Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement at McMaster University has launched a new Residency Program designed to bring leading practitioners and scholars into the university community to collaborate on projects that foster civic leadership, student engagement and public impact.

The new program starting this month supports Wilson College’s mission to connect academic inquiry with real-world challenges. Residents will lead public events, collaborate with students and faculty, and undertake signature projects that explore pressing issues in leadership, governance and civic life.

“This new Residency Program reflects Wilson College’s commitment to bridging campus and community. By welcoming practitioners and scholars who are leading real change in the world, we’re creating opportunities for students and partners to learn, collaborate, and take action together,” said Sara Wolfe, external director at Wilson College. “I’m excited to see how these inaugural projects spark conversation and connection across McMaster and beyond.”

Wilson College has named two Practitioners-in-Residence for 2025–26: Dana Cramer, a national leader in youth digital governance, and Monique Pitt, a clinical social worker and wellness advocate focused on creative and culturally grounded approaches to leadership.

Dana Cramer
Practitioner-in-Residence

Project Working Title: Bringing Youth to the AI Front: Creating Canada’s Young AI Leaders’ Community

Project Abstract: AI is becoming a global phenomenon. AI is the extension of digital entities that hyper speeds regular digital processes (Mueller, 2025). Governments are racing to get ahead of the opportunities and harmful impacts of AI. In this race, various stakeholders are trying to be heard. Historically, youth have been excluded from Internet governance conversations (Tjahja & Potjomkina, 2024). In the space of AI, however, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)—an arm of the United Nations focused on telecommunications and technology policies—has proposed an AI for Good (AI4Good) initiative to allow dialogue on AI. As part of AI4Good, the ITU is further steering youth AI hubs across countries, which are developed and led by youth.

Youth have been an untapped resource in digital governance spaces. Young entrepreneurs have brought innovations to market (e.g., early 2000’s Silicon Valley tech CEOs) (Clark, 2018), but youth as a stakeholder group do not always receive a seat at the table in digital governance. But these youth have a unique stakeholder view in steering AI, given youth will be AI’s long-term users. This project will create Canada’s first Youth AI Hub at Wilson College, involving young students to become future AI leaders.

About Dana: Dana Cramer is a young technology leader in Canada in both academia and civil society. Recognized as one of Canada’s top, Dana is president of Youth Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Canada, which works to empower the next generation of digital policy changemakers. She was a 2024 Internet Society Global Youth Ambassador and sits on the All-Hands Committee of the Canadian IGF. She has held international fellowships spanning the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the American Registry for Internet Numbers, which allowed her to contribute to global discussions on infrastructure.

Dana is a PhD Candidate in a joint program between Toronto Metropolitan University and York University, specializing in internet governance and geopolitics. Formerly she was a Digital Policy Hub Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation where she produced reports on evolutions in internet governance.

In 2020, Dana won the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) Prize for Excellence in Policy Research—making her the youngest recipient in its history. She later worked in strategic policy and international affairs at the CRTC. She has further experience across government, private and non-profit sectors in international affairs, digital literacy, communications and technology marketing. In 2025, Dana will be joining the Official Canadian Delegation to the World Summit on the Information Society 20-Year Review High Level Event.

Driven by a passion for policy, international collaboration and equitable access to technologies, Dana is committed to shaping a more inclusive and resilient digital future for Canada and beyond.

Monique Pitt
Practitioner-in-Residence

Project Working Title: The Leadership Playground: Play-Based Wellness for Emerging Leaders

Project Abstract: The Leadership Playground will provide an innovative, play-based wellness experience that fosters leadership, collaboration and civic engagement through fun, interactive activities. The project will center the importance of self-care and community care as foundational practices for building sustainable leaders capable of creating lasting, positive impact. Research will then assess the impact of play-based wellness programming on student leadership development, examining connections between participation in wellness activities and improvements in well-being, mental health and social engagement. This project seeks to inspire a generation of leaders who understand that play is productive and that caring for themselves is essential to effectively lead and care for others.

About Monique: Monique Pitt is a registered social worker based in the Greater Toronto Area. With over eight years of experience, she has worked across sectors to support diverse communities through a blend of clinical insight, creative engagement and culturally grounded approaches. Monique offers individual talk therapy, walk-and-talk therapy, group facilitation and public speaking—bringing care, clarity and intention to every space she enters.

In addition to her clinical and community work, Monique is the founder of GYALLIVANT, a vibrant wellness brand that curates events and programs centering the well-being of Black women and women of color. Monique is committed to fostering environments where people feel seen, supported, and celebrated.

Wilson College looks forward to the year ahead and the ways these inaugural projects will spark new conversations, deepen student learning and demonstrate what leadership can look like across disciplines and communities.