Leah Blechschmidt Email & Phone Number

Guelph, ON, CA

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

As Corporate Engagement Advisor for Agriculture with Nature United, I facilitate collaboration with industry leaders at the intersection of conservation and agriculture. I work with companies to implement Natural Climate Solutions across agricultural value chains. I bring learnings from our global affiliate and contextualize them for the Canadian landscape.

• As an independent consultant, I help clients to address their agricultural, supply chain, and environmental sustainability challenges by providing:
• Expertise for industry organizations on the implementation of sustainability strategy considering the global landscape and industry drivers for various commodities and sustainability issues
• Facilitation of stakeholder engagement with a focus on building trust and alignment
• Project management using a variety of approaches to be… Show more As an independent consultant, I help clients to address their agricultural, supply chain, and environmental sustainability challenges by providing:
• Project management using a variety of approaches to be agile and effective
• Expert knowledge of Geographic Information Systems including land use by Canadian Indigenous communities and visualizing information from key informant interviews on land use Show less

• The Americas Working Group (AWG) within SAI Platform is a group of over 50 members across agricultural supply chains who are engaged, ambitious, and action-oriented. With the AWG members, I:
• Facilitate strategic discussions to identify emerging social, environmental, and economic sustainability challenges across North America, Latin America, and Brazil
• Design and implement impactful collaborative multi-stakeholder projects
• Engage stakeholders through knowledge sharing… Show more The Americas Working Group (AWG) within SAI Platform is a group of over 50 members across agricultural supply chains who are engaged, ambitious, and.
• Engage stakeholders through knowledge sharing opportunities, Working Group meetings, small group sessions, and one-to-one meetings virtually and in-person to build industry-relevant initiatives Show less

The Brazil Committee within SAI Platform consists of a dedicated cohort of members primarily based in Brazil and is focused on engagement of members in this key strategic sourcing region. The role of the Brazil Committee lead is to identify opportunities to connect locally on key themes and identify opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing across.

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

• As a project manager I help our members create practical solutions for food and beverage supply chains across the world. Projects help our members to create meaningful action on-the-ground across a variety of themes.
• Implementation of Farm Sustainability Assessments including identifying areas for continuous improvement
• Fair labour and responsible recruitment practices
• Engaging and communicating with actors across the supply chain, including both farmers and internal… Show more As a project manager I help our members create practical solutions for food and beverage supply chains.
• Engaging and communicating with actors across the supply chain, including both farmers and internal teams (procurement, sustainability, C-suite)
• Alignment and harmonization of industry tools Show less

Guelph, ON

• My research focused on creating mutually beneficial solutions in agroecosystems for farmers growing pollinator-dependent crops. I primarily focused on apples, with additional projects in blueberry and soybean. My.
• Provided support for research, writing, and editing a white paper to guide policymakers on strategies to increase adoption of ecological practices in agricultural systems: “Advancing Canadian Agriculture through.
• Coordinated access to farms and led research teams of undergraduate students, volunteers, and government officials over multiple field seasons
• Created individualized, farm-level reports on pollinator management for study participants Show less

• Instructed 2nd- and 4th-year undergraduate students in theory and practice of agricultural techniques, global pollinator conservation strategies, and forestry management

• Completed start-up training through Accelerator Guelph to create a viable business plan for a puree product made from off-grade fruits and vegetables in order to create a value-added product to support diversified.

Waterloo, ON

• The Avocado Co-op was a consumer-focused cooperative that sold environmentally friendly household products. As the Member Service Coordinator, I:
• Conducted consumer research in sustainable products through focus groups, blind product testing, and user experience testing
• Researched emerging consumer sustainability trends to identify products that aligned with company policies; This led to one of the first refill programs available in the Waterloo region
• Coordinated all aspects… Show more The Avocado Co-op was a consumer-focused cooperative that sold environmentally friendly household products. As the Member Service Coordinator, I:
• Coordinated all aspects of supplier sourcing and product distribution to customers
• Engaged the public as well as other retailers working in the same space to promote collaboration Show less

Waterloo, ON

• Conducted research in the Wetland Ecology Lab on Species at Risk, Invasive species, soil microbe interactions, and viability studies
• Prepared recommendations for a mine site remediation plan, including conducting an extensive literature search and coordinating with local consulting groups

Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

• Audited golf courses for compliance with the Ontario Integrated Pest Management Program requirements
• Edited technical reports and proposals for government and private agencies
• Coordinated travel planning, property access with landowners, and office management

Calakmul, Mexico; Cusuco National Forest Park, Honduras

Coordinated researchers and student volunteers. Liaised between local community members and English-speaking visitors.

Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea

Designed and presented engaging and informative lessons using MS Office, Google Drive, Prezi and Youtube. Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and patience when working with individuals from different backgrounds and adapted language, tone and style to communicate effectively. Awards: National Institute for International Education Congeniality Award

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Awards: Optometry Undergraduate Research Award

Master Of Science - M.Sc., Environmental Sciences

Accomplishments: External awards: • NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship (2018) Internal awards: • Robb Travel Grant (2019) • MacSon Entrance.

Bachelor Of Science, Honours Biology, Minor In Spanish, Biology, Spanish

Accomplishments: • Dean's Honours list 2007-2012 • J. Frank Brookfield Scholarship for Excellence in Biology 2010 • Optometry.