Academically, I am a University Honors Graduate with a degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Guelph. There, I was the recipient of the Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation Award honoring my province with excellence and dedication to education, women in engineering and the environment.

Internationally, by the grace of Ecolo Japan, RH2 Network Tokyo and the Green Party of Japan I was hosted for the Melanie Mullen Japan Tour 2009 where I spook at several different venues in and around Tokyo. I have attended the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change COP 15 in Copenhagen and COP 13 in Bali. At COP 13, I co-organized both the release of the Global Greens statement on the Bali negotiations, as well as the meeting of International Greens in Bali. I also initiated a film for the Global Greens Conference in Brazil in 2008, including interviewing International Elected Greens present. I also have represented the Green Party of Canada in Venezuela at the Federation of the Greens of the Americas, one of the four Federations of the Global Greens. Additionally, I helped mobilize all the Green Parties from around the world to fundraise, organize and attend the Global Greens Conference in Brazil 2008. I have been fortunate to meet and consult with many Greens leaders from around the world.

Provincially, in 2008 I had been nominated and voted in as Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and a candidate in the Provincial elections. During the election I won the second highest percentage for any female green candidate in the province and five times the number of votes any Green Party candidate previously had in the same riding. I have been tested in several candidate debates during my campaign, where I gained the respect of my fellow candidates, the community and the press. The campaign enabled positive media for issues that I have always been advocating such as conservation, smart land use, tax shift (carbon taxing), public transit, and renewable energy endorsement.

Locally, I have resurrected our historic downtown (success after 30 years of attempts by others) as a cultured community district. Done by effectively mobilizing the city, the landowners and the regions objective and financial support ($650,000) in establishing and managing two not-for-profit organizations (Celebrate Old Downtown Budget of $500,000 and Community Artist Niagara) as well as many small entrepreneurial artist run centers (9), organic cafes (3) and many locally owned business based on green values and green economics. I won the Good Canadian Citizen award of the City of Niagara Falls and the Youth Achievement Award of the Sierra Club of Canada for this and my many additional local initiatives with regards to city planning, water conservation and system management.

I was vice president and an executive member of Engineers Without Borders for four years focusing on how communities around the world interact socially, politically and economically. I was a dedicated team player with the Sierra Youth Coalition of Canada, Sustainable Campuses and Guelph Students for Environmental Change (GSEC) where we enhanced the recycling program and powered a $4.3 million dollar energy conservation program. We administered a waste management and sustainability task force and ran a 3 year “Inconvenient Truth about the University” campaign.

I have co-founded, hosted and directed an Environment Radio show for 5 years where I ascertained the charming ways of spoken word and on radio debate. I have been a keynote speaker at many conferences including the Eco Summit in Guelph, Niagara Health Department, the Inconvenient Truth about the University of Guelph, and the Ontario Environmental Network Conference, a province wide conference. I also have ample experience with presentations for the Engineers Without Borders High school Outreach program (educational modules teaching about Water, Energy and Food security) Roots & Shoots (Jane Goodall’s NGO) and several independent presentations upon request.

To conserve Ontario’s bio-diversity and ecologic stability I partnered with an international Old Growth Forest Specialist, Bruce Kershner and was successful in protecting many natural ecosystems in the Niagara Region, including serving as a spokesperson and managing their media relations.

On a personal note, I have been raised in Niagara Falls Canada with my ever-supportive family of 6 where honesty, love and courage were instilled strongly to propel me along my journey to contribute to a greater global health. This gives me inner strength and a foundation to navigate the often-turbulent waters.