Hometown:  Hanna Alberta, Canada

Organization: Policy Advisor at IISD and BBW Coordinator

Arrived in Geneva: July 16, 2016

Tell us who you are and what you do in Geneva.

Since my arrival in Geneva in 2016, I have been wearing many hats: I initially focused my work on the Sustainable Development Goals, joining the International Institute for Sustainable Development and co-creating the SDG Lab at UN Geneva in 2017, where I managed the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem. Through that experiences, I deepened and expanded my background and passion for sustainability issues, which originally concentrated on energy and climate. Before coming to Geneva, I created and ran Student Energy, an NGO working with a network of 50,000 young people from over 120 countries to build the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to take action on energy and climate change. Currently, my focus has shifted towards sustainable finance, as I am coordinating the Building Bridges event and collaboration which aims to move more capital towards the SDGs.

How do you – or your organization – reflect the 2030 Agenda’s paradigms of innovation, integration and collaboration in your work?

Building Bridges (BB) is an event, but it is also more than that. It is an action-oriented movement, a true collaboration aimed at building dialogue and cooperation amongst diverse actors and stakeholders from the world of finance and development. Beyond its collaborative spirit, the beauty and distinctive feature of BBW is also its holistic approach to sustainable finance, which equally takes into account the three dimensions of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental – and not solely the “green” dimension, as often was done in the past.  This integrated approach is also accompanied by a strong push for innovation: throughout the event, we are not only looking for ways to scale up what’s currently working in sustainable finance, but also anticipating and finding new ways to attract capital for SDGs.

What is on your mind right now?

Besides Building Bridges which is literally just around the corner, I am currently processing COP26. I am interested in seeing how much of the announcements made by the finance industry during COP will be put into action.

What do you find unique about the Geneva ecosystem of actors?

I think what’s really unique about Geneva is the exceptional concentration of diverse actors in such a small city - this close proximity makes it very easy and accessible to meet and connect.

What’s your favourite thing to do in and around Geneva?

I particularly enjoy hiking and wine-tasting.  I also recommend people check out the breathtaking landscapes of Lavaux, especially during Caves Ouvertes.

What is one thing that most people do not know about you?

I actually started my career in oil and gas, a very different sector with respect to where I stand now. I am also a YouTube content creator, running a channel called Hippy in a Suit, where I explore different dimensions of sustainability and help people to understand the SDGs.

If you had to define in one word the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem, what word would you use? Can you say “The Geneva 2030 Ecosystem is...”

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