About
Action Canada is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit organization and charity based in Ontario, Canada and led by Action Canada Alumni.
In 2017, Action Canada and the Public Policy Forum joined forces to expand Canada’s top accelerator of new leaders. Together we deliver the Action Canada Fellowship, a 10-month leadership program that aims to enhance emerging leaders’ understanding of the country and public policy choices for the future.
Since its creation in 2003, the Fellowship program has achieved this goal by bringing together outstanding young Canadians whose talents, experiences and perspectives represent the mosaic of our country and by connecting them through shared experiences across Canada.
History
In 2003, philanthropist and businessman Sam Belzberg and Simon Fraser University President Jack Blaney created the Action Canada Fellowship to support the next generation of Canadian leaders. As Mr. Belzberg said: “We want Canada to be the finest country in the world, and to achieve that we need outstanding leadership.” Under the direction of the founding Executive Director, Cathy Beehan, the Fellowship flourished and welcomed a cohort of exceptional leaders every year for over a decade.



PPF & Action Canada
After a brief hiatus, the Fellowship returned under the brand Your Energy Future in 2017 as part of its first partnership with the Public Policy Forum. Fellows studied the impacts of a transition to a low-carbon future. The following year, PPF and Action Canada signed an agreement to deliver the Action Canada Fellowship. This agreement has continued.
With over 300 Fellows in its network, the Action Canada community continues to shine as each year new Fellows join and contribute to making Canada a better place.
Action Canada Board

- Laura
- Corrales
2021/22 Fellow
With an Industrial Engineering background and a Master’s in Sustainability from Harvard University, Laura enjoys the entrepreneurial nature of corporate sustainability, and consider herself a social intrapreneur who uses empathy as a tool to influence and drive change at different hierarchical levels.
She has led grassroots sustainability initiatives within different corporations, and is currently a Sustainability and Climate Change Consultant with PwC Canada. As a 2021-22 Action Canada Fellow, Laura seats in the Board since 2024, and is involved in other initiatives like the Climate Reality Project, Leading Change Canada, where she also serves in the Board, and One Young World Montreal 2024.
Within the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, she served as Canada’s first Community Champion and Montreal Hub Curator. Originally from Colombia, Laura loves reading, and spending time outdoors with her toddler, husband, and dog.

- Grace
- Lee
2021/22 Fellow
I am a second generation Korean-Canadian from beautiful North Vancouver, British Columbia. My values include integrity, humility, and generosity.As a Foreign Service Officer at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), I have had the privilege to represent Canada abroad as a diplomat working from Afghanistan, South Sudan, and the United Nations in New York City. Currently, I am serving as the Political Counsellor at the High Commission of Canada to Ghana responsible for the political relations for Ghana, Togo, and Sierra Leone.
From promoting the Francophonie culture to participating in the upcoming Sierra Leone elections monitoring, I am proud to promote Canadian values in West Africa. I am also committed to gender equality efforts in diplomacy by serving as the Women’s Network Co-Chair at GAC leading the largest employment equity group to empower women in leadership roles. I am passionate about Canadian foreign policy, the United Nations, and diversity issues.
I am a former Action Canada Fellow ’22 and current Board Member that organized the 20th anniversary of the Action Canada alumni conference. In my spare time I run marathons, snowboard at Whistler, and volunteered for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. I am a graduate of Princeton and Cambridge universities and recipient of the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan.

- John
- Kimmel
2020/2021 Fellow
John Mansell Kimmel is a serial entrepreneur whose passion is giving back to his communities through Board work with a focus on entrepreneurship and employment. With two decades of Governance experience and broad experience as a nine-time Founder, John’s background from strategic operations, to enterprise IT architecture and infrastructure development, and to film, television, and interactive media production, John’s past endeavours serve him well as Founder and President of RevIQ where he develops tools, technology, and processes that inform and optimize data-driven customer experiences and predictive customer journey management.
As an American-born, Toronto-raised transplant to Prince Edward Island who has found his heart in Charlottetown, John is an advocate on PEI for solutions that improve education, fitness, entrepreneurial, and social outcomes with his participation in Boards including Pride PEI, Fusion Charlottetown, The Charlottetown Film Society, Videogames PEI, the Canadian Interactive Alliance, The ORDER of The Wallace McCain Institute, and with the PEI organizers of TechStars Startup Weekend. Outside of his work optimizing customer experiences at RevIQ for his clients, his passion projects include finding a permanent community enterprise to engage PEI’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community with a permanent venue, developing a speechtext-focused syntactic interpretation tool to permit synchronous fact-checking in political debates, and working with business owners across Atlantic Canada to harmonize the small business investor tax credits across the Greater Atlantic Area. When he’s not travelling internationally to visit global clients, John spends his time downhill skiing, sailing, or – when the weather isn’t cooperating – catching a retro flick at Charlottetown’s City Cinema.

- Katie
- Davey
2019/2020 Fellow
Katie Davey is a public policy expert and social innovator, currently the Executive Director of the Pond-Deshpande Centre at the University of New Brunswick. With a background in applied research and real-world implementation, she addresses New Brunswick’s socio-economic challenges through social innovation, entrepreneurship, and public policy.
Previously, Katie was Director of Policy & PPF Media at the Public Policy Forum, where she led key projects on child care, journalism, immigration, and digital connectivity, and enhanced the organization’s presence in Atlantic Canada. As a 2019/20 Action Canada Fellow, she focused on employment integration for refugees and the evolving job market. Katie has also created four policy podcasts and hosts the UNB Alumni podcast, Unbeknownst.
Passionate about public service, Katie was a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Premier of New Brunswick, advancing legislation and stakeholder relations in women’s equality, labour, and innovation. In 2023, she was recognized as a top innovator by Atlantic Business Magazine. She serves on the Boards of the Human Development Council and Action Canada and received the Proudly UNB Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2024.

- Angèle
- McCaie
2019/2020 Fellow
Angèle McCaie had the immense pleasure to participate in the Action Canada program as a fellow as part of the 2019/2020 cohort.
Since 2013, she has occupied the role of Chief Administrative Officer for a small, rural, francophone and Acadian municipality in New Brunswick called Rogersville, her hometown. She is fervent in the pursuit of creative solutions to public challenges, and she considers herself a passionate feminist and a minority rights activist. She lives in Collette, New Brunswick with her partner and two children.

- Jean-Sébastien
- Blais
2020/2021 Fellow
Born in Montreal on April 29, 1978, to a family of Quebec entrepreneurs, he spent his early childhood in the Laurentians region and later settled with his parents in Plessisville in the Bois-Francs region.After obtaining his master’s degree in political science from Université Laval in 2007, he continued his research on democracy and federalism at the University of Minho in 2012, at the European Academy of Bolzano in 2015 and at the University of Bristol in 2017. In 2021, he completed a certificate in negotiation with the London School of Economics and a certificate in administrative justice from the Foundation of Administrative Justice.
After a brief stay in Toronto, he moved with his wife to the Yukon in 2009. After a contract with the Council of Yukon First Nations, he joined the territorial public service in 2011 where he supported various departments for ten years in the area of policy analysis. In 2021, he joined the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada where he is currently the Director of Corporate Services for the Yukon Region.
Involved in his community, he was elected vice-president of the Association franco-yukonnaise in June 2011. In 2013, he was elected school trustee of the Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon (CSFY) and assumed the presidency of the council of commissioners in 2015. During his presidency, the CSFY signed a settlement agreement with the Government of Yukon in 2020 and opened Yukon’s first French-language secondary school the same year: Centre scolaire secondaire communautaire Paul-Émile-Mercier. Active on the national scene, he has represented the CSFY on the board of directors of the Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires (FNCSF) since 2015 and was, from 2019 to 2021, second vice-president of this organization.
In addition to his involvement with the francophone community, Mr. Blais has served on numerous boards of directors including the Board of Directors of the Yukon Human Rights Commission. He currently sits on the boards of the Yukon Liquor Corporation and Action Canada. In 2020, Jean-Sébastien Blais was named a Fellow of Action Canada by the Public Policy Forum in recognition of his leadership. The same year, Francopresse recognized him as one of the ten influential personalities of the Canadian Francophonie.
Mr. Blais is married to Dorothy Williams, a teacher. Together they are the parents of three children.

- Umang
- Khandelwal
2018/2019 Fellow
Umang Khandelwal is a 2018-2019 Action Canada alumna. An immigrant to Canada, Action Canada was formative in expanding her understanding of Canada in its diversity, and nurturing a strong sense of purpose for service through law and policy.
Umang is a competition/antitrust lawyer at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP. She advises on all aspects of competition law, including merger review, abuse of dominance, misleading advertising, criminal price-fixing investigations and general compliance.
Previously Umang clerked for the Honourable Andrew D. Little, Chair of the Competition Tribunal, at the Federal Court in Ottawa. Early in her career, she worked as a Competition Law Officer in the Monopolistic Practices Directorate of the Competition Bureau, and on amendments to the Competition Act as Special Advisor to the Deputy Commissioner, Competition Promotion Branch.

- Anne-Marie
- Rouleau
2018/2019 Fellow
Born in Québec City, Anne-Marie (Ana) Rouleau is a Foreign Service Officer at Global Affairs Canada.Ana joined the Federal Public Service through the Advanced Policy Analyst Program (APAP) in 2017. Thanks to the APAP, she had the opportunity to work in all the central agencies, including as an Analyst for the Privy Council Office’s Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat, where she supported the Prime Minister and various Ministers in their engagement related to the NAFTA renegotiation.
Ana also worked at Transport Canada on the International Team and as Issue Management Officer for the Minister and his team during the crisis surrounding the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
More recently, she served a senior advisor at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, where she managed a $3.5M grant envelope dedicated to Canada’s response to the Venezuelan refugee and migrant (VRM) crisis, and more specifically to the VRMs’ protection and migration needs in the Americas.
Ana places particular importance in her international experiences which gave her a more inclusive vision of the world. In her spare time, Ana loves learning new languages and cooking. She is also an international observer for electoral missions and is passionate about democratic issues around the world.
She is an alumna from the Action Canada Fellowship (2018-2019)

- Ayesha
- Malette (née Harji)
2015/2016 Fellow
Ayesha joined Global Affairs Canada in November 2021, where she is the Director of the Task Force responsible for establishing a Canadian centre for democracy. This mandate letter and platform commitment was most recently announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the December 2021 Summit for Democracy and has as its aim to amplify Canadian expertise to support of democracy and good governance.
Prior to this, Ayesha was the Director of Strategic Issues in the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat of the Privy Council Office. In this role, she supported the Prime Minister and the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in their engagement with provinces and territories and helped to deliver on the government’s key commitments in areas of COVID response, health, climate, and reconciliation. Previously, Ayesha also led the whole-of-government effort to prevent and counter foreign interference in Canada’s democratic institutions and the 2019 General Election.
Ayesha was recruited into the federal government through the Management Trainee Program, following the completion of an Honours undergraduate degree in International Relations and a Masters degree in Public Administration at Dalhousie University. Her experience in government has included time in the International Affairs Division of Public Safety Canada, where she led the coordination of the department’s multilateral engagement with the United Nations and the Organization of American States on policy issues related to human rights, law enforcement, counter-terrorism, border security and corrections. For two years, Ayesha managed the Virtual Risk Analysis Cell, where she contributed to the federal government’s response to national-scale emergencies like the 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray and in British Columbia, as well as 2017 floods in Ontario and Quebec, and assessed the impacts of natural and man-made hazards to Canada’s critical infrastructure assets and systems.
Outside of work, Ayesha serves as President of the Board of Directors of the National Capital Branch of the Canadian International Council, making her the youngest branch President and first person of colour to occupy the post.
She is a 2015-16 Action Canada Fellow and Chair of the Action Canada Board of Directors, and a regular participant in the Banff Forum. Her hobbies include sewing clothes for herself, bingeing true crime podcasts, and reading a mix of both fiction and non-fiction.

Action Canada Team
Numerous distinguished Canadians have contributed to the development and evolution of the Action Canada Fellowship. The program’s excellent reputation and the outstanding caliber of the Action Canada Fellows’ network is, in large measure, thanks to them and their commitment to nurture the nation’s future leadership. Many of these individuals are noted in the Friends of Action Canada section (link). The current team includes:
Staff

- Sarmishta
- Subramanian
Sarmishta Subramanian was editor in chief of the Literary Review of Canada and has held senior editorial positions at Maclean’s, The Walrus, the National Post, the Toronto Star and other publications.
Her writing has appeared in many of those publications, and in anthologies such as Best Canadian Essays and The New Brick Reader. She has created award-winning documentaries for CBC Radio, and was host and co-producer of the narrative podcast The Power of One.

- Sally
- Diab
As a Coach, I am passionate about collaborating with individuals and teams to identify the path that most resonates with their values and shifts their energy to achieve their goals and create greater satisfaction, purpose, and balance in their lives. I care deeply about my clients, and I am dedicated to empowering them to evolve through positive change.
As a Strategy and HR professional experienced in both the public and private sectors, my areas of expertise include partnering with organizations to facilitate transformations, promote long-term growth, and coaching teams toward optimal productivity.
As an adept relationship builder with a natural communication approach, I have been fortunate to work with executives and companies from a broad-spectrum of industries in different regions of the world. Working in diverse markets has cultivated my cultural awareness to understand and acknowledge the context in which people work. Specific sector expertise includes oil and gas, consulting, financial services, and entrepreneurship.
Intuition and empathy are at the heart of my work which includes championing women-led businesses through mentoring, coaching, and advocacy. Drawing from my personal experience, I recognize the importance of supporting the distinct needs and challenges faced by women working in fields where they are underrepresented, as well as all leaders transitioning into new – and perhaps unfamiliar – markets or geographies.
I completed my undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto, completed my coach training at a graduate level at Royal Roads University, and I am accredited by the International Coaching Federation.

- Karim
- Djinko
Karim Djinko is a recognized expert in human potential development in Canada and internationally. Certified executive coach by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), trainer, he supports companies and institutions wishing to accompany their managers and leaders in their evolution by focusing on developing relational skills and leadership.
A deep understanding of diversity, equality, and inclusion drives Karim’s work. His human-centered approach resonates with individuals and teams, making them feel valued and understood.
Karim has extensive experience in facilitation, having served as a manager for seven years at the United Nations and in the public and private sectors.
He designs and implements personalized training and development programs, particularly leadership, communication, team synergy, and self-esteem.
He also supports best practices for workplace integration and inclusion and gender-sensitive management.
Karim Djinko is a certified Profil Nova expert, a psychometric tool designed to unleash the unique potential of individuals, teams, and organizations.
karim has worked as a TV, radio, digital, and print journalist for many years, primarily for Radio Canada in Montreal and Toronto and directing the United Nations radio in Mali.

- Suzanne
- Nault
Throughout her career, as an executive coach, leader and psychologist, Suzanne has focused on helping leaders achieve positive sustainable change for themselves, their employees and their teams. For the past forty years, she has worked with leaders from various levels of government and Fortune 500 companies in Canada and around the world.
Since 2018, Suzanne has been supporting the leadership development of Fellows enrolled in the Action Canada Fellowship program through teaching and peer coaching. In 2007, the University of Ottawa launched a program in Public Sector Management and Governance to prepare public sector leaders to assume senior positions. From the onset of this program, Suzanne has been contributing to their development through lectures, individual customized coaching program, and, peer coaching. She is a well-sought speaker on topics of resilience, and, transition, particularly retirement and military to civilian life.
Prior to founding her own firm in 1998, she worked for Health Canada and the Communications Security Establishment Canada as Head of the Counselling and Advisory Program and as Senior Consultant in Innovative and Quality Services. Suzanne is certified as a professional integral coach by New Ventures West, California, and, the International Coaching Federation, in Conversational Intelligence™ and Story Coaching™. She is a licensed psychologist with Ordre des psychologues du Québec. Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in clinical psychology (University of Ottawa), a B.A. in psychology (University of Ottawa).
Suzanne is co-author of the #1 international best seller “The Expert Success Solution: Get Solid Results in 22 Areas of Business and Life”. She is fluently bilingual (English, French).

- Sara-Christine
- Gemson
Sara-Christine Gemson is the Executive Director of the Action Canada Fellowship and PPF Academy. She is a 2015/16 Action Canada Fellow and a long-serving member of the Action Canada Board. She was Director of Communications at Teach For Canada, a non-profit that recruits, prepares, and supports teachers to work in First Nations communities in northern Ontario. Before joining Teach For Canada, Sara-Christine worked for 7 years as a TV, radio, and web journalist, primarily for Radio-Canada in Toronto and Regina. While in Saskatchewan, she covered provincial and federal elections, the attempted hostile takeover of Potash Corp, and two Grey Cups. She also produced special series on First Nations employment and on the challenges facing the fransaskois education system after 20 years of autonomy. In the Toronto newsroom, Sara-Christine also replaced as a radio host and produced the 6 o’clock news. Times.
In 2012-13, Sara-Christine was an Aga Khan journalism fellow in Kenya, where she wrote for the Daily Nation, the most read newspaper in the country. She also contributed to the Globe and Mail, CBC, Radio-Canada, The Hamilton Spectator, and Monocle Radio on topics ranging from the Kenyan elections to food waste.
Sara-Christine completed a B.A. in Philosophy and Communications at the University of Ottawa. She also completed an M.Phil in Comparative Government at Oxford University. Between degrees, Sara-Christine taught English for two years in Japan, working in high schools for athletes, students with academic challenges, and students with severe mental and physical disabilities. Sara-Christine is a proud Franco-Ontarian from Mississauga.

- Anne
- Matio
Anne is a bilingual FR/EN leader with over ten years of experience in project management, program development and strategic partnerships. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a master’s in Biotechnology & Management. Her skills have led her to work in many fields, including Federal agencies, Corporations and nonprofit organizations.
Anne has always been a go-getter. Her passion is purposeful vision planning, relationship building, designing and implementing effective program processes to maximize impact. She is known as a creative problem solver who combines the results-driven mindset of global corporations with the community-centered focus of nonprofit organizations.
Anne knows how to get things done efficiently without sacrificing quality. After building a solid management foundation with a Fortune 500 company, Unilever, Anne made a deliberate career shift to expand her exposure and lend her skills to the nonprofit sector. One of Anne‘s proudest achievements was overhauling the communications and brand strategy for Canada International Black Women Excellence.
Anne joined PPF in March 2023
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Mentors

- Suzanne
- Gouin
Suzanne serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Canada Revenue Agency and the Société d’habitation du Québec.
She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Laurentian Bank, the Foundation of Greater Montreal and is a member of several advisory committees. Suzanne is a director specializing in governance, business transformation, digital transformation and human capital issues. An experienced broadcasting manager, she has been the CEO of TV5 Québec Canada for more than 13 years. Suzanne has held various management positions in both the private and public sectors. A graduate of Concordia University, she holds an MBA from the Richard Yves School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and holds the IAS accreditation of the Institute of Corporate Directors. Suzanne is a recipient of the National Order of Merit of the French Republic.

- Jonathan
- Dewar
Jonathan Dewar, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer at the First Nations Information Governance Centre.
The FNIGC leads national-level research, designing and implementing surveys, including the longstanding First Nations Regional Health Survey, as well as related research and public health initiatives, and provides information governance and OCAP® education and training.
He has spent most of his career directing research and knowledge translation initiatives for national Indigenous-led organizations. During that time, his work has focused on governance, strategic planning, health and well-being, data sovereignty, arts and literatures, and truth, healing and reconciliation. Jonathan previously served as the Director General and Vice President, Collections, Research, Exhibitions and Repatriation at the Canadian Museum of History; Director of the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre and Special Advisor to the President at Algoma University; and Director of Research at the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, among other leadership roles.
Jonathan received a doctorate from the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies at Carleton University and holds an appointment as Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. He also serves in many volunteer capacities, including as a member of the Board of Directors of the Queensway Carleton Hospital, where he is also Chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee, and as a member of the inaugural Board of Directors for the National Council for Reconciliation. He has served on many expert advisory bodies, including the Expert Advisory Group on the pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy, and serves as a member of the National Killam Program Selection Committee.
Born and raised in the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Nation (Ottawa), Jonathan is of Scottish- and French-Canadian heritage and a member of the Huron Wendat Nation.

- Scott
- Taymun
Scott Taymun retired from the federal public service in October 2024. He served more than 30 years with the Canadian federal government across seven departments, including 20 years as an executive and close to 10 years with central agencies.
Known as a fixer and change agent who delivers, Scott served as an executive across multiple functions of government, including policy, communications, planning and governance. He played a lead role shaping public affairs policy and reforms at National Defence in the late 1990s, helped design and implement the public sector management reforms that followed the sponsorship scandal in the 2000s, and served as Chief of Staff to both the Secretary of the Treasury Board and Clerk of the Privy Council. He finished his public service career with the Canada Border Services Agency, managing major projects and initiatives, and serving as an executive coach and mentor.
Scott has an undergraduate degree in the Social Sciences and a Masters in International Affairs. He is also a free-lance writer for The Hub, an active volunteer, serves on the Board of Directors for the Clayton Senior Housing Corporation, and continues to coach and mentor mid-career executives.
Advisors

- Kelly
- O'Neil
Kelly O’Neil has been passionate about climate action since being an avid reader of the “Kids Saving the Earth” newsletters as a child.
This focus led her to an undergrad in Engineering Chemistry at Queen’s University and an MBA at Harvard Business School, as well as work in research, consulting, a cleantech incubator, and multiple financial institutions. She is currently leading development and execution of the Climate Transition Plan at National Bank of Canada, having joined National Bank as a part of their acquisition of Canadian Western Bank in 2025. Kelly is based in Edmonton, Alberta.

- Lindsay
- Colley
Lindsay Colley is currently the Associate Vice President, ESG Strategy & Integration at Canadian Tire.
She is responsible for driving the implementation and integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices across the Canadian Tire family of companies, with specific accountabilities for climate, circularity, waste, community impact, culture, and reporting. Lindsay is also a CPA, CA and previously held sustainability roles at the Canadian Public Accountability Board, Tim Hortons, and Ernst & Young LLP. She has also taught ESG at both the University of Toronto and York University for many years. Outside of her professional endeavours, Lindsay is active in her community. In 2017, Lindsay was named an Action Canada Fellow and provided climate change policy recommendations to the federal government. She has previously served on the boards of Fairtrade Canada, the Toronto Public Library Board, and the Canadian Environmental Association, among other volunteer activities. She lives in Toronto with her partner and three boys, and loves acroyoga, hiking, public libraries, and stewarding her local Buy Nothing group.

- Dakota
- Norris
A 2020-21 Action Canada Fellow, Dakota Norris is a proud member of the Gwich’in Nation with extensive experience in youth engagement, Indigenous rights, and climate action.
Dakota holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) from the University of Saskatchewan and is currently completing a Master of Environment and Sustainability at the same institution, focusing on increasing Indigenous ownership in the energy transition.
Dakota has held various impactful roles, including Campaign Manager for the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, where he leads initiatives addressing the health and social justice impacts of fossil fuel extraction. As a consultant, Dakota has conducted research and facilitated programs for Indigenous communities across Canada on capacity building, labour force development, climate change, and resource extraction issues. Dakota served as an advisor to Canada’s Federal Sustainable Development Council, National Pollutants Release Inventory, Indigenous Community Based Monitoring Program, and several youth climate organizations.
Dakota’s work is driven by a passion for integrating Indigenous perspectives into sustainable development and energy policy. Outside of professional pursuits, Dakota enjoys outdoor activities, reading, and spending quality time with family.

- Graeme
- Reed
Graeme Reed is a strategic advisor with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), where he advocates for the inclusion of First Nations in international, national, and regional dialogues around climate change and energy policy.
He completed his doctorate at the University of Guelph, and has just finished his post-doctoral fellowship at the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages at York University. He has mixed ancestry, Anishinaabe (Great Lakes), England, Scotland and Germany.

- Laura
- Corrales
With an Industrial Engineering background and a Master’s in Sustainability from Harvard University, Laura enjoys the entrepreneurial nature of corporate sustainability.
As a self-described social intrapreneur, she leverages empathy as a leadership tool to influence and drive change across complex organizational structures. Laura has led grassroots sustainability initiatives across sectors and is passionate about creating impact and accelerating meaningful climate action within business. Currently, as a Sustainability and Climate Change Consultant at PwC Canada, she advises some of the country’s largest public and private sector organizations on sustainability strategy and transformation, with a particular focus on climate-related programs and disclosures.
A 2021–2022 Action Canada Fellow, Laura joined its Board in 2024. She also serves on the Board of Leading Change Canada and is actively involved in global initiatives including the Climate Reality Project, One Young World Montreal 2024, and the Global Shapers Community—an initiative of the World Economic Forum—where she served as Canada’s first Community Champion and as Curator of the Montreal Hub.
Originally from Colombia, Laura brings a newcomer’s perspective to her work in Canada and enjoys spending time outdoors with her toddler, husband, and dog.

- Phil
- De Luna
Phil is Chief Science and Commercial Officer at Deep Sky, a carbon removals developer building large scale infrastructure to remove CO2 from the atmosphere to reverse climate change.
Prior to Deep Sky, Phil led Carbontech at McKinsey & Company’s sustainability practice. He is a Governor General Gold Medal winning scientist, ranked in the top 0.1% in the world in his field, a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab, and a former chair of Carbon Management Canada. Phil was the youngest-ever Director at the National Research Council where he built and led a $60M R&D program developing disruptive technologies to decarbonize Canada. He was on the founding team of a carbontech startup and finalist in the $20M Carbon XPRIZE. He is a Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, an adjunct Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto, a former Member of Parliament candidate, a Globe & Mail Top 50 Changemaker, and a Forbes Top 30 Under 30.

- Kevin
- Quinlan
Kevin is the Senior Director, Climate and Client Strategy, Sustainable Investing at SLC Management.
In this role, he supports the development of sustainability strategies across asset classes for relevant clients. He is additionally responsible for reporting climate information, meeting regulatory requirements for climate risk integration and scenario analysis, and supporting deal teams on integrating physical and transition risk considerations into due diligence, where material.
Prior to joining SLC Management, Kevin worked at a Toronto-based climate change consulting firm, supporting organizations with their climate strategies, investment goals and climate risk capabilities. His clients included Canadian banks, asset managers and university endowments, including an analysis of climate transition risks to the endowment of one of the largest universities in Canada. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in which his files included the City’s first 100% renewable energy strategy and climate resiliency plan.
Kevin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government from the University of British Columbia, a Master of Urban Studies from Simon Fraser University, an Executive Masters of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and a Sustainability and Climate Risk Certificate from the Global Association of Risk Professionals.
2015/2016 Fellow

- Jeff
- MacDonald
Jeff is the Director General, Climate Change Adaptation at Environment and Climate Change Canada. He and his team developed Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy, the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan and operates the Canadian Centre for Climate Services.
Jeff has held several executive positions for over 20 years at four federal departments and agencies. He is a skilled negotiator with international, intergovernmental and indigenous experience. Among his other notable work experiences are the organization of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (CoP11): Montreal 2005; the renegotiation of the Convention on Cooperation in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (NAFO); amendments to the Fisheries Act and the Oceans Act; and the successful achievement Canada’s marine conservation target of protecting 10% of Canada’s oceans by 2020.
Jeff has a Master of Science degree (Rural Planning and Development) from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. He lives in Chelsea, Quebec.

- Mathieu
- Bélanger
Mathieu is an urban planner with more than 20 years of policy experience in green cities development, urban resilience, and stakeholder engagement. Mathieu is a respected leader in the municipal and federal public policy space on several of the pressing issues facing FCM’s membership.
Before joining FCM, Mathieu led the Planning Department for the City of Gatineau, managing the team responsible for strategic planning, urban development, social housing and more. Prior to his work with Gatineau, Mathieu served as a chief of staff and director to Canada’s federal Ministers on the Infrastructure and Communities file, and the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship file. He also spent time in the private sector as a senior urban planner, providing expertise to clients in Canada, Rwanda and Cameroon.
In his role as Executive Director of the Policy & Public Affairs unit, Mathieu works closely with a talented team to strengthen FCM’s advocacy work in pursuit of a municipal order of government that is more sustainable and equitable for every Canadian.

- Darcy
- DeMarsico
Darcy is the Director General, Blue Economy Policy at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, where she works to champion Canada’s sustainable seafood and protect and conserve ocean biodiversity.
Previously, she worked to build globally competitive ecosystems in areas of Canadian technology leadership, through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Global Clusters Initiative and the Economic Strategy Tables. Before joining ISED, Darcy worked at Rideau Hall where, as Director of the Order of Canada, she helped celebrate extraordinary Canadians. She was Chief of Staff at the Federal Secretariat for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games and earlier managed Canada’s post-conflict work to end the use of landmines in the Balkans. She has served on the Board of Ottawa’s Centertown Community Health Centre and as champion for the Government Workplace Charitable Campaign.
Darcy holds an M.A. in International Affairs from Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and a B.A. Hons in Politics and Philosophy from Western University.

- Kyle
- McKenzie
Kyle is from the Mohawk community of Tyendinaga and was raised in Hamilton. He is a proud parent of four (4), is an avid Chelsea Football Club supporter, and golfer.
Having graduated from the Osgoode Hall Law School and attended the University of Victoria, his first employer was the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, where he was involved in discussions and negotiations pertinent to the implementation of the Inherent Right of Self-Government.
It has been almost 25 years since he joined the federal public service, and while the bulk of that time has been dealing with Indigenous health policy in the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada (and subsequently Indigenous Services Canada) along with a smattering of program delivery in FNIHB’s Ontario region. Early opportunities in his career saw him spend a couple of years at the Department of Justice with the Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio as well as 2 years with the Assembly of First Nations. Also of note, he served for a year as a staffer in the ISC Minister’s office and is a past-president of the National Council of Aboriginal Federal Employees.
Kyle’s passion is clean energy and the environment. He did serve as a Director in Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Clean Technology and Clean Growth Branch for a short time before returning to ISC to become the department’s corporate secretary. He is very keen to partake in discussions on this year’s theme of climate resilience.

- Rachel
- Guthrie
Rachel joined Export Development Canada in 2021. As Vice-President of ESG Integration, she is responsible for ensuring environmental, social and governance considerations are integrated into EDC’s strategy and culture. In this capacity, she has oversight of EDC’s path to net zero, sustainable finance offerings, ESG policies and governance, as well as data and reporting.
Rachel brings over a decade of experience in ESG strategy and reporting in the Canadian financial industry. As the Head of TD’s ESG Reporting and Impact Measurement team, she navigated TD’s strategy through materiality assessments, the adoption of GRI standards, SASB and TCFD reporting. TD’s reporting won national acclaim, winning “Best ESG Reporting” in Canada from IR Magazine for three years in a row. Most recently, Rachel was recognized on the 2025 Clean50 list for her leadership in advancing sustainability.
Originally from the U.K., Rachel completed her undergrad at St. Andrews University in Scotland and returned to school mid-career for a Certificate in Corporate Responsibility from St. Michael’s College in Toronto. In her spare time, Rachel volunteers with the Canadian Ski Patrol.

- Erin
- Taylor
Erin is the Director of the Adaptation and Resilience Division at Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada.
Erin has spent over 20 years leading and contributing to international, national, and sub-national climate policy development and implementation. She currently leads teams responsible for the delivery of infrastructure-related initiatives of Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy and the Government of Canada’s Adaptation Action Plan, including creating climate resilience funding requirements and accelerating the use of climate-informed codes, standards, and guidance.
She supports development of climate resilience infrastructure guidance in partnership with National Research Council and Standards Council of Canada. Erin also fosters collaborative relationships and networks with sub-national governments and local and international practitioners to share knowledge and best practices that support collective investments in resilient infrastructure.
Erin has also held posts with the Government of Prince Edward Island, Maritime Electric Company Limited, and the Université de Moncton. Erin helped establish CLIMAtlantic, a regional climate services organization, and co-led ClimateSense, a skills-training program for new and experienced climate practitioners at the University of Prince Edward Island.


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