Team

Asser Sigmund Ang

As Network Development Coordinator, Asser supports the development and growth of new and existing Green Economy Hubs by updating tools, training, and resources to help Hubs strengthen their sustainability programs. Asser is a second-year student at the University of Waterloo, where he studies Environment and Business with a Diploma in Environmental Assessment and in Spanish Language. Outside of academics, he is involved with the SDG Impact Alliance, an SDG Student Hub at the University of Waterloo, where he leads educational programs to educate youth members about the Sustainable Development Goals and how they can be achieved through action. In his spare time, he likes to go for walks and bike rides and nature photography.

Joshua Buck

As the Program Manager for the Corporate Climate Leaders Program, Joshua works with corporate leaders in Edmonton to help them achieve their climate action goals. Joshua brings broad experience within the climate action movement including campaign management, government relations and community building. Joshua is a passionate advocate for data driven public policy and climate action. Joshua enjoys working with the private sector to ensure Canada’s response to climate change reflects best business practices as we transition to a low-carbon future.

Joshua enjoys the abundance of nature in and around Edmonton and spending time in nature refuels his energy to protect and enhance the richness of Alberta. Joshua holds an M.A from the University of Ottawa, where he studied Public Ethics and a B.A from Laurentian University.

Melissa Gerrard

Melissa manages all aspects of how Green Economy Canada supports the development and launch of new Green Economy Hubs. She is experienced in advancing action on climate at local, national, and international levels, having supported stakeholder engagement for Waterloo Region’s climate change action plan development while at Sustainable Waterloo Region, and most recently having worked on the Partners for Climate Protection Program at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Melissa is passionate about enabling Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy. She was named a Top 25 Environmentalist Under 25 by the Starfish Canada in 2012 and 2014, and holds a B.E.S. in Environment and Resource Studies from the University of Waterloo. When offline you can find Melissa hiking in the mountains or biking along the Ottawa canal.

Danielle Laperriere

Danielle recognizes that business is the most powerful force we have to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, and has striven to leverage that force throughout her career. She has worked extensively with an extrusion manufacturer in various roles related to energy & waste management, environmental compliance, health & safety management, capital investment planning and continuous improvement. Danielle was also the Plan Manager of ClimateActionWR, where she built collaborative relationships between businesses, non-profit actors and municipalities to support community GHG reductions. She holds a B.E.S in International Development from the University of Waterloo and an M.B.A. from Green Mountain College. When away from the screen, Danielle can be found exploring the North American wilderness with her partner and their dog.

Priyanka Lloyd

Priyanka was Green Economy Canada’s founding Managing Director prior to becoming the Executive Director in December 2018. She holds a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto, an M.Sc. in Biochemistry from McGill University and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. Priyanka has held marketing and supply chain roles at Novartis Consumer Health and Frito-Lay respectively, and was the Business Development Manager for REEP Green Solutions. She received the Wilfrid Laurier 2015 Young Alumnus of the year and was named to the 2017 Clean 16. In her spare time, Priyanka can be found building forts, making food art, and having kitchen dance parties with her two young kids in Waterloo Region.

Meagan MacKenzie

Meagan assists Green Economy Canada’s efforts by leveraging existing GHG and business data. Meagan studies Sustainability, Science, and Society at McGill University and has a deep passion for sustainability in the private sector. When she isn’t studying or working, you can find her snuggling her guinea pigs and nurturing her plant babies.

Emma Murphy

Emma recognizes the critical importance of procurement — the way we buy and what we buy — as a key lever of Canada’s net-zero by 2050 goal and of the global transition to a circular economy. She leads Green Economy Canada’s sustainable procurement innovation projects, advancing sustainable procurement at public sector organizations including municipalities, post-secondary institutions, and school boards. Emma brings with her a diverse professional background from grassroots for-impact organizations, automotive manufacturing, corporate retail, and the design industry in roles focused on the integration of environmental and sustainability principles into organization-wide practice. She holds an HBSc in Environmental Science from the University of Guelph and a MA in Environmental Education and Communications from Royal Roads University. Outside of work you can find Emma exploring the world through the lens of her camera, creating, and capturing memories of her favourite people and places.

Tyler Plante

With over a decade of experience as a sustainability professional in public, private and non-profit organizations, he brings a well-rounded skillset to the Green Economy Canada team including a background in behaviour change program design, environmental policy, assessment and monitoring, and sustainability assessment and climate change mitigation. Working in organizations from large to small (including running his own small business), grassroots to corporate cultures, and across sectors from infrastructure to post-secondary, has taught him the important role business has to play in pairing climate action with business success in transitioning towards our common low-carbon future. Tyler holds a B.E.S. in Environment and Business and a Masters in Business, Entrepreneurship & Technology (MBET) from the University of Waterloo.

Growing up near the Niagara Escarpment, Tyler developed a passion for the outdoors and a strong connection with nature that he now shares with his young family in Windsor, Ontario, every opportunity he gets.

Nathan Renaud

Nathan supports Green Economy Canada’s growing network of action-oriented businesses with the GHG data insights they need to effectively measure and manage their environmental footprint. His background features several roles where he has leveraged data to change the narrative from “Why?” to “Why aren’t we?”, using tools like energy audits, GHG inventories, and feasibility studies to create the business case for sustainability initiatives. He holds a Masters of Engineering Leadership in Clean Energy from the University of British Columbia and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Windsor. In his spare time, you can find him playing volleyball, exploring the outdoors, listening to podcasts, admiring good design, or making a spreadsheet about something trivial.

Jennie Tao

Jennie ​helps shape and tell the stories from across the Green Economy Canada network. She has spent over 10 years leading non-profit communications and fundraising, previously at MakeWay (Tides Canada) and the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness. She holds a B.Com in Marketing from the University of Toronto.

Charles Thibodeau

Charles leads the local operations of Green Economy New Brunswick, working with businesses across the province to help them achieve their sustainability goals. Originally from Shediac, NB, Charles worked with the New Brunswick Environmental Network and held many positions in the federal government such as serving as head of the Canadian delegation to the United Nations’ Working Party on Pollution and Energy, managing the Secretariat of the International Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy, and as Operating Agent for the International Energy Agency. Charles is a Mechanical Engineer, a Certified Permaculture Designer, a Community Food Mentor, and now lives in Cormier-Village on a 75-acre permaculture inspired homestead.

Emily Tithecott

Surrounded by nature in Northern Ontario, Emily understands the important role that business and industry plays in the low-carbon future. She is experienced in marketing causes backed by non-profit and resource-based governmental agencies, such as sustainable practices, the circular economy, fair trade business, waste reduction, food security, invasive species prevention, and most recently affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area. She holds diplomas in Graphic Design, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Robotics and Advanced Automation, and is currently completing her B.A. in Environmental Practice from Royal Roads University. Emily enjoys spending time with her family at her camp on Lake Superior, going for mountain hikes and kayak trips, doing botanical illustration and spending time in her garden.

Alia Tulloch

As Operations Manager, Alia works directly with the Managing Director to ensure the organization runs smoothly. Alia recently graduated with a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Queen’s University. Her background includes roles in administration, community engagement and project management. With the support of Green Economy Canada, Alia helped launch Sustainable Kingston’s Green Economy program. Alia is passionate about community-driven, collaborative approaches to sustainability, and strives to be a social connector of people, ideas and intent.

Alysha Ahlin

As Fund Animator, Alysha is responsible for creating engagement strategies to communicate Green Economy Canada’s Incentive Fund to Green Economy Hubs. Her background includes numerous roles in financial and statistical analysis as well as stakeholder engagement. She holds a B.A. in Financial Mathematics and a B.BA. in Finance from Wilfrid Laurier University. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, fire spinning and playing board games.

Rebecca Garlick

Rebecca is helping to strengthen the communication and knowledge infrastructure across Green Economy Hubs by supporting the ongoing improvement and maintenance of our online portal. Rebecca is a recent graduate of the Master’s of Climate Change program from the University of Waterloo, where she focused her studies on the importance of public and private sector climate actions. She also has a background in sustainability and business through the completion of a post-graduate certificate from Conestoga College. Through this program she consulted with various organizations on how to improve their sustainability initiatives. Rebecca enjoys getting outdoors and connecting with nature through backcountry camping and canoeing trips.

Katrina Kroeze

Katrina assists with various projects and initiatives undertaken across Green Economy Canada. She brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience as the previous Executive Director at Niagara Sustainability. She’s passionate about the work of Green Economy Canada and is excited about the progress towards the low carbon economy.

Mandy Poon

Mandy supports Green Economy Canada by developing their online training modules. She holds a Master of Education from University of Toronto and brings five years of experience serving a variety of impact organizations in communications and adult education roles. In her downtime, she enjoys wandering about in nature and learning about the many species we live with.

Matt Riepert

Matt assists with various projects and initiatives undertaken across Green Economy Canada. Matt is a soon-to-be honours graduate in the Environment and Business Co-op program at the University of Waterloo, with a minor in Geography and Environmental Management. His past work terms included joining the Sustainable Waterloo Region team and other organizations across Ontario. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, spending time with friends and being outdoors. Matt is excited to support Green Economy Canada to help encourage local organizations to improve their sustainability performance.

Kaitlin Thompson

As Network Communications Coordinator, Kaitlin facilitates engagement across the Green Economy Hubs to ensure the network remains focused and effective. Kaitlin is an honours graduate in Environment and Business from the University of Waterloo, with a diploma in Environmental Assessment. She enjoys exploring Toronto by bike, reading, and being outdoors.

Julia-Maria Becker

Paul Bubelis

Paul Bubelis is the Executive Director of the Sustainability Network, which he co-founded in 1997. He is a founding Director of Green Economy Canada and sits on advisory committees for Ontario Nonprofit Network, the Masters in Conservation Leadership program at the University of Guelph and the Green Economy Bridging Program Advisory Council at Ryerson University. Prior to his work at Sustainability Network, he served as Executive Director of the Ontario Environment Network and spent 5 years at Environment Canada managing a province-wide funding program. He has also consulted to grantmakers, government and NGOs. Paul obtained a biology degree from the University of Guelph, attended the University of Victoria and has a MSc from the University of Toronto.

Tim Draimin

Tim Draimin is a Senior Advisor at the The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. Previously he was the Executive Director of Social Innovation Generation (SiG), where he guided SiG’s support for Canada’s growing network of academics, practitioners, social entrepreneurs, allied institutions and partnerships expanding Canada’s social innovation ecosystem. Tim was the founding CEO of Tides Canada Foundation, leading the Foundation’s expansion, established Canada’s first national support system for social entrepreneurs – Tides Canada Initiatives – and supported a globally replicated model of integrated conservation: BC’s Great Bear Rainforest initiative. He is a frequent advisor to government, non-profit associations and business. He has worked for or consulted in Canada and abroad was involved in many UN activities representing civil society. In addition to Green Economy Canada, Tim is on the board of Social Innovation Exchange (SIX), Trico Foundation, Centre for Social Innovation, and advises Grand Challenges Canada, Partnership Brokers Association and the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing.

Matthew Hoffmann

Matthew J. Hoffmann is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto and in the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Toronto, Scarborough. He is also Co-Director of the Environmental Governance Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs. Professor Hoffmann has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the George Washington University. His research and teaching interests are centered on climate change politics and global environmental governance. He is the author of Ozone Depletion and Climate Change: Constructing a Global Response (SUNY Press 2005) and coeditor with Alice Ba of Contending Perspectives on Global Governance (Routledge 2005). His most recent book is Climate Governance at the Crossroads: Experimenting with a Global Response after Kyoto (Oxford University Press 2011).

Velma McColl

Velma is a Principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group. She works on a range of economic and social issues including M&A, innovation, energy, environment and emerging technologies. Prior to joining Earnscliffe in 2004, Velma advised Federal Cabinet Ministers on political strategy, policy and communications. She has also worked provincially in British Columbia and Alberta. She has worked to find creative solutions across federal/provincial/territorial, North American and international boundaries. Her career includes success as an entrepreneur and experience working collaboratively with business, academia, think tanks, not-for-profit organizations and the public sector. A proud mother and Westerner with twenty years’ experience in Ottawa, Velma studied at the University of British Columbia and the Banff School of Management. She is a co-founder of the Canadian Clean Technology Coalition and Women in GR. She has taken leadership roles with several organizations including Smart Prosperity, the Ryan’s Well Foundation and EcoTrust Canada.

Ken Whyte

Ken Whyte is President of Quarry, a marketing and advertising agency in Waterloo Region. Ken is proud to represent Quarry as a bronze-level GHG emissions reductions member of Sustainable Waterloo Region’s Regional Sustainability Initiative. As Quarry’s President, Ken focuses on leading the business and ensuring Quarry has the resources and skills needed to transform brands for complex businesses. Ken lives and breathes Quarry’s core beliefs—take accountability, act with urgency, be a builder, seek collective wins and grow with purpose—and over the past 25 years at Quarry, has consistently challenged the team to ‘imagine something better’ for Quarry clients, the organization and themselves. Ken is a past Board of Director for the Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integrated Network, one of 14 LHINs set up across the province of Ontario to bring health care leadership, integration, and funding to a local level, as well as past Director of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. Ken holds a BBA (Honours) from Wilfrid Laurier University, is a father to seven, and feels he is “truly blessed by having met and married his soul mate, Colette.”