She saw a gap. She didn't fill it alone.
When Lauren Abela started at the University of Guelph-Humber, she noticed something missing: there was no place on campus where students with intellectual and developmental disabilities could be genuinely included. Not just accommodated, but actually welcomed, valued, and seen.
She recognized the need, and she asked for help. Together with her friend and co-founder Jessica Rotolo, Lauren launched UofGH's first-ever Best Buddies chapter, a program built on real friendship between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. The two of them co-led the chapter and poured themselves into growing it into a real community.
The work paid off in ways she didn't expect. Best Buddies Canada recognized them with the inaugural Ambassador of Change Award. Then Jessica took the initiative again. She asked Lauren to join her as a Best Buddies International Global Ambassador, and Lauren said yes. Together they became Global Ambassadors for the Class of 2023, the first Canadian buddy pair in the program's history to earn that title.
She flew to Indiana for the international Leadership Conference and began monthly seminars with ambassadors from around the world. She is also conducting research on making campus life more genuinely inclusive for people with Down syndrome, work she cares about deeply and is committed to seeing make a real difference.
100+ schools — before she even called herself a speaker
Before Lauren ever stood on a conference stage, she was already doing the work. As a recruitment officer, she visited over 100 high schools across the region. She walked into classrooms, connected with students one-on-one, and learned what it actually takes to hold a room full of teenagers. That experience gave her more than practice. It gave her real instincts about what young people need to hear and how to say it in a way that lands.
She continues to lead workshops and speak at Humber Polytechnic, most recently at their symposium, bringing that same honesty to every room she walks into.
The message she carries
Lauren isn't a speaker because she decided it would be a good career. She's a speaker because people kept telling her that hearing her story changed something for them, and she realized that was worth showing up for.
Her framework is simple and she lives it: recognizing a need and asking for help takes bravery. Then doing the work takes commitment. Starting a friendship takes bravery. Keeping it takes commitment. They go hand-in-hand. That's not just the story of Best Buddies. That's the message she brings to every room.
"I took initiative, made a phone call, and said yes to a friendship that changed my life for the better ever since."
Her message is simple at its core: belonging isn't something you find. It's something you build. And anyone can build it.
Today Lauren works as a Student Success Advisor at Humber Polytechnic, helping students navigate the academic and personal challenges of college life. She speaks at schools and conferences across Canada, sharing what she's lived through: the gaps she saw, the things she built, and why she believes every room can be a place where people feel at home.
Credentials & Recognition
- Inaugural Ambassador of Change Award — Best Buddies Canada
- Best Buddies International Global Ambassador, Class of 2023 — first Canadian buddy pair ever
- Psychology (Honours), University of Guelph-Humber — Founders' Academic Merit Scholarship & UofGH's most prestigious graduation award for community contributions
- Co-Founder & Co-President, Best Buddies Chapter — University of Guelph-Humber (first-ever), co-founded with Jessica Rotolo
- 100+ high schools visited as a speaker and recruitment officer
- Speaker & workshop leader — Humber Polytechnic conferences, classrooms, and symposiums
- Speaker — Beyond Limits Conference, Winnipeg
- Featured on Michael Hingson's podcast — Episode 220: "Unstoppable Best Buddies, Including Mom"
- Featured in Humber Today, Best Buddies Canada Story Spotlight, and GH360
- Supported Mackenzie Health Foundation Gala that raised $1.16M for Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital
Best Buddies International Leadership Conference
Michael Hingson Podcast — Episode 220