Who we are
Maggie Blake
Co-Founder
Maggie is a Child and Youth Counsellor and Advocate with 18 years of experience driving system change and working closely with diverse children and youth in complex and multifaceted environments. Currently, she leads research and knowledge mobilization at Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre in Toronto. She is also a skilled Trauma-Informed Consultant and co-founder of The Collaborative, a psychotherapy and consulting business based in Stratford, Ontario.
Before embarking on her career with kids and youth, Maggie was a professional child actor, playing leading roles at theatres across Canada, as well as in film and television. This background provided her with a deep understanding of the unique pressures, anxieties, and complexities young performers face. Combined with her education and extensive experience, Maggie is uniquely positioned to support young actors in navigating these challenges. Clients include The Stratford Festival, Mirvish Productions, Sheridan Theatre School amongst others.
Maggie holds an MA in Child & Youth Work and an MA in Theatre. She is an active member of both the Ontario Association of Child and Youth Care and the Ontario Association of Mental Health Practitioners, adhering to their ethical standards. She is known for her ability to make kids feel at ease, safe, and comfortable. Maggie meets kids and teenagers where they are at, providing support, interventions, and creating a safe space to explore their emotions, harness their strengths, and develop social and life skills.
Andrea Rankin
Co-Founder
Andrea is a teacher (Ontario College of Teachers), artist (Canadian Actors' Equity Association; Alliance of Canadian Television and Radio Artists), performance coach (Practica Learning) and consultant with over a decade of experience in the arts, education, and facilitation. As a professional actor, she has played leading roles on stages across Canada, including four seasons at the Stratford Festival. She is also a singer-songwriter and understands the unique complexities artists face in the theatre, film/TV, and music industries.
As an educator, Andrea has designed, directed, and facilitated programs for Bard on the Beach, the Stratford Festival, and Michigan State University. She has delivered workshops for students, educators, and arts leaders both across Canada and internationally. Her work lives at the intersection of performance, facilitation, and education, with a focus on creating safer, more sustainable creative spaces.
Andrea holds a Master of Teaching from the University of Toronto, where her graduate research—Exploring the Impact of Trauma-Informed Practices in Drama Education—was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. A graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA in Acting and the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Acting at Stratford, Andrea specializes in trauma-informed pedagogy, artist wellbeing, and relational learning. Her practice blends artistry and education through consent-forward, strengths-based, trauma-informed approaches that support confidence, expression, and wellbeing for artists and educators and arts leaders alike.