Sierra Club Canada Foundation is a democratic organization. Board members are elected by our members at our Annual General Meeting.
Dr. Isabelle-Anne Bisson (Quebec Representative) is an expert in environmental impact and community needs assessment, helping communities and organizations achieve sustainability. Dr. Bisson has over 20 years of experience as a scientific consultant, coordinator and manager of science and conservation projects globally. She has lead projects for the United States’ Department of Defense and headed a program in Uganda for a United States Agency for International Development initiative. She completed a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Science at McGill University in Montreal and a Ph.D. at York University in Toronto. She went on to conduct post-doctoral research at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and at Princeton University. In 2014, she co-founded and is now solely running a firm that offers expert services in sustainability. Recently, she worked closely with northern Aboriginal communities and the environmental challenges they face with ongoing development and she presently works with the Mohawk community of Kanesatake QC on various environmental projects. She is fluent in French, English and Spanish.
Emily Boucher (Ontario Representative) brings to the board an environmental consulting background in soil and groundwater investigations for the purpose of environmental site and risk assessment. She has worked in both Ontario and Alberta on remediating and monitoring projects across multiple sectors including commercial, industrial and energy-development sites. Originally from Ontario’s Green Belt region, she developed a strong foundation in environmental issues during her time at Trent University, and later refined this through a research master’s project on ocean acidification at the University of Toronto. Working in Alberta provided Emily with a lens into the issues involved in environmental conservation and enforcement in Canada. She continues to take strong personal and professional interest in environmental standards and their enforcement.
Bita Cattelan holds the position Vice President of Philanthropy for the WCPD Foundation and WCPD Inc., a boutique financial services firm dedicated to wealth creation, preservation and donation through comprehensive money management solutions, insurance products and specialized tax assisted investments. She is:
Member of the board of directors of the Jewish General Hospital Foundation and co-chair of the Peace of Mind Campaign raising awareness and funds benefiting the Psychiatry Department of the hospital.
Member of the Board of Directors of Les Grands Ballets de Montreal as well as President of the Finance committee; Trustee of the McCord Museum and member of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal's Finance Committee.
Member of the Board of UNICEF Canada, as well as member of UNICEF Canada’s 25 Team, a National Women’s Giving Circle, a community of female leaders from across Canada raising funds and awareness for MNCH, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health issues.
She serves on WCPD’s National Cultural Philanthropic Advisory Council, dedicated to promoting philanthropy for arts and culture across Canada, as well the National Elevate Women Advisory Council, promoting and advancing women’s leadership and economic empowerment.
Her international experience includes participation at the United Nation’s Millennium Goal Project 2005, Women of the World Summit 2014, UNHCR Syrian Refugee Summit 2014, and Women’s International Forum 2016. Bita C. Razeghi-Cattelan holds a B. Eng in Civil Engineering from McGill University, and the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation from the Canadian Securities Institute.
Jake Cole credits his becoming an environmentalist to Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring. He graduated in engineering and has had a longtime personal, professional and political interest in protecting our environment and connecting that to public health issues. His wide-ranging experience includes managing multi-million dollar contracts in environmental protection and renewable energy product commercialization, serving as Canada's representative for renewable energy research and development projects under the International Energy Agency, managing Canada's R-2000 Program to build more energy efficient and healthy homes, introducing health promotion as a priority for a major federal department, directing the Canadian Coast Guard's environmental program, and creating an interdepartmental workplace health and wellness network. Jake ran as a Green Party candidate in two federal elections, becoming one of the Party's top ten vote getters, while also serving for two years as its health critic. He co-chaired the national non-profit organization, Prevention Cancer Now, creating and delivering its cancer prevention public presentation. A key focus of Jake’s is to demonstrate how environmentally responsible sustainable development affects our personal health, the health of our community and the planet.
Dr. Megan Conway (Secretary) is the Chair of Health and Community Studies at Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley. Megan holds a PhD in Urban Planning from the University of Waterloo and has a passion for supporting transformational change in the nonprofit sector. She is deeply committed to building inclusive communities and to encouraging boldness in the organizations she supports. She is recognized as a strong strategic thinker who uses evidence and learning to support change processes. With over fifteen years of leadership roles in academia and in award-winning charities and nonprofits she is optimistic about the ways environmental organizations can foster hope and decisive action in the face of uncertainty.
Sarah Giancomantonio (Sierra Youth Representative) earned a Bachelors of Science (honours) with a double major in Environmental Biology and Anthropology at the University of Guelph Ontario. She followed this with a Master’s in Environmental Sciences focusing on Agricultural Soil Sciences and Environmental Communication. Sarah brings several years of work experience in youth based environmental and outdoor education. She has interned as an Environmental Education and Leadership Assistant for both the p.i.n.e. project in Toronto Ontario and the Cheakamus Centre, former North Vancouver Outdoor School. She now uses her environmental education background within active based environmental tourism. Her roles including a kayak guide with Nova Shores Adventures and a bike guide with Pedal and Sea Adventures, both located in Nova Scotia. Outside of work Sarah loves hiking, kayaking, backpacking, biking and crafts of all kind (especially those that include glitter of the sustainable variety). In the future, Sarah plans to work as a Registered Planner with a focus on sustainable community development. Working to create meaningful community engagement and environmental communication through effective public space planning.
Emily Heinrich (Treasurer) is a finance, accounting, and tax professional with over 13 years of progressive experience working in public accounting, serving clients in a multitude of industries. She holds a Canadian CPA designation as well as a U.S. CPA license, and has a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Florida. She is a people leader and has been recognized for her excellence in mentorship and coaching. Emily can trace her roots as an environmental activist back to her childhood in the Florida Keys where she grew up with a self-sustained water system, a composting toilet, and an appreciation for her impact on the environment. She has been a resident of the Pacific Northwest since 2006 and enjoys numerous outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, and biking. She cares deeply about fostering kindness and consideration for each other and the environment and fights for social justice and environmental protection.
Ole Hendrickson (Conservation Chair) was employed by the Canadian Forest Service as a forest ecologist and by Environment Canada as a biodiversity science advisor prior to his retirement in 2012. While working at the now-closed Petawawa National Forest Institute in Chalk River, Ontario he became involved with nuclear waste clean-up issues at the nearby Chalk River Laboratories, and continues as researcher for the group Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area. He has served on the board of Ottawa Riverkeeper; co-chaired the City of Ottawa’s Urban Forest Citizens Committee; served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Biodiversity; written occasional columns for rabble.ca; and is currently president of the Ottawa River Institute, a small non-profit environmental group in the upper Ottawa Valley. His involvement in Sierra Club activities began in graduate school in the U.S. when he worked to oppose nuclear fuel reprocessing and advocated for increased land area in the National Wilderness Preservation System. Ole enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, bicycling, canoeing, camping, birdwatching and cross-country skiing.
Graham May (Vice President & British Columbia Representative) hails from the coastal B.C. rainforest, where his interest in environmental issues was established during a childhood of cold, wet hikes.
He has founded multiple environmental education initiatives, including an eco-pledge program that engaged more than 15,000 international youth, and bike-powered workshop tours across Canada and Turkey, and a circumpolar forum for Arctic education, culture, and policy initiatives. Graham studies law in Victoria. He loves to sing, sail, and swing dance, though usually not all at the same time.
Julie Reimer (Atlantic Representative) is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Geography at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her research explores the role of marine spatial planning and management in bridging conservation and sustainability. Julie holds a Master of Marine Management from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in biology from Queen’s University. Her research experience spans conservation social science, conservation management, and land-based aquaculture. Julie has been actively engaged with non-profit organizations in Atlantic Canada for five years. She has worked as an Education Specialist for Ducks Unlimited Canada-Atlantic and has supported environmental education programs in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Julie currently sits on the Board of Directors for the New Brunswick chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) and The Starfish Canada. In 2018, Julie proposed, developed, and successfully launched a bi-weekly blog for CPAWS-NB to produce new content and bolster public awareness of the organization. In addition to her passions for oceans and conservation, Julie enjoys a daily at-home yoga practice, an annual read of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and fresh baked bread any time!
Lauren Scott (President) specializes in communications, with a focus on translating climate initiatives into strong 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.
While completing her undergraduate at the John Molson School of Business in Montreal, she founded and implemented the institution's first association for commerce undergrad and MBA students focused on sustainability. Since that time, she established roots in the non-profit sector, having served as campaigner and spokesperson for an international animal welfare organization. She also managed the communications for two of Canada's largest cancer fundraising events.
In 2013, Lauren returned to the private sector, where she was the communications and public relations manager for a market innovator in the building automation and energy management solutions industry. She was then brought on as the Canadian communications advisor for one of the world's leading companies in the wind energy industry, where she was tasked with implementing critical internal and external communications tools. At the end of 2016, Lauren returned to the building automation and energy management sector to lead the brand’s global demand generation strategy, working to transform the performance and livability of the built environment.
David Snider is a strong believer in ecological wisdom, respect for diversity and sustainability. His education, B.Sc. Honours Physical Geography, and LL.B., both from McGill University, has provided him with a broad-based understanding of environmental issues. In 2013, David retired from the Canada Revenue Agency after 30 years of service. While at the Agency, he was the founding chair of the OECD Sub-group on Tax Crimes and Money Laundering from 2003 to 2006. He co-chaired the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Underground Economy Working Group from 2008 to 2013. He also led an OECD Task Group from 2010 to 2012 that surveyed over 30 countries and produced the report: Reducing Opportunities for Tax Non-compliance in the Underground Economy. David is a life member of the Canadian Kennel Club, a lure coursing judge, and a director on the board of Cantley 1889, Cantley’s historical society.
Bo Wang-Frape is a financial specialist with a wide range of experience encompassing public practice, several corporate organizations, an established not for profit entity, and a large government agency. Bo earned her MBA at Laurentian University, and holds a CPA, CGA designation. Although Bo's primary expertise is in financial management, she has a particular interest in change management, specifically in the area of systems design and implementation through upgrading and streamlining information technology systems. Bo has been actively involved in a variety of volunteer activities over the years, and strongly supports a wide range of social justice and environmental protection causes. In addition to her recent participation with the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, she is currently a board member, and treasurer, for a regional heath support organization.