Leah Feor

Leah Feor is a PhD student in the Sustainability Management program and a recent graduate of the Master of Environment and Business (MEB) program at the University of Waterloo. Leah’s research interests include sustainability accounting, climate action, and systems thinking with an emphasis on municipalities. Building on previous research on sustainability reporting by local governments in Ontario, Leah’s future research aims to examine best practices by municipalities in Canada and the operationalization barriers that they experience. Further, she will explore what sustainability reporting by municipalities should look like to enhance accountability to stakeholder groups. Additionally, Leah is interested in the types of indicators municipalities use when measuring sustainability and how they can be enhanced to align with national and international priorities.

Leah believes that municipalities are key contributors to a nation’s success in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. By applying systems thinking tools and principles, local governments’ responsibility to sustainable development can be understood more holistically, leading to stronger sustainability practices and performance. Leah’s goal is to contribute to the monitoring, evaluation, and reporting infrastructure required to support informed, multi-stakeholder decision-making as demand for accountability of sustainability performance and impact continues to grow.

Before joining the PhD program, Leah taught courses in accounting, ethics, and organizational sustainability at Niagara College. In addition, Leah was part of the Niagara College Global Education and Partnerships team delivering sustainability training to academic institutions in Chile and Colombia. She also has professional experience as a financial auditor and a social entrepreneur.

Leah obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Specialization in Accounting from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa and a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management and Assessment from Niagara College.

Leah joined the team in September 2021.