Laura is the co-founder of The Resilience Institute. She holds a master of law with distinction in climate change law & policy and a master degree in intercultural and international communications. She is a graduate of the Oxford Adaptation Academy and a Focal Point of the UNFCCC Nairobi Work Programme. Laura recently received the Dean’s Excellence Award at Strathclyde University Law School and prior to that, the American Sociological Association’s Jane Goodall Fellowship for her work on perceptions on inclusion of large carnivores in communities.

Shawn brings valuable expertise in climate change science and research to his role as a board member at TRI. He is a glaciologist and climatologist with broad interests in Earth and environmental sciences, having studied glacier-climate processes and glacier response to climate change in western and Arctic Canada, Iceland, and Greenland. He served as a Canada Research Chair in Climate Change at the University of Calgary from 2007-2017. Shawn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Toronto and a PhD in Geophysics and Astronomy from the University of British Columbia. In his current role as Chief Scientific Officer for Environment and Climate Change Canada, he provides advice on how to encourage a culture of scientific excellence, harness opportunities for partnerships and collaboration with external researchers and networks and leverage external science perspectives on science priorities.

Dr. Barrie R. Nault is the Distinguished Research Professor and Director of the Informatics Research Centre at the University of Calgary. He was previously on faculty at The Ohio State University, the University of California, and the University of Alberta. He received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Nault is a Distinguished Fellow of the INFORMS Information Systems Society. His research interests include productivity of information technology; environmental incentives for new technology conversion; use of the Smart Grid; ownership, incentives, and investment in virtual organizations and supply chains; and net-neutrality and a two-tier Internet. Dr. Nault has published his research in academic journals such as Information Systems Research; Management Science; Production and Operations Management; Strategic Management Journal; Marketing Science; Journal of Monetary Economics, and Organization Science. He has also written reports for the National Research Council, and has held grants from the NSF in the U.S. as well as NSERC and SSHRC in Canada.

Andy is a world-renowned epidemiologist and professor at Princeton University whose work extends to the ecology and economics of land-use change, wildlife-human interactions and ecotourism. His primary research is concerned with the ecology of infectious diseases and the conservation of endangered and threatened species. Andy’s research focuses on the population and community ecology of infectious diseases in a variety of endangered and fragile ecosystems: the Serengeti in East Africa, the coastal salt marshes and grasslands of California and the eye’s of the finches in the back yards of New England. He also works on the interaction between climate variability and the transmission of pathogens in muskoxen and caribou in the Canadian Arctic. Each study focuses on a different aspect of interactions between pathogens and their hosts that has allowed him to develop sections of a larger body of theory that deals with the role of infectious diseases in natural populations and communities. Andy is a graduate of the Aldo Leopold science communications program and is an elected Fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science.

Therese has more than two decades of experience in strategic communications, media, public engagement, and stakeholder relations with public sector organizations in Ontario and Alberta. The recent recipient of an Executive Certificate in Public Sector Leadership from Queen’s University’s Executive Education program, Therese is interested in working with highly engaged teams whose strong relationships and effective story-telling reflect strategic community priorities. She has also worked as a reporter, editor, broadcaster, and journalism teacher, and holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario. Originally from the Thousand Islands region, Therese has lived in Wood Buffalo for the past four years.

Dr. Dave Sauchyn is Director of the Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative at the University of Regina and Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies. His main research interests are 1) the climate and hydrology of the past millennium and how this knowledge of the past can inform our understanding of future climate and water supplies, and 2) planned adaption to minimize the adverse impacts of climate change on the natural capital of western Canada. Dave has been principal investigator of more than 50 research projects and has written or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. During 2011-16, he co-directed an interdisciplinary study of the vulnerability of agricultural communities to climate extremes in Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil and the Canadian Prairies. Dave is lead author of the prairies chapter of the national assessment of climate change due for release in 2020.

Dr. Igshaan Samuels is a specialist researcher in rangeland ecology and management within the Range and Forage Sciences unit of the Agricultural Research Council in South Africa. He holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Cape Town and has worked in dryland pastoral landscapes for 20 years. His research focuses on the dynamics of pastoralism on Indigenous lands, climate change adaptation and plant-animal interactions, particularly in the arid zone, and has led several international and national projects under these themes. He has supervised more than 40 post graduate students and published several papers on the qualitative and quantitative aspects of pastoralism and rangeland ecology. Dr. Samuels is the Global Co-chair for the International Support Group for the United Nations declared International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026. He is also a member of the International Rangeland Congress continuing committee representing Africa south of the Sahara. He has been involved in policy evaluation and development at local, national, and international levels and is currently leading the development of South Africa’s Veld (Rangeland) Management Strategy and the finalization of South Africa Range and Forage policy.

Dr. Henry Penn has a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies: Civil Engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Loughborough University with over a decade’s experience developing and leading community-based participatory research and infrastructure projects to address food-water-energy security and climate resilience in rural and remote locations across the circumpolar north. His experience includes strategic planning, climate mitigation and energy, infrastructure planning, delivery, operations, and maintenance. Henry is an advocate for open communication, makes collaboration the foundation of his project management approach, and focuses on creating opportunities for youth and underrepresented groups in research. Henry was previously manager of the Kluane Lake Research Station and science and sustainability program manager at the Arctic Institute of North America responsible for an experimental facility that tested major investments in new technologies and developed good practices for lowering the environmental footprint of remote research station facilities across the circumpolar north. With both professional and lived experience in northern and remote environments, Henry brings a unique community-focused approach and understands what is required to collaboratively deliver projects.

Brooklyn is a dedicated sustainability professional, focused on discovering transformative, community-centered solutions to society’s most pressing sustainability challenges. With a diverse background in wildlife conservation, regenerative tourism, strategic planning, and climate change adaptation, she adeptly combines academic insight with practical application. She holds a Master’s degree in Climate Change from the University of Waterloo and is currently working on completing a PhD at Wilfrid Laurier University, focused on regenerative tourism transformations in Canada’s mountain regions. With a specific passion for the mountains, Brooklyn is committed to reshaping how mountain communities connect with the natural world and envision a collective future impacted by climate change.

Dr. Baker (Jeff) is a Métis educator and scholar who employs participatory and Indigenous methodologies to explore the transformative possibilities that exist at the intersection of Indigenous and Western scientific ways of knowing. Prior to joining TRI, Jeff held the position of Chair in Indigenous Education at the University of Saskatchewan and also worked for the Cree community of Mistawasis Nêhiyawak as a Senior Policy Analyst and Indigenous Food Sovereignty Specialist. Jeff’s work balances issues of equity with those of sustainability, and is largely informed by his diverse ancestry and wealth of experience living and working in cross-cultural contexts within Canada and abroad. Jeff was born in Uranium City, SK, and currently resides in the village of Marcelin, SK.

Marley holds a Master’s degree in Environmental and Regional Planning from the University of Calgary. She has spent close to a decade building respectful, mutually beneficial relationships with a diverse group of partners including Indigenous communities, governments, academia, environmental interest groups, and industry, to address major trends, issues and knowledge gaps related to the condition of the environment. She has collaborated with partners to develop and implement community-based monitoring programs, knowledge co-production and citizen science initiatives to enhance environmental stewardship and build climate change resiliency and adaptation in communities.

Sandra is a philanthropy specialist with a passion for giving back to the community. She has a background in business and social work and over 20 years of experience in fund development and fundraising team management. Sandra excels in connecting donors to meaningful organizational causes and creating positive, impactful change. She has worked with organizations such as Youth Central, Alberta Health Services, and Calgary Stampede Foundation. She brings a holistic perspective to sponsor and donor partnerships with a goal of building strong, resilient communities.  Sandra is a long-time resident of Alberta, Canada, and loves spending time outdoors with family and friends.

Tina holds a Master’s degree in Environment and Sustainability from the University of Saskatchewan. Through her Master’s research, she focused on developing a post-disaster learning framework and community guidebook that focuses on the social dimensions of lived disaster experiences. Her undergraduate degree in Women’s and Gender Studies supported this work — and all she does — to critically examine power structures and promote equity, agency, and empowerment. She aims to blend her academic research experience with her experience in frontline, community-based agencies to foster evidence-based, practical climate adaptations. Tina is passionate about working collaboratively toward a sustainable, equitable future with all people in her home community of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis and beyond.

Elliot is a member of the Kainai (Blood Tribe) First Nation (Blackfoot Confederacy) who has worked in the field of natural resource conservation in southwest Alberta for the past 27 years as a fish, wildlife, forestry, rangeland and climate adaptation technician, and as a land manager with the Kainai  and Piikani First Nations. Elliot is a graduate of the Renewable Resource Management (Environmental Science) Program at Lethbridge College.  Elliot is also a member of the Kainai Ecosystem Protection Association (KEPA) Steering Committee and the Kainai Iinnii (Bison) Rematriation Advisory team, who were instrumental in returning a cultural herd of Plains Bison to Kainai lands in February 2021, after a 140-year absence. Elliot is also working as the Assistant Project Manager for the Blackfoot Confederacy Native Trout Recovery Project as a technician/consultant. Elliot is deeply concerned about global warming and is working with TRI and Alberta Indigenous communities to facilitate the development and implementation of local action plans to prepare to address climate change and adaptation, utilizing Traditional Indigenous Ecological Knowledge combined with the best western science. Elliot enjoys spending his leisure time with family, hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, camping and eating great food in and around the Rocky Mountains and Blackfoot Territory.

Amica is passionate about progressive approaches to sustainable community development, sustainable agriculture, and ecological restoration. She has expertise in leadership, environmental planning, communications, and community outreach. With over 20 years of experience in the fields of resource management and community planning, she has worked on resource management projects in British Columbia, Alberta, and South Africa. Amica has a Master’s degree in Environmental Design. She provides advancement and communications support for TRI.

Eli has a background in social science with experience in research and project management. He graduated in 2017 with a bachelors degree in human geography from the University of British Columbia. Since graduation, Eli led the development of a Vital Signs report for the Banff Canmore Community Foundation (2019). The report provided a snapshot of numerous biocultural indicators to judge the overall wellbeing of the Bow Valley – a mountain community in Canada. Eli has received training related to advancing Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation goals and in climate change adaptation and project management.

Avery Bowe has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with distinction from the University of Alberta. In academia, Avery is interested in the intersections of the arts and sciences and how an interdisciplinary approach can help us find new directions in confronting complex issues like climate change. As a Visual Storyteller at TRI, Avery uses graphic design and illustration to communicate TRI’s work to the public and to help develop an image that reflects the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of TRI’s programs.

Michaela Sidloski is a PhD Candidate in Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. In her research, she is examining how intersectional feminist theory can be applied in community climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning processes to produce more effective, just, and equitable outcomes. With an educational background in Regional and Urban Planning, she draws on specializations in cartography, GIS, and critical community-engaged scholarship in her work. Above all else, Michaela is passionate about learning, unlearning, and relearning; she strives to approach every situation as a student, inside the classroom and beyond.

With over a decade of administration experience, Erin founded her own Bookkeeping firm in 2023. She was brought onto TRI’s finance team to ensure a seamless flow of the financial framework, as well as strengthening back-end administrative systems to promote efficiency. Erin also holds a TRAQ Certified Arborist credential with the International Society of Arboriculture. She is both a dedicated business owner and a mother of two little girls. Erin is excited to be a part of the collaborative change that TRI is making.