Our People

Talha is an interdisciplinary researcher whose interests lie at the intersection of nature, human health, and social equity. He holds a Master of Urban Planning from McGill University where he conducted a research project on using urban nature-based solutions to promote health and address environmental inequity in the City of Montréal. Before joining SPI, Talha worked as an intern at Nova Scotia Environment’s Climate Change Unit and as part of Œuvre Durable’s policy brief team, advancing climate change adaptation in informal settings in Latin America and the Caribbean. In his free time, Talha enjoys playing soccer, spending time in nature, and sketching.

Rebecca is the Communications Specialist at CANZA. Driven by her passion for nature, Rebecca pivoted from healthcare research early in her career to the environmental sector, where she has worked since 2019.
She has a breadth of experience working in government, academic, and non-profit settings, specializing in climate change and climate action communications, community engagement and education, and knowledge mobilization. Rebecca led the design and implementation of a climate change course for women in Canada before joining the environmental-economy policy space at Smart Prosperity Institute (SPI) as a communications associate.
Rebecca is looking forward to bringing her communications skills and experience to CANZA and helping elevate the impact of the organization’s work to reduce emissions in Canada’s agri-food system. Outside of work, Rebecca likes gardening, crafting, and skateboarding.

Sara is a third-year PhD Candidate in Environmental Sustainability at the University of Ottawa’s Institute of the Environment. She brings nearly a decade of experience as a research and advisory specialist within a regulatory and corporate affairs function in the energy industry overseas and holds a Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School. She is a proactive and engaged professional pursing a PhD in order to best continue supporting decision-makers in putting people and planet at the heart of action. Her doctoral research interests include the impact of mandatory climate disclosures and net-zero transition plans on firm behavior. In her spare time, you can find Sara on the trails or waterways of Gatineau Park.

Fueled by a desire to create order from chaos, Cheryl thrives as the connective tissue in cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment and cohesion across an organization. She excels at seeing the big picture while also diving deep into the details, to support all the facets of implementing strategic initiatives. Cheryl loves working at the intersection of different teams, bringing together diverse perspectives to ensure that everyone is moving toward shared goals.
Known for her dedication to continuous learning and personal growth, she lives by the motto, “I want to look back and say I’ve done great things.” Her work is grounded in integrity, transparency, and a strong commitment to collaborative teamwork.
With a background in engineering, Cheryl spent 12 years as a Development Engineer in Calgary’s energy sector and 4 years in Calgary’s thriving tech ecosystem, where she served as Head of Finance and Operations for a growing EdTech company.
Outside of work, Cheryl can be found either immersed in a book or camping out west with her two kids and dog, Timber. A seasoned traveler, she has explored 36 countries across six continents and has come to deeply appreciate the privilege of drinking clean water straight from the tap.

Karianne is a graphic designer and communicator whose passion is working with scientists and policy writers to transform their knowledge into public engagement and action. She specializes in crafting inspiring words and images to clarify complex topics for non-technical audiences.

Her passion for science communication began with her experience as a graphic designer and digital engagement strategist at the David Suzuki Foundation. Since then she has collaborated with a diverse range of organizations across the fields of environment and health. Recently she has worked extensively with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to craft a series of public-facing infographics and reports on the links between climate change and ocean ecology.

Karianne holds a Bachelor in Design from Emily Carr University and lives in Montréal.

Emily has always been fascinated by the natural world. Growing up on a small island off the west coast of British Columbia, she learned early in life of the important connection between healthy communities, economies, and the environment. She is passionate about working collaboratively across sectors to support the implementation of sustainable environmental practices.

Emily is a recent graduate of the Master of Environmental Management program at the University of New Brunswick, and holds an undergraduate degree in Geography from the University of Calgary.

As a Senior Associate, Sarah supports businesses and other organizations with integrated sustainability visioning, strategy and implementation as well as organizational learning. Previously the lead of The Natural Step Canada’s Advisory Services Team (and a member of this organization since 2007), Sarah has worked with a wide range of partners to share her expertise on sustainability and strategy development, including a sustainability strategy and visioning program for Pratt & Whitney Canada; a comprehensive sustainability training, strategy, visioning and implementation program for The Landmark Group of Builders; and a strategic positioning and organizational change program with ISL Engineering and Land Services. Other clients include multi-national chemical company Rohm and Haas (now Dow Advanced Materials); SMART Technologies; BC Hydro; Accommodation and Real Estate Services of British Columbia; the City of Ottawa, the County of Hawaii; and many others. Sarah also provides training with international Natural Step offices.

Prior to her work here, Sarah was a natural building instructor, working to enable communities to create structure from locally available, minimally processed materials. She has worked with people from over 22 countries in this capacity.

Sarah holds a master’s degree in “Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability” from the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden and an undergraduate degree in Geography from Mount Allison University.

Ashleigh is a strategist, problem-solver, and systems thinker who thrives in dynamic and evolving environments. With over 15 years of experience in finance and operations, she has worked across sectors ranging from humanitarian NGOs to student journalism and high-growth startups. Her expertise lies in financial planning, data analytics, and operational strategy, helping organizations build sustainable, scalable systems that drive long-term impact.

She brings a data-driven approach to decision-making, leveraging clarity and transparency to build meaningful narratives in support of collaborative solutions. Whether developing financial KPIs, implementing new accounting systems, or optimizing funding models, she is committed to creating structures that support organizational success.

Ashleigh is passionate about learning, engagement, and tackling complex challenges from multiple perspectives. Originally from Muskoka, Ontario, she has since had the privilege of making her home in cities across Canada and around the world—experiences that shaped her appreciation for diverse cultures, systems, and ideas.

Outside of work, Ashleigh is an avid reader, writer, poet, and songwriter. She enjoys skiing, hiking, and camping with her husband and their merry band of five teenagers, who keep her active and humble in equal measure.

Julie is a connector, collaborator, and coordinator working towards a sustainable, equitable, and resilient energy future. She has over 15 years of experience with innovative and complex projects in the sustainability and energy sector, working with a diverse range of players across Canada ranging from communities, utilities, system operators, regulators, technology providers, manufacturers, and renewable energy developers. Her work has included community resilience, digital innovation, smart grid and distributed energy resource adoption, renewables integration, and regulatory assessment, all while bringing various voices to the table in a collaborative way. Through her work she has built an understanding of the interconnectedness of energy systems. Today, Julie is providing coordination support to the Alberta’s Electricity Future Team with the Energy Futures Lab, where she had been a Fellow with the lab for 3 years. She is also the Chair of the Board of Directors for a women-led start-up focused on innovative ways to create an equitable, regenerative, and democratic energy system. Julie is also a Mom of two small humans, and a black lab, who are a harder team to manage, but the most fun. Julie and her family love camping in the mountains near their city of Calgary, planting a large vegetable garden, and heading home to the east coast every summer.

Mark is President From Here to There Consulting and Associate of Tamarack – An Institute for Community Engagement. Mark’s current focus is building the practice of Developmental Evaluation integrating real-time feedback and learning in emerging, complex, and fast-moving environments.

Mariana is a fourth-year student in Communications with a minor in Environmental Studies at uOttawa. She’s passionate about sustainability and nature-based solutions. Based in Ottawa, she hopes to grow mushrooms and work with mycomaterials.

Previously she worked at the Office of Campus Sustainability, where she now enjoys volunteering.

Elizabeth holds an MSc in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Ottawa, a BA in Government from St. Lawrence University, and a Certificate in Law from the Université de Montréal. She previously worked at Public Services and Procurement Canada in the Greening Government Directorate focusing on sustainable buildings. She has also worked on the mapping of species at risk with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys skiing, hiking, gardening and baking.

Dr Hem Dholakia is a Senior Research Associate at the Smart Prosperity Institute, where he supports the work of the Clean and Resilient Growth team. Before joining SPI, he brings eleven years of international experience managing climate risks for infrastructure, mitigating air pollution and strengthening public health.

Providing strategic advice to senior government officials and multilateral organizations has been integral to his experience. Hem is passionate about communicating science to different audiences and has contributed to several knowledge products, workshops, webinars and conferences.

A recipient of the International Visitor Leadership Programme Award (US Department of State), he was nominated to the UNFCCC Expert Roster by the Government of India in 2021. He holds a doctorate in Public Policy from the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad), and a Masters in Exercise Science from the University of Brighton (UK).

Stewart Elgie is a professor of law and economics at the University of Ottawa, and director of the University’s interdisciplinary Environment Institute. He received his Masters of Law from Harvard, and his doctorate (J.S.D.) from Yale. He is also the founder and chair of Smart Prosperity Institute (formerly Sustainable Prosperity), Canada’s premiere green economy think tank and policy-research network. His research involves environmental and economic sustainability, with a particular focus in recent years on market-based approaches.

Elgie started his career as an environmental lawyer in Alaska, litigating over the Valdez oil spill. He returned to Canada and founded Ecojustice, now Canada’s largest non-profit environmental law organization; he was counsel on many precedent setting cases, including four wins in Supreme Court of Canada on constitution and environment issues. He was later hired by Pew Trusts as founding executive director of the multi-stakeholder Canadian Boreal Initiative.

Prior to his faculty position at University of Ottawa (2004), Elgie held appointments at several Canadian universities (U.B.C., Alberta, York). He has served on or chaired many advisory bodies in the environment/sustainability area. In 2001, Elgie was awarded the Law Society of Upper Canada medal for exceptional lifetime contributions to law – the youngest man ever to receive the profession’s highest honour.

Shalyn (she/her) studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, with degree specialties in Biochemical Engineering and Communications. Prior to joining CPP, Shalyn has over 8 years of experience in the food and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, providing project and operations management expertise at greenfield GMP manufacturing facilities. She has also worked with Métis Nation – Saskatchewan as an Environmental Program Manager, facilitating delivery of climate change, conservation, and consultation programs to Métis communities and citizens in Saskatchewan.

Andrea M. Gal is dedicated to supporting the sustainability of Canadian agriculture. She is passionate about advancing initiatives that benefit farmers, communities, and the environment. For over four years at Wilton Consulting Group, she collaborated with farm and commodity organizations on sustainable agriculture programs and research. She facilitated extensive consultations with industry representatives to develop recommendations on programming and policy updates to best meet industry needs. She is an experienced project manager, overseeing initiatives ranging from field-scale trials to national research projects. Andrea is a skilled communicator. She served as the managing editor of Farms.com, Better Farming, and Better Pork. Here, Andrea built, mentored, and led the editorial team through the expansion of Better Pork to a national publication and the launch of Better Farming Prairies. Andrea also brings a grassroots perspective to her work in the industry. Together with her family, Andrea runs a grain farm and cow-calf operation in southwestern Ontario. She serves as the Vice Chair of Farm Management Canada and as a representative on the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s Policy Advisory Council.

Jean Paul (JP) Gladu is currently Principal of Mokwateh and dedicated to creating innovative partnerships and solutions to reveal equitable opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous business communities.

JP previously served as the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) from September 2012 until April 2020. Anishinaabe from Thunder Bay JP is a member of Sand Point First Nation located on the eastern shores of Lake Nipigon, Ontario. JP completed a forestry technician diploma in 1993, obtained an undergraduate degree in forestry from Northern Arizona University in 2000, holds an Executive MBA from Queen’s University and the ICD.D from Rotman School of Management University of Toronto. JP has over 30 years of experience in the natural resource sector. His career path includes work with Indigenous communities and organizations, environmental non- government organizations, industry and governments from across Canada.

Currently, JP serves on the board of Suncor, Institute for Corporate Directors, Broden Mining, First Nations Major Projects Coalition Advisory Centre, Chair of Canada’s Forest Trust, as well BHP’s International Forum for Corporate Responsibility committee. He previously served on the Board of Ontario Power Generation, Noront Resources and past Chair of the Mikisew Group of Companies. He is a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and served as the Chancellor of St. Paul’s University College Waterloo from 2017 to 2020. His previous appointments include Canadian Electricity Association Public Advisory Panel, Colleges and Institutes Canada (previously ACCC), the Northern Policy Institute, Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, advisory member to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, a committee member to the Ontario Provincial Forest Policy Committee.

JP is a sought-after public speaker both nationally and internationally, sharing insights into the challenges and successes of Indigenous business and the growth of the Indigenous economy within Canada today. His achievements are being recognized by the Public Policy Forum as a 2024 Honouree.

Moojan’s unbridled creativity and passion for driving positive change led her to study journalism at Carleton University. From speaking out on the damaging effects of toxic cosmetics to raising awareness about plastic pollution to tackling the environmental and social impact of food waste, Moojan has strived to amplify conversations around the need for innovative solutions that promote sustainability. Now with more than 10 years of experience working in the writing field, Moojan has developed her expertise in communications, marketing, and fundraising. She has written countless stories and created compelling campaigns that have elevated the brand and mission of various nonprofits and businesses. Moojan sat on the Board of Directors at Foodsharing Ottawa, which is an organization committed to reducing local food waste. She is currently writing a fictional short story collection on the effects of climate change.

Tej Heer is a Senior Research Associate on the Land-Use, Nature, and Agriculture (LUNA) team at the Smart Prosperity Institute. Prior to joining SPI, Tej held a variety of policy and research roles across the academic, public, and non-profit sectors. He has experience working on a range of environmental and policy topics, including the circular economy, scientific integrity, and conservation biology. Tej holds a PhD in Physical and Environmental Sciences from the University of Toronto Scarborough and a M.Sc in Climate Change from the University of College London. 

Jesse Helmer is Senior Research Associate at SPI, where he focuses on climate-friendly housing policy and the real costs of urban sprawl. Based in London, Ontario, where he has served two terms as a city councillor, including six years on the planning and environment committee, two years as deputy mayor (2018-2020) and eight years on the transit commission. He is particularly interested in the intersection of housing, mobility and climate policy and actionable strategies to build cleaner, greener and more affordable cities and communities. He was named one of London’s Top 20 Under 40 in 2019.

Jesse is a graduate of University of Waterloo (BA) and Queen’s University (MPA) and is currently a PhD Candidate in political science at Western University, where his research focuses on the political participation gap between homeowners and tenants (www.greatsuppression.ca). He teaches part-time at Western in the local government program and at Huron University College in the governance, ethics and leadership program. Jesse lives with his wife, Kate Graham, and their daughter, Flora, in Old North.