Forward Focus with MCC Alumni

Mujtaba Ali is the Technical Specialist, Environment and Climate Change (ECC) at MEDA. In this role Mujtaba provides support to MEDA’s technical programming initiatives, as well as developing strategies; delivering training; providing technical assistance and developing resources/tools as part of the ECC Technical Team. He also provides support to MEDA's international projects and staff. Additionally, Mujtaba’s role includes sharing learnings and impact from MEDA’s ECC Technical area internally and externally and representing MEDA at key external events. 

Mujtaba brings to MEDA over 3 years of experience within the climate change sector. Prior to joining MEDA, Mujtaba worked for the Federal Government as a Policy Analyst focused on climate adaptation. He also has experience working with indigenous communities on climate strategies for them to better adapt to the changing climate. 

Mujtaba completed his Masters of Climate Change and Bachelor of Environmental Science (Geography & Environment Management) degree from the University of Waterloo focusing on ArcGIS, Canadian adaptation, urban stormwater management, and environment governance. 

Jonathan Bolai graduated from the University of Waterloo with a BSC in Honours Biology and a Master of Climate Change. He then went on to work with the Candaian Coalition for Green Healthcare where his work focused primarily on the identification of climate risks associated with Health care facilities throughout Canada creating various vulnerability and adaptation assessments profiles. After a year in Canada working with the coalition, Mr. Bolai moved backed home to and obtained a temporary position as a climate change officer. Some of his duties entailed policy implementation, analytic assessments and grant proposal writing. Currently, Mr. Bolai is now contracted at the Ministry of Planning and Development working with the National Ozone Unit as the Ozone Specialist. In this position, his major duty is ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago meet all national obligations related towards the Montreal Protocol which includes the phase down of Ozone Depleting Substance as well as High GWP refrigerants. Current he monitors the implementation of the National Cooling Strategy and takes part in international negotiations at COP/MOP meetings 

Daniel Hanrahan is an Economic Advisor in the Strategic Policy Branch at Environment and Climate Change Canada working on sustainable finance and green bonds. Prior to this role, Daniel worked on several climate change adaptation and mitigation funding programs at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. Prior to joining the federal public service, Daniel worked in fund management in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Pascale Giroux-Denis graduated from the Master of Climate Change at the University of Waterloo in 2017. She holds a short graduate degree (DESS) in Management and Sustainable Development from HEC Montréal and had previously completed a B.Sc. in Biology from Université Laval in Québec in 2008. She also worked as freelance translator for more than 10 years. After the MCC, she worked for the City of Montréal – Borough of Saint-Laurent as Environmental protection officer. Some of her duties entailed the development and the implementation of various plans, programs and policies, including a GHG reduction plan, a sustainable development policy and an eco-friendly event certification. In December 2020, she accepted a permanent position as Climate change adaptation expert for Stantec Consulting Ltd. She has been working on numerous vulnerability assessments, climate risk management projects and climate adaptation plans for various public- and private-sector organizations. She also participated in the Climate Reality Training from former US vice-president Al Gore in 2016 and has been giving presentations to various audiences on the climate crisis and its solutions.