OUR TEAM

Founder

Melany Morrison

Director of ravens rhythm

Sissi is passionate about creating opportunities for young people and she collaborates with key members in our community to make change happen. Sissi has carried many roles within her time on Ravens Rhythm such as captain, event coordinator, social media manager, stunt coach, head coach and she is our current Director. Sissi’s background stems through dance and cheerleading and she has been a part of several organizations: BlackWidow, Tumblers Gymnastics, Redblacks Cheer and Dance. Recently in 2023, Sissi also founded Capital Crew, a professional dance team and hype squad you can find cheering on the Ottawa Rapid FC.

Coaches

Yolanda Yip - Head Coach & CO-Director

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Yolanda moved to Ottawa to further her education and completed a Bachelor’s of Science Honours in Neuroscience & Mental Health at Carleton University.
Yolanda’s passion for dance and performance began at the age of two. She trained at various institutions in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, Tap, and Chinese Folk Dance. She also has formally obtained and continues to hold her Teacher’s Certificate in Modern Dance under The British Association of Teachers of Dancing.
Yolanda joined the performance cheer world through Ravens Rhythm in 2017. As an athlete and later Dance Captain, she focused greatly on further building their community fundraising portfolio. She then joined Ravens Rhythm as a Guest Coach in Summer 2022 and then became the inaugural Cross Coach for the 2023-2024 season further developing her love for education, mentoring, and creating inclusive community environments. She holds Performance Cheer Coaching Skill Credentials in Pom with the ICU and is in the process to obtaining her certifications in Jazz/High Kick, Hip Hop and Cheerleading.
Aminah Derman - Brand Officer & Head Coach

Aminah is one of our amazing Head Coaches for the 2025-2026 season. Aminah was born and raised in Cambridge, Ontario, before moving to Ottawa to continue her academic journey. At Carleton, Aminah pursued a Bachelors of Arts Combined Honours in Human Rights and Transnational Law before graduating in 2026.
Aminah grew up dancing, and over the years trained in a variety of styles including tap, contemporary, lyrical, jazz and hip hop. While Aminah had dreamed of being a sideline cheerleader from the very first time she watched the movie Like Mike and saw the NBA dancers take the floor, it was not until she started at Carleton that she realized her dreams could soon become a reality. Aminah joined Ravens Rhythm as a football rookie in 2021. During her time as an athlete Aminah was a captain, EDI Champion and in her last year became Head Coach.
Aminah is now the Brand Officer of Ravens Rhythm and works to ensure the Ravens Rhythm legacy continues to flourish on and off the sidelines!
Madison Albert - Head Coach

Madi Albert joins the coaching staff after four seasons as an athlete with Ravens Rhythm. During her time on the team, she established herself as a leader both on and off the court, earning Rookie of the Year (2022), the Initiative Award (2024), and MVP (2024).
With over 15 years of training in jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, ballet, pom, and musical theatre, Albert brings a dynamic performance background and strong technical foundation to her coaching role. She developed her skills as a competitive dancer with DA Studio, earning numerous awards for both solo and group work, and went on to complete the Fine Arts Certificate in Dance at Canterbury High School.
Now stepping into the position of Head Coach, she is focused on building an environment rooted in precision, performance quality, and team culture — continuing to push the standard for Ravens Rhythm while honouring the legacy of those who came before her.