About

Valeria Rusnak is a passionate mental health advocate and speaker with a degree in Neuroscience. Motivated by her own experience facing medical school rejection—and witnessing similar struggles among her peers—Valeria created The Rejected Pre-Med Podcast: For Anyone Who’s Faced Rejection. This platform fosters mental wellness by blending Valeria’s personal stories with those of her guests, alongside research-backed strategies that emphasize healthy emotional regulation and self-compassion. Together, these stories and insights help promote resilience, confidence and a sense of community in the face of failure or rejection. Through her podcast and speaking engagements in both non-profit and corporate sectors, Valeria empowers young people to normalize conversations about rejection and the mental health challenges that may arise from it. Her mission is to provide peer support and inspire hope by showing that rejection and failure are not endpoints but transformative steps toward growth and well-being—if embraced with patience and compassion. Valeria has spoken at the University of Calgary and other platforms, championing the importance of compassion, mental wellness, and community. She is currently a Top 3 Finalist for Youth Mental Health Champion across Canada.