About Moe

My Journey to Becoming an Executive & Life Coach

My name is Moe Akel (he/him), and my path to becoming an Executive and Life Coach has been shaped by resilience, advocacy, and a deep passion for helping others live authentically.

I began my advocacy journey at 19, as a student at the American University of Beirut, where I first spoke up about LGBTQ+ rights. Doing so came at a cost: I lost friends, faced physical threats, and lived under the fear of being outed to my family. In 2017, I joined Lebanon’s first-ever Pride event which was a step that marked both my courage and my estrangement from my family. Those years of resistance and loss ignited a fire in me to fight for inclusion and to help others embrace their authentic selves.

When I moved to Canada, I found space to live openly and begin a new chapter. I poured my pain into purpose, writing The Influential Story of a Gay from the Middle East, a book that became a symbol of resilience for those navigating rejection and identity. Over the next decade, I managed programs that supported thousands of LGBTQ+ refugees, newcomers, and youth, and contributed to provincial and national initiatives on HIV, sexual health, and equity. Today, I serve as Provincial Director at the AIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program of Ontario and as a Public Appointee to the Ontario Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS, where I advise the Minister of Health on policy and programs.

Along this journey, I’ve been honored with multiple awards that celebrate leadership and impact, including the Leaders to Be Proud Of Award (TD, Fasken, Deloitte), the Pride Award by the City of Toronto, the January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award, recognition as 30 Under 30 by the Canadian Arab Institute, and the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship. These recognitions are affirmations, but what defines me most is my ability to transform lived hardship into tools of healing and empowerment.

One of the most profound moments of my life came when I reconciled with my father. After years of estrangement, we reunited just before his passing in 2023. For seven years, I carried the pain of rejection, but in those final days, I experienced forgiveness, healing, and unconditional love. That reconciliation taught me that even the deepest wounds can be transformed, a lesson I now carry into my coaching practice.

Academically and professionally, I’ve built a strong foundation to serve others. I hold a Master of Climate Change (MCC) from University of Waterloo, a BSc. in Medical Laboratory Sciences (American University of Beirut), and certifications in Executive Life Coaching, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Cornell), Negotiation Mastery (Harvard Business School), Trauma-Informed Care, and Psychological First Aid. My 10+ years in the non-profit and community health sectors have honed my expertise in program management, leadership, conflict de-escalation, and capacity building.

As an Executive and LGBTQ+ Life Coach, I now bring together these threads of my lived story of resilience, my professional expertise, and my deep belief in the power of transformation. My mission is to help others, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, rise above barriers, reclaim their worth, and step into their full potential. Coaching with me is not just about strategies, but it is about walking alongside someone who has lived the journey of turning adversity into strength, and pain into purpose.