What drew you to join IO? I saw a job posting for Infrastructure Ontario on a bulletin board in the Faculty of Environmental Studies Building at York University in 2016. In my masters’ studies at the time I was focused on planning for climate change, and I had landed on infrastructure, particularly green infrastructure, as a key leverage point in enacting climate resilience in society. I saw the word infrastructure, and I applied.
What does your role entail? Integrating energy efficiency, sustainability and climate resilience thinking into IO’s asset and project management work.
What is your career background? I worked in the art world in Toronto coordinating and curating art exhibitions. I lived in Paris for a couple of years and worked in advertising. After a decade in the arts, I wanted to do more to help the environment and humanity by addressing climate change, so I went back to school for a masters in environmental studies and planning at York University. As I believe the way we live our lives and build our communities is key to responding to climate change.
In 2023, I finished my multi-year certification process to become a Registered Professional Planner. IO planning colleagues were extremely generous with me on my RPP journey, they gave of their time and knowledge freely, and let me in to do some of the planning work, when I was working in energy, which allowed me to earn my RPP work hours. I also earned a Certificate in ESG, Climate Risk & The Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, supported by IO, along with other IO colleagues.
Can you share your biggest accomplishment at IO? My single biggest accomplishment at IO has been creating the climate resilience program. I feel the key to its success and rapid growth has been collaborations with other IO groups and colleagues. It started with my managers clearing some runway for me to innovate within. To start I did my due diligence to analyse what was the success or failure factor of other sustainability programs in the past. What I came to was I had to make it easy for people to uptake, and a big report full of subject matter specific language, was not easy for people, who worked in other areas of expertise, to tangibly apply. So I learned as much as I could about how other IO workstreams functioned, I learned some of their languages. Then I suggested small amendments that could be made to their existing business processes to capture climate resilient data to inform decision-making, and ultimately enact climate resilient design and management measures. We’ve now successfully built climate resilience measures into the business processes of energy management, project delivery, asset renewal and realty operations at IO. I love getting there with other knowledgeable people and innovating together. That way I think we all come away enriched by the experience, and the change potential is exponential.
How has your career grown since joining IO? I am trusted within IO and in the sector for my climate resilience expertise. I’ve gained so much practical knowledge on the job here. I immersed myself in building energy and carbon profiles, site visits, energy efficiency projects, and now climate risk assessments. I love using what I learn in the portfolio and applying it to projects, and vice versa.
What’s the most unique part of working at IO? The throughput. The sheer volume of assets and projects that IO manages. Also IO employees are super sharp at their work, and capable of humility and humour, which I really enjoy. Work environment, work culture are as important to me as any other aspect of the job, they are so fundamental to quality of life, I feel.
I was amazed when I first came to IO and was placed on the 22nd floor by the window. I couldn’t believe a student associate like me would be given a desk with a view! I still enjoy it to this day.
What’s one thing IO does to make you feel empowered/supported? I feel I am heard at IO. In that people will listen to my perspective and advice, and if they feel its sound and feasible, make changes to their project or process to integrate my recommendations.
What would your advice be to a new employee? Learn as much as you can and reach as far as you can.
Is there someone at IO who inspires you, motivates you, or mentors you? I feel lucky, there are many colleagues who inspire, motivate, and mentor me at IO. However, Jane Jacobs is someone who has inspired me professionally. Jane (1916-2006) was an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building.
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
— Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities.
link