About Rachel (she/her)

Rachel Manko Lutz is an award-winning educator, musician, and advocate. Raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Rachel lived in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Kingston Ontario before returning to Nova Scotia in 2020. Since her return to the province, she has worked with newcomers, youth, the LGBTQ+ population, members of First Nations and other marginalized groups in major international and provincial organizations like L’Arche, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Community College, Acadia University, and Dalhousie University.

 

With a background in the arts, Rachel is the founder and conductor of the Halifax and Dartmouth Newcomer Choirs, and the Executive Director of the Newcomer Choir Association Canada, a ground-breaking initiative that uses choral singing as a tool to help newcomers to Canada learn English and integrate into their new community. Her efforts have been documented by national media outlets, including CBC News, Broadview Magazine, and The Globe and Mail. Rachel is one of the winners of the 2023 Doris Anderson Award for Canadian changemaking, and the Daniel Mark Advocacy Award in Law.

 

Rachel's commitment to creating welcoming communities extends beyond the choir. As the Executive Director of the Newcomer Choir Association - Canada, she has played a pivotal role in expanding the organization's reach. Under her leadership, the association has launched a new choir team in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and intends to extend the reach of Newcomer Choir Canada across the country.

 

Rachel holds a law degree and a Master of Education degree with a focus on social justice education. She has presented her research at conferences across Canada, including at Queen’s Law School, Teaching English as a Second Language British Columbia, and various small business symposia.

 

Along with practising law, Rachel consults and provides trauma-informed workshops and training sessions for individuals, nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Her focus on conflict management, employee-employer support, mediation, and mindset work with a newcomer lens has made her a sought-after expert in the field.