Susan Russell-Csanyi

Susan Russell-Csanyi brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work in substance use, addiction and social advocacy. She is dedicated to shaping meaningful strategies and narratives that support people living in Canada who have firsthand experience using substances, as well as their families.

Ms. Russell-Csanyi’s early life experiences in the foster care system deeply inform her perspective and commitment to systems change. Drawing from these formative years, she went on to work extensively in residential group homes, supporting youth transitioning out of the child welfare system. Her work in these settings strengthened her belief in the importance of dignity, stability and unconditional support for young people navigating complex systems.

She is a founding and current member of the National Council of Youth in Care Advocates. The Council brings together provincial and territorial advocates with lived experience in the child protection system, Youth in Care Networks and key allies. Its shared belief — that all youth in care deserve ongoing, unconditional love, support and encouragement, just as their peers outside the system receive — continues to guide her work and advocacy.

Her contributions to supporting youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness have been widely recognized. Ms. Russell-Csanyi received the Katharine McParland Changemakers Award, named after her late mentor, a passionate advocate for youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability. Ms. McParland’s groundbreaking research labelled foster care as the “superhighway to homelessness,” a framing that has significantly influenced youth housing policy across Canada. This legacy, and Ms. Russell-Csanyi’s commitment to carrying it forward, shape much of her ongoing work in the sector.

She holds a bachelor of physical education from the University of Manitoba and a public policy certificate from the United Way’s Public Policy Program. She continues to champion compassionate, evidence informed approaches to health and social policy, using her comprehensive perspective to advance equity, inclusion and meaningful change.

Ms. Russell-Csanyi officially joined the Board in January 2026.