Our Founder’s Story

Avelia is a People and Culture executive, strategist, and social impact advocate with over 15 years of experience across human resources, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and organizational transformation. Born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago and shaped by global experience across the United States and Canada, her journey reflects the power of education, resilience, and equity-driven leadership.
Avelia holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Howard University and has pursued MBA-level coursework at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. In Canada, she earned her Applied Human Resource Management (AHRM) certificate from the University of Manitoba, alongside executive education credentials in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Cornell), Sustainability Leadership (University of Toronto), and Reconciliation Education (First Nations University of Canada). She is a dual-certified HR professional, holding both the CPHR and SHRM-SCP designations.
Her career has spanned the public, private, and non-profit sectors, leading inclusive culture strategies, designing capacity-building frameworks, and mentoring future leaders. Across every role, her north star has remained clear: breaking down systemic barriers and creating pathways for others to rise.
That mission is what led her to launch Student Catalyst Gateway; a platform designed to support students through every stage of their education-to-employment journey. With a focus on coaching, equity, and practical guidance, SCG is committed to ensuring students from all backgrounds are not only career-ready, but future-focused.