Michelle joined the federal public service through the Advanced Policy Analyst Program, a rotational development program that includes placements at the three central agencies. Over the course of her career, Michelle has had the opportunity to work on a wide range of files, including mental health, youth employment, pharmacare, and coordination of the federal Budget. In 2017, she was selected to participate in Canada Beyond 150, a Government of Canada leadership and skills development program, where she explored innovative policy tools through a project on reconciliation.

Michelle also serves as a Director on the Board of the Education Foundation of Ottawa, whose mission is to remove economic barriers to successful learning and participation in school.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University and a Master of Public Policy from Simon Fraser University.

She co-founded CityHive, a non-profit on a mission to transform the way young people shape their cities and the civic processes that engage them. She also co-created the inaugural Vancouver School Board Sustainability Conference, currently in its eleventh year, and kick-started the Vancouver Youth4Tap Coalition, a city-wide campaign that led to the installation of new water fountains in every public high school in Vancouver. She has run for office municipally and provincially and has advised Ministers both federally and provincially. She currently works as the Program Manager at Environment Funders Canada.

Tesicca has served on the Mayor’s Engaged City Task Force, BC’s Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Advisory Council, and SFU Senate. For her work, she was awarded the SFU President’s Leadership in Sustainability Award and Vancouver’s Greenest City Leadership Award. Tesicca has also been named on Top 30 under 30 and Top 25 under 25 lists by Corporate Knights, North American Association for Environmental Education, and Starfish Canada. You can find her longboarding and biking through the city, swimming and kayaking in the ocean, rock climbing in the mountains, and exploring the woods.

Dr. Prete earned her bachelors of elementary education specializing in math and science and completed her Master of Education and Doctor of Philosophy in education at the University of Alberta. She held both a Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Postdoctoral Fellowship and was an inaugural recipient of the University of Calgary’s Provost’s postdoctoral award for Indigenous and Black scholars at the University of Calgary.

The University of Alberta recently awarded Dr. Prete the Alumni Horizon Award (2022) which recognized her research initiatives arising from her Truth and Reconciliation research, and its community implications as an outstanding professional achievement.

Dr. Prete’s background is in educational policy studies, specializing in Indigenous Peoples education. Her area of expertise includes: Indigenous secondary retention rates within the public school system, Blackfoot historical research, impacts of colonization, intergenerational trauma, and Indigenous research methodologies.

André’s holds a B.C.L/LL.B. from McGill University’s Faculty of Law, where he earned the distinction of being selected as class valedictorian. Additionally, he holds an honours degree in Speech Communication and Business from the University of Waterloo.

Throughout his career, André’s work has largely reflected his commitment to community engagement and equity. For example, as the first-ever Indigenous Liaison Officer at the University of Waterloo, he pioneered significant changes in recruitment and admission policies to better serve Indigenous students and communities.

Presently, André actively contributes to his community as a volunteer with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA), where he assists in search and rescue operations in Nunavut, and as a board member and volunteer at the Niqinik Nuatsivik Nunavut Food Bank.

A former Chief of Staff to a minister of the Government of Quebec, Daria has intimate knowledge of the workings of the highest levels of policy and decision-making, as well as of the legislative and regulatory processes. She has led work on a cross-departmental portfolio of pan-Canadian issues and was instrumental in the elaboration and implementation of a new vision for this portfolio. She also served as the content director for an outgoing Premier during a provincial electoral campaign.

Today, Daria helps corporates, investors, and public organizations understand and manage their climate risks, including setting a climate ambition and governance structure and a disclosure strategy. Before founding Clearsum, Daria completed an Executive MBA (HEC Montreal – McGill). She holds bachelor’s degrees in civil and common law (McGill) and is a member of the Quebec Bar (2006).

In her free time, she learns through reading, volunteering, and travelling.

She also loves to dance.

Prior to joining NRCan he worked with the Treasury Board Secretariat. He is a regular attendee of the World Policy Conference as a participant and speaker and is a Fellow of the Action Canada program. He is active in his community and a proud father of three little people. He graduated with a Masters of Public Administration from Dalhousie University in Halifax, a city he is proudly from.

Joshua graduated with First Class Honours and the University Medal in Sociology from Dalhousie University and the University of Kings College in Halifax, and holds a Masters Degree in Social and Political Thought from York University in Toronto. Between degrees, he interned at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where he assisted in the preparation of UNESCO’s strategy in the fight against racism and discrimination.
Following his Masters, Joshua participated in the Parliamentary Internship Programme in Ottawa. He is a dedicated father, a volunteer board member with Springtide, a grassroots organization dedicated to helping people lead change through politics with their integrity intact, and enjoys jogging, cooking and playing basketball.