Meet the Team.
Matthew McDonald
Igor Lazarevski
Emma Phan
Sebastian Kolesar
Antonio Aragón
Alessandra La Posta
Matthew McDonald
Matthew began his career in education: teaching ESL, literature, and writing in Canadian universities and international high schools (France and Macedonia). He also spent three years as a university/college admissions counsellor, helping high school students pursue their educational aspirations in Canada, the United States, Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East.
Upon his return to Canada, he shifted to international student advising, for which he obtained his RCIC designation. He opened his boutique immigration consulting practice in 2016 while elevating his international student services/recruitment/admissions expertise at Humber College and Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Matthew was not always a city boy, nor did he expect to spend so much of his time working with people in finance and accounting, as he did at Rotman before shifting to full-time immigration work in 2023. He grew up on a farm in rural Manitoba, completed his undergraduate degree in English/French at Brandon University (Manitoba), and then his graduate work in English Literature at the University of Ottawa. He understands firsthand that people often want to change location, countries, and careers—editing their stories away from the plot of their birthplace.
Igor
Lazarevski
Igor is a seasoned project manager who sharpened his skills at a Fortune 500 company. In 2022, as demand for Matthew’s immigration services grew, he offered to take over business operations so that Matthew could spend more time with clients. In August 2023, he joined Matthew full time. Much of his work is behind the scenes, but clients will also communicate with Igor on non-legal matters.
Igor’s Canadian story began in 2010 when he met Matthew in his hometown: Skopje, Macedonia. He had returned to Macedonia after completing his undergraduate education in Chicago, USA, with a focus on teaching ESL. He also taught university-level classes in writing and translation in Macedonia.
After being approved for permanent residency and moving to Toronto with Matthew in 2013, he began to shift his career path, working in educational administration on examination practices for regulatory bodies. After completing a certificate in Project Management from the University of Toronto, he shifted into project management and process improvement. He has also completed a Master’s of Education in Adult Education & Workplace Learning from the University of Toronto.
As a newcomer to Canada, he also understands the challenges involved in revising one’s life story.
Emma
Phan
Emma began her Canadian story in 2013 as an international student. In 2026, Emma will celebrate her 13th anniversary in Canada.
Much of her career has been rooted in the Ontario post-secondary education, where she has worked in human resources administration, student advising, and career counselling. Emma completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources Management from Humber College, a Career Coach and Navigator Professional certificate from Goodwill Industries, and a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate from the University of Toronto. Emma is now a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC-IRB).
Matthew and Emma met while they worked at the International Centre at Humber College. They started working together again in late 2024.
As an immigrant to Canada herself, Emma understands the challenges of adjusting life to a new country while navigating complicated immigration pathways. She loves exploring ideas, helping others grow, and contributing to her community.
Sebastian
Kolesar
Sebastian’s interest in international education and immigration practice stems from his mother’s immigration experience (São Paulo to Vancouver, BC), his time serving in a camp for forcibly displaced persons in Greece, and his formative experience as a student staff member working with international students (i.e., Recruitment Assistant & ESL tutor).
Following the completion of a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, Sebastian has worked in five separate positions at the University of British Columbia (UBC) across general international student support, administration, and now immigration consulting; however, his professional background also includes experience in legal aid, private practice, and teaching (student immigration law & policy). He became licensed as an immigration consultant in 2021 following the completion of UBC’s Immigration Law program, and currently works full-time at UBC providing legal and settlement services to students. Sebastian is also the Owner and Principal Consultant at Pacey Immigration Services.
Sebastian intimately understands how powerful culture and language can be to one’s identity, and despite losing his mother tongue (Brazilian Portuguese) through his mother’s acculturation to Canada, he maintains a strong connection to his transnational community and family members in Brazil. Despite losing his maternal language, Sebastian is professionally bilingual in French, and has limited professional proficiency in Spanish. Immigration is a story that transcends generations, and Sebastian believes that his story is the product of his mother’s choice to create a better life for herself and her family in Canada.
Alessandra
La Posta
Matthew began his career in education: teaching ESL, literature, and writing in Canadian universities and international high schools (France and Macedonia). He also spent three years as a university/college admissions counsellor, helping high school students pursue their educational aspirations in Canada, the United States, Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East.
Upon his return to Canada, he shifted to international student advising, for which he obtained his RCIC designation. He opened his boutique immigration consulting practice in 2016 while elevating his international student services/recruitment/admissions expertise at Humber College and Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Matthew was not always a city boy, nor did he expect to spend so much of his time working with people in finance and accounting, as he did at Rotman before shifting to full-time immigration work in 2023. He grew up on a farm in rural Manitoba, completed his undergraduate degree in English/French at Brandon University (Manitoba), and then his graduate work in English Literature at the University of Ottawa. He understands firsthand that people often want to change location, countries, and careers—editing their stories away from the plot of their birthplace.
Antonio
Aragón
For more than 20 years, Antonio has helped thousands of students and families explore international opportunities through cultural exchanges, language education, post-secondary studies, career planning, and Canadian immigration.
His international story began at 16 when he left Colombia as a J-1 exchange student in the United States. That experience changed the course of his life and sparked a lifelong belief that living abroad is one of the most powerful ways to grow, gain perspective, and better understand both the world and ourselves.
Since then, Antonio has called Madrid, Jerusalem, Beijing, and Toronto home. As an immigrant himself, a Canadian by choice, he understands both the excitement and uncertainty that come with building a life in a new country.
His career has included leadership roles with CIEE, Bayswater, ApplyBoard, St. Lawrence College, Algonquin College, and ILAC, developing international partnerships in more than 70 countries.
Today, Antonio is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), an Ambassador for Tetr College of Business, and the COO and Co-Founder of Dragons Be There, where he designs curated adventures that connect people with extraordinary places, cultures, and stories. He is also a blogger with AAnthology and the author of two published novels. Antonio speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and a bit of Serbian.