Melissa Turp-Yonezawa

Melissa Turp-Yonezawa is a project coordinator at the Human-Centric Cybersecurity Partnership (HC2P), a research partnership on human-centered cybersecurity based at the Université de Montréal. In this role, she organizes educational activities such as a summer school and an open-access MOOC, while also overseeing the partnership’s logistics. Her position requires great rigor and the ability to navigate complex files with both public and private partners. Passionate about pedagogy, she also shares her knowledge as a lecturer at HEC Montréal, helping to train the next generation of managers.

Melissa also stood out through her involvement in the Jeune Conseil de Montréal, a municipal council simulation held at City Hall. She was the first trans woman elected as president of the executive committee. In this capacity, she oversaw event organization, internal team management, and relations with municipal government, guiding the Jeune Conseil through the Covid-19 pandemic and its recovery. She also represented the voice of youth on the City’s funding juries.

A proud member of Montréal’s 2SLGBTQ+ community, Melissa is actively involved in promoting the inclusion of trans and non-binary people. At HEC Montréal, she collaborated with the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team to implement concrete and respectful practices aimed at fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. She notably contributed to the development of an EDI training program for the entire HEC community.

What motivates Melissa to enter municipal politics is her deep desire to give back to her hometown. She wants to help residents reclaim their borough through social activities, access to services adapted to their realities, and a calm, welcoming, and safe environment. Building on the work accomplished by Projet Montréal over the past eight years, she wishes to help carry this transformation forward by building a city that is simpler, closer to the people, and resolutely focused on their real needs.