The UTM Moves Team is comprised of dedicated UTM student staff who work together to organize physical activity and wellness focused events and initiatives on campus, in an effort to promote student wellbeing, community and belonging. UTM Moves staff also help guide students in finding the right fit in terms of classes and activities at the RAWC to suit their individual needs.
Fall - Winter 2025/26 Team Roster
Shanique Thomas - UTM Moves: Events Lead
Shanique Thomas (she/her) is a fourth-year student double majoring in Biology for Health Science and Sociology. After a year as the Events Lead with UTM Moves, she continues to be inspired by the opportunity to create fun and meaningful experiences that help students prioritize their wellness. She especially enjoys reaching students who might not typically visit the gym, understanding firsthand how daunting it can feel to get started, and implementing events that help students take that first step and feel confident returning. She encourages all students to take breaks from the stress of university and prioritize their holistic wellbeing!
Shanique’s advice for anyone starting their wellness journey is simple: start today. Whether it’s trying a group fitness class, going for a walk with friends, or following an online workout, the key is to find something enjoyable that makes you feel good. She stays active through long-distance running, yoga, and the occasional strength training at the gym when her schedule permits. An artist and avid reader, Shanique enjoys painting, drawing, and escaping to other realities in between the pages of a good book.
Grace Dairo - UTM Moves: UTM Walks Lead
Grace Dairo (she/her) is a 4th year student specializing in Neuroscience at UTM. She has always been passionate about practices that enhance health and well-being, such as exercise, healthy eating and mindfulness. Inspired by UTM Move’s vision to promote wellness, fitness, and inclusivity on campus, she joined the team to help students strengthen both their mental and physical well-being.
In her role as UTM Walks Lead, she hopes to encourage greater student participation in the UTM Walks program and create a welcoming environment where students can connect, take a break and experience the benefits of exercise in a safe and accessible way.
For those who want to start their fitness journey but are not sure where to begin, Grace's advice is to get active with others, whether you're with friends or with new people you've met at a drop-in class or at UTM Walks. This way, you not only feel better from moving but also gain a sense of community and accountability to help keep you going. She also encourages taking fitness classes at the RAWC, through which you can benefit from supportive fitness trainers who can guide and motivate you along your journey.
Grace believes it's also important to be active in ways you enjoy. For her, that often means playing racquet sports like tennis and badminton. Playing in the late afternoon gives her more time to enjoy the game and play with friends. Outside of fitness, Grace enjoys sketching and attending theatrical productions.
Joseph Moon - UTM Moves: Activity Zones Lead
As this year’s Activity Zones Lead, Joseph hopes to offer fun, accessible, and dynamic activities while encouraging others to explore diverse ways of moving that bring them joy and help make campus a welcoming and connected space—just as he experienced through the program over the past few years. His advice to anyone new to fitness or wellness is to start small, stay consistent, and focus on what feels right, even if it’s just one step at a time. Every step counts, and no one has to do it alone, as we’re all here to help you find what works best for you. Community always makes the journey better.
Fun Facts: Joseph loves playing basketball, enjoys working out, and plays piano and drums as a hobby. He recommends working out with a buddy for motivation and safety.
Sarah Alvarez Gottselig - UTM Moves: Educational Graphic Design Lead
Sarah Alvarez (she/her) is a 4th year Art and Art History Specialist at UTM. Sarah was inspired by her time as a Crew Member with UTM Moves in 2024–2025, where she enjoyed helping students prioritize wellness during their studies. As an Educational Graphic Design Lead, Sarah hopes to use the technical skills from her program to promote wellness across campus through designs that are both inspiring and visually engaging. If you’re just starting your wellness journey, Sarah suggests picking one thing about your life you want to improve, figure out the steps to get there, and know what progress to look for. That’s how Sarah built up stamina and strength with exercise routines tailored to her. Sarah’s favorite way to stay active is a daily Pilates session in the morning before class or work, helping her start the day feeling energized and focused on her wellness. A fun fact about Sarah is that she has a collection of classic game consoles and video games.
Debbie Wong - UTM Moves: Blog Lead
Debbie (She/Her) is a fourth-year student majoring in Sociology and minoring in PWC & Philosophy.
Inspired by her passion for wellness, spirituality, and writing, she joined UTM Moves as the blog lead, aiming to influence UTM students to embrace mindful living through self-care and movement in small, whimsical ways.
Her advice for anyone starting their fitness or wellness journey:
- Focus on progress, not results: It’s easy to give up when you don’t see results quickly, but caring for your body is not a one-day bootcamp. It’s about consistency, showing up for yourself even when you don’t feel like it.
- Stay open-minded: Lifting heavy weights is not the only way to work out. Don’t limit yourself; try different types of workouts: yoga, boxing, or even golfing… You never know what you’ll love.
- Know your why: Why did you start? Keeping that why in mind, will come in handy when things get tough. Use your motivation as your anchor.
To stay active, Debbie follows a weekly fitness plan, scheduling her workouts every Sunday. She also practices cycle syncing, aligning her movement with her energy and hormonal patterns to support balance.
Fun fact: Debbie is a modern-day witch! Not the wicked kind from fairy tales, but the one who treats every mundane routine as a ritual, blending in magic to life, and using intention to welcome abundance and joy.
Janine Quiambao - UTM Moves: Research & Evaluation Lead
Janine (she/her) is a second year MPHc student in Health Promotion. Janine was eager to join UTM Moves after learning about the program in her program evaluation class. For one of her assignments, she proposed an evaluation plan for UTM Moves. This program specifically aligned well with her values of health protection and promotion. As a research and evaluation lead, she aims to be part of evolving the program to ensure student needs are being met. If you want to start your fitness/wellness journey, start small. The hardest part about building movement into your routine is building the habit in the first place. Once you build a habit, everything else will fall into place. Start by setting 15-30 minutes aside daily and dedicate it to a movement like walking. Once you form this habit, switch up the movement to something different like running or lifting weights. Its crucial to start small and not overwhelm yourself! Janine stays active by weight training at the gym. Her favourite lift right now is deadlifts! She also plays rec volleyball with her friends, kickboxes, and goes on walks. Because Janine works from home a lot of the time, she also invested in a walking pad and standing desk! Fun fact: Janine loves dinosaur movies
Tahira Rajwani - UTM Moves: Inclusive Recreation Lead
Tahira (she/ her) is a fourth-year psychology student here at UTM. After years of barely passing P.E. classes, Tahira never thought health and fitness would be an area she was eager or qualified to work in. And yet, it was these exact experiences that compelled her to join UTM Moves as Inclusive Recreation Lead, where she hopes to make wellness a space that feels welcome and accessible for all.
When it comes to getting started, Tahira’s advice would be to find an intention that feels true to you. Once you have that, focus on a consistent habit that brings you joy (because wellness shouldn't make you miserable!). For Tahira, that habit is as simple as walking. Whether it’s deciding to take the long way home or hiking while catching up with friends, walking is a form of activity that she says is adaptable to her ever-changing schedule as a student.
A fun fact about Tahira is that her birthday is on International Women’s Day, which means she can’t wait to see all of you at UTM Moves’ programming in March!
Randy Aujla - UTM Moves: Mentorship Lead
Hey everyone, meet Randy! He is currently in his fourth year studying Digital Enterprise Management. What inspired him to get involved with UTM Moves was the opportunity to meaningfully connect students with one another while fostering a fun, positive atmosphere on campus. As this year's Mentorship Lead, his goal is to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Move Mentors Mentorship Program. In other words, he wants to empower students to achieve their health, wellness, fitness and athletic goals while endorsing the numerous services/events UTM has to offer. One piece of advice he would give to someone who wants to start their fitness/wellness journey is to attend a drop-in session for a sport they are interested in. In terms of his daily routine, Randy's favorite way to stay active is by going for walks. A fun fact about him is that he likes to create art!
Aaron Calpito - UTM Moves: Special Projects Lead
Aaron (he/him) is in his fourth year studying for a double major in anthropology and political science and a minor in environmental management. He was inspired to join UTM Moves because of his passion for connecting students with extra-curriculars, especially students who are hesitant to step outside of their comfort zone. As a special projects lead, he is eager to promote and facilitate UTM Moves programming through editorial content and mentorship.
His advice for someone who doesn't know where to start their wellness journey is to read on-campus publications—the UTM Moves blog, The Medium, and The Varsity are filled with stories of students who are just starting their journey as well! To stay active, he likes to hit the UTM Nature Trail whenever he can. One fun fact about him is that he loves em dashes.
Natasha Majumder - UTM Moves: Special Projects Lead
Natasha (she/her) is a CCIT major who loves exploring how communication, culture, and technology all connect.
She joined UTM Moves because she believes movement is so much more than just fitness. To her, it is about joy, confidence, and creating connections. As the Outdoor Recreation Lead, she hopes to inspire students to get outside and see how refreshing and fun staying active outdoors can be. As a Move Mentor, she loves supporting students one on one, helping them figure out what wellness looks like for them, and reminding them that every small step forward truly matters. Her goal is to create a space where students feel welcomed, supported, and excited to move.
Her advice is simple: start small, stay consistent, and be kind to yourself. Movement does not have to be intense to count. Sometimes the best first step is a short walk, a stretch break, or trying something fun with a friend. Wellness is a journey, not a race, and finding joy in the process is what keeps it going.
For Natasha, staying active is all about balance and fun. She loves long walks, dancing, and getting outside whenever she can to enjoy the fresh air. For her, movement fits naturally into her day, and she never treats it like a chore.
And here is a fun fact~ Natasha is surprisingly good at axe throwing. It may be an unusual hobby, but it has taught her patience, focus, and how rewarding it can be to push yourself in unexpected ways.