Story Crew

Aaron is a writer and long-time sci-fi enthusiast. A contributor and eventual co-editor of the Toronto Comics Anthology, his work can be found in various books and anthologies, including Strange Romance and Hogtown Horror. More recently, Aaron has written the superhero series Northguard for Chapterhouse Comics and is finishing his first novel.

Cedric holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and education and is passionate about providing academic resources for students in underserved communities. Cedric performs data analysis of Story Planet’s student and teacher evaluations and helps improve our assessment processes to ensure our mission and outcomes always align.

Gabrielle joined Story Planet as a placement student in 2020. After graduating with her Bachelor of Science, she continued her work here. An avid believer that education plays an important role in health, she sees her work here as a way to combine three of her favourite topics: health sciences, art, and community-building. *The drawing here is the first she created as a volunteer in a Story Planet workshop.

Hilary is an award-winning author and illustrator of a dozen picture books and an early concept board books series that includes Will Bear Share? which Kirkus called “a clear and winning guide to a key social grace” in a starred review and Will Ladybug Hug? which Kirkus called “clear, endearing, and important.”

Ivy is a reader, a teacher, and an aspiring baker. Most days, she can be found drinking coffee, watching cat videos, loudly singing along to '80s music ("Turn around, BRIGHT EYES"), or trying to carry home as many books as she possibly can. She believes that storytelling can build confidence, create friendships, and strengthen communities.

A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Lisa is a writer and freelance manuscript editor. Her short fiction has appeared in the Colorado Review and Miracle Monocle, and she is forever working on a novel. She loves being involved with Story Planet, which reminds her daily of all the wonder and excitement of creating stories.

Liz is a children’s media producer who’s developed a variety of award-winning series for TVO, CBC, and Sinking Ship Entertainment. She founded Story Planet in 2009 to help kids get their stories heard and continues to learn and grow through all the work it does.

Nathalie Cortes is a Colombian born social service work graduate and multidisciplinary artist based out of Tkaronto. Through her different forms of work such as poetry, theatre, visual arts, journalism, and photography Nathalie expresses curiosity for the strength found in human vulnerability and acceptance of oneself.

Rhael Mcgregor is a comic artist, animator, and storyteller from Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are Métis, Queer/2-Spirit, Autistic, and excited about the power of storytelling. Their work centers around fantasy, sci-fi, romance, and autobio stories that make people smile!

Riel is a multidisciplinary artist and educator from Nova Scotia, now based in Toronto. She is dedicated to uplifting youth voices through creative expression, working across performance, writing, theatre creation, music, and sound to foster connection and community.

She has supported young artists through programs with Neptune Theatre School, Geordie Theatre School, and Young People’s Theatre, creating spaces where students feel heard, valued, and confident in shaping their own stories. Rooted in hip hop principles of shared creation and collective care, Riel meets young artists where they are, building on their lived experience and creative instincts.

Recognized by Glenn Sumi as a 2025 Artist to Watch, she also received an honourable mention for sound design in House + Body’s Measure for Measure, featured in the Toronto Star’s Top 10 Productions list.

Sarah is a Program Facilitator and Social Media Coordinator at Story Planet. With a background in children’s entertainment and education, she has worked in television script development, including for YTV’s The Zone. Beyond her creative work, Sarah volunteers as a youth leader and program coordinator, developing programs for students in grades 7 to 12. She’s passionate about helping young people find their voices and believes storytelling is a powerful way to build confidence and community.

Sheena is an indigenous multimedia artist and former Registered Nurse with years of experience with Palliative Care. She has dabbled as a freelance graphic designer/illustrator/videographer/editor, for several social media videos and art projects. She specializes in character illustration, with experience writing and drawing for several online comics.

Currently, she is exploring more traditional indigenous mediums, such as beading jewelry and accessories. As a chronically creative person, sharing the art of drawing and story creation (through any medium) with the children through Story Planet is an honour.