implements into each one of her infectious high energy performances. DeeDee’s authentic songwriting is bringing her recognition not only in the Atlantic Provinces but across the Nation and is no stranger to entertaining crowds of 10 thousand plus!
DeeDee sat on the 2024 JUNOS event committee as part of the Local JUNOs team as a voice representing young emerging artists, youth, local artists and the Mi’kmaq culture. She is currently a contestant on Canada’s Got Talent, earning the Golden Buzzer!
STAFF
MALLORY BYRKA (she/her) - BOOKINGS
A proud mom of three, Mallory is passionate about helping create a kinder, more understanding world for her children — and for all youth. Having personally experienced struggles with self-esteem, ADHD, and the pressure to fit in, she knows firsthand how important NTFT’s message of empathy, inclusion, and resilience is for young people today.
A graduate of Acadia University, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) and graduated on the Dean’s List with an impressive 4.25 GPA, Mallory brings exceptional organization, communication, and relationship-building skills to her role.
Mallory’s warmth, compassion, and strong attention to detail ensure that every school and community feels supported in bringing NTFT’s impactful presentations to life. Her goal is simple yet powerful: to help build a future where every child feels valued, confident, and free to be themselves.
APRIL MULLINGS (she/her) - BOOKKEEPER
A graduate of the University of Toronto, April has worked in the accounting field for over 20 years.
She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Specialist in Management and Economics.
April is also a mom and a strong advocate of early financial literacy. She loves music and the work that NTFT does!