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Careers in Sustainability Speaker Panel

Mar 10, 2020 05:00 PM to 07:00 PM
CC-101, Career Centre, 192 King St. N., Waterloo

Registration Deadline: Mar 10, 2020 05:00 PM

Join us during Zero Waste Week as we welcome guests who will share their career experiences and advice. Attending this event is a great way to learn about potential career options and expand your professional network.

 

Confirmed panelists include:


Zaffia Laplante, (BA '19), Founder, Hempergy Inc

  • Zaffia Laplante is an Indigenous woman of Canada, climate activist, student entrepreneur, and one of the Founders at NEXT36 2020 Cohort. She is the CEO of Hempergy, a Waterloo based started up that uses industrial hemp for construction, cosmetic and textile purposes. In 2019, Zaffia participated in the RBC's Future Accelerator Program to scale her start up Hempergy, she was also awarded the 2019 Youth Innovation Award by the British Council and the United Nations Association in Canada, and this past summer she represented the Canadian Youth Delegation at the United Nations 68th Civil Society Conference in Utah. Zaffia is passionate about restoring and revitalizing practices of Indigenous agriculture in order to safeguard the land for future generation, and is currently working with Indigenous leaders across North America to provide sustainable economic development opportunities by developing durable and renewable products made from hemp.

Christian Mahlstedt (BA '06, MBA '13), President, Ginkgo Sustainability

  • Christian is the founder and President of Ginkgo Sustainability, a company which helps developers, construction companies, and owners, incorporate green infrastructure into their buildings and residences through the installation of living roofs and living walls. Ever the advocate for green infrastructure, Christian sits on the Board for Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, an organization that promotes the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roofs. Prior to founding GINKGO, Christian completed undergraduate and Master's degrees in Philosophy and Global Studies, and Business Administration at Wilfrid Laurier. Christian enjoys family time, travelling and spy thrillers, in both book and film form.

Samantha Tremmel (BA '13), 80 by 50 Project Coordinator, ClimateActionWR

  • Samantha works to bring together Waterloo Region's 8 municipalities with community members, climate action/environmental organizations, local businesses, and utility companies to develop the community's long-term Climate Action Strategy (to achieve an 80% greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2050). She is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier's Environmental Studies program, and Conestoga College's Sustainable Business Management program. Samantha gained experience working at Laurier's Sustainability Office, doing program development at the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, and previous to her current role, she spent 4 years at Powernoodle, a software company specializing in digital stakeholder engagement. She has been an active volunteer in the local environmental scene, most recently with Reep Green Solutions as their Volunteer Manager.

Kelsey Koebel (BBA'16), Sustainability & Citizenship Advisor, The Co-operators Group Ltd.
  • Kelsey Koebel is a Sustainability and Citizenship Advisor with The Co-operators where she manages many of the employee-focused partnerships such as the annual United Way campaign, Habitat for Humanity, CUMIS Apple Day, Co-operative Youth Leadership camp and the Advisor Community Fund (ACF). Previously, Kelsey worked at Toronto Pearson International Airport leading the development of a sustainability strategy which encompassed identifying strategic priority focus areas, integration with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and employee engagement. Kelsey has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from the University of Toronto.

 

Please bring your OneCard to this event.
We are committed to providing inclusive programs and services to all students and alumni. Please contact us if you require accommodation for a disability.

Each year, the Career Centre hosts a number of speaker panels covering various themes. Attend panels to gain information and advice about a range of careers you may not have previously considered!

2019-20 Speaker Series:  
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