2025 ambassadors
The 2025 pride & remembrance run Ambassador team has been assembled to represent the diversity, social, active, and community-minded spirit we believe in.
Our Ambassadors are volunteers who are here to connect and inspire you, and to promote our message of inclusion and giving back to the community.
Need training tips? Have a question about race prep? Want to know how to take a better runfie (running selfie)? Ask our Ambassadors.
If you are interested in connecting with us for future Ambassador opportunities, please email us at marketing@priderun.org
Alexandre Verdier Derambure (he/him)
Alexandre is a vibrant Frenchman who landed in Toronto almost a year ago. Eager to find a community that matched his zest for self-improvement, kindness, emotional connections, and running, he quickly became an active member of Frontrunners. As a dedicated pharmacist, Alexandre champions the balance of "mens sana in corpore sano" – a healthy mind in a healthy body. Professionally, he was also actively involved in his company's Employee Resource Group, promoting inclusion and visibility for 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals, a cause very close to his heart. This passion also drives his commitment to the pride & remembrance run. When he's not pounding the pavement training for his next race, you'll catch him traveling across this welcoming new country, visiting the latest art exhibition in town, dancing the night away to all kinds of music, and cheering on our fabulous local drag performers.
Dave Kim (he/him)
As an avid supporter of the best running event in the City of Toronto for the past 10 years, Dave (he/him) is excited to be returning to the pride & remembrance run in 2025 as an Ambassador! To balance his love for sweets, Dave loves being active - whether it's playing basketball, doing a Spartan Race, going for a hike, or going for a run (often with his partner), he loves engaging in activities that bring people together in the spirit of community and physical health. Dave has participated in a number of running events including the Montreal Marathon and Around the Bay and he loves running through the city to explore all the amazing neighbourhoods (and sweets shops) it has to offer! Dave serves as Warden of Hart House at the University of Toronto where he is also a Lecturer at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and you may see him around the city with his family which includes his 2 awesome daughters who have also done the Run for years!
Denise McGaughey (she/her)
Denise is a digital marketing powerhouse with a passion for social media, content creation, copywriting, and all things strategy. When she’s not crafting compelling campaigns, she’s hitting the pavement—running has been a longtime love, fueled by sour gummy worms and a perfectly timed New Attitude by Patti LaBelle.
Beyond work and workouts, Denise is always juggling multiple artistic projects. When she’s not using her creativity to bring ideas to life, you can find her styling outfits, getting lost in a good book, baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies, or rewatching The Simpsons for the hundredth time. She brings energy and imagination to everything she does.
This year, Denise is thrilled to take part in the pride & remembrance run as both an ambassador and racer, celebrating community, inclusion, and the joy of running with fellow 2SLGBTQ+ runners.
Jocelyn Riet (she/her)
Jocelyn is a passionate athlete, engineer, and trans rights advocate who moved to Canada in 2021 from the US. She's participated in the pride & remembrance run since 2022 carrying a trans flag to highlight her pride as a trans athlete and to protest the worsening conditions for trans athletes and trans people in the US. She has been a part of Queer Run Club (QRC) since April of 2022 and is proud to call Toronto and Canada home. In her spare time, she plays hockey, rugby, and trains for triathlons.
Kayley Pugh (she/her)
Kayley is running her third pride & remembrance run this year as a celebration of movement. Four years ago, Kayley was diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and told to quit teaching for a sedentary and “safe” lifestyle. Never one to follow instructions, Kayley walked out of the doctor’s office and into a gym and signed up with a personal trainer to start Olympic style weightlifting. Kayley completed her first half-marathon last May and started an Instagram account to find a community of other dynamically disabled people to share tips, lean on each other and hold space in sport and athletics.
“I always felt left out of team sports as a kid because I was uncoordinated and it took days to recover. I was called lazy and awkward. As a teen, I was pushed out of athletics because I was queer. Now as an adult, I’m reclaiming my love for movement and finding community in sport. I’m so lucky to find spaces that celebrate queerness in sport like Queer Run Club and the pride & remembrance run. I want to help others with dynamic abilities feel seen and represented and know they can be athletes too. I’ve always thought the queer community did this best but we always have work to do.”
Kevin Chavez-Laxamana (he/him)
Kevin is an anthropologist, educator, and community builder with over a decade of experience in professional development, teaching and research, and communications in higher education. Passionate about creating impactful and inclusive learning experiences, he is dedicated to empowering students and diverse communities through education and advocacy.
Named one of Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30 in 2020, Kevin brings his expertise and enthusiasm to every space he enters—whether it's the classroom, a community event, or the start line of a race.
Kevin first ran the pride & remembrance run in 2023 and has since taken his passion for movement even further—completing his first half marathon and now preparing for two more this year! He is thrilled to return as a 2025 ambassador, bringing his love for running, community, and meaningful connection to this year’s event.
When he’s not training or championing learning and equity, you can find him sprinting on a spin bike or discovering culinary gems in Toronto and Edmonton. Learn more about his work at www.kevinlaxamana.com.
Kiersten Depina (they/them)
Kiersten is stoked to be a part of the pride & remembrance run as an ambassador this year! As an active and outdoorsy person, they have spent the past few years on the west coast of Canada tree-planting, and are transitioning into working as a farm hand on a local produce farm here in Ontario. As a person passionate about community care, Kiersten is excited to be raising funds for, and advocating for the wellbeing and uplifting of, the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Without any prior running experience, they are excited to work towards completing their first 5K with the help of their wonderful community.
Mandeep Singh (he/him)
After two years of running the pride & remembrance run, Mandeep is thrilled to return as an ambassador. He was an avid runner in high school, but COVID put his passion on pause. Moving to Canada for college, he rediscovered his love for running through Queer Run Club and found a vibrant, supportive community.
As a student leader and advocate for 2SLGBTQ+safe spaces on campus, Mandeep found his own sense of belonging in the Pride Run. Now, he’s eager to give back by creating the same welcoming and inclusive space for new runners.
Siphelele Danisa (he/they)
Siphelele is a research and business development officer with a passion for mathematics and computing research. He was born and raised in South Africa, where he started his journey in mathematics which then led him to Toronto for further studies in computer science and, ultimately, work.
Beyond his professional life, Siphelele is committed to fostering spaces where people feel empowered to express themselves and share their experiences. He emphasizes the ongoing barriers the community faces simply for existing and the importance of examining their origins and impact, supporting one another with empathy, and working toward a more just, inclusive, and equitable future.
As a pride & remembrance run Ambassador, he hopes to be a champion for the importance of remembering why we have pride & remembrance, and to highlight the enduring significance of community.
Trevor McGrath (he/him)
Having never ran but getting FOMO from seeing runners, Trevor decided to give it a try, and many years later he can now even call himself a marathoner. A community builder who loves seeing people go from never having run to crossing a finish line, now Trevor is here to help motivate others to give running a shot. As the elected president of Frontrunners Toronto, one of the city’s queer running clubs, he is forever made proud by everyone in this community, seeing them grow, helping each other progress, and being such a bright force in an ever-challenging world. “Let’s lace up and send some fundraising emails. Never forget your why, or a Pride Run après party!”
Walter Young (he/him)
Walter Young is a professional trainer, avid athlete and first-time author. Moved by experiences dealing with the drug and alcohol dependence of his youth, and building a career as a personal trainer in his mid-fifties, he aims to inspire others to invest in their physical well-being, regardless of age or skill. As a gay man, having lived through the beginning of the gay rights movement here in Canada, and the AIDS epidemic, he sees a strong need to pull together as a community, learn our history and move forward together.
Zamir Jetha (he/him)
Since his first pride & remembrance run in 2017, Zamir has been passionate about fostering inclusivity and representation within the 2SLGBTQ+ community. As a proud South Asian queer, he is committed to increasing visibility for underrepresented voices and showcasing the rich diversity of the city. A humble public servant working for the Provincial Government, Zamir believes in giving back through love, joy, and connection. Whether it’s through running or community engagement, he strives to make every participant feel welcomed, celebrated, and empowered to be their authentic selves.