BC Director seat
Owen Leggatt Stewart
Owen is a lawyer who was born and raised on the West Coast of Canada, where a love of fishing and camping has fuelled a growing concern for protection of the environment. Owen briefly considered a career as an outdoor guide before questionably deciding that an office life would suit him better. Following law school, he articled with a boutique law firm and was exposed to an environmental and public interest practice. Owen has been involved with environmental issues and organizations for over a decade. He is a streamkeeper with the Stoney Creek Environment Committee, has worked for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and volunteered with the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation. While Owen has deep roots in British Columbia, he has lived in or travelled to almost every province and territory in Canada, instilling a keen interest in the diversity of the country.
Despite permanently having a piece of clothing that smells like a campfire, Owen remains an avid backcountry camper and can often be found gardening, fishing or cooking.
Ontario Director seat
Jessica Murray
Jessica is Canadian born Chinese and has lived in Toronto, ON her whole life. She is a mother to twin toddlers and currently lives in Toronto east end with her family. She works in Markham, ON with her father as a real estate sales manager. She is passionate about housing as a fundamental right (for all species!), home affordability, and the intersection it often comes up against in urban planning and building a sustainable city. Prior to her role in sales, she was a yoga teacher, ceramicist, and artist. She went to Queen’s law school where she had intended a career in animal/environmental law, but life had other plans. She is most proud of her tomatoes that thrive even in her shady city lot, and raising her kids to respect, love, and wonder at nature. She is a rock climber, and loves climbing in Beaver Valley among the cedar, cooing rock doves, and soaring turkey vultures. She brings active listening, an openness to learn, and values kindness in relationship with all of creation.
Prairie Director seat
Jared Wolfe
Jared is an aquatic ecologist with an interest in exploring how the interaction among science, policy, and management can promote sustainable water resources. He has a Masters of Science in environmental biology from the University of Regina where he studied the impacts of oil development and climate change on northern lakes. He is currently based at the University of Saskatchewan's Global Institute for Water Security in Saskatoon. Here, he works with scientists and practitioners to manage research projects that address water-related challenges in the Canadian Prairies. As a result, he actively liaises with water managers from government, industry, and non-governmental organizations across the Prairie Provinces on environmental issues. He also conducts research on prairie pothole wetlands and how to balance wetland ecosystem service production within an agricultural landscape.
When approaching wicked environmental issues, he places strong emphasis on collaboration and providing an open space for dialogue. In particular, he has experience facilitating discussions on water management with diverse stakeholders and is an advocate for meeting people within their watersheds. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors in his garden or birdwatching in Saskatchewan’s many wetlands.
At-Large Director Seats
(in alphabetical order by last name)
Katerina Fragos
Katerina currently leads Netflix’s global sustainability and consumer efforts, exploring how best to engage Netflix’s millions of members on environmental topics. She also teaches a sustainability undergraduate course part-time at the McGill University Desautels Faculty of Management. Prior to this, Katerina worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a sustainability and climate change consultant and held numerous roles at Procter & Gamble. She has a Master’s in Sustainability from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University. Her contributions to corporate sustainability were recognized in 2020 when she was named a sustainability leader by GreenBiz in their annual global 30 Under 30 list.
Brynna Kagawa-Visentin
Brynna (she/her) is an interdisciplinary environmental justice researcher, with experience as a coordinator and manager in climate and fashion justice, and conservation non-profits. She is passionate about investigating different core perspectives and concepts from the arts, humanities and social sciences to better design solutions that address the root causes of current challenges to just and sustainable futures. She holds a HBSc in Kinesiology at McMaster University, a BSc in Environmental Practice with distinction at Royal Roads University, and will be pursuing a MSc in Environment, Culture and Society at the University of Edinburgh in the Fall 2022. She has served as Chairman of the Board of the Sierra Youth Executive Committee (Sierra Youth Podcast) for the past two years and is committed to helping young people build the skills, knowledge and tools necessary to meaningfully engage in and catalyze environmental and social change.
Lauren Scott
Lauren specializes in translating climate initiatives into meaningful action to deliver on commitments to the building and renewables sectors. Her marketing and communications background is leveraged to promote social and environmental responsibility as an approachable, yet critical part of business operations.
At the beginning of her career, Scott got her start in marketing at a Montreal-based media company. During this time, she was completing her B.Comm., where she founded and implemented the business school's first sustainability student association. She then went on to work in the non-profit sector, serving as the national spokesperson for an international animal welfare organization, before becoming the communications manager for two of Canada's largest cancer fundraising events. This was followed by managing the PR for a hyper-growth cleantech start-up; before taking on the Canadian Communications Advisor role for a market-leading wind turbine manufacturer. She currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing & Sustainability at Acuity Brands' Intelligent Spaces Group.
Scott’s career has been marked by her nomination as a 2020 Woman of Inspiration by the Universal Women's Network, as well as being shortlisted as Industry Woman of the Year by the ControlTrends Awards (2020). She has pursued certificates in "Reconciliation through Indigenous Education" (UBC), "The Health Effects of Climate Change" (Harvard University) and “Corporate Sustainability Management: Risk, Profit, and Purpose” (Yale School of Management). Scott has been on SCCF’s board for 4 years, has served as President, has chaired the National Development Committee and currently chairs the National Communications Committee.
Barry Stemshorn BSc, DVM, PhD
Barry’s interests span environmental, animal, and human health. He served as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Environmental Protection Service of Environment Canada (2000-2006) following executive positions with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Privy Council Office.
He led development of a network of veterinary laboratories in Latin America and the Caribbean Animal and Plant Health Information Network. He has been a consultant for the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Pan American Health Organization, the World Bank and Canada’s Auditor General. In 2011 he served as Co-Chair for a study on mercury pollution for the People’s Republic of China
Barry has been a Board member for the Ottawa Riverkeeper, Veterinarians without Borders, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Pembina Institute, and is a volunteer land steward for the Nature Conservancy of Canada to which he and Charlotte Rigby donated the Litchfield Lake Wetlands Reserve.
He enjoys cross-country and telemark skiing and cycling. His photos of The Fishing Bears of Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest and other wildlife can be viewed at www.stemshornphotos.ca .
Barry was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee (2002) and Diamond Jubilee (2012) Medals for his contributions to Canada.