Our Team

Meet the coaches, program leaders and nonprofit professionals who bring Beat the Streets programs to life in communities across Canada.

Jessica Marasovic, Development and Communications Consultant

Jessica Marasovic

I have spent more than 20 years working with nonprofits and international development organizations in Canada and internationally, including within the United Nations system. Throughout my career, I have focused on helping good ideas become practical, sustainable initiatives that create meaningful change. I joined Beat the Streets in 2016 because I believe sport can do far more than develop athletes: it can build confidence, create belonging and open new possibilities for young people. It is a privilege to work alongside a team committed to making those opportunities accessible to youth who face barriers to participation.

Development and Communications Consultant

Sue Hopcroft, Bookkeeper

Sue Hopcroft

While a daily, early morning aquafit class is more my style, as a mother of two, I know first hand the value sports plays in the healthy transition from childhood to adulthood and I am proud to be working with Beat the Streets and making a small contribution to their mission of building social-emotional, physical literacy and employability skills in youth.

I started my own business, Hopcroft Business Services, in 2001 and have been providing bookkeeping, accounting and tax services to small businesses, non-profits and charities since then.  With Beat The Streets, my role is to ensure that the financial records of the organization support the organization’s mission and fosters confidence in small supporters and large funders alike.

Returning to school as an adult, I hold a BA Hons. from York University after graduating summa cum laude in 2008.  I am a member and past president of CPB Canada and a member and past board member of ATAP (Association of Tax & Accounting Professionals). 

We all give back in our own ways.  I am a former board member of My Sisters Place, a shelter for women and children fleeing violence.  Currently, I mentor youth entrepreneurs through Futurpreneur Canada.

Bookkeeper

Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos, Coordinator and Head Coach

Program Coordinator/Head Coach

Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos

Kathy Khoa, Social Media Manager and Volunteer Coordinator
Monique Smith, BTS North Coordinator

Social Media Manager and Volunteer Coordinator

Kathy Khoa

I serve as the Social Media Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for Beat the Streets, supporting our digital presence and strengthening community engagement. I recruit and coordinate volunteers to help ensure our programs run smoothly and create a meaningful impact.

With experience coaching youth and neurodivergent students, I’m passionate about building confidence, resilience, and inclusive spaces through sport. Outside of Beat the Streets, I love exploring new forms of movement and work as a certified personal trainer and registered nurse.


Girls CAN Founder and Innovation Lead

Leah Ferguson

BTS North Coordinator

Monique Smith, MSW, RSW 

I am a child and youth mental health therapist based in Calgary. My work takes me to remote Indigenous communities throughout the Northwest Territories, where I support students as a school counsellor and helped develop wrestling opportunities for northern youth. 

As a former University of Calgary varsity wrestler, I've seen firsthand the impact sport can have on a young person’s life. I've served as Head Coach for Team Northwest Territories at the Arctic Winter Games and Canada Summer Games, but what I am most passionate about is helping communities build sustainable wrestling programs that can grow through local leadership, mentorship and community ownership. In Ulukhaktok, in the far North, that included establishing an annual Inuit wrestling tournament that brings together youth, families, Elders and the wider community while celebrating both sport and culture.

I believe wrestling is about much more than competition. It can be a powerful tool for building confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and a sense of belonging. Through Beat the Streets (North), I am excited to bring together my backgrounds in mental health, mentorship and wrestling to help create opportunities for young people both on and off the mat.

Outside of my work, I have a background in outdoor guiding and a love of photography, travel and adventure. Whether I’m behind a camera, exploring somewhere new or occasionally jumping off a mountain with a paraglider, I’m happiest when I’m learning, exploring and connecting with people.