Growing up, I always loved being outdoors. After continuously hearing about the threat of climate change to our world, I knew I wanted to be apart of a movement that would aid in preserving the earth for future generations. In my second-year summer, I interned at a start-up with a focus on carbon accounting and helping companies lower their carbon emissions. So far at Ivey, I have gotten involved in the Social Impact Club, where I hold an executive position on the Education and & Advocacy team. Going forward, I hope to pursue a career in sustainable finance. 

What is your personal definition of sustainability?

My definition of sustainability revolves around the fact that collectively, our society should utilize resources in a manner that allows us to meet the needs of everyone in the present while also having enough resources around to meet the needs of future generations. While I believe my definition clearly outlines what sustainability is in theory, I believe the real challenge is putting the definition into practice. Figuring out how to sustainably manage the finite resources on earth will be the biggest challenge to our generation.  

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

As someone who shares a passion with sustainability with a passion for finance, I believe I can help push for change in the financial services sector, by working in a sustainable finance role. To be more specific, I hope to focus on the energy transition and work with energy companies trying to decarbonize. As someone who wants to build a career in Canada, I believe it is essential to support the largest part of our economy, energy. In the short-term, I hope to start in an advisory role, helping energy companies finance decarbonization projects and connect them with resources that can help with their decarbonization process. In the long-term, I hope to transition to an investing role, where I would get an opportunity to evaluate and invest in a variety of enterprises making a difference with decarbonization efforts. Funding is essential in this industry as companies must invest heavily in researching new technologies. As of now, I do not believe enough funding is being directed towards start-ups that are aiding in developing clean technologies. I hope to change that one day. 

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

I have participated in numerous sustainability projects over the course of my post-secondary education. In my sophomore year, I had the opportunity to be a Soph (Orientation Leader). As a Soph one of my tasks was leading a river cleanup on main campus. I helped lead a team of 12 with the cleanup, and we were able to remove around 200 pounds of litter off the Western campus. In my summer following sophomore year, I had the opportunity to work for a start-up that specialized in carbon trading and carbon accounting. One of my tasks was evaluating the legitimacy of carbon credit development projects. Through this work, I was able to help ensure that our company’s clients were offsetting emissions with carbon credits that were generated from projects that were actually making an impact. Lastly, I have gotten involved in the Ivey Social Impact Club, where I am apart of the Education & Advocacy team. As a part of this team, I help in the development of educational content related to sustainability and social impact. This content reaches an audience of over 1,000 through social media. Overall, I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to get involved in sustainability over the past couple years.