1. Hometown: Ottawa, Canada
2. Current city: Ottawa, Canada
3. Other degrees: BA in Political Science and Government from Queen's University (Canada) 2000
4. Current Role: Director of Communications, Sustainable Development Technology Canada
5. How did your career start and what are some highlights? I started my career working in Canadian politics, in progressively senior roles on Parliament Hill for three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada. Upon leaving politics, I spent ten years at Export Development Canada, Canada's export credit agency (the Canadian equivalent of US EXIM Bank). I have had the pleasure of working in various areas of corporate affairs, including strategic planning, government relations, communications and corporate social responsibility. My passion for the environment and helping entrepreneurs led me to join the team at Sustainable Development Technology Canada, a government foundation that provides grants to innovative Canadian start-ups in the cleantech space. I oversee the Communications team, and lead the organization's government relations and marketing functions.
6. What is your favorite IBD memory? Meeting people from all over the world. I made great friends not only from different parts of the U.S. but also Mexico, Peru, and China.
7. How did your experience in IBD prepare you for your career? I loved IBD because of the practical knowledge I gained through the courses. I took a business-government relations course and the prof was adamant that every assignment be no more than two pages -the idea being that a busy CEO didn't have time to read anything longer. The word limit forced you to think through your arguments and write persuasively and clearly. It was very valuable training for the business world!
8. What was your most memorable IBD course and why? I took a course on the Economics of Energy and Oil. The prof was a former employee of Saudi Aramco. I learned so much about oil and gas energy and the role it plays in geopolitics, not only in American foreign policy but globally. Great foundational knowledge that remains relevant almost twenty years later.