Leading BANA’s Fight Against Eating Disorders
Luciana Rosu-Sieza, Executive Director at Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association (BANA), is a servant leader who delights in lifting others up. She leads by example, modeling behavior and empowering her team while prioritizing trust and flexibility over traditional schedules. For Luciana, it’s about passion and creativity, not just hours clocked. Reflecting on her journey, she comprehends that small act of kindness – a word of encouragement, a guiding hand – can make a huge difference.
She sees success at BANA as a team climb energized by a dedicated Board of Directors and a high-spirited team. “I am extremely fortunate to have an outstanding board led by an inspirational woman Kelly Gosselin,” Luciana asserts, “The team at BANA is unmatched; their passion and care for the community is extraordinary.” She nurtures a workplace where everyone feels seen and heard, contributing to shared goals through trust, open talk, and the freedom to adapt. She savors the lessons learned from every detour. Challenges are not deterrents but stepping stones that lead her closer to her destination. With each positive ripple in the community, she feels a renewed sense of purpose.
Breaking Free: BANA’s Impact on Eating Disorders
For over four decades, BANA has been a beacon of hope for individuals struggling with eating disorders in Ontario, Canada. According to Luciana, this registered charity provides a comprehensive range of specialized treatment, education, and support services, empowering individuals to reclaim their health and well-being.
As the primary regional source for both prevention and treatment, BANA champions body positivity by encouraging a balanced and healthy lifestyle that embraces diverse shapes and sizes. With a caseload of approximately 350 clients and over 1,100 individuals navigating their journey through Centralized Intake. Over the past 42 years, BANA has touched the lives of thousands, regardless of gender or socioeconomic background.
BANA has a steadfast commitment to ongoing education. The organization hosts over 350 impactful health promotion presentations and programs annually, reaching more than 20,000 children and adults. Notably, BANA is the exclusive non-hospital-based provider for the Eating Disorders Ontario – Prevention program, employing a dedicated team of six Prevention Specialists across the Ontario Health West region.
A strong volunteer board provides invaluable guidance, ensuring accountability, transparency, and continuous innovation. To expand its outreach and eliminate barriers to treatment, Luciana shares that BANA produces a magazine three times a year, available in both print and digital formats. The publication serves as a platform for clinicians, educators, mental health professionals and those with lived experience to share wellness resources and awareness initiatives. Additionally, she mentions that BANA regularly hosts an engaging podcast that delves into relevant issues in a conversational and accessible format, accessible via its website as well as platforms like Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon Music.
The “Why Not Us?” Leader’s Journey at BANA
Honored as one of the “Top 10 Most Impactful Women Leaders Making a Difference, 2025,” Luciana’s career course is marked by determination and foresight. Her journey with BANA began not with a job offer but with a burning desire to make a difference. Early in her career, she witnessed the devastating impact of eating disorders, recognizing a critical gap in education and support. Drawn to BANA’s mission, she found a home for her passion, a place where she could translate her concern into tangible action.
Driven by a deep-seated belief that prevention and community support are as vital as treatment, Luciana has spearheaded a remarkable transformation of BANA, after 8 years as a Health Educator and now 13 years as Executive Director. Under her leadership, the organization has blossomed. Services have expanded, community partnerships have flourished, and the funding has quadrupled, enabling the organization to reach more individuals in need than ever before. Luciana has championed innovative programs promoting self-esteem, media literacy, and challenge the stigma surrounding eating disorders.
For Luciana, leadership is fundamentally about uplifting and inspiring those around her. She cultivates a workplace where equity is crucial, collaboration thrives, trust is paramount, and every team member’s unique strengths are celebrated. Living by her mantra, “Why not me,” Luciana has steadfastly steered her personal and professional journey.
She carries this outlook into her leadership at BANA, often posing the question, “Why not us?” when confronted with hurdles or possibilities. She upholds the conviction that everyone deserves a seat at the table, the funding, the recognition, and the platform to demonstrate their competencies. Luciana recognizes that obstacles are inevitable but approaches them with perseverance. “If Plan A does not work,” she quips, “I have my Plan B, C, and Z ready to go!” Life, she reminds us, is never linear. We flourish the most by navigating the exhilarating peaks and the challenging valleys, always striving towards a brighter future.
Finding Strength in the Storms
Luciana immigrated from Romania to Canada at the age of four; her early years were marked by a storm of their own including adapting to life first in Montreal, QC and then finally settling in Windsor, ON. As the years went on her mother’s diagnosis of schizophrenia when she was teenager cast a long, unsettling shadow over her family. Fear, sadness, and uncertainty were constant companions. Nevertheless, amidst the chaos, a seed of resilience was planted. Driven by an inner fire, Luciana immersed herself in academics and sports, striving to rise above the circumstances. These formative years, though challenging, ultimately ignited her passion for creating meaningful impact, leading her to a career dedicated to supporting others.
The past few years have brought their own share of heartbreak. The loss of her mother to cancer and the sudden passing of her father while traveling abroad during the pandemic were devastating blows. “These losses,” she conveys, “though devastating, deepened my resolve to live fully and to honor their sacrifices. They taught me to embrace the privileges I have worked hard to earn and to use them to uplift others.”
Addressing the stigma surrounding eating disorders presents a unique set of challenges. Despite their ‘Be Yourself’ campaign, which encourages self-acceptance, Luciana explains, “The pressure from social media tells us we need to change, alter and that we never measure up by falling in the comparison trap of the highlight reels of our peers and celebrities!” BANA is actively tackling the billion-dollar industries that profit from making people feel inadequate, striving to create a world where outward appearances do not measure self-worth.
Sustaining a small organization requires firm determination. “We have had to prove that we are relevant,” Luciana acknowledges. Diversifying funding, delivering impactful programs, and building strong community partnerships have been a continuous journey. But through it all, BANA remains steadfast in its commitment to providing compassionate, evidence-based care.
Luciana embraces Mel Robbins’s “Let them” philosophy. She has understood that life is too short to waste energy on negativity. “People will always have something to say,” She stresses, “You cannot control their feelings, reactions, or actions. Life will bring you a little bit of everything (good and bad); the lesson is to learn, do better, and continue to move forward.”
More Than Awards: Luciana’s True Achievement
Luciana beams with pride reflecting on BANA’s accolades, including the prestigious University of Windsor Clark Award, the Biz X Magazine Exceptional Social Enterprise Award, the Canadia Mental Health Association’s – Windsor Essex County Branch Community Partner of Distinction Award, and the recent “Pillar of our Community” nomination by the Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce. Her own recent recognition as a Top 100 Canadian Professional is undoubtedly a feather in her cap, but it’s not the summit of her ambition. They don’t define the most significant achievement for her. Building a powerhouse team, expanding services, and seeing others rise—unlocking potential, reshaping leadership, and embracing resilience—that’s what sparks her fire.
Breaking Silos: Syzygy Take on Collaboration
This adept executive stresses that real impact comes from partnerships and collaboration, not isolated efforts. Luciana often hears community partners call BANA their go-to collaborator—something she attributes to the organization’s ingrained belief in teamwork. In her view, working in silos only breeds division and unnecessary competition, ultimately hurting progress. For her, a true commitment to a client-centered approach isn’t just about good intentions—it demands coalition at every level.
Amplifying Her Voice in a Male-dominated Field
Growing up without a direct strong female role model, Luciana had no roadmap for navigating a male-dominated world. She relied on trial and error, often asking herself, “What would a man do?” The answer? They would lean in, ask for what they want, and own their ambitions. Adopting that mindset, she stopped overthinking and embraced a “Why not me?” approach—boldly pushing past barriers.
Now, she’s determined to make the path clearer for the next generation of women. Through Women United at the United Way, she surrounds herself with powerhouse female leaders who share a mission—uplifting their communities. Every year, she leads an effort to personally collect over 400 books for a literacy drive, believing that access to books can change a child’s future. Her passion for mentorship runs deep. This year, she guided Danna, a university student studying Social Work. While Danna often thanks her for the impact she’s made, Luciana knows mentorship is a two-way street. The experience has only strengthened her resolve—to keep breaking barriers and empowering more women to do the same.
BANA’s Strategic Roadmap: Charting Future Growth
“Our future looks bright- continue growing and thriving,” declares Luciana, as she lays out a bold strategy to elevate client value and maximize the organization’s potential. Her vision ensures the organization not only maintains its industry leadership but expands its reach in meaningful ways.
She reveals they have already outgrown their existing space. Looking ahead, she envisions a larger facility—one that includes a full kitchen, enabling them to offer hands-on cooking classes and immersive culinary experiences for their clients.
A Day in the Life of a Purpose-Driven Leader
The dynamic Executive Director of BANA, prospers on the ever-changing nature of her role. For her, it’s not just a job – it’s a calling. She wakes up each morning enthusiastic to confront new challenges and affect change. Luciana is a master of multitasking, a skill she considers essential in her fast-paced environment. Her typical day starts early, with a 7 a.m. review of emails and a quick scan of her jam-packed calendar. Meetings, both virtual and in-person, fill her day as she connects with her team, addresses pressing issues, and relentlessly checks items off her to-do list.
But Luciana isn’t just a leader; she’s a numbers whiz. She finds joy in the intricacies of budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing data. For her, numbers aren’t just figures on a page; they tell a story, revealing trends and opportunities.
Finding Balance: Family, Friendship, and Staying Present
Luciana knows that juggling personal and professional life is no easy feat. As she puts it, “My work is just one part of my story.” At home, she shares a life with her high school sweetheart, Tony, who has been her steady anchor through every twist and turn. Together, they’re raising Antonio, 10, and Gabriela, 15—two soccer-loving kids whose packed schedules keep the whole family on the move. Watching them chase their dreams reminds her why resilience matters and why she’s determined to pass down the lessons she’s learned.
Family support means everything to her. She credits her sister, Andrea, as her biggest cheerleader—someone who has always believed in her, no matter what. She also treasures a tight-knit group of childhood friends, the kind who know her inside out. Despite their busy lives, they always make time for their ‘quarterly’ shopping and dinner dates, where conversations flow effortlessly as if no time has passed.
The familiar guilt of being both a mother and a spouse inevitably creeps in; however, open communication keeps her family aligned and understanding of the demands of her work. She’s a firm believer in presence – fully present at work and fully present at home. Family dinners are a sacred no-electronics zone, and car rides become impromptu life lessons. These shared moments, these intentional connections, are what truly matter. The best part? Seeing her children genuinely enjoy spending quality time with them.
Learning, Leading, and Leaving a Mark
“My personal and professional goals are to continue to grow and learn,” says Luciana. For her, success is beyond personal feats. It’s about the imprint she leaves on others. A steadfast autodidact, she treats every hurdle as a crucible for growth, believing that genuine fulfillment comes from elevating those around her.
Luciana envisions her legacy as one of transformation—shaping the lives of her colleagues, children, and the communities she holds dear. To her, resilience isn’t just about withstanding trials; it’s about distilling wisdom from them, adapting with fortitude, and channeling those insights into a more enlightened world. She proudly shares, “That is the story I have written for myself, and it is the story I hope to pass on to others.”
Word of Advice for Aspiring Women Leaders
For women entering the field of mental health and eating disorder advocacy, this prescient leader offers a powerful message: “Patience, perseverance, and progress are the best ways to face your life.” Luciana underlines the importance of unwavering self-belief, urging them to constantly ask themselves, “Why not you?” Life, she believes, is a boundless canvas, and achieving goals requires unwavering dedication and a refusal to give up. She reminds them that they are the authors of their stories and that a single setback should never define their entire narrative. Lastly, travel and go see the world, meet new people and immerse yourself in learning through experience.
