Fall 2022 EGSA Alumni Panel

Fabiola Alvarado (PHD 2021, Social and Ecological Sustainability)

Research Associate in Water Security and Governance, University of Oxford

Dr. Fabiola Alvarado has over 10 years’ experience in the water sector. She has extensive research experience in business and academic contexts. During her six years as part of the research team at Global Water Intelligence, Fabiola analyzed trends in the municipal and industrial water markets in Latin America, and globally. Fabiola’s PhD research aimed to support water policymakers identify cross-sectoral opportunities to contribute to water sustainability. Her research explored water efficiency and conservation policies, and the growing connections between the water and sustainable finance sectors. Earlier on, Fabiola worked on international development as part of Oxfam GB.

Dr. Alvarado holds a PhD in Sustainability (Water) from the University of Waterloo (Canada), an MSc in Environmental Governance from the University of Oxford (UK), and a BA in Economics from the Catholic University of Peru, PUCP.

Evan Davies (BASC 2001, MES 2003)

Professor, Water Resources Engineering, University of Alberta

Evan Davies is a professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Dept of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta where his primary interests lie in the fields of water resources planning and management, systems thinking and modelling, and sustainable development.

His research focuses on water resources planning and management, and in particular understanding and modelling the complex feedbacks among water availability, use, and quality, and their larger social, economic, and environmental context. The work is important because sustainable planning and management of water policy and infrastructure requires a clear understanding of the problem to be solved, important risks and uncertainties, and the comprehensive “big picture” effects and potential trade-offs of alternative solutions. https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/edavies1

Dan Shrubsole (PhD 1989)

Professor, Dept of Geography; Assistant Dean, Faculty of Social Science, The University of Western Ontario

Dan Shrubsole graduated with a PhD in Geography in 1989 from the University of Waterloo.  He is currently a professor in the Department of Geography and Environment, and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Social Science at the University Western Ontario where his research interests are in resource and environmental management including: integrated water management in Canada, integrated catchment management in Queensland, Australia and policy implementations and evaluation.  He served as Chair of the Department from 2005 to 2016, and is a Past President of the Canadian Association of Geographers.

Dilan Cetinkaya (MEB 2018)

Manager, Sustainability & ResponsibilityManager, Sustainability & Responsibility, Cadillac Fairview

Dilan graduated from the Master of Environment and Business program in 2018 and is currently working as Manager, Sustainability & Responsibility at Cadillac Fairview. She has over 7 years of experience in corporate sustainability including decarbonization/net-zero planning, ESG reporting, and sustainable operations. She has worked for a variety of organizations in the real estate/asset management, luxury retail, management consulting, and non-for-profit industries. She is most passionate about sustainable fashion, and building wellness. 

Devin Goss(MEB 2016)

CEO, BluPlanet Recycling Inc.

Co-founder and CEO of BluPlanet Recycling, an award winning and B Corp certified recycling collection company based in Calgary. In his role as CEO, Devin leads marketing and financial strategies. Devin holds masters degrees in Business and Environment from the University of Waterloo, Behavioural Science from the London School of Economics, and Applied Neuroscience from King's College of London.

Lynda Trudeau (MEB 2020)

General Manager, Debajehmujig Theatre Group

Lynda Trudeau is from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and is the General Manager of De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre Group / Debajehmujig Storytellers, an Indigenous multi arts organization focused on advancement and preservation of Anishinaabe storytelling, through brave and courageous works of art and building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons, in both rural and urban settings. With 20 years of governance, public affairs, community engagement, and senior administrative experience, Lynda has worked with political, cultural and arts leaders in Ontario and across Canada. She is an appointed Trustee for the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund which includes the granting committee and being an active governance committee member. Lynda is also an advisory member for St. Francis Xavier Coady Institute's The Circle of Abundance, a contributing member of the Creative Indigenous Spaces project with Arts Build Ontario, and an Observer with the Indigenous Arts Knowledge Exchange collaborative.

Anand Balram (BES'16, MEDI'18)

Acting Manager, Official Plan and Growth Management, City Planning and Design, City of Brampton

Anand Balram is a Registered Professional Planner currently working as the Acting Manager of Official Plan and Growth Management within the City Planning and Design Division of the City of Brampton.

Anand is a graduate of the University of Waterloo’s School of Planning, with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Honours Planning and a graduate of the University of Waterloo's School of Environment, Enterprise and Development with Masters of Economic Development and Innovation. Anand possesses a broad breath of planning experiences from land use, development, transportation, heritage and environmental planning. He is passionate about using his career to create well planned cities that balance people, planet and profit and inevitably create better social and environmental circumstances. In his current capacity, Anand is responsible for the long-range planning, housing and growth management portfolios at the City of Brampton.

Suzanne Seiling (BES 2012, MCC 2014)

Adaptation Extension Liaison, Climate Risk Institute 

As a liaison with Canadian and international stakeholders, she supports and advances adaptation and mitigation to climate change. With areas of experience and expertise including vulnerability and risk assessments, community adaptation planning, research, capacity building, she supports the facilitation of peer-to-peer dialogue between communities and sectors through webinars, presentations, and regional workshops. Suzanne researches and translates climate science information into factsheets, reports, and web content for a variety of users and audiences. 

Leslie Woo (BES 1983, BARCH 1984, MPLAN 2019)

Chief Executive Officer, CivicAction 

Leslie Woo CRE® is a respected city leader with over 25 years of experience building sustainable communities and shaping urban development in Canada’s fastest-growing urban region, greater Toronto. Leslie assumed the role of CEO at CivicAction in 2020. CivicAction is a premier civic engagement organization that convenes established and rising leaders from all sectors, backgrounds and experiences, CivicAction catalyzes actions and impactful solutions to address pressing challenges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and beyond.

Before joining CivicAction, Leslie was Chief Planning and Development Officer.at the Greater Golden Horseshoe regional transit authority, Metrolinx, for over a decade. Leslie is a tri-sector athlete with experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors as well she is a seasoned urban planner, architect and tireless community activator. She holds Board positions at Womens College Hospital, Yee Hon Centre for Geriatric Care, Waterfront Toronto and the Urban Land Institute’s Curtis Infrastructure Global Advisory Board.

An accomplished leader, Leslie was named a Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy in 2022, Bisnow’s 2019 Toronto Power Women in Commercial Real Estate, one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2017 by WXN, Spacing Toronto’s Transit Changemaker in 2016 and Canada’s Women’s Infrastructure Network’s 2015 Outstanding Leader. Founder of shebuildscities.org, Leslie uses her voice and platform to amplify and celebrate other women city builders.