Balsam is a fertile ecosystem at the heart of the greatest ideas. Working as a coach, I support leaders who are committed to tackling social and environmental issues through the innovation of regenerative business models.

Consultant focusing on social economy and impact investing strategy & project development. Co-op Interface was founded in 1998 to help integrate social, economic and environmental dimensions into business development. Interface’s experienced team of multidisciplinary consultants are dedicated to servicing businesses, organizations and communities. Co-op Interface is committed to business practices that aim to:- Foster a participative and cooperative approach- Merge hands-on practical experience with strategic expertise- Place flexibility, adaptation and innovation at the heart of any contractWe offer a wide-range of services:- Strategy and marketing- Studies and analyses- Organizational structure analysis- Human resource management, training and development- Program evaluation- Financial management- Coaching and training- Event coordinationCo-op Interface works with clients throughout Quebec and Canada, as well as internationally.www.coopinterface.ca

Coach with District 3’s Social Innovation District , supporting a collaborative network of entrepreneurs, innovators, and key players from industry, academia, research, and government working together to develop social innovation. Working with teams on challenges like launching an AI-driven social purpose enterprise, or applying new soil testing technology to assist small and/or urban farmers.

The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is Canada’s membership association for Responsible Investment (RI). Members include mutual fund companies, financial institutions, asset management firms, advisors, consultants, investment research firms, asset owners, individual investors and others interested in RI. Our members believe that the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into the selection and management of investments can provide superior risk adjusted returns and positive societal impact.

Managed 15 employees, day-to-day operations, cash-flow and all financial matters. Led financial strategy, planning and cash flow management; experienced and successful navigator of government and institutional funding and financing landscape. Successfully adapted to a high-stress startup environment. Key leadership role in partnership development and relationship management, organizational governance and accountability and human resource planning and management; particular experience with challenging staffing and HR issues.

Consultancy focused on challenges broadly related to social and environmental sustainability: Delivered results and value to over 30 clients. Contributed to the advancement of ESG/CSR/SRI awareness and effectiveness in Canada and abroad.Built a solid and successful consultancy based on my reputation within the ESG and SRI community. Specific expertise areas included issues related to stakeholder engagement, surveys and research, best practices reporting, proxy policy, social compliance auditing and internal change management. Successfully completed a broad range of mandates over a nine-year period, prior to merging Metamorphosis into Nexalogy in 2010:o Stakeholder identification, classification and analysis to provide ESG risk and opportunity matrix development and map out the opinion landscape in social media. Similar mandates completed for the World Wildlife Fund, Forest Stewardship Council, ConocoPhillips Corp, Petro Canada/ Suncor; Iron Ore Company of Canada and the Government of Nunavut. 2008-2010.o Social compliance auditing as part of a Fonds de Solidarité investor-mandated supply-chain monitoring program, for New Standards. 2008.o Social compliance/ CSR training for factory owners and managers in the jewellery and fashion accessory industry, in Shandong Province, China. Contracted by New Standards. 2008.o Raglan Mine Employment and Training Committee, in partnership with Xtrata Corp. and the Kativik Regional Government- Proposal development and budgeting for submission to the Federal Aboriginal Skills Employment Program; In collaboration with Universalia Consulting. 2006-2008o Stakeholder engagement and program impact evaluation for the Canada Volunteerism Initiative for Human Resources and Social Development Canada. 2006.o Internal analysis and recommendations for re-structuring management career services for the Faculty of Management of McGill University. 2006.

A charitable foundation dedicated to building bridges between business schools and society in Canada. Achieved clear outcomes in securing over $350,000 in funds to support more than 70 internships and 10 career events over five years; successfully managed stakeholder relations with key donors such as the McConnell Family and Zeller Foundations and CIBC. Working closely with business school career centres, CEI placed MBA and undergraduate students at community not-for-profit organizations, matching needs with skills and offering business students exposure to the efforts of the civil society sector. By placing students with non-profit organizations, CEI gave students the opportunity to ‘experience community’ and apply their skills in an organizational setting that is community based, and likewise to provide these organizations with the opportunity to benefit from the skills of the students, enabling them to better achieve their organizational mandates. Responsibilities included preparation and implementation of strategic and business plans for the organization, board of directors and mission development, internship project planning, and management processes and impact evaluation. Evaluation process led to the capture, codification and dissemination of best practices and procedures, with the result being that the CEI model continues to exist at career centres, to this day. Held a key role in managing stakeholder and donor relationships, including comprehensive ROI reporting to major donors and business school deans. This resulted in the creation of a strong organizational identity and reputation within donor and business school networks. Led process that achieved charitable status for the CEI foundation. Managed CEI’s own interns, over 3 summer terms.

Associate at Groupe Investissement Responsable (GIR), a Montreal-based SRI consulting firm. Guided the development of GIR’s socially responsible investing (SRI) and Proxy voting-related expertise and research capacity, exploring opportunities, and establishing partnerships. Conducting strategic planning, business and product development, and marketing strategies. 2002-2004.

The Dreyfus Third Century and Socially Responsible Growth Funds at The Dreyfus Corporation, established in 1951. Re-established the funds’ SRI reputations, leading to significant asset and market share growth. Reduced investor risk by pro-actively pushing for a standardized proxy voting and corporate governance policy, prior to the Sarbanes Oxley era.Responsible for administration of the funds and due diligence of the fund's sub-advisor, NCM Capital Management. Funds had assets of over $1.1 billion. Responsible for all matters (including marketing and micro/macro research), pertaining to socially responsible investment at Dreyfus. Reported to Steven Canter, Chief Investment Officer at Dreyfus.Supported both retail and institutional marketing of the funds, including regular meetings with 401K representatives, and pension funds (ie: State of Wisconsin deferred compensation plan). Prepared communications materials to better inform fund investor’s on the impact of the funds’ SRI criteria. Managed research budgets in the selection of the most effective 3rd party services and tools for portfolio screening and analytics. Continually monitored the ESG performance of all of the funds’ equity holdings, to ensure adherence to SRI criteria. Prepared and presented fund performance (financial and SRI) reports to the funds’ board of directors, on a quarterly basis.Initiated a fundamental evaluation of all matters related to corporate governance at Dreyfus. Promoted to Proxy Coordinator as a result of this effort, in addition to maintaining portfolio management duties. Responsible for all matters related to proxy voting for Dreyfus equity funds, including managing proxy voting staff, and the implementation of electronic voting- a major innovation at Dreyfus at the time. Member of the Dreyfus Proxy Committee.