Naima Samuel is a PhD candidate (ABD) in the Sustainability Management program at the School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development (SEED), University of Waterloo. Her PhD research is focused on understanding cross-sector partnerships for equitable local climate action. Her research uses structuration theory to conduct a deep-qualitative case study analysis of partnership structures, partner agency, and outcomes of twelve local climate action partnerships across Canada, to understand how partnerships can be effectively designed to meet climate and equity goals. .
Naima earned her MBA with a focus on Information Technology Management in South Korea, where she did research on market diffusion of small nuclear modular reactors and developing a format for the exchange of plagiarism detection results. Shortly after her MBA, she served as a consultant and researcher for the feasibility assessment of offshore wind energy and national energy policy analysis led by the South Korean government. She also has an MA in Recreation and Leisure Studies where she conducted research on educational tourism in higher education and the opportunities it affords for advanced learning.
Naima has served in several leadership roles including CEO of a not-for-profit corporation in Ontario. She has 12+ years of experience working in diverse areas ranging from change management, to business strategy, stakeholder engagement and relations, administration, process improvement, consulting, and software development. She also co-chaired the University of Waterloo Educational Environment and the Development of Learners Working Group under the President’s Taskforce on Anti-racism to enhance the educational environment and the development of learners, and served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS). Naima is presently the Manager of Strategic Initiatives with Karis Disability Services, Canada.
Naima has published in areas of sustainability management, information technology, and business strategy; speaks 4 languages; and has lived on four different sub-continents. She is a self-motivated business professional with a deep appreciation for cultural diversity. She is passionate about Christian ministry and enjoys dancing, poetry, travelling, books, movies, music, and time with family and friends.
Naima joined the team in September 2020.
Recent Publications:
- Leal Filho, W., Dibbern, T., Pimenta Dinis, M. A., Coggo Cristofoletti, E., Mbah, M. F., Mishra, A., Clarke, A., Samuel, N., Castillo Apraiz, J., Rimi Abubakar, I., & Aina, Y. A. (2024). The added value of partnerships in implementing the UN sustainable development goals. Journal of Cleaner Production, 438, 140794-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.140794
- Samuel, N., Clarke, A. (2022). Partnerships and the Sustainable Development Goals. In: Murphy, E., Banerjee, A., Walsh, P.P. (eds) Partnerships and the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07461-5_2
- Billedeau, D.B.; Wilson, J.; Samuel, N. From Responsibility to Requirement: COVID, Cars, and the Future of Corporate Social Responsibility in Canada. Sustainability 2022, 14, 6658. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116658
Courses Taught:
- Leadership Development
- Cross-Cultural Communications
- Change in Organizations
- Stakeholder Engagement, Collaborations and Partnerships
- eCommerce: business, technology, society
- Demand and Customer Relationship Management
- Strategic Planning for Effective Customer Service
- Designing Effective E-Commerce Sites
- Communications for Effective Business Analysis
- Communications for Business Systems Solution
Contact: nnsamuel@uwaterloo.ca
LinkedIn: Naima Samuel
