Ready, Set, Network!

I am a water treatment professional with over 17 years of project management, design, commissioning and contract administration experience. As Associate Vice President, I am focused on continued growth, working with talented operations team members to deliver impactful projects and positioning the practice for sustainable long-term success. Throughout my career, I have led multi-disciplinary engineering teams to successfully deliver innovative solutions at treatment plants, reservoirs, pumping stations and other water infrastructure ranging from capex $300k to $240M+.

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.

Chloe Lajoie is an outdoor enthusiast who has been studying and practicing Environmental Stewardship since 2009. She attended Nipissing University and graduated with an Honours Degree in Environmental Biology and Technology. As part of her program, she also attended Canadore College and completed the Environmental Technician – Protection and Compliance Program. While completing her studies, Chloe was able to take part in the Undergraduate Research Conference in 2013, presenting her thesis on the effects of Forest Tent Caterpillar outbreaks on Trembling Aspen. In the past, she has worked at Ferguson Forest Centre and Lake Superior Provincial Park.

Chloe joined the team at Watersheds Canada in 2015 as a Stewardship Program Assistant and is now managing our Natural Edge Program, working with landowners to create resilient shorelands to better withstand the impacts of climate change. In her spare time, Chloe can be found having fun with family and friends, camping, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and trying out tasty new recipes!

Laura is passionate about bringing communities together to learn about and protect water bodies. For the past four years, she has led our educational programming, helping to train over 20,000 people in water monitoring across Canada. She also oversees partnerships with organizations in Quebec. When she’s not engaging with our community, Laura manages operations and contributes to financial planning. More recently, she has been involved in testing and supporting the launch of the new Water Rangers data platform. She’s always looking for new ways to make water science more accessible and impactful.

Connect with Laura at [email protected] 

Melissa is a strong believer in entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation as the path toward a sustainable future. With eight years of experience in academia, government, consulting, community initiatives, and the non-profit sectors across Canada, she draws from multiple perspectives in her work advancing the fields of natural resource management, conservation, and sustainable business. Melissa holds a BSc in Geography and an MSc in Biology from Carleton University.