Ready, Set, Network!

Laura is a community organizer and changemaker, focused on delivering positive environmental and social change. She holds a Magisteriate in Environmental Studies from York University specialized in environmental education and community arts. She has worked in gardens, galleries, and along river banks to connect people with a strong sense of place.

An adept non-profit leader, Laura founded Toronto’s Not Far From The Tree, an award-winning charitable initiative to pick fruit growing in backyards and transform it into a shared public good. While at the helm of Food For All New Brunswick, she built a robust network to activate and amplify food security.

Laura lives near the Ottawa River in Orléans with her partner and their two children. Originally from Sackville, New Brunswick, Laura grew up very connected to water: canoeing on the lake in her backyard, swimming on the beaches of the Northumberland Strait, and mudsliding on the Bay of Fundy mudflats. She speaks four languages and loves to cross-country ski.

As Vice President, Professional Services & ESG at ECO Canada, Yogendra oversees the development and delivery of professional services to support the rapidly growing network of the Canadian environment and sustainability workforce. He provides strategic insight and technical support for environment and sustainability programs and works closely with a diverse range of stakeholders including government, industry, Indigenous partners, and the environment & sustainability professionals.

For over 25 years of his career in the Environment and Sustainability sector, Yogi has delivered projects in over 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Yogi holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and an MBA from the University of Alberta. He also supports a number of Canadian and international academic institutions, standard-setting organizations, and industry associations in various professional capacities.

Yogi leads ECO Canada’s Accreditation Program, Technical and Professional Services, ESG initiatives, and ECO Canada’s Indigenous programs focused on Indigenous training and employment.

Yogi’s areas of expertise and interests that can help or assist Carleton University students include; ESG, Sustainability, and the Environment.

Linda is an Environmental Engineer heavily involved in complex and multidisciplinary projects in both the public and private sectors. In recent years, Linda’s work has focused on supporting the pharmaceutical industry with environmental management and infrastructure construction. Linda has been a dedicated committee member with several Canadian and international water associations.

Meaghan Quanz works as a Habitat Restoration Specialist with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). She was first introduced to the field of wetland science while working as a research assistant on wetland restoration projects in Alberta. After completing her Masters of Environmental Science at Dalhousie University, she worked for a local environmental consulting firm completing wetland and other biological surveys before landing her current position at DUC. Meaghan spends most of her time working on wetland restoration projects in the Atlantic provinces, and is involved in identifying, planning and delivering potential projects, as well as monitoring projects post-restoration.

Stephen Braun has over 30 years of water resources experience in stormwater quality, urban drainage, riverine flooding, stream restoration, civil design, environmental assessment, and multi-disciplinary studies. Stephen is a senior water resources engineer at Matrix Solutions Inc. and is currently President of the Canadian Water Resources Association. He is also a founding partner of CB Shield Inc. and co-inventor of several commercially available stormwater treatment devices.