About Us
We are committed to being a youth-led, youth-serving organization. This means all of our staff are 30 and under, and we maintain that 50% of our board members are youth.
Our team acts as a support system for the youth-led climate movement and is here to scale, amplify, and empower our network.
Our Values
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![Two youth outdoors]()
We are youth-led, youth-serving - always.
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![Youth individual looking across at view of large mountain]()
We are working towards an equitable and accessible future.
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![Youth person in colourful outfit, smiling]()
We are committed to building relationships of trust and mutual respect.
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![Group of 4 youth walking on a sunny path by a body of water]()
We strengthen the movement through responsibility and reciprocity.
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![BIPOC youth individual with eyes closed, laughing]()
We are in a climate crisis, and we act like it.
Our Team
Alicia Richins
Office Administrator Volunteer, The Youth Harbour
(she/they)
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Alicia graciously volunteers her time to oversee Climate ShareSpace Toronto and its members, while also supporting FES with on-the-ground office administration.
Alicia is a Sustainable Impact Strategist who fiercely champions climate justice and hopeful futures. With extensive experience in facilitation, sustainability, impact measurement and standards development, she helps forward-thinking organizations to assess, amplify and embed their desired social and environmental impact, using the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework.
They also serve as Director of Strategy and Governance for Leading Change Canada, an organization focused on activating youth sustainability leadership for the transition to a low carbon economy within a generation.
Alicia is joining FES as the volunteer Office Administrator to the Climate ShareSpace Toronto, supporting and resourcing local climate champions in their important work.
A proud dual citizen since birth of Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, Alicia holds a Master in Environmental Studies, Planning Concentration, and a BA in Economics and Social Science (Honours), both from York University.
Her latest creative project is the Climateverse, a new media project reporting the news from parallel realities where humanity is taking bold action on climate change and social justice.
Toronto, ON Tkaronto | Dish With One Spoon Wampum | Treaty 13 | Anishnabek, Haudenousaunee, Mississaugas of the Credit Nations.
Alyssa Obrand
Executive Director
(she/her)
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As the key management leader of FES, Alyssa is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs, fundraising, and strategic plan of the organization.
Alyssa joined FES in 2021, after finishing her Bachelor of Commerce at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, where she majored in Managing for Sustainability. Now, upon finishing a Masters of Science in Environment, Politics and Society at the University College London in the United Kingdom, she is fulfilling her passion for environmental activism and reimagining the philanthropic sector for youth with FES.
Alyssa has experience working in environmental consulting, green startups, the UK climate politics sector, and is passionate about working in advocacy. From years of working with youth, she has seen first-hand the power and strength of young minds, and believes that her own generation is the greatest force for change. When not plugging away at her spreadsheets, Alyssa is most likely enjoying time outside on her bike, training for a marathon, or swimming.
Alyssa lives in Montréal, QC | Tiohtià:ke | Mooniyang.
Ella Cheah
Summer Impact Analyst
(she/her)
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Ella is passionate about advancing meaningful social and environmental change, particularly at the intersection of youth-led impact, climate action, and health equity. She cares deeply about building more inclusive systems that centre wellbeing, and is especially drawn to work that uplifts and empowers young changemakers. She is a recent graduate of the UBC Sauder School of Business, where she specialized in Business Technology Management and Sustainability & Social Impact.
Through her roles as Research Analyst at Future of Good and Impact Advisory Analyst at Propel Impact, Ella has had the opportunity to explore the impact sector from multiple angles: research, storytelling, and consulting. She is also an advocate for mental health and reproductive justice, contributing her time to organizations such as Sauder Health and Wellness, Reya Health, and Planted Opportunities.
Beyond work, Ella finds joy in the little things: sunny bike rides, the perfect cup of matcha, meaningful conversations with friends, and exploring her creativity as a pottery newbie.
Ella lives in Vancouver, BC | xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations
Ella Gaspar
Summer Impact Analyst
(she/her)
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Ella supports sustainability and social impact projects at FES by analyzing data, developing impact narratives, and helping redesign grant streams for accessibility and long-term impact. She also assists in designing reporting mechanisms for grantees.
Ella is a fourth-year Finance Co-op student at UBC, concentrating in Sustainability & Social Impact with a minor in Political Science. Her passion for sustainability began when co-developing an app to reduce the carbon footprint of the restaurant industry in Greater Vancouver. She has worked with companies like Susgrainable and Café Binocle and served as a Climate-Focused Reporting Analyst with the SME Climate Clinic. Ella also participated in UBC’s New Venture Design course, focusing on recycling solutions for 3D printing materials.
Outside of school and work, Ella enjoys hiking, running, and exploring local coffee shops in Vancouver, BC*, where she is based.
*Unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations
Emily Lau
Projects Coordinator, The Youth Harbour
(she/her)
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Emily supports The Youth Harbour’s initiatives, including Amplify, grantee management, and impact reporting, ensuring seamless project coordination along the way. She is the go-to person for all things resources development and wrap-around support!
With a background in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo, Emily has experience in both public and private Sectors conducting community engagement activities to advance sustainability initiatives.
In 2020, Emily led programs to empower and engage over 100 youth volunteers who wanted to make a positive impact for young people while gaining leadership skills and building networks — all during an ongoing global pandemic that created mass uncertainty for youth and the future of work. During this time, she felt invigorated and inspired by the energy and dedication youth had for making the world a better place while finding joy in community. Combining her knowledge and experience in youth leadership, community engagement, and sustainability, Emily spent the last two-plus years organizing programs and events for young professionals working in climate action.
Outside of work, Emily enjoys reading, thrifting, making her friends laugh with hyper-specific memes, and trying new restaurants!
Vancouver, BC | xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations
Julie Dunleavy
Program & Grants Manager, The Youth Harbour
(she/her)
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Julie is responsible for all things granting, and leads the general oversight of The Youth Harbour program. Julie provides coaching to applicants, progress meetings with grantees, and manages the Youth Steering Committee.
Julie brings years of experience in environmental and youth-led spaces. Growing up in Guelph, ON (Haudenosaunee, Anishinabewaki, Attiwonderonk and Mississauga territories) she participated in semester-long environmental leadership and business leadership experiential learning programs in secondary school. These demonstrated to her the power of community and youth-led action. Furthering her education at the University of Ottawa, she completed an Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Development and Globalization, Minor in Geography, in French Immersion with Second Language Certification.
Julie is intentional about her online and outdoor work-life balance, from managing a team of 25 youth conducting nationwide urban research completely online in the height of the pandemic, to then professionally planting over 100,000 trees throughout forests in Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia. Since joining FES in November of 2021, Julie has built relationships with dozens of youth-led organizations to ensure that The Youth Harbour can continue to trust and empower youth, both in English and in French.
*Haudenosaunee, Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Attiwonderonk (Neutral), Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and Mississauga territories
*Omàmìwininìwag (Algonquin), Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk) and Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ territories
*Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk) and Haudenosaunee territories
Kathryn Hoffart
Creative Director
(she/they)
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Kathryn is our “creator extraordinaire,” managing external communications through our social media platforms, website, and newsletter. Kathryn also manages Amplify (previously known as Branding Buddy) for The Youth Harbour.
As a graduate from Mount Royal University with a major in Information Design and a minor in Psychology, Kathryn fuses her creative skills and empathy with human-centered design to create user-friendly and innovative solutions.
With 7 years of strategic branding, marketing, and communications expertise, Kathryn has delivered impactful design projects in sectors such as healthcare, energy, and social impact. For the past years as Creative Director at FES, she's evolved distinct yet unified brand identities for its programs, ensuring consistency, accessibility, and driving measurable growth in social media engagement, website traffic, and newsletter readership.
When she is not designing, you can likely find her getting creative with plant-based recipes, thrifting unique finds, or getting her rambunctious pet rabbits out of trouble.
Kathryn lives in Calgary, AB | Mohkinstsis | The Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and Treaty 7 Nations.
Marie Rousseau
Activist Resource Library Coordinator, The Youth Harbour
(she/they)
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Marie Rousseau is responsible for curating and managing the Activist Resource Library in Montreal, ensuring it remains an accessible and valuable tool for climate justice youth organizers as well as other young activists.
Marie grew up in Singapore and studied in the United States, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Gender & Sexuality Studies from Swarthmore College. She is currently studying photography at Cégep du Vieux Montréal. With over a decade of experience in communications and project coordination, she has worked extensively in the non-profit and environmental sectors. A dedicated advocate for social justice, Marie combines her skills in resource management and community building to empower activists and amplify collective impact.
Originally from France, Marie brings an international perspective to her work, informed by her academic background and her past experience hosting a queer feminist open mic, Self-ish, in Paris and abroad. Her work reflects her passion for climate action, gender equality, and inclusive storytelling, always centering the voices of those most impacted by systemic inequalities.
Outside of work, Marie enjoys experimenting with recipes from New York Times Cooking, discovering indie artists no one’s heard of (yet), wandering museums and spending quality time with her rescue dog, Dora, who was named after a graphic novel but also loves to explore.
Marie currently lives in Montréal, QC | Tiohtià:ke | Mooniyang.
Miranda Podolinsky
Operations Manager
(she/her)
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Miranda is responsible for compliance, financial coordination, and administrative support, ensuring smooth operations and internal systems at the organization. She is our go-to person for all Climate Collab Centre locations (Climate ShareSpace Toronto & Activist Resource Library Montreal).
Miranda is a purpose-driven development professional, committed to fostering inclusive and climate-resilient communities. With a Bachelor in Environmental Studies and an Honours degree in International Development from the University of Waterloo, she brings an intersectional lens to her climate work—ensuring those most vulnerable are represented and centered in solutions.
Motivated by a strong desire to connect and collaborate, Miranda has coordinated skill-building programs for marginalized youth in Ukraine, developed gender equality training for women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka, and supported a team in Tanzania to design gender-transformative programming. Passionate about youth empowerment, gender equity, and climate justice, she is dedicated to supporting young people to lead in shaping a more sustainable and just future.
When not at her desk, you can find Miranda outside cruising on her bike, indoors cooking up a new recipe, or binging the latest reality TV show.
Vancouver, BC | xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Valerie Ntinu
Partnerships Manager, The Youth Harbour
(she/her)
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Valerie plays a key role in stewarding FES’ and The Youth Harbour’s external relationships, with a focus on securing and overseeing partnerships. She ensures that projects with external partners run smoothly and also manages the Abundance Fellowship.
Valerie is a diligent and goal-oriented professional known for her agility, dedication, and sharp focus. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a Master’s in Media, Culture, and Society, fueling her passion for meaningful change. With an unrelenting thirst for justice, Valerie recently migrated to Canada, aiming to introduce climate-determinism concepts from Europe to her new home.
After spending several years in the corporate sector, she chose to pivot toward “for purpose” work, driven by a desire to make a deeper impact. Her career has seen her excel in communications and equity work, where she championed causes close to her heart.
In addition to her professional endeavors, Valerie is the founder of drINKcafe, a not-for-profit initiative offering a creative and safe space for Black and brown non-binary and femme individuals. When not working or advocating for her community, you can find her deeply engrossed in a modern African fictional novel or enjoying the latest episodes of Love is Blind.
Montréal, QC | Tiohtià:ke | Mooniyang
Board of Directors
Alison Holder
Director
Non-profit Director, Equal Measures 2030 (c/o Panorama Global)
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Alison Holder is Executive Director of Equal Measures 2030 (EM2030), a “global to local” coalition that connects data and evidence with advocacy and action on gender equality, to transform the lives of women and girls. The EM2030 coalition produces a flagship research product (the SDG Gender Index), supports advocates to build data skills and share learning, and uses its collective voice to push gender equality up the global policymaking agenda. Alison has 25 years’ experience in international development and the private sector, including leading policy, advocacy and campaigning work on gender equality, economic justice, and corporate accountability.
Anthony Boright
Director, (Projects & Vetting Committee Chair)
Retired, fintech
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Anthony has 30+ years of marketing and sales experience in the technology, financial services and consumer packaged goods industries, spending the last 15 years launching and operating start-up companies that helped financial services firms meet their communication and regulatory requirements through digital technologies.
Austin Zacharko
Director
Business Development Associate, SunGrid
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Austin grew up in Alberta and is a registered E.I.T. with APEGA. He has completed a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta as well as an M.Eng in Sustainable Energy Engineering at Carleton University. With these programs, he has developed a strong understanding for a broad range of topics related to sustainability and climate change.
Austin has gained experience from working in government, academia, consulting, industry, and with NGOs. He currently works with Capital Power as an Energy Management Engineer.
Austin is a member of the Metis Nation of Alberta and holds his heritage in high regard. He strives to ensure indigenous ideas and cultures have been represented in all projects he works on. He is an active member of his community where he volunteers for numerous organizations such as the Edmonton Food Bank.
In his free time, Austin enjoys spending time outdoors. This often includes rock climbing, backcountry hiking, multi-day canoe trips, and snowboarding.
Cyrielle Noël
Director
Founder of Eau da Cité
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Cyrielle Noël is a spatial planner, with an expertise in marine and coastal environments. Being born and raised on the river island of Tiohtiá:ke (Montréal), Cyrielle is described as a soulful thalassophile, who moonlights as a social entrepreneur while also working as a Program Specialist for Ocean Wise. Cyrielle is the founder of Eau-Dacité: a planning studio focused on rehabilitating and reconnecting people to sustainable blue spaces. Cyrielle is a volunteer with Montréal Global Shapers and, in her free time, she enjoys connecting with nature by snowboarding, caving, and fishing.
Darren Chang
Director
Senior Investment Analyst, New Market Funds
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Darren is currently a Senior Investment Analyst at New Market Funds focusing on the area of affordable housing investment, as well as non-profit and co-operative financing across Canada.
His previous experiences include Financial Institution and Real Estate Audit at KPMG and Private Investment Valuation at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. He is passionate about creating tangible social impact, blending the areas of business, finance, and philanthropy. A graduate from UBC Sauder and a current WEF Global Shaper, Darren can often be seen outside of the office practicing yoga or watering the (hopefully alive) succulents placed sporadically around his home.
Kathy Falconi
Vice-Chair & Treasurer (Audit & Risk Committee (Committee Chair), Equity, Nominations, & Governance Committee)
Retired CPA
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Kathy Falconi, CPA, is an executive with over 30 years experience in the financial services industry. She has held executive roles in finance, operations and most recently technology at both large and medium-sized organizations. In her most recent roles she has an extensive track record executing successful transformation initiatives, optimizing operational and business performance within the Financial Services sector.
Kathy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Economics from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Professional Accountants designation from CPA Ontario. She lives in Toronto, is an active volunteer in her neighbourhood and serves as an executive board member for the resident’s association.
Michael Rodger
Director
President, Self-employed
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Michael Rodger is an experienced, international executive with 30+ years working in both local and global markets. Michael is CEO of Wentworth Corporation, a Canadian import and distribution company which imports products or represents companies to sell to retailers and commercial distributors across North America. Wentworth also provides consulting support to governments or directly to companies to assist in launching or growing their businesses in North America. Michael is also President of Inter-City Watch (ICC), which he and his business partner acquired in 2019, to manufacture analogue and smart wrist-watches and sell to retailers across North America.
Prior to managing Wentworth, Michael was a Director with Accenture LLP providing consulting, transformation, outsourcing and project management services to clients across North America in multiple industries including insurance, retail, utilities, manufacturing and communications. Before Accenture, Michael co-founded and led a firm specializing in global outsourcing helping Canadian firms leverage offshore global resourcing where he ultimately sold his firm to India’s largest engineering company - Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
Prior to managing his global sourcing firm, Michael founded Norland Services International (NSI) which is an ongoing consulting practice helping small to medium size companies restructure and either grow or position for sale. Before founding NSI, Michael spent more than sixteen years working with IBM, in Canada, the US and globally in a variety of international roles in in services, operations, sales and marketing in multiple industries, departing as a Vice President.
Michael has a BA in Finance and Administration from University of Western Ontario and management certificates from the Harvard Business Client Program, Thunderbird University and IBM Management Institute. Michael is member of the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors; the Canadian Centre for Ethics and Corporate Policy; the Canada Company Military Charity; and has had many committee leadership roles as Director and President with the North Rosedale Residents’ Association.
Michael enjoys sports including skiing, cycling, canoeing/kayaking, fly-fishing, cottaging, board work, travel and trying to make Canada and the City of Toronto better places to live. Michael lives with his wonderful and brilliant wife Alexandra Jenkins in downtown Toronto, Canada.
Sarah Hanson
Director (Fundraising Committee Chair)
Founder of Mino Bimaadiziwin Collective
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Sarah Hanson is Anishinaabe from Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, currently living and working on the traditional lands of the Fort William First Nation, currently referred to as Thunder Bay. She graduated from Queen’s University with a degree in Biology, which combined with her held Indigenous Knowledge informs her work in climate action, sustainability, and reconciliation.
Prior to finishing her degree at Queen’s University, Sarah participated in an international internship for Indigenous youth where she lived and worked in Guyana, setting up robotics programs in 5 high schools. After returning to Canada, Sarah finished her Biology degree, spent 8 months working as a Junior Environmental Policy Analyst and then transitioned to the non-profit sector working with both educational and climate action organizations.
Sarah currently dedicates her time to organizing the Virtual Youth Leadership Forum on Reconciliation for Experiences Canada, leading capacity building and knowledge sharing efforts for the North American region for Youth4Nature and teaching a policy class for Canadian Roots Exchange. When she gets the chance she spends time reconnecting to her ancestry through beading, ribbon skirt making and learning Anishinaabemowin.
Tristan Surman
Director
Student, McGill University
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Tristan Surman (he/him) is communications consultant, documentary filmmaker, and law student at McGill University.
Before going to law school, Tristan ran My Media: a communications firm for social impact and sustainability, which helped some of the world’s leading nonprofits and foundations raise millions of dollars and mobilize thousands of people for policy change. During this time, Tristan was proud to be amongst FES’ first-ever grantees and to be named one of Canada’s Top 30 Sustainability Leaders Under 30. In his free time, Tristan loves writing music, reading, and spending time outdoors with great people.
He believes deeply in FES’ mission and strategy, and hopes to bring his experience in Canada’s youth climate movement to the FES board.
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