Megan is recognized by cities across Canada as an authority on municipal sustainability. She has been with ICLEI since 1999, over which time she has held many roles in strategic energy planning, climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity, as well as sustainability management. Megan has shared her experiences by serving on steering committees with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Canadian Standards Association, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Urban Institute and QUEST.

As Director of ICLEI Canada, Megan oversees the governance of the non-profit organization. She holds responsibility for strategic planning, partnership development, and financial systems. The favourite part of her job comes when she talks to ICLEI members; learning about how they are handling the day-to-day nature of the ongoing quest for sustainability in their community.

Megan is member of ICLEI’s global senior management team which includes the Directors of all 14 ICLEI offices from around the world. The team is a great source of inspiration and comradery, and her only wish is that they could get together more often without having to travel thousands of miles and generate excessive GHG emissions.

megan.meaney@iclei.org

Ewa Jackson is a leader in the field of municipal climate adaptation and resilience. Ewa Jackson has worked with municipal governments for over 20 years in the fields of sustainability, public participation, and climate change.

In addition to managing ICLEI Canada’s operational and program activities, Ewa Jackson is project manager for many ICLEI Canada consulting activities and has worked on numerous adaptation and sustainability monitoring and evaluation projects, including those of local, national, and international scope.

Ewa Jackson’s particular field of interest is in the area of climate communications, and how effective and targeted communications can be used to move forward with the implementation of adaptive actions. She works with specialists in the field to keep officials at the forefront and responding to the advancements being made. She often speaks publicly on the state of adaptation planning across Canada and internationally.

ewa.jackson@iclei.org

As Engineering Director, Karina draws on her extensive experience working in local government to develop new and innovative programs that support broad and practical climate action. Karina is a licensed Professional Engineer who holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Environmental Engineering as well as additional training in infrastructure resiliency, climate policy and procurement, climate law, and asset management to name a few. She brings 20+ years of research, project management and supervisory experience in the field of municipal climate change.

Before joining ICLEI, Karina spent over 15 years working at the City of Windsor as Supervisor of Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change where she developed and led the implementation of the City’s Environmental Master Plan, Climate Change Adaptation Plan, Community Energy Plan and Corporate Climate Action Plan. Working in multi-disciplinary teams, Karina embedded climate change considerations across the organization. Her climate change efforts supported numerous successful grants including two Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund projects. Karina is inspired by the climate action being undertaken across Canada and is particularly interested in identifying opportunities to achieve mutual benefits with other municipal priorities including housing, affordability, and equity.

Josh is a driven climate action and sustainability professional who brings a wealth of experience in local government asset management, project management, climate action, and sustainability to his role of Engineering Director for the Climate Platform. He has spent over six years working in local government in a variety of roles gaining hands-on experience with almost every aspect of municipal infrastructure management and leading updates to various climate action plans and associated mitigation and adaptation implementation projects. Josh also has experience working in the forest industry and understands the potential of forest-based, low-carbon building products. Through his experiences in Prince George, BC, Josh understands the challenges and opportunities of smaller, northern municipalities.

Josh holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Environmental Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer in BC, a Project Management Professional, and a Certified Energy Manager. He is an active volunteer and participates in climate action and sustainability groups throughout BC.

Anne-Marie Legault is the Manager of the Quebec office of ICLEI Canada. She is in charge of programs and partnership development, as well as operations. Before joining ICLEI Canada, Anne-Marie Legault was programs director at the World Federation of Science Journalists, where she steered science literacy projects in Africa and the EU for journalists.

Anne-Marie has over 18 years project management experience both internationally and in Canada. She has held various positions at the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa and at Équiterre in Montréal. She is committed to capacity building for making societies more sustainable and resilient. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in geography from Université de Montréal and a Master’s of Science in environmental studies from Université du Québec in Montréal.

Curniss is a communications expert, experienced digital marketing strategist, and an accomplished project manager with first-hand experience developing and implementing municipal sustainability and climate adaptation plans. She leads communication and engagement strategies for ICLEI Canada and applies a communication and behavioural science lens to projects, programs, and resource development.

Her career began conducting climate change and stormwater research before joining the City of Thunder Bay as Climate Adaptation Coordinator. Curniss worked with ICLEI from 2013 to 2015 to develop the City of Thunder Bay’s award-winning Climate Adaptation Strategy. She then stepped into the role of Great Lakes Advisor for the Province of Ontario where she led projects to protect and preserve the Great Lakes. Most recently, Curniss’ skills have been enhanced with experience in the communications and marketing field. Curniss holds a Bachelor’s of Science with Honours in Geology and a minor in Geography from Queen’s University. She is passionate about combining behavioural science, elements of culture, and collaboration to accomplish meaningful work and ultimately make communities more equitable, sustainable, and resilient.

As ICLEI Canada’s Climate Change Project Manager, Aynsley leads ICLEI Canada’s team of adaptation and resilience professionals in a variety of climate action initiatives. As an experienced leader, facilitator, and project manager, she expertly manages projects, develops partnerships, and supports an active roster of adaptation programs.

Before joining ICLEI, she worked at EcoSuperior Environmental Programs, a local environmental non-profit organization, where she developed, implemented, and managed community-based climate adaptation and mitigation projects in partnership with diverse stakeholders including municipal government. More recently, Aynsley served as the Sustainability Coordinator in the Office of Sustainability at Lakehead University, where she was responsible for implementing the Sustainability Action Plan. This role involved collaborating with various institutional and community partners as well as project coordination, communications, event planning, and administrative duties. Additionally, Aynsley has substantial teaching experience and a compelling research and publication profile, both academic and professional. Aynsley holds a Master’s of Health Sciences specializing in social-ecological systems, sustainability, and health.

As ICLEI Canada’s Climate Adaptation Program Manager, Juan leads an expanding team of adaptation and resilience professionals across various climate action initiatives. These initiatives, including the Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities (BARC) program and Local Climate Partnership project, support Canadian municipalities in achieving their climate adaptation goals.

Before joining ICLEI, Juan worked at Evergreen Canada, where he managed projects and initiatives to create better public spaces and promote sustainable urban planning practices. His work focused on promoting inclusivity and vibrancy, and creating resources to help diverse communities better understand the power of public spaces. He also brings valuable experience from the time he spent working in Colombia at the Ministry of Housing, overseeing projects to develop sustainable public housing and support underserved neighbourhoods nationwide, and at the City of Bogota, leading the Environmental and Climate Change objectives of their local public space policy.

Juan holds a Master’s of Urban Environmental Planning, a Master’s of Engineering, and a Bachelor’s of Environmental Engineering. Juan has made Canada his permanent home and believes cities’ transformative power lies in their capacity to be sustainable, inclusive, and diverse.

As Adaptation Program Lead, Hiba works on a wide range of adaptation projects across local, provincial/territorial, and national scales. She supports the management and implementation of BARC, working closely with Canadian communities throughout the climate change planning process: from conducting adaptation assessments (climate science, vulnerability, risk), to identifying best practice and actions, all the way through to implementation planning and measuring progress. Hiba also develops and delivers a number of tools and resources to build the knowledge and capacity of local governments and stakeholders in the climate change adaptation space.

She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Psychology from the University of Toronto. Prior to working at ICLEI Canada, Hiba has had experience in the environmental non-profit sector working on species at risk, ocean health, and grassroots environmental initiatives.

As a Climate Change Program Lead, Adlar leads mitigation projects within the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program, supporting members on greenhouse gas emissions accounting, reporting and tracking activities. He works closely with Canadian communities to develop and provide support on GHG emission inventories, and local climate action planning. Adlar is also involved in developing resources and tools to build the climate change action planning capacity of Canadian municipalities.

Prior to working at ICLEI Canada, Adlar has had research experience within the academic, governmental, non-profit and private sectors in the areas of sustainability, land use planning, community energy planning, renewable energy business models and district energy. He has also studied best practices in Denmark at the University of Aalborg Sustainable Energy Planning and Management program as well as at the Nordic Folkecentre for Renewable Energy. Adlar holds a Master’s in Environmental Studies Planning from York University with a focus on Community Energy Planning.

In his role as Mitigation Lead, Nathan supports both the Mitigation team and the Climate Insight team. He brings a wide array of experience having worked in the field of municipal energy reduction and climate mitigation across Canada in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. Throughout his career, Nathan has overseen and contributed to several projects and programs, including the implementation of property assessed clean energy (PACE) programs, transportation programs, detailed infrastructure projects (i.e., electric vehicle chargers, solar, and fleet upgrades), energy conservation measures, waste management programs, and greenhouse gas reduction action plans. He uses a data-driven, evidence-based approach to find solutions, manage projects and collaborate with municipalities across Canada.

Nathan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is a Certified Energy Manager. He is inspired by climate action efforts underway across Canada, especially those that achieve mutual benefits with other priorities including housing, affordability, and economic security. Nathan is passionate about empowering Canadian municipalities to be proactive on climate and energy issues to keep them thriving and competitive in our rapidly changing world.

As Climate Change Project Coordinator with the Toronto office, Josh works on a wide range of adaptation and mitigation projects across local, provincial/territorial and national scales. He provides direct support and strategic policy, planning and implementation advice to Canadian municipalities participating in the BARC program, as well as coordinates the research and development of a number of climate change related resources and tools.

Prior to working with ICLEI Canada, Josh worked for over 10 years managing, developing and delivering environmental programs and projects with a number of Canada’s leading environmental non-profits. His research and personal interests include earth system sciences, capacity and resilience building, risk and vulnerability assessment and local food systems. Josh holds a Master’s of Science in Environmental Practice and a Graduate Certificate in the Science and Policy of Climate Change from Royal Roads University; a Bachelor’s of Education from York University; and a Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Geography from Trent University. 

As a Climate Change Project Coordinator for ICLEI Canada, Sebastian works closely with Canadian communities on a wide range of adaptation projects through the implementation of the BARC program. Sebastian brings a wide range of experience working in climate change adaptation and mitigation in the private, non-profit, and public sectors as a consultant, researcher, and scientist. Previously, he was the Energy and Climate Change Analyst at the Town of Aurora, leading the production of the Town’s climate change and energy programs.

Sebastian holds a Master’s of Climate Change from the University of Waterloo’s Department of Geography and Environmental Management, as well as an Honours Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Guelph. He has a strong passion for the atmospheric sciences and the ways in which a changing climate affects the severity and frequency of weather phenomena. As he continues to advance his understanding of climate sciences, he is determined to help communities reach a more carbon neutral and resilient future.

As Climate Change Project Coordinator, Haley supports a wide range of climate adaptation projects and the development of climate adaptation resources for local governments. She finds joy in co-creating human-centered sustainability solutions — an approach she strives for in all of her work. With an Honours Bachelor’s of Design (BDes) from York/Sheridan, a Master’s in Urban Development (MPl) from the TMU School of Urban and Regional Planning, and nearly 15 years of experience working on sustainability-focused initiatives, she brings a unique blend of research, design thinking, and entrepreneurship to her work.

Prior to ICLEI Canada, Haley helped organizations achieve circular economy goals by creating transformative services, programs, and business models. Her experiences span sustainable transportation, waste management and the circular economy, community safety, wellbeing, green infrastructure, and urban farming, and she has been involved in collaborative work in various sectors, communities, and regions throughout Canada and the US. She has successfully secured grant funding and support to implement innovative circular economy, material reuse, and building deconstruction projects. Haley is passionate about fostering collaboration, breaking down silos, and translating sustainability visions into tangible actions. She is also an avid gardener and upcycler.

As a Climate Change Project Coordinator, Niloofar provides technical guidance and general support for a wide range of climate change adaptation projects including policy recommendations for local governments through the BARC program and the Ontario Resource Centre for Climate Adaptation (ORCCA). She draws on her experience working at the intersection of climate change adaptation, urban planning, and equity in her work, and particularly enjoys working with under-served communities to co-design neighborhood-based best practices for climate change adaptation.

Before joining ICLEI Canada, Niloofar developed research projects at the intersection of climate change adaptation, urban planning, and equity within the academic and non-profit sectors. Namely, she managed several research projects to investigate the interconnections of housing affordability, equity, and climate change in Canadian cities through the Climate and Equity Lab at York University. She holds a PhD in Planning from the University of Waterloo and has the experience of proposing equity-oriented policy recommendations for adaptation through green infrastructure planning. Niloofar also has a background in the spatial analysis of climate risks, such as flood risks, and has worked with federal government to create wildfire and flood maps at federal and provincial scales.

Adrienne works as ICLEI Canada’s Communications Coordinator, drawing on her expertise in communications and sustainability. She began her career doing project management and storytelling for cross-border conservation initiatives, before shifting to focus on communications, engagement and advocacy for urban sustainability. Most recently, Adrienne spent five years working as a Communications Expert for ICLEI Europe, before returning home to Toronto to apply what she learned abroad to support Canadian municipalities.

Adrienne holds a Bachelor’s of Science from the McGill School of Environment, and a Master’s of Science in Environmental Governance from the University of Freiburg. Her master’s thesis used the City of Toronto as a case study to better understand cities’ participation in networks including ICLEI. She is passionate about using clear and engaging communication to build more sustainable and just cities and communities.

Nenita is a skilled and experienced Accountant at ICLEI Canada where she manages full-cycle accounting responsibilities. Known for her strong communication skills, Nenita works closely with the ICLEI team and builds relationships across teams all while demonstrating keen attention to detail in her work. This includes recording income and expense transactions, processing accounts payable and bi-weekly payroll, managing billing and collections, overseeing banking activities, and preparing financial reports and regulatory filings. She also manages account reconciliations and assists in preparing and monitoring the annual budget, ensuring readiness for year-end audits.

As a licensed Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), she is committed to professional development and excellence in her field. Nenita is also a strong advocate for sustainability who thrives in fast-paced, project-based environments.

As a Climate Change Project Officer, Pavils consults on a range of climate mitigation projects and supports the development of GHG emission inventories within the PCP program. In order to help Canadian municipalities formulate and implement their climate action plans, he assists members with emissions accounting, reporting and tracking activities, and develops resources and tools to help build local climate action planning capacity across the country.

For the past 8 years, Pavils has focussed his career around sustainability and recently completed an International Master’s of Urban Resilience Design and Management at Universitat International de Catalunya. His broad experience ranges from co-managing the Municipalities in Transition project in Europe, that helps municipalities and civil society groups coordinate climate actions through inclusive governance, to installing green roofs across Toronto. Pavils also holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology from the University of British Columbia.

As Climate Researcher, Kristen draws on previous research and experience to analyze and devise strategies for municipalities to decarbonize and adapt to climate change. Through this work, she helps members of the PCP program conduct greenhouse gas emissions inventories, develop climate action strategies to foster sustainability, and assess and monitor the results of various sustainable initiatives. Her work also supports other initiatives including the BARC program, the Municipal Net-Zero Action Research Partnership (N-ZAP), and the FRIP project.

Kristen recently completed a Master’s of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Toronto. She also holds an Honours Bachelor’s of Arts and Science in Environment from McGill University. Her experience lies in various sustainability themes, including sustainable strategies, sustainability reporting, sustainable finance, and climate vulnerability risk assessment.

As Climate Change Project Assistant at ICLEI Canada, Ariane (or Ari) uses her research capabilities and project implementation skills to support various projects, develop resources, and contribute to knowledge and capacity building through research, writing, and workshops. Prior to this role, Ari gained valuable municipal experiences as an Environmental Outreach Student at the City of Mississauga, where she conducted research and implemented strategic plans for municipal environmental initiatives. She also worked as an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Student where she honed her ability to effectively collect, analyze, and apply climate data in a project context. Ari also has experience in community engagement and agricultural research with the University of Toronto where she actively contributed to organizing and delivering workshops on diverse topics.

Currently in her last year at the University of Toronto, Ari is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science and Environmental Biology. She is Passionate about local urban systems and sustainable agriculture and driven to make meaningful contributions to climate change initiatives, by seamlessly blending research, project implementation, and workshop facilitation.

As an Intern with our Quebec office, Aryane is working on the Living With Water: Toolbox for Flood-Resilient Construction project— a project that promotes large-scale adoption of construction practices resilient to all flooding types. Aryane is currently completing a Master’s in Environmental Management at Université Sherbrooke. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and has previously worked on stakeholder mobilization in Quebec’s energy sector. In addition to her passion for the systemic issues at the root of today’s climate and environmental challenges, she is motivated to work with local stakeholders to build (or rebuild) fairer, more resilient cities. 

As an Intern, Joey supports the Pacific North Shore and Sunshine Coast Climate Collaborative project. More specifically, she is conducting a gap analysis that will help enhance municipal climate resilience strategies. Joey is currently completing a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University, specializing in environmental planning. She has previously worked on municipal policy research and stakeholder collaboration in Ontario. Joey is passionate about sustainable urban development and is dedicated to bridging the gap between policy and implementation to create resilient and equitable communities.