I grew up in Vancouver, BC, where I was privileged to spend summers on the Gulf Islands, enjoying the ocean, wildlife such as eagles, otters, and seals, and helping my grandparents in the garden.  My parents always told me, “It's your planet to care for; the future is in your hands.” I became very attentive to the earth and its needs at a young age, and as I learned about climate change, I became very passionate about mitigation and adaptation efforts. I decided to study Business Administration at Ivey, where I can pursue my HBA and my personal goals to contribute to creating a more sustainable future.

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

Sustainability means utilizing something in the present while ensuring it has a lasting abundance. In an environmental context, it entails living in a manner that meets current needs without compromising the well-being of future generations. On a macro level, that means using my vote to push forward electrification of our economies and resource extraction predicated on mitigating impacts. On a micro level, sustainability means reducing, reusing, and recycling. Choose thrifting over purchasing new clothes, choosing brands that use recycled fabric, picking up garbage off shorelines, using evergreen water bottles with water from the tap, no single-use plastics, etc. 

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

Sustainability is at the forefront of all my career choices. I want to pursue a career focused on combating climate change, advocating for environmental preservation, and mitigating the impacts of large industries on our planet's climate. It is the guiding principle shaping my professional trajectory. At the beginning of my career outside the HBA program, I will seek corporate opportunities at companies that either put environmental values above all others or actively work on climate change solutions. I will strive to work at firms whose ESG values align with mine and invest in sustainable practices. Through this, I want to be a part of a monumental environmental movement, leveraging corporate weight to foster real change on a macro level.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

I spend my free time working on an educational blog and article site called Terra Spheres, founded by my brother, a research scientist pursuing a career in renewable energy development. At Terra Spheres, I run social media and produce weekly educational videos, and I am currently working on writing my first article for the educational article collection. By running Terra Spheres, we aim to educate our community step by step until we can reach a larger audience and grow into something more impactful. I also practice sustainability in my everyday life, whether choosing sustainable products and consuming less or taking sustainability classes in my undergrad, such as Philosophy of Climate Change. I make sustainable and environmentally proactive choices at every step of my life and push my peers to do so.

Please list any sustainability-related interests you want to explore during the certificate. 

I aspire to delve deeper into renewable energy initiatives in the Sustainability Certificate program and explore sustainable alternatives to plastic and other harmful materials. Inspired by trailblazing companies like Pachama, Carbon Engineering, Coral Vita Reefs, and Evoware, I want to expand my expertise and knowledge in transformative sustainability practices to implement innovative solutions in future projects and career endeavours. I am passionate about studying the progressive and sustainable fashion industry as well. For example, companies like Ecologyst, Patagonia, and TenTree are influential fashion brands working to alleviate the highly negative impacts that the industry has on the planet. Further, I want to understand the psychology behind greenwashing in this industry (and others) and how we can actively combat it and find ways to make impactful changes in every sector, especially in areas where consumerism is exceptionally high.