Women4Climate Mentorship Program

About the project

Our project is being conducted with the company Licker Geospatial Consulting Co. (LGeo), a small team of seven that uses data and GIS to support healthy and sustainable communities. At LGeo we work on many sustainability and equity projects including: retrofit analysis, electricity demand forecasting, carbon neutral scenario modelling, Climate Change risk modelling and 2050 equity and resiliency modelling.

We are excited to be working with a Women4Climate mentor as we tackle all of these diverse initiatives, but the project that will be our focus is one that analyzes daily needs access and provisions for the City of Vancouver in support of the CityPlan Process. In this project we are identifying areas of the city that lack access to daily needs (such as retailing, schools and parks), and modelling how these gaps could be addressed through densification, rezoning, service improvements and other policy related scenarios. To this end, we are developing assessment tools at numerous geographic scales. The result of this project will be usable data to support and inform policy decision making related to the goal of most residents living within an easy walk of their daily needs, resulting in lower VKT and emissions within our city.

About Gaby

I am a Software Developer and a Data Analyst who is passionate about the application of big data to sustainable policy and decision making, and I have built my career around this ideal.

After 5 years of honing my skills as a developer at various startups in Vancouver, I completed a MASc in Civil Engineering so that I could work directly on climate mitigation. In this degree I developed a unique interdisciplinary perspective as I researched the use of machine learning to target buildings for energy efficiency upgrades. Since graduating in January I have joined LGeo as a programmer and Data Scientist. At this company I use Python and R to process large amounts of spatial information, to build computational models, and to perform statistical analysis that informs and guides decision makers. In my spare time you can find me enjoying a good book, biking around the city, or camping and hiking out in the mountains.

​​​​​​​About Josephine

Josephine Clark is an Environmental Planner with Metro Vancouver’s Regional Planning group and currently on secondment to Regional Parks.

As a professional biologist and GIS specialist, her work focuses on initiatives (often data related) to support environmental planning, management and decision-making. Current projects include leading the update to the Regional Parks system plan, co-leading the Nature & Ecosystems issue area for Climate 2050 (the regional climate plan), and developing the natural asset management program for Regional Parks.

Outside of work Josephine likes to be outside as much as possible (hiking, biking, camping, gardening) and is attempting to knit a (wearable) sweater.

About the project

Our project is being conducted with the company Licker Geospatial Consulting Co. (LGeo), a small team of seven that uses data and GIS to support healthy and sustainable communities. At LGeo we work on many sustainability and equity projects including: retrofit analysis, electricity demand forecasting, carbon neutral scenario modelling, Climate Change risk modelling and 2050 equity and resiliency modelling.

We are excited to be working with a Women4Climate mentor as we tackle all of these diverse initiatives, but the project that will be our focus is one that analyzes daily needs access and provisions for the City of Vancouver in support of the CityPlan Process. In this project we are identifying areas of the city that lack access to daily needs (such as retailing, schools and parks), and modelling how these gaps could be addressed through densification, rezoning, service improvements and other policy related scenarios. To this end, we are developing assessment tools at numerous geographic scales. The result of this project will be usable data to support and inform policy decision making related to the goal of most residents living within an easy walk of their daily needs, resulting in lower VKT and emissions within our city.

About Renee

As a GIS analyst, I love to explore how everything relates to place. I believe that GIS is a powerful tool for mitigating and addressing climate change. I am passionate about applying my knowledge to produce meaningful data and problem-solving solutions. I studied Geography and GIS at UBC and BCIT, giving me a strong foundation in both the theoretical and technical applications of my studies. I worked in environmental consulting for 4 years prior to joining LGeo, an urban planning related GIS consultancy.

I continue to be excited about how GIS can answer complex questions about our lived environment, and how I can contribute meaningfully to sustainable and climate focused growth. In my off-time, I can be found trail running in the local mountains, upcycling old furniture, or perfecting my pretzel recipe.

​​​​​​​About Josephine

Josephine Clark is an Environmental Planner with Metro Vancouver’s Regional Planning group and currently on secondment to Regional Parks.

As a professional biologist and GIS specialist, her work focuses on initiatives (often data related) to support environmental planning, management and decision-making. Current projects include leading the update to the Regional Parks system plan, co-leading the Nature & Ecosystems issue area for Climate 2050 (the regional climate plan), and developing the natural asset management program for Regional Parks.

Outside of work Josephine likes to be outside as much as possible (hiking, biking, camping, gardening) and is attempting to knit a (wearable) sweater.

About the project

The Lighter Footprint Appis a tool design to help BC residents plan, track, and lighten their footprints. It was first conceptualised in response to Vancouver’s 2020 Greenest City Goals, which included a 33% footprint eduction. Much of this footprint comprised of food, consumables, and transportation—three areas in which individuals have a lot of influence. The question of how individuals (and cities) might be able to measure this reduction started the process that lead to the app.

In 2019, Anna began working with Dr. Jennie Moore, (Dean of Sustainability, BCIT) to prototype the Lighter Footprint App as part of a pilot program run by BCIT’s Centre for Ecocities. How it works is: app users take a 10 minute lifestyle quiz to receive their city-specific carbon and ecological footprints. They then choose from a personalised selection of suggested climate actions, and track their progress over time. Through user testing, the Lighter Footprint App team has learned how to better gamify climate action and address gaps in climate literacy. Their goal is to help 6000 active users achieve a 15% reduction within the next 2 years.

About Anna

Anna Bohn is the creator of the Lighter Footprint App and co-founder of Etho Studio – a six-person design agency based in Vancouver. Together with partner Robin Oshiro, Etho has grown to serve clients in Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, San Francisco and San Diego.

Anna’s passion is making sustainability accessible, desirable, and compelling through strategic design and communication. Her graduate project at Emily Carr (an online and app-based tool that showsed a product’s hidden costs on the environment, social systems and health) won three design awards, including the top award in her class. In 2016, Anna was a finalist in MIT’s international contest ‘Shifting Behaviour for a Changing Climate’. Her proposal called for a different climate change communication strategy: one emphasising the co-benefits of a sustainable lifestyle. She holds a bachelor's in Communication Design from Emily Carr University, a UX Design certificate from Red Academy, and a Social Entrepreneurship diploma from Groundswell Economic Alternatives.

​​​​​​​About Sandra

Sandra has dedicated the last 10 years to on-demand shared mobility programs that focus on mode shift and behaviour change. In 2014, she founded movmi, an award-winning boutique agency specialized in shared mobility architecture: the design, planning and launch of on-demand shared mobility services that focus on behavior change and mode shift from personal vehicles. To-date, movmi has supported over 60 shared mobility projects worldwide for both public agencies and the private sector.

Before founding movmi, Sandra held several senior management and executive roles, most notably with Daimler, BCAA, and BMW. She is considered a world-wide expert on the subject of on-demand shared mobility, chairs the global Covid19 Shared Mobility taskforce, has been appointed to the Connected and Automated Vehicles and Shared Mobility Expert Panel of the Canadian Council of Academies and is a part-time remote lecturer with the Smart Mobility Program at University St. Gallen.

An additional focus in her work is the empowerment of women in transportation: since 2015 Sandra has hosted an interview series called Women in Shared Mobility and in 2020 she launched the EmpowerWiSM program - an accelerator for female transportation entrepreneurs - together with ABB, ITSAmerica, UITP and GoWithFlow.

Sandra is a certified Project Management Professional, holds a Master of Arts in Computation Linguistics from University of Zurich, and has been granted an MBA by TrustForte Corporation in NY.

About the project

By 2030 the City of Vancouver wants to ensure that two-thirds of trips in the city are by active transportation or transit. To achieve this target of sustainability and meet forecasted transit capacity needs, considering the needs of different users is crucial to offering accessibility within the transit network.

Emerging trends in academia and in transit first cities have pointed to the lack of systematic gender inclusion procedures for transportation. Moreover, the topic of gender and transportation is an intersectional issue involving the socioeconomic differences in needs. Gender differences in travel patterns are mainly accounted for by the division of roles in the labour market and the family, affecting employment conditions, income levels and mobility needs. The availability of public transportation outside rush hours, the physical and financial accessibility of transport facilities and safety conditions are some of the main aspects to be considered in designing gender-friendly transport systems. The outcomes of this project will help the City better understand how to advance transit design and planning using a gender perspective. The time is now to address this gap because a gender perspective in transport policies, planning and design can help reduce the inequality of mobility.

About Nidah

Born in Pakistan, raised in Kuwait and now living in Canada, Nidah is a grateful guest on the unceded Coast Salish Territories. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Simon Fraser University and a Masters of Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia. Nidah is now working in the City of Vancouver’s Rapid Transit Office and aims to apply a strong lens of equity and intersectionality to her work.

Her research interests lie at the intersection of housing and transportation. Addressing these topics together presents the opportunity to create affordable and walkable communities. Nidah strongly believes that mass transit has the ability to connect more people, especially women, to better-paying jobs, educational opportunities and healthcare.

To create more sustainable cities, Nidah recognizes that it is imperative to understand how the climate crisis disproportionately affects Indigenous Peoples and communities of colour. It is important to Nidah to amplify the voices of those with such lived experiences.

​​​​​​​About Michelle

Michelle Babiuk is a planning professional with experience in transportation and infrastructure planning, design, implementation and operations. She is currently TransLink’s Senior Manager of Transit Planning where she leads a team developing transit service, fleet and infrastructure plans.

Over the past twelve years at TransLink she has also provided leadership to bus exchange and rail station design, transit oriented development planning, street design and environmental assessments and permitting. This work has resulted in the implementation of transportation infrastructure across the region that provides an excellent customer experience and integrates well with surrounding neighbourhoods. She has consistently brought to this work her experience as a daily transit user and cyclist, and her passion for improving people’s experiences walking, cycling, taking transit and living in transit oriented neighbourhoods.

Michelle received an M.A. in Community and Regional Planning and a B.A. (Hon) in English from the University of British Columbia.

About the project

The Sharing Farm is a 4-acre, urban farm, in Richmond, BC. We grow vegetables to supply charitable food distribution organizations.

The Sharing Farm educates the community about sustainability through active volunteerism. Working together, The Sharing Farm addresses food security, promotes organic practices and provides meaningful volunteer opportunities for youth, adults and seniors alike.

Agriculture, with its growing contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions and opportunities to mitigate emissions is a huge player in the climate crisis. Our goal is to engage the public and increase our impact as a model of how food can be grown sustainably. We seek to champion sustainable agricultural techniques such as carbon sequestration, low food miles, low waste and encouraging biodiversity.

About Sarah

Sarah Drewery is the Executive Director of The Sharing Farm, a non profit farm which grows food using sustainable methods for donation to the food bank. She has led non-profit organizations for over 8 years, both in British Columbia and the UK. She has a Masters Degree in Archives and Records Management from UCL and prior to working at The Sharing Farm she worked in the heritage sector, in archives and museums.

She is passionate about organic agriculture, sustainability and connecting communities through urban farming.

About Shauna

Shauna MacKinnon is the Coordinator for the Agricultural Climate Adaptation Research Network and the Climate Action Initiative’s Farm Adaptation Innovator Program where she is responsible for facilitating collaboration and building a closer connection between research and farmer needs.

Shauna has many years of experience in the food sustainability and non profit sectors ranging from fundraising to designing and delivering winning campaign strategies. She has authored market research reports for the organic sector and worked in partnership with major Canadian grocery retailers on sustainable purchasing initiatives. Shauna holds a MA in Geography from the University of Guelph, a BA from McGill University and completed the KPU Richmond Farm School program.

About the project

Living Streets (LS) encourages BC residents to seek walking as feasible Active Transportation. LS collaborates with municipalities to show accessible and safe routes for residents’ daily needs without a personal vehicle.

This programs aligns with CEAP in cutting carbon pollution on transportation. It focuses on How We Move “Encouraging more walking, biking, and transit use. Supporting a transition to active transportation and transit. Walking routes from and to transit hubs.” With LS, we ride public transit to explore different places around Metro Vancouver. We walk the trails in parks and sidewalks in developed areas. We make observations on walking infrastructure and publish short videos about the routes.

We are looking to improve our storytelling and communications. We want to connect to a network that can help us amplify our voice, hoping that a mentor can guide us with the communications strategy and successfully implement this behavior-changing program. We are hoping that engaging with more community partners will give us the support on how to inculcate a transportation shift.

About Isabel

My name is Isabel Garcia. I am mom to a toddler and the way we move around Vancouver is walking and taking transit, meaning that I usually push a stroller or have a two-year-old walking beside me.

I have always been interested in safe and comfortable traveler experiences. Understanding how people moves always fascinated me. My educational background is a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Transportation and Mobility Management. I learned that life circumstances could make design guidelines incomplete or even dangerous. I endeavor to show that life in modern cities should be safe and welcoming to all and never force people to own and drive a car for their everyday needs.

About Marion

Marion joined the Airport Authority in 2014 and leads an innovative team of professionals working to reduce the airport's environmental footprint. Marion is guided by YVR's Board of Directors and Executive Team to ensure that high environmental standards are maintained and significant environmental accreditation programs such as Salmon Safe and Airport Carbon Accreditation are successfully implemented.

Marion has over thirty years of experience in government and consulting, working on a broad range of projects for municipal, provincial and federal governments, as well as private organizations. A professional planner, her experience in environmental assessment, energy and emissions planning, waste management, sustainable transportation, fisheries renewal, sustainability and collaborative governance has all been applicable to her work at YVR.

About the project

Kate will leverage her PhD research to develop and publish a series of articles that highlights the potential for transport pricing to readjust for some of the existing inequities in transportation while helping the city achieve climate targets.

Transport pricing – a policy that would charge people to drive into downtown - was described as the game changer action for the City to shift trips towards active and sustainable modes of transportation. Transport pricing was also one of the most contentious policies that was brought forward in the Climate Emergency Action Plan. Many of the arguments against transport pricing start with the assumption that the status quo of unpriced roads is fair.

Her series of articles will cover which populations groups drive the most in Vancouver, who bears the consequences, and how a road pricing policy can serve to (re)adjust some of the existing inequities in transportation. For example, in the City of Vancouver, those with the highest incomes drive three times as much as those with the lowest incomes. Yet those living in lower income neighbourhoods typically experience higher exposure to pollution and traffic collisions.

She hopes her articles can help residents connect the dots between transport and climate justice, and help pave the way forward for policies that support a more sustainable future.

About Kate

Kate Hosford is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Her research focuses on the intersections between transportation, health, and equity. Specifically for her PhD research, she is studying the effects of road pricing – a policy that would charge people to drive – on transportation and health equity. Throughout her graduate studies, she has increasingly become aware of the strong connection between transport and climate justice. Kate is keen to communicate the links between transport and climate justice to the wider public.

About Cara

Cara Pike is the founder and director of Climate Access, a nonprofit focused on building political and public support for climate solutions through its learning network for nonprofit and government leaders, pilot projects that test new engagement approaches, and communication research and strategy consulting services.

Her work includes creation of the Preparation Frame: A Guide for Understanding and Engaging Around Climate Impacts; the Ecological Roadmap, a values-based approach to building support for environmental protection; Climate Communications Behavior Change – A Guide for Practitioners, and other widely used publications and toolkits. Cara regularly advises government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Clients have included the City of Boston, Ocean Science Trust, Union of Concerned Scientists, Province of Alberta, and others.

Cara will be co-mentoring with Amber Bennett who is an Alberta-based communications consultant and
Canadian Associate with Climate Outreach, a team of social scientists and communication specialists
working to widen and deepen public engagement with climate change.

​​​​​​​About Amber

Amber Bennett is an Alberta-based communications consultant and Canadian Associate with Climate Outreach, a team of social scientists and communication specialists working to widen and deepen public engagement with climate change. 

As manager of the Alberta Narratives Project, she worked to bring together more than 75 individuals and organizations to host climate-energy conversations around Alberta – making it one of the largest public engagements of its kind. Her work bridges the space between research and practice and helps to translate social insights into applied climate engagement tools. In addition to her work with Climate Outreach, Amber has spent more than 10-years working in environmental communications with government, non-profits and business. 

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a Masters of Arts in Environmental Education and Communications.

Amber will be co-mentoring with Cara Pike who is the founder and director of Climate Access.

About the project

Climate Education Reform BC’s campaign called “Reform to Transform” is lobbying the BC Ministry of Education to create an educational system that prepares youth with the tools and knowledge to understand and face the Climate Emergency.

Through an anti-oppressive lens, their campaign is asking for the BC Ministry of Education to treat the Climate Crisis like an true emergency that it is, to create a comprehensive and intersectional climate justice educational system; to create accountability and advisory mechanisms for the implementation and development stages of the curriculum, and to mandate that school infrastructure transition to become in alignment to net zero greenhouse gas emission goals and within municipalities like Vancouver to become in alignment with their Climate Emergency Action Plans. Climate Education Reform BC desires to see a meaningful educational system that equips future generations with necessary climate and anti-oppression literacy to reverse global warming and mitigate climate change.

About Naomi

Naomi Leung or 梁珮恩 is a 17 year old climate and racial justice activist. She is a second generation immigrant with parents from Malaysia and Hong Kong and she is a settler on unsurrendered Musqueam, Tsawwassen, and Cowichan First Nations territories or Richmond, BC. Growing up, Naomi did not see people that looked like her centered or listened to in environmental spaces, which is why she is driven by intersectional justice. She knows that in our fight for climate justice and a better world, we must also include the fight for Indigenous sovereignty, Black Liberation, Migrant justice, justice for Global South communities, and justice and equity for all. 

Naomi is a member of Sustainabiliteens, a movement of youth across Metro Vancouver driven by climate justice, who advocated for the passing of Vancouver’s Climate Emergency Action Plan in 2020. She also coordinates Climate Education Reform BC, a youth-led organization determined to see an educational system that prepares students for the Climate Crisis.

About Irene

Irene Lanzinger has a long history as strong leader in the labour movement. She is deeply committed to advancing equality, protecting vulnerable workers and strengthening workplace safety. Irene was the first woman to be elected president of the BC Federation of Labour and held that position from November of 2014 until her retirement at the end of 2018.

Irene was a secondary science and mathematics teacher in Abbotsford and Vancouver as well as teaching abroad in Japan and Saudi Arabia. She served as the chief negotiator for the BC Teachers’ Federation, bargaining on behalf of 41,000 public school teachers. She was elected vice-president of the BCTF in 2002 and president in 2007.

While Irene played a strong role in the Canadian labour movement, she also broadened her work to the international scene. She has worked in solidarity with union leaders in Namibia and across Latin America, including Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Columbia.

Irene has a B.Sc. in Physics and a M.Sc. in Education and is currently on the Board of Directors of BC Hydro, the Community Savings Credit Union and the BC Centre for Women in the Trades.

About the project

I work at the Fraser Basin Council (FBC). FBC is a charitable non-profit society that brings people together to advance sustainability in the Fraser Basin and across BC. Within the Climate Change and Air Quality unit, I provide EV Advisor Services as a part of the Plug In BC team. As an EV Advisor, I advise MURBs and workplaces on charging incentives, charging installation processes, and EV charging benefits. I also provide virtual advising sessions to assist with various barriers to electrifying parking stalls.

The CleanBC Go Electric program is intended to encourage and accelerate the adoption of EVs to reduce GHG emissions and achieve the GHG reduction goals of the province. A key barrier for adoption is accessing charging. CleanBC Go Electric is part of the province's CleanBC plan to slash carbon pollution and make clean transportation more accessible and affordable for BC residents. By providing incentives and assistance with navigating the application process, the province has seen an uptick in EV charging station installation and EV readiness. This initiative is essential to achieve the Vancouver Climate Emergency Action Plan 2030 goal to have 50% of the km driven on Vancouver's roads be by zeroemissions vehicles.

About Inger

Inger is the Program Lead for Charging Infrastructure for the Fraser Basin Council's Climate Change and Air Quality Program, assisting in the management of province-wide initiatives related to the development of and support for zero-emissions charging infrastructure in British Columbia. As Program Lead, Inger is responsible for overseeing the implementation of incentive programs to support charging infrastructure deployment, collaborating with organizations and interests pursuing common low carbon transportation goals in B.C. Before joining FBC, Inger worked in the commercial transportation sector as a Policy Analyst at the B.C Trucking Association. She was a member of the Sustainable Transportation Action Research Team and has co-authored research articles on consumer perceptions of battery electric vehicles. 

Inger holds a Master of Resource and Environmental Management from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in Business Administration from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

About Megan

Megan Lohmann has been working in the field of climate and energy for 15 years, engaging with local government, industry, public and First Nations on innovative, local solutions to support the transition to low-carbon communities. She is passionate about designing and implementing high-impact initiatives through effective collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Megan is Head of Community Energy Management for the Community Energy Association, and in her position, has facilitated impactful projects in the transportation, building and waste sectors, including award winning rural electric vehicle network development. She co-chairs the BC Electric Vehicle Local Government Peer Network, is a fellow with the Energy Futures Lab in Alberta and sits as a newly elected Board Member for Electric Mobility Canada.

About the project

Bike to Work Week (BTWW) is a week-long behaviour change campaign across Metro Vancouver that encourages people to choose cycling as their commute mode of choice. BTWW attracts 18,000 participants annually through its Spring and Fall bi-annual events. Since its inception in 2007, BTWW has motivated over 130,000 participants to cycle their daily commute - including 20,000 new cyclists.

Getting more people cycling ties directly into Vancouver’s Climate Emergency Action Plan to have two-thirds of trips in the city be by active transportation and transit. This event helps the region transition to a low carbon emission economy as residents choose more sustainable modes of transport. In 2020, even with the shift towards a fully digital schedule, 102,098 KGs of GHGs were saved via participants cycling to work.

This year, I am focused on retaining our current audiences and making our event more inclusive to reach disproportionately impacted communities. Through the Women 4 Climate mentorship program, I hope to learn how to attract more people to sign up for BTWW and expand my network to get new ideas and possibly cross-collaborate with participating organizations.

About Kate

Kate’s connection with nature as a child slowly grew into an appreciation for and commitment to the environment. She went on to study in the field and holds an MSc degree in International Innovation (Environmental Sciences) from Lancaster University and a BSc in Environmental Biology from the University of Guelph. Kate has spent most of her career in health and environmental research, allowing her to work with leading scientists in Singapore, China, Canada, and the UK.

Kate is excited to harness the theoretical knowledge gained from her past towards developing programs that better serve her community and the environment. Kate now works on the Bike to Work Week program at HUB Cycling, a non-profit with a mission to get more people cycling more often.

Bike to Work Week has helped the region transition to a low carbon emission economy as residents choose greener, more sustainable modes of transportation. More cycling means healthier, happier, more connected communities.

About Selena

As a senior marketing leader, I've spent the past 25 years helping purpose-centric businesses identify their target markets, understand their competition, and translate consumer needs into viable brand strategies.

I've had the good fortune of being able to work with some amazing teams in the co-operative, retail and financial sectors, at MEC, Vancity and Modo - while also spending some time as a freelance marketing and brand strategist.

I have a personal passion for active, healthy and sustainable living (and eating!), and lending my professional expertise to community-minded groups and non-profits.

My volunteer efforts centre around empowering women and young entrepreneurs.

About the project

The BIPOC Sustainability Collective is created for the benefit of BIPOC sustainability professionals in Metro Vancouver.

Climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately impact people of colour, yet we are barely represented in the organizations tackling these issues. On the West Coast, many BIPOC sustainability professionals and activists find themselves as the only person of colour in their organizations and battle a system of white environmentalism that leads organizations to think they can do no wrong simply by being “green”. We know that the most effective way to move up in organizations and make meaningful change is to have a network of people supporting us and our work. But, it’s not always possible to find allies within the organizations we work in.

This facebook group is meant to serve as an opportunity for community connection and to fill this network gap many BIPOC sustainability professionals and activists experience in Metro Vancouver.

About Rita

Rita Steele is a sustainability professional and food systems activist who is passionate about transforming global supply chains into systems that center justice, the environment and support a circular economy. She grew up on the ancestral and stolen lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations and loves spending summer days outside hiking and camping through local trails and forests.

Rita works as Simon Fraser University’s Manager of Campus Sustainability and also works on youth climate engagement and governance with the Global Shapers Vancouver hub. Rita has recently started an online network called the BIPOC Sustainability Collective – a space for BIPOC to connect with each other and seek support through navigating largely white environmentalist spaces on the West Coast.

​​​​​​​About Anthonia

As a trained planner and resilience professional, Anthonia Ogundele has a passion for cities and engaging communities. She was a member of the North East False Creek Stewardship Committee, igniting the re-imaging on Hogan’s Alley. In 2016 she turned a storefront facing closet into the Cheeky Proletariat, located on Carrall street, which is an accessible and inclusive space for the free expression of all people.

She recently left her role at Vancity Credit Union, as the Manager of Environmental Sustainability, Business Continuity and Emergency Planning to become the Founder of the Ethọ́s Lab, a non-profit social enterprise leveraging the cooperative model to develop an online collaborative platform and creative co-working spaces for youth ages 12-18, that foster Culture and STEM focused Exploration.

Through Ethọ́s Lab she is hoping to inspire a legacy of Black leadership as well as answer the question: "What might place/Space making look like when you centre the Humanity of the Black experience?"

​​​​​​​About Meaghan

As Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Sysco Canada, Canada’s leading foodservice distributor, Meaghan leads Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Environmental Efforts, Indigenous Relations, and Community Programs. She is passionate about transforming business to do more by doing good through creating impactful long-term strategies and relationships. Meaghan leads complex, cross-discipline strategy by collaborating with business leaders globally to align and celebrate Sysco’s CSR journey. 

Meaghan has 15+ years of progressive experience in the food industry. Prior to Sysco Canada she worked with Sodexo Canada in roles ranging from finance to project management and corporate responsibility. Meaghan led Sodexo’s CSR engagement in Canada for business segments including healthcare, universities, construction, mining, corporate services, sports, and leisure. 

She is experienced pioneering partnerships with cross-stakeholder groups including government organizations, food security charities, and organizations including the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Pride at Work, World Economic Forum, United Nations Global Compact, Fairtrade Canada, Humane Society, and innovative start-ups such as Genecis Envirotech. 

Meaghan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley, a Masters Certificate in Project Management from York University, and has held her Project Management Professional credential for the past 7 years. 

Living and working in beautiful Vancouver, BC, inspired Meaghan to also pursue her passions in the tourism industry through her side hustle the Painted Cliff Chalet in one of North America’s prime vacation destinations, Whistler, BC.

When she is not volunteering for BC Cancer Foundation, or, GLOBE Innovation Pitch sessions, in her spare time you can find Meaghan cycling, hiking, or wine touring in the Okanagan. Lastly, she is thrilled to be joining the C40 as a mentor! Meaghan will be co-mentoring with Anthonia Ogundele who is the founder of Ethos Lab.

About the project

Deconstruct the City aims to reduce construction waste and embodied carbon emissions by increasing building material reuse in new construction and retrofit projects in the Vancouver region.

Materials from existing buildings can be salvaged through the deconstruction process, diverting up to 80% of materials from landfills. Reusing existing materials can significantly reduce the embodied carbon of new build projects as emissions from raw material sourcing and manufacturing are avoided. Our goal of reducing embodied carbon emissions through material reuse aligns with the Climate Emergency Action Plan’s Big Move #5, which targets a 40% reduction in embodied carbon emissions in new buildings by 2030.

Deconstruct the City will host multiple round-table workshops with industry stakeholders (investors, designers, builders, operators, occupants) to identify opportunities to design for deconstruction at each stage of the development process. The workshops will also serve as a platform for creating relationships with the industry, improving our understanding of barriers to material reuse, and catalyzing supporting initiatives.

Using findings from the workshops, an implementation plan will be developed that outlines how designing for deconstruction can be integrated into local policy. Planning for deconstruction will provide tangible pathways and incentives for construction material reuse, lowering Vancouver’s embodied carbon emissions.

About Sara

Sara Turner is currently working as a Sustainability Analyst at Purpose Building Inc. She has been contributing to the green building industry since 2017, through previous roles that include building science engineering, energy modeling, and renewable technology analysis.

Sara is passionate about decarbonization, sustainable development, and the circular economy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Waterloo, where she enjoyed leading innovative sustainable housing projects in partnership with Canadian Indigenous communities and Habitat for Humanity.

About Robyn

Robyn Wark is Manager of Advanced Demand Side Management at BC Hydro, which builds partnerships to advance low carbon communities through codes, standards, and smart, innovative solutions. Robyn has co-created numerous peer networks, innovation labs, committees and councils to bring partners together to solve sustainability challenges.

Current leadership positions include Vice-Chair of the BC Energy Step Code Council, Treasurer of the Community Energy Association and steering committee of the BC Building Electrification Roadmap.

Robyn brings creativity and fun to her teams, as well as deep skills in organizational strategy, relationship mapping, public speaking, regulatory pathways, and change management. Her work has won multiple awards from associations such as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian Institute of Planners, and the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC). In 2013 she was awarded the PIBC Individual Award for Leadership in Advocacy and Innovation.

Robyn loves the Women4Climate program, and enjoyed learning and networking as part of the 2019 cohort.

Coral Buitenhuis

• Coral is developing a climate mitigation and adaptation plan. 
• Mentored by Sarah Buckle, Director, Enterprise Risk and Sustainability at Translink.

Holly Alyea

• Holly works to engage, educate, and empower citizens on climate action through community centre associations.  
• Mentored by Christianne Wilhelmson, Executive Director at Georgia Strait Alliance.

Jenna McNeil

• Jenna is developing a tool to help visualize the demand for high performance building products and technologies.
• Mentored by Sue Paish, CEO at Canada's Digital Technology Supercluster.

Julie Strilesky

• Julie is working to convert plastic waste from Canada's shorelines to energy.
• Mentored by Susan Koch, COO and VP of Accounting at Carbon Engineering.

Laurel Hart

• Laurel supports young families as they advocate for collective climate action.
• Mentored by Sherry Yano, Manager, Community Renewable Energy at David Suzuki Foundation.

Marina Timmins

• Marina is working on building energy benchmarking.
• Mentored by Sophie Mercier, Vice President, Building Science West at Morrison Hershfield.

Michelle Austin

• Michelle is developing a sustainable school lunch program. 
• Mentored by Brianne Miller, CEO and Founder at Nada Grocery.

Rowena Farr

• Rowena is working to expand various workplaces’ cycle to work initiatives. 
• Mentored by Marion Town, Director, Environment at Vancouver Airport Authority.

Sara Blenkhorn

• Sara is addressing the issue of apparel waste.
• Mentored by Jeanette Jackson, CEO at Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre.

Sarah Lusina

• Sarah works to engage, educate, and empower citizens on climate action through community centre associations.  
• Mentored by Christianne Wilhelmson, Executive Director at Georgia Strait Alliance.

Yasmin Abraham

• Yasmin is working to ensure energy initiatives are accessible to newcomers, immigrants, lower income, and indigenous families.
• Mentored by Karen Tam Wu, Managing Director, British Columbia at Pembina Institute.

Dawn-Marie Barreira

• Dawn-Marie is running a capturing carbon pilot project at LUSH External website, opens in new tab. 
• Mentored by Karen Tam Wu, Regional Director of BC for Pembina Institute.

Sylvia Grace Borda 

• Sylvia wants to use climate arts to build resilient environments External website, opens in new tab.
• Mentored by Andrea Curtis, Director of Operations, Vancouver Mural Festival.

Uli Chorny

• Uli is working on a low income passive house pilot External website, opens in new tab.
• Mentored by Jill Atkey, Chief Executive Officer, BC Non-Profit Housing Association.

Clara George

• Clara wants to bring sustainability to Hollywood North External website, opens in new tab.
• Mentored by Adriane Carr, City Councillor, City of Vancouver.

Deepti Mathew Iype

• Deepti is working on mobilizing youth and residents on climate action External website, opens in new tab.
• Mentored by Joanna Ashworth, Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Environment at SFU.

Jennifer Johnson

• Jennifer is growing her solar energy business External website, opens in new tab.
• Mentored by Meera Dhalwala, Chef and Co-Owner, Vij’s Restaurant.

Sophie MacNeill

• Sophie is working to manage the climate impacts from landscape architecture External website, opens in new tab. 
• Mentored by Kathy Wardle, Associate Principal and Director of Research at Perkins and Will.

Anitra Paris

• Anitra is advancing progress on electric heat pumps External website, opens in new tab.
• Mentored by Robyn Wark, Team Lead, Sustainable Communities Program, BC Hydro.

Maia Tarassoff

• Maia educates kids on Passive House External website, opens in new tab.
• Mentored by Wilma Leung, Senior Manager, Technical Research and Education, BC Housing