About

Alex Walton

Researcher

Alex is a Researcher working with TCAT on program evaluation for the Markham Cycles program. They are currently a student in the Master of Urban Planning program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson). They are passionate about active transit and city building initiatives that create safer and more equitable cities for all residents. Before starting their master’s, they worked with the Foodshare Sunshine Garden at CAMH and South Riverdale Community Health Centre’s food security team.  
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David Simor

David Simor is the Director of The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT). An accomplished network builder, he has a wealth of experience bringing communities, researchers, and city staff together to co-create active transportation initiatives that support healthier, more equitable and more sustainable places. David has a decade of project management experience specific to sustainable mobility, workshop design and facilitation, community engagement, and inclusive public spaces. An experienced public speaker, David has spoken at numerous conferences around the world on equitable engagement practices, evaluation strategies for active transportation initiatives, and tactical urbanism. As a founding member of Open Streets TO, David played a key role in the creation of Canada’s largest free outdoor recreational program that temporarily opens streets to people by closing them to cars. David is excited to continue listening to communities on how we best build equitable active transportation infrastructure and initiatives.
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Desislava Stefanova

Desislava Stefanova is the Outreach Manager at Clean Air Partnership. Previously, she worked with Toronto Public Health on the King Street Pilot Project to assess public perception of the environment (air pollution, safety, and user experience) and behavior changes. She also contributed to the development of Noise Mitigation Strategies that Toronto Public Health released as part of a report on health impacts from noise. Desislava holds a Master of Applied Science and Management Diploma from Ryerson University. Desislava is passionate public speaker and ambassador of ideas, acting as a bridge between science/policy/business and broader audiences.
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Devanshi Kukadia

Devanshi is the Research and Communications Manager at Clean Air Partnership. Before joining CAP, she worked as a Development Manager at the Canadian Environmental Network and contributed to strategic planning, communications and operations. She is passionate about building climate resilience in the community and bringing positive changes in policies related to climate change and pollution at all levels of government. Devanshi holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Toronto and is a certified Climate Reality Leader. In her free time, she volunteers with the United Nations Association in Canada and the Canadian Youth Biodiversity Network to advance youth-led environmental initiatives.
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Emiko Newman

Climate Accountability Intern

Emiko (she/her) is the Climate Accountability Intern at Clean Air Partnership. She is responsible for tracking municipal climate actions, and ensuring that municipalities apply an equity lens while enacting their climate plans. She recently completed a master’s degree in Social Justice Education and Environmental Studies at the University of Toronto, focusing on the power of eco-pedagogies for fostering a praxis of hope within environmental education. She is most passionate about exploring environmental racism, the intersections of social justice and climate justice, and narratives of hope. In her free time, you can find her playing field hockey, teaching piano, or trying to finish reading challenges.
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Ethan Sansom

Data Analyst Intern

Ethan is an intern Data Analyst at TCAT, working on transit policy evaluation and data visualization. He advocates for sustainable and equitable urban infrastructure development and is passionate about improving the well-being of residents with informed city design. At TCAT, Ethan hopes to make transit research accessible and engage communities with data-driven communication. Ethan recently graduated from the University of Toronto, where he studied Statistics and Economics. Before joining TCAT, Ethan was a research assistant at the university, working on economic development and education research
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Gabriella Kalapos

Gaby has been working to motivate and support local government action on clean air and climate change for over 20 years. Her passion has been on encouraging the uptake, transfer and implementation of clean air and climate change actions and the building of partnerships that enable collaboration and support between the community and all levels of government.
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Heather Prest

Planning Intern

Heather Prest (she/her) is the Planning Intern at Clean Air Partnership. Heather previously worked as a Community Organizer with Hamilton ACORN, where she developed and empowered community leaders to organize for social justice campaigns. Before ACORN, Heather worked as a Climate Change Assistant for the City of Brantford to deliver comprehensive climate reports for the City’s climate change community engagement initiative. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Justice and Community Engagement and an HBA in Society, Culture and Environment from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is passionate about mitigating climate change, adapting communities to be environmentally sustainable and resilient, and working toward a just and equitable world. In her free time, you can find her cycling and rollerblading the trails in the GTHA, painting, or reading a good book.
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Jennie Geleff

Project Manager at The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT)

Jennie Geleff (she/her) is currently the Project Manager at TCAT. Prior to joining TCAT, Jennie worked as a writer and strategist at Architizer in NYC, where she empowered architects with the knowledge and tools to build better cities. Before Architizer, she worked at Jane’s Walk in Toronto – a grassroots organization that champions walking as a platform for community-led change. Jennie holds a B.A. in Urban Studies from McGill University. Born and raised in Scarborough, Jennie is passionate about building equitable and environmentally just cities, and using her imagination to create new possibilities. She is most excited when harnessing her skills in community engagement, project management, and communications to catalyze impact-driven projects with sharp creative edges. In her free time, you can find her teaching barre classes, throwing pottery, or biking with her friends.
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Keenan Mosdell

Keenan is the Bike Hub Coordinator for The Centre for Active Transportation’s Markham Cycles project. An avid advocate for cycling in the suburbs, Keenan is passionate about building cycling culture through community involvement and education. He has volunteered at other bike hubs such as Scarborough Cycles and Charlie’s Freewheels. Keenan also founded Centennial College’s cycling club during his studies.
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Kevin Behan

Kevin Behan is Operations Director with Clean Air Partnership. Kevin has an Honours Bachelor of Science from University College Dublin and post-graduate qualifications in Business Studies and Information Technology (Dublin Business School) and Spatial Analysis and GIS (McMaster University). Kevin’s research interests include climate change mitigation and adaptation, active transportation, and the importance of effective communication in these areas.
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Mathew Varela

Project Coordinator

Mathew is the Bike Hub Coordinator for TCAT’s Newmarket Cycles project. He has been riding and working on bicycles since he was a child and has many years of experience in the cycling industry. He has volunteered at schools, hospices, cycling events, taught apprentices, and has spent years working specifically with electric bicycles. He enjoys spending his free time with his family; going for family bike rides, walks at the zoo, and playing games with his kids. Mathew is excited to spread the love of cycling and active transportation because he believes it will help enrich our lives in the present, and lead us to a more sustainable future.
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Nancy Smith Lea

Nancy Smith Lea is a Senior Advisor to The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT). Formerly the TCAT Director between 2008-2021, she has a wealth of professional experience as project lead and specialized knowledge in applied research and policy analysis specific to Complete Streets and active transportation. Skilled in strategic thinking and partnership development, she is a frequent invited speaker at conferences, workshops and as a university guest lecturer. Six time award-winner recognized for active transportation, transportation equity, and city building leadership.
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Sarah Nguyen

Program Assistant

Sarah Nguyen (she/her) is the Program Assistant and Bike Mechanic for The Centre for Active Transportation’s Newmarket Cycles project. Her responsibilities include running on-the-ground programming, bike mechanics, communications, and community outreach. She’s a graduate of York University’s Urban Studies program and is passionate about promoting the use of active transit, advocating for better safety and accessibility in her ward, and enriching public spaces through the arts. Before starting her role with TCAT, she worked at The Bentway Conservancy and co-organized Jane’s Walk Newmarket. In her free time, you can find Sarah riding her bike, learning Vietnamese recipes from her mom, or laughing at her TV.
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Bala Gnanam

VP – Energy, Environment & Strategic Partnerships with the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Toronto Area (BOMA Toronto)

Bala is responsible for managing and facilitating the development and delivery of educational contents, programs, and initiatives that promote energy efficiency, sustainability, and regulatory compliance. Bala is also actively involved with BOMA’s advocacy initiatives, working closely with all three levels of governments and industry stakeholders contributing to policies and programs impacting the commercial real estate industry. Bala is an industrial engineer and a Certified Energy Manager with over eighteen years of experience in the energy and manufacturing sectors.

Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly was the Manager of Sustainability for the Region of Durham. His focus was on climate mitigation, climate adaptation and community energy planning in Durham. He has been the founding Director of the Sustainable Enterprise Academy, an executive education program based at the Schulich School of Business, York University since 1999. From 1997 to 1999 and again from 2010 to 2011, he also taught Business Strategies for Sustainability in the MBA program at Schulich. Over his career spanning 47 years, Brian has also been Director of Environment and Sustainable Development for Ontario Hydro; President of Marbek Resource Consultants; a Director in Energy, Mines and Resources Canada; and a founder of Pollution Probe. His professional specializations include sustainable development, climate change, sustainable business strategy, energy conservation and renewable energy. His background in teaching, consulting, business, government and non-governmental organizations allows him to bring a unique combination of theory and practical experience to his work.

Daniel Carr, Chair

Alectra Utilities as Manager, Emerging Domains – Smart Cities

Daniel Carr is an experienced program manager with expertise in the management of innovative, customer-facing energy programs, policy development and regulatory strategy. In his current role at Alectra Utilities as Manager, Emerging Domains – Smart Cities, he develops and leads projects that bring new distributed energy technologies and concepts into practice, with a focus on electric vehicles, demand response and dynamic electricity pricing. Daniel has a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University, with an undergraduate degree in Government from Cornell University. He holds the Certified Energy Manager and Certified Measurement and Verification Professional designations.

Daniel Hoornweg

Associate Professor, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)

Following almost 20 years with the World Bank in Washington, DC, Dan returned to Ontario in 2012 and is now the Richard Marceau Chair and Associate Professor at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), and the Chief Safety and Risk Officer for the Province of Ontario (Technical Standards and Safety Authority, TSSA). Dan’s academic background includes degrees in Earth Sciences (University of Waterloo), a Masters in Environmental Engineering (Guelph) and a PhD in Civil (Sustainability) Engineering (University of Toronto, 2015). Dan’s early career included municipal waste management in Guelph Ontario and Bermuda. He is a recognized global expert in urban resilience, sustainable cities, and community consultation and participation for better service delivery. Dan was Lead Advisor in the World Bank’s Urban Development Anchor overseeing the Sustainable Cities and Climate Change programs, and managed approximately $5 billion in infrastructure investments in more than 300 national and sub-national governments, as well as their agencies and utilities. Dan also worked in the oilfields of Alberta and for the Region of Peel, City of Guelph, and Ministry of Works and Engineering, Bermuda.

Laura Zizzo

Founder & CEO, Mantle314

Laura Zizzo is a lawyer and strategic advisor with over a decade of experience leading organizations towards a low-carbon and climate-adapted future through the application of law and policy. Laura started her legal career with a prominent Bay Street law firm before founding the first law firm in Canada focused on climate change in 2009. Before entering the field of law, Laura worked in strategic policy research for the Ontario Ministry of Finance and for the Hamilton Region Conservation Authority. In her final year of law school, Laura was co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Law and International Relations. She is co-founder of the Climate Change Lawyers Network, a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) committee on Environmental Law, an executive member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Environmental Law section and is a volunteer presenter for The Climate Reality Project. She has a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and a law degree from the University of Toronto. Laura is called to the Bar of Ontario.

Lisa Prime

Founder and Principal, Prime Strategy & Planning

Lisa values her ability to bring stakeholders together, identify opportunities, and integrate environmental, business and social considerations into major infrastructure revitalization projects, development plans and policy.Previously a municipal planner, a conservation authority planner, and Waterfront Toronto Director Environment and Innovation, for over 10 years, Lisa has worked to meet government and stakeholder needs. Lisa holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Waterloo and York University in Environmental Planning. She also has Executive Business Administration training from McGill.

Parag Datta

Senior Manager, Corporate Business Development and Strategy, Ontario Power Generation

Parag has over 14 years of consulting and corporate experience in the energy, utilities and infrastructure sector in alternative energy business development, strategy and mergers and acquisitions. In his current role at OPG, Parag leads the development, acquisition and deployment of transit and fleet electrification infrastructure programs in Ontario. In his previous role at Aecon Group, Parag led the mergers and acquisitions group as well as the development of corporate strategy. Previously, Parag has led strategic business development for Enbridge Gas in non-traditional markets and fuels (Hydrogen, Geothermal).

Sarah Heynen

Chief Development Officer for Peace + Freedom

Sarah Heynen is the Chief Development Officer for Peace + Freedom, an enterprise devoted to unleashing the power of entrepreneurs in remote areas to solve problems by providing them access to energy, internet, transport and financing. Previously, Sarah spent ten years with Evergreen, the visionary charity behind the internationally celebrated social enterprise, Evergreen Brick Works. Serving in various senior roles, including COO and CDO, Sarah brought her passion for people together with systems thinking, fostering the conditions for teams to thrive and revenues to triple. Prior to Evergreen, Sarah worked for WWF-Canada and the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation.

Stuart Galloway, Treasurer

CEO for Energy Services Association Canada

Stuart is the current CEO for Energy Services Association Canada and also manages his own advisory practice, championing performance based solutions for energy and infrastructure renewal initiatives, resulting in fiscally and environmentally responsible outcomes. His advisory roles include expertise across the UK, European and Canadian infrastructure markets, across both the public and private sector and has over $10 billion capital worth of projects to his acclaim, delivering a number of cutting-edge pathfinders in Canada, leading the way for similar successful projects. Stuart is both technically qualified and financially experienced with specialist expertise for delivering alternative project delivery models, financing structures, partnering arrangements and framework agreements across the energy sector in health, municipalities, transportation, education and housing. He has a passion for improving the impact we are having on our planet.

Susanne Gossage

Global Marketing Communications Manager, KPMGI

Susanne has over 18 years marketing communications experience leading and implementing impactful campaigns for both the non-profit and private sectors. She has helped run one of Canada’s most successful independent PR firms, Media Profile, including HR and operations, and run successful campaigns for Toronto Community Housing, Eva’s Initiatives, Toronto Waterfront Corp, Clean Air Foundation and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, where she’s been involved for over 13 years. Susanne also is the lead for the environmental communications and for Community Leadership team at KPMGI and develops impactful outreach programs for its 300 staff in the GTA. In her personal pursuits, Susanne is an avid commuter cyclist, energy saver and cross country skier.

Tony Iacobelli, Vice-Chair

Manager of Environmental Sustainability, City of Vaughan

Tony Iacobelli is Manager of Environmental Sustainability at the City of Vaughan. Tony started at the City of Vaughan in 2008 as the Senior Environmental Planner and led projects such as the Special Policy Area Justification Report, the Natural Heritage Network Study and implementing Sustainability Performance Metrics in the review of development applications, a project developed in collaboration with the City of Brampton and Town of Richmond Hill. Tony’s work at World Wildlife Fund Canada involved conservation science in support of sustainable forest management, land use planning in northern Canada, and protected areas planning. He was Director of the Forests and Freshwater program from 2005 to 2008.

Vicki Gagnon

Conservation Business Manager for the Public Sector, IESO

Vicki is the Conservation Business Manager, for the Public Sector at the Independent Electricity System Operator. She had been with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) for over 9 years, when the organizations merged in January 2015. In her current role she works with energy managers and sector-based resources to help customers improve the energy efficiency of their facilities and facilitate participation in Save on Energy programs through the Local Distribution Companies (LDCs). Before joining the OPA, Vicki worked at the Ontario Trillium Foundation (6 years), establishing the environmental granting portfolio of the newly expanded granting foundation. And before that she worked in the industrial/commercial sector helping commercialize newly developed environmental technologies with the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement (OCETA, now Blooms).