YPA Committee: Updates from the Chair 

From the desk of Hitesh Patel, Chair, YPA Committee 

Hi everyone, 

I’m excited to share two updates this month: our new subcommittee leads, and a recap of our June Town Hall with Emily Chung. Read on for the details. 

Announcement: Welcome Our New YPA Subcommittee Leads  

Please give a warm welcome to our new YPA Subcommittee leads, Amin Youssef, Nathaniel Willsie, and Joshua Lin! 

As part of our 2026-28 Strategic Plan, the YPA Committee is now organized into three subcommittees, each with a dedicated lead to drive focus, accountability, and impact in their area: 

• Professional development and mentoring: Amin Youssef (Fix Network), building leadership and networking opportunities through sessions, the speed mentoring taskforce, and a new mentoring program 

• Industry-academia collaboration: Nathaniel Willsie (Grote Industries), strengthening ties with students and institutions through initiatives like Student Aftermarket Day and academic partnerships 

• YPA Community relations: Joshua Lin (Pacer Dynamics Automotive), growing our community through town halls, member outreach, and messaging that shows the YPA Community’s value across the industry 

Congratulations to Amin, Nathaniel, and Joshua, and thank you to everyone who volunteered. I look forward to working with all of you as we advance the priorities outlined in our strategic plan. 

Recap: YPA Community Virtual Town Hall with Emily Chung 

Thanks to everyone who joined our YPA Comunity Town Hall with Emily Chung, President and CEO of AIA Canada, on June 24, 2026. Key takeaways from the event included: 

• Addressing the labour challenge: AIA Canada is advancing Right to Repair and promoting automotive careers earlier to students, educators and parents to strengthen the industry’s talent pipeline. 

• Improving Canadian market intelligence: AIA Canada is exploring ways to provide more timely, Canadian-specific data to help businesses make informed decisions. 

• Expanding industry collaboration: The new Industry Engagement Network (IEN) welcomes educators, consultants, insurers and other industry allies, strengthening collaboration and AIA Canada’s collective voice. 

Upcoming YPA Community events 

Stay tuned for our upcoming YPA Community events! 

• YPA Community Virtual Town Hall with Emily Holtby: This virtual event will take place on September 22, 2026.  

• Student Automotive Innovation Challenge (SAIC): Taking place in-person at Georgian College’s Automotive Business School of Canada on November 18, 2026.  

• YPA Community Learning and leadership social: Save the date for December 3! Registration details are coming soon.  

We look forward to seeing you there. 

Best,

Hitesh Patel

Chair, YPA Committee