Get involved
with Carbon Conversations TO
Get involved
with Carbon Conversations TO
Meet the Team
Meet the people who have brought you Carbon Conversations TO.
Current Volunteers
Brianna Aspinall
"I felt first hand how the anxiety of climate change can hurt us, and on the search for a solution I found Carbon Conversations UK. I am excited to work along side the Carbon Conversation TO team to bring this project to Toronto and help you explore your own approach to climate action."
Bishwaraj Bhattarai
"I am passionate about sustainability and climate change not only because it is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, but also because it can be an agent to do good, enhance equity, and empower communities. I love CCTO’s focus on individual actions and emotional responses to the complexities of climate change at a grassroots level."
Isabelle Bujold
“Working in the field of climate change, I frequently experience feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. By helping people feel more equipped to talk about climate change, CCTO is uniquely positioned to help individuals navigate those feelings and find hope in the climate crisis. I am thrilled to be joining this community of dedicated volunteers.”
Amy Castator
"As I learned more about the global impacts of climate change, I felt a responsibility to reduce my own carbon impact and help others do the same. Carbon Conversations TO has enabled me to share my love for nature with the Toronto community and help me stay motivated in being an advocate for climate action where I live."
Erick Dransch
"I enjoy learning about my carbon impact and helping others understand their impact on the world. I look forward to sharing the results of our research with you, and I hope that Carbon Conversations Toronto helps you gain the motivation and confidence to tackle climate change."
Minh Ha Giang Huynh
"When I started my climate journey, I often had a feeling of loneliness, as if I was the only one who cared. I joined CCTO with the expectation of finding a community where I could share my thoughts and feelings toward climate change. My experience with CCTO has been far beyond that expectation. I now feel belonged and motivated to become much more resilient in my journey."
Monica Lambton
"I have worked in social and ecological justice for over 30 years and had become increasingly disheartened at the lack of progress we were making on the issue of climate change. Looking around for new approaches and new ideas I found CCTO and was immediately enthralled with its wholistic approach to change – recognizing the powerful role that emotions can play in blocking our paths and the possibility to overcome these blocks. I completed the CCTO facilitator training in the fall of 2020 and facilitated my first 6-week session in the spring of 2021. I love the CCTO invitation to take personal and systemic action with an emphasis on personal and community support. I am very excited to take on a lead role in the Community of Practice."
Nikita Popli
"As someone who works in the field of Climate change and Conservation, I often have feelings of grief, anger, guilt, and shame. With Carbon Conversations, I have learned to validate my own emotions and gained motivation to continue my personal climate action journey while connecting with a group of passionate individuals. Through CCTO, I hope to harness positive communications around climate change and climate action to support our online community in their own climate journeys."
Kayla Salive
"My love for nature started early, growing up visiting my family’s cottage on Pelee Island - a biodiversity hotspot in Ontario. After being inspired by the flora and fauna on the island, I knew I wanted to focus on conserving it. I studied conservation biology in University and quickly became compelled to help protect it. I am excited to be a part of an organization that strives to provide a space for like-minded individuals to discuss climate change and find ways to make an impact."
Aryne Sheppard
"I have always felt connected to the natural world and spent my childhood camping and fishing. Over the past 20 years, I have worked in the social change sector, and learned that human conversation and personal transformation are essential. No real change can happen without a deep commitment to growth and meaningful engagement with one another."
Mange Kumarasamy
"I truly believe our purpose in life should be to consume minimally while giving back to our planet in making it a better place for our future generations! We have to build programs that invest in our communities, fuel our transition into a sustainable economy, and empower organizations and individuals to shape their unique contributions to securing a healthy, vibrant and climate-safe future. Being part of CCTO allows me to not only work with an amazing group of individuals with a great purpose, but also to have a local impact on where I live."
Emma Cheung
"Climate action is an important but daunting topic, and I found myself often feeling hopeless and lost about where to start and how to make an impact — that's where CCTO came in. Much of my career in communications has involved working within the CSR and Sustainability arenas, so climate action is very near to my heart. Knowing that it is also inevitably intertwined with our mental health, I knew I wanted to participate in the conversations surrounding how to address this and enable others to do the same. Honoured to be a part of this community of thought leaders helping pave the way for Carbon Conversation in Toronto."
Sandra Cardinal
"I am a lifelong environmentalist. I love wild places, family farms, and the vitality of downtown cities. Like you, I want clean air, clean water, biodiversity and the cultural shifts we need to support humans at our very best. Recently retired from the world of higher education and now an empty-nester, the time's right to bring my passion for sustainability to the forefront with a leadership role at CCTO. My experiences as an adult educator, theatre-maker, program consultant, (grand)parent and all-round rabble-rouser are all on offer as I join the CCTO team."
Tara Wilkie
"I am excited and proud to start Carbon Conversations TO with this dedicated and knowledgeable team. It is time to start using the field of psychology, the power of group learning, and camaraderie to inspire positive change.
Past Volunteers
We are grateful for the many volunteers that have joined us over the years and helped shape what CCTO is today. Thank you for all your hard work!
Stephanie Barraco
"I was a participant in CCTO's first six-week session in 2018 and found the program so helpful and meaningful that I applied to volunteer with the group as an extension of my personal climate action plan. I am thrilled to be part of this team and to help address climate change from a place of care and compassion."
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Tania Cheng
"I believe that re-examining our societal values, attitudes, and behaviours is key to unlocking the systems change that is needed to tackle climate change. Carbon Conversations TO holds space for these critical and difficult conversations and shifts feelings of guilt and paralysis into responsibility and tangible action. It is a privilege to be part of this important initiative."
Dana Decent
"As a queer environmentalist committed to making the world a better place, I am honoured to contribute to CCTO. It aligns deeply with my desire to connect, learn and grow. I'm excited to share this innovative approach!"
Allison Merz
"Attending the six-week sessions with Carbon Conversations TO in 2018 opened my eyes to so much more than simply how to reduce my personal carbon footprint. Volunteering with CCTO allows me to continue that learning journey while supporting a cause that I am passionate about, and helping others to benefit from the various programs that CCTO offers."
Divya Joy
"I was drawn to CCTO's behavior-based approach to solving one of the biggest challenges of our times. A storyteller at heart and a strong believer in learning from each other, I love how this group addresses the emotional complexities of climate change and harnesses the power of community-building. Proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to contributing to making climate action tangible and possible."
Scott Kennedy
“As someone who is still in the early stages of their own journey of climate awareness and personal environmental responsibility, CCTO’s unique focus on the intersection between climate change and psychology really fascinated me. I look forward to raising more awareness about our organization’s programs and messaging, while learning more about environmentalism from the rest of the great team here at CCTO.”
Sonya Nakoneczny
"After completing the Carbon Conversations TO six-week session, I went from feeling helpless to feeling empowered. For me, this was a fundamental catalyst for addressing tough issues and finding the motivation to act. CCTO inspires me to think differently and I appreciate being a part of this passionate and vibrant community."
Peter Lane
“My climate change anxiety led me to CCTO and their textbook "In time for tomorrow?". After talking through my emotions and working with the textbook I found myself able to communicate more effectilvely with my peers and my relationships are better because of it. I'm now dedicated to helping others deal with their climate change anxiety and being part of an amazing team.”
Susan Ludwig
"My early days were spent with my family camping, canoeing, and thriving in rural Alberta. Those roots provided a passion and love for the environment that continues to drive me. As an adult educator and facilitator, I was thrilled to work with this young and engaged team. Carbon Conversations empowers individuals to have the confidence and a plan to change behavior and take action around climate change. "