I am a 20-year-old, London, Ontario native, a knowledge seeker, with a keen sense of curiosity and a general zest for life. Before beginning my journey at Ivey, I was pursuing an undergraduate degree in International Relations at Western. I am an optimist, an outdoor enthusiast, an athlete, and a person who takes great pleasure in learning from all available sources, people, news, and experience. At this moment in life, I would say I am a young adult with a world of opportunity ahead of me, at a moment of both great uncertainty and vast possibility.

What is your personal definition of sustainability?

Sustainability is making a conscious effort to reduce the negative impact of day-to-day activities and believing that even the smallest actions can make a big difference. Whether that be only using reusable water bottles, or switching to a fully electric vehicle fleet, any bit of effort, large or small, can create a lasting impact. To sustain is to prolong, sustaining the current finite resources and beauty this planet has to offer requires a prolonged effort, not just one action. Sustainability is consistency.

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

As per my definition of sustainability, I hope to incorporate sustainable practices into my life outside of work, in hopes that my habits will carry over into my career and rub off on my colleagues. I hope to be a spokesperson for sustainable practices, constantly looking for new ways of adapting long-term, environmentally sustainable business models.

My drive increases when I know that my work is making a difference, solving a problem that I feel strongly about. Preserving this planet is one problem that I feel especially passionate about. Thus, I know that sustainability is going to guide my career trajectory, it is going to be a decisive variable along my journey as I grow as a professional.

I come from a family of entrepreneurs, surrounded by people who had a vision and created success for themselves. Having looked up to these people my whole life, I too hope to be one too. My long-term goal is to build a company that not only commits to reducing environmental impact but is built on it, a business model that sees positive environmental impact synonymous with success.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

Formally focusing on sustainability is a rather new idea for me. However, I was raised in an environmentally conscious house with much exposure to an extended family that has a motto of “walk gently on the earth”. Thus, my exposure to sustainability projects, I feel is soon to come. I think that this interest has been spurred on by two aspects of my life. Firstly, I have always been an outdoor person, having spent two months every summer in Algonquin Park. This has curated a love and respect for the earth and the environment which I am surrounded by. While in school and through various webcast, podcast, and documentaries I have learned more about the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, about businesses who were built to help solve the climate crisis and the intersection between humans and the environment. Sustainable is a practice that I want to work in and incorporate into my career path. Where exactly can I incorporate it? I do not know yet, but this is a journey I am eagerly jumping into.