Youth Storytellers

The Natural Step is working with youth across the country to better capture the stories of our engagements.  Meet our first storytellers: Wasseem Emam (Toronto), Hyuma Frankowski (Vancouver), Monique Lefebvre (Ottawa), Nicole LeBlanc (Halifax) and Laur Fisher (Toronto ICSP course).  The role of the storytellers is to capture video footage, take photographs, interview participants at the workshops and to blog about the workshop.

Meet our storytellers:

Wasseem Emam: Wasseem has just recently completed his undergraduate studies in Environmental Science and International Development at the University of Toronto. Although originally intending to pursue a Master’s degree in Sustainability Science at Sweden’s Lund University, he has just been offered the opportunity to study woodland caribou ecology - a topic which he is very passionate about - for his MSc degree at the University of Alberta under an NSERC Industrial Scholarship; an offer he could not refuse.

During his 3 years in Toronto, Wasseem has been an active member of the environmental community both on- and off-campus. As a volunteer, he has monitored streams with Citizen Scientists, planted trees with the TRCA, and held the position of Sustainability Peer Educator with the Sustainability Office at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus. He is also a member of the United Nations Association of Canada’s Environment Committee and the Ontario Road Ecology Group, in addition to having worked with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Hydro One’s Environmental Services and Approvals department.

Wasseem is really looking forward to the next step of his journey in Alberta where he is hoping to continue inspiring youth to join the environmental movement and to continue his work in advancing the sustainability agenda within Canada.

Laur Fisher: After her first exposure to The Natural Step in 2006, Laur jumped in the deep end – she attended the Sustainable Sweden tour of eco-municipalities and businesses adopting TNS, as well as a certificate program for TNS leaders, and worked with integrating the framework in businesses and communities in Sweden and the United States.  After her year-long stint working toward zero waste in New Zealand, this American recently settled in Toronto and is pursuing “bringing sustainability to life” through her company, onefish llc.  She is delighted to assist TNS Canada with sharing its stimulating workshops with the world.

Nicole LeBlanc: Nicole LeBlanc is a fourth-year Public Relations student at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She also holds a degree in psychology and women's studies from St. Francis Xavier University. In her spare time Nicole likes doing crafts, writing, and enjoying the company of her friends and family. Nicole participated in the Impact! Youth Sustainability Conference in Guelph, Ontario in September; an experience which continues to motivate her to find new ways to help the environmental cause using her skills, creativity and abilities!
 

Hyuma Frankowski: Hyuma was born in Hong Kong. He then moved to Germany and subsequently Vancouver, Canada, where, apart from brief work or study stints in Holland, Japan and Sweden, he has spent the past fourteen years. He is mostly engaged as an industrial designer and is in the process of transitioning into sustainability consulting and education after recently completing a Masters in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability.

Shane Yates: Shayne is earning a MASc in mechanical engineering at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS specializing in composites and smart technology. He intends on incorporating sustainable ideology into all of his engineering practices. Last September, Shane participated in the Impact! Youth Conference for Sustainability. Having been assigned to the municipal public services group, he spent the summer researching Halifax's sustainability policies and practices. Since the conference, he has gone on to write an article for Municipal World Magazine about the need to encourage youth for a sustainable municipality. In his spare time he enjoys Tae Kwon Do, Skiing, Kayaking, and playing his Trumpet.

Marc Beaudin: Hailing from the Yukon, Marc is currently a student at the University of Calgary, finishing his Masters in Electrical Engineering. He is passionate about international development, youth leadership, and sustainability. He has been involved with Engineers Without Borders, University of Calgary Residence Life, and the Beanstalk Project. He has a goal of fundamentally changing Canada.