Our Impact
Inspiring and empowering young people
Meet the Executives of JA Central Ontario’s Alumni Association
We are pleased to introduce the Executive Team of JA Central Ontario’s Alumni Association.
Micole Matthew (President), Aditya Manyal (Vice President), Raj Hira (Marketing & Communications Lead), and Armon Fathollahi (Fundraising Lead) will help grow a vibrant alumni community while supporting upcoming events, mentorship opportunities and engagement initiatives.
Meet Micole – Alumni President
Micole’s journey with JA started when she watched her older brother participate in the Company Program. Fascinated by the energy and ownership students had in building real businesses, she couldn’t wait to join herself.
Over four years, Micole grew from VP of Sales at Toasties to VP of Marketing at NeighbourNet during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ultimately President of Wonder in her final year. In 2023, Wonder was named Canadian Company of the Year, and Micole represented Canada at the JA Americas Company of the Year competition in Buenos Aires, deepening her connection to the global JA network.
Now in her third year studying Engineering Physics & Management at McMaster University, Micole is actively involved as a Company Program Advisor and was invited to Brazil as a 2025 JA Americas Company of the Year influencer.
Meet Aditya – Alumni Vice-President
Aditya is a proud two-year alum of JA Central Ontario’s Company Program and is currently studying Commerce at Queen’s University. During his time in the program, he served as President of the two student-led companies, Conscious and Eclipse Tags, gaining experience across product development, marketing, finance and sales while fostering a strong team culture.
Under his leadership, Conscious was recognized as the Company of the Year and received the Gary and Joanne Award. Beyond the awards, Aditya credits JA for shaping how he leads, with empathy, ambition and a focus on empowering others.
Meet Raj – Alumni Marketing & Communications Lead
Raj’s entrepreneurial journey began by helping his older brother with his JA company joining Company Program himself. He served as Vice President of Technology for both Leafie and Wonder, developing his passion for technology and innovation.
Now a fourth-year Computer Science student at Queen’s University, Raj joined RBC as a Data Analytics Engineer Intern. Outside of work and school, he builds projects focused on AI, entrepreneurship, and solving practical problems.
Meet Armon – Alumni Fundraising Lead
Armon's JA path began with a passion for entrepreneurship and a desire to understand how businesses are built, while simultaneously making a real-world difference. Over three years in the Company Program, he progressed from Finance General Member at Totally DIY to Finance Executive at TopShelf, where he gained experience in financial strategy, production and pricing. TopShelf was named Canadian Company of the Year and represented Canada at the JA Americas competition Brazil.
Now studying Commerce at Queen's University, Armon is continues to mentor students while pursuing his interests in finance and entrepreneurship.
Together, Micole, Aditya, Raj, and Armon will help guide the Alumni Association as the community grows to stay connected, building mentorship opportunities and making an impact.
Are you a Company Program alum? Join our Alumni Association today!
Have a question? Email us at [email protected]
About JA Central Ontario
JA Central Ontario envisions a world in which young people have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities. They want to make sure all young people are economically empowered with the skills, confidence and networks to shape the future.
As a youth-centred charity, JA Central Ontario works together with a dedicated network of volunteers, partners and educators to deliver immersive learning in work readiness, financial health, entrepreneurship and more. JA students benefit from mentorship and real-world experiences, transforming their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and aspirations as they build their futures.
JA Central Ontario impacts students in Halton, Peel, Toronto, York, Durham and Simcoe regions. They are part of one of the world’s most-impactful youth-serving social good organizations – JA Worldwide – and they work closely with our national network, JA Canada
