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Meet the team

100+ combined years of experience in local climate change action

Our staff are experienced environmental professionals with more than 150 years cumulative experience in the municipal, academic, non-profit and private sectors. We have a thorough understanding of the municipal arena and the technical knowledge required to help local governments plan, implement and achieve their sustainability objectives.

Megan Meaney

Megan Meaney

Executive Director

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

Ewa Jackson

Managing Director

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

Sheri Young

Sheri Young

Project Director, Climate Platform

In her role as Project Director, Climate Platform, Sheri brings a broad perspective of climate mitigation, adaptation, and nature-based solutions to ICLEI. With 25 years’ experience in environment and sustainability, Sheri undertook her first emissions calculations in 2002. Since then, she has worked on land reclamation and restoration, air quality and climate emissions, contributed to global assessments on biodiversity and land degradation, led the first natural asset inventory and valuation project in Alberta, and advanced sustainability and climate action across sectors including municipal and provincial government, post-secondary education, and energy companies.  

With a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Alberta, and a Master’s in Science in Environmental Practice from Royal Roads University, Sheri uses the stories and evidence demonstrated by science to connect people, projects and ideas in equitable, innovative and future focused ways. Sheri is driven by applying the principles of climate equity, energy diversity, and the ecosystem benefits of nature-based solutions to make life better for everyone in a changing climate. 

Anne-Marie Legault

Anne-Marie Legault

Manager, Quebec Office

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 McGoldrick

Curniss McGoldrick

Communications Manager

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.

Maria Dasios

Maria Dasios

Operations Manager

As Operations Manager for ICLEI Canada, Maria works with the whole team across a variety of disciplines including office administration, executive assistance, human resources management, business management and policy development and implementation.

Maria has a strong background in various administrative roles and has recently completed a PhD and a post-doctoral position. In addition, she has over fifteen years of combined experience in multi-disciplinary research, knowledge translation, teaching, facilitation, project management, grant writing, and event coordination in university settings. Maria is interested in the ways storytelling can lead to action and is excited to support ICLEI Canada’s many initiatives in awareness raising and capacity building for sustainable development across diverse communities and municipalities.

Aynsley Klassen

Aynsley Klassen

Climate Change Project Manager

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.

Juan Rueda

Juan Rueda

Climate Adaptation Program Manager

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.

Adrián Tóth

Adrián Tóth

Climate Change Program Lead

As Climate Change Program Lead within the Adaptation team, Adrián Tóth is involved in the Financing Resilient Infrastructure (FRIP) project to help understand the role of private capital in building resilient public infrastructure. He also supports the implementation of the Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities (BARC) program and the adoption of the Cost of Doing Nothing (CODN) Toolbox.

Having worked both with funding institutions as well as directly with cities on climate change, Adrián brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and practical insights to the team. Prior to joining ICLEI Canada, Adrián worked in Brussels at the nexus of climate change policy, sustainability, and city governance. He led transnational projects with European and national foundations, think tanks, academics and NGOs while working for the Green European Foundation and supported EU Covenant of Mayors activities with the Climate Alliance including the implementation of Sustainable Energy and Climate Action (SECAP) plans.

Adrián holds a Master’s of Science in Biology from the Université libre de Bruxelles. As a published co-author in the fields of sustainability, just transition, and climate change Adrián is committed to driving positive change towards a more resilient and equitable future.

Hiba Kariem

Hiba Kariem

Adaptation Program Lead

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.

Adlar Gross

Adlar Gross

Climate Change Program Lead

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.

Lubna Seal

Lubna Seal

Adaptation Program Lead, Climate Platform

As the Adaptation Lead, Climate Platform, Lubna supports the development and mobilization of the Climate Platform with a focus on transforming data into valuable information and engaging stakeholders to effectively communicate climate change risks. She brings a wealth of experience including a broad spectrum of climate risk assessment approaches to the team.

Previously, Lubna worked for the International Institute for Sustainable Development, where she implemented a program focused on sourcing, managing, and integrating climate data to enhance understanding of the natural system’s responses to climate stresses. More recently, she worked at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, where she supported the climate science team in translating global and regional climate models into more locally relevant analyses to inform municipalities developing adaptation solutions in the Greater Toronto Area. Earlier in her career, Lubna was one of the technical leads of the United Nations Women Climate Vulnerability project, and a network officer for a United Nations Development Programme Water Capacity Building program in Bangladesh.

Lubna holds a Master’s in Climate Change from the University of Waterloo, and a Master’s in Resource and Environmental Management from North South University, Bangladesh. Lubna is passionate about applying her skills and over a decade of experience to help communities adapt to climate change using evidence-based climate change knowledge.

Josh Padolsky

Josh Padolsky

Climate Change Project Coordinator

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. 

Naomi Wolfe

Naomi Wolfe

Climate Change Project Coordinator

Naomi is a passionate storyteller and community-builder who sees relationships as the starting point for change. She believes that through listening and sharing our stories, we develop equitable social structures that are needed for thriving, resilient communities. In her role as Project Coordinator, she works on projects that build social and community resilience. She also provides assistance and supports the development of resources.

Previously, Naomi was a Storytelling and Engagement Lead on the Canadian Urban Institute’s Healthy Communities Initiative team. She has worked with over 1,000 projects, partner organizations, and community leaders to develop a network of placemakers and community builders committed to enhancing the public space landscape.

Sebastian Contarin

Sebastian Contarin

Climate Change Project Coordinator

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.

Haley Anderson

Haley Anderson

Climate Change Project Coordinator

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.

Susan Morrissey Wyse

Susan Morrissey Wyse

Climate Change Coordinator

As Climate Change Coordinator, Susan plays a lead role in the Building to Net-Zero project. She works closely with municipalities and community partners to achieve a more sustainable building sector. Prior to working with ICLEI Canada, Susan worked in academic, non-profit, and local government sectors where she has focused on energy transitions at the local level. She brings extensive knowledge of Canadian environmental policy and governance, local energy planning, sustainable transitions, sustainable building development, and various climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience strategies.

Susan is currently a PhD Candidate in Environmental and Urban Change at York University, and holds a Master’s of Environmental Studies from York University, and an Honours Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Her research incorporates mixed methods approaches and key equity-focused frameworks for advancing just transitions, including energy justice, energy democracy, community energy planning, and collaborative governance.

Niloofar Mohtat

Niloofar Mohtat

Climate Change Project Coordinator

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 Kotler

Adrienne Kotler

Communications Coordinator

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.

Claudie Eustache

Claudie Eustache

Climate Change Project Coordinator, Quebec Office

As a Climate Change Project Coordinator for the Quebec office, Claudie coordinates both adaptation and mitigation projects for francophone municipalities. She supports them to strengthen their resilience and achieve their GHG emission reduction goals. Claudie has experience in local planning, public participation and sustainability. She believes in the importance of sharing knowledges and supporting local initiatives to induce positive changes in communities and tackling the issues brought by climate changes.

Claudie holds a Bachelor’s in International Studies (concentration in Development) and a Master’s in Urban Planning from Université de Montréal. She has worked for non-profits in public participation and local development, as well as for companies involved in the fields of greenhouse gas emission management and sustainability solutions. She has also been involved in professional initiatives to share knowledge and best practices in planning and sustainability, such as Relève en urbanisme and B Local Québec.

Pavils Hawkins

Pavils Hawkins

Senior Climate Change Project Officer

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.

Kristen Ma

Kristen Ma

Climate Researcher

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.

Ariane Mooney

Ariane Mooney

Climate Project Assistant

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.

Nikita Popli

Nikita Popli

Climate Change Project Assistant

As Climate Change Project Assistant, Nikita supports the Adaptation Team with facilitation, stakeholder engagement, research, resource development, and communications on a variety of projects. With a diverse background spanning the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, she brings a wealth of experience in climate action, community mobilization, and environmental communications.

Before joining the ICLIE Canada team, Nikita worked on various climate initiatives including public engagement for the City of Fredericton, electric vehicle policy research and the electrification of school buses in Atlantic Canada, and Carbon Conversations Toronto. She enjoys the challenge of conceptualizing and implementing innovative and engaging programs and transforming eco-distress into informed action. Nikita holds a Master’s of Environmental Management from the University of New Brunswick.

Paris Liu

Paris Liu

Project Assistant, Climate Platform

As Project Assistant, Paris supports the development of the Online Climate Platform for local governments. Paris is a COP27 climate observer, McMaster Engineering Leader in Sustainability, Co-Founder of the McMaster Students for Bike Share Campaign, and serves on the Board of Directors of Environment Hamilton. She has completed multiple co-ops across a variety of climate sectors including working with the City of Mississauga’s Environment Team, within green building consulting, and as a climate change research assistant studying the effects of climate change on the heating and cooling demands of buildings in Canada.   

Paris is currently studying a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering with a minor in Economics at McMaster University. She is passionate about the intersection between civil engineering and climate change and is currently working to develop a climate change civil engineering course at McMaster University to inspire her peers to consider climate change in their work as engineers. She is excited to bring her civil engineering background to work to advance low-carbon, resilient infrastructure projects across Canada. 

Dana Bakker

Dana Bakker

Planning Intern

As Planning Intern, Dana supports ICLEI Canada’s Adaptation Team with local, provincial, and national planning policies. She primarily contributes to ICLEI’s pilot initiative, ORCCA. Dana works on planning policy research, including policy analysis, policy gap matrix, and gap report to make policy recommendations and implementation guidelines for local government partners.

Dana holds an Honours Bachelor’s of Arts in Geography with a certificate in Geographic Information Science from Western University. She is currently pursuing her Master’s of Planning in Urban Development at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is passionate about planning for climate change and helping communities develop climate-consciously.

Lili Gao

Lili Gao

Accountant/Bookkeeper

Lili works with the ICLEI Canada team focusing on general accounting and financial reporting. She is responsible for financial transaction processing, annual accounting cycles, statutory and regulatory filings, as well as reports to senior management, funders and governing bodies. Lili has the Certified General Accounting Level 4 designation, as well as a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from York University and a Business Accounting diploma from George Brown College. Her past work experience in the accounting field includes varied positions in both the private and public sector.

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iclei-canada@iclei.org

Suite 204
401 Richmond St. W
Toronto, ON
M5V 3A8

We respectfully acknowledge that ICLEI Canada’s work happens across Turtle Island which has traditionally been and is home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples since time immemorial.

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