OUR TEAM
Leading Change Team
Laj Kaur
Executive Director
Laj is driven by her passion for sustainability and a deep commitment to creating positive change. With a Masters in Sustainable Development, she is dedicated to promoting sustainable practices and encouraging community development.
Laj’s professional experience includes working with an array of organizations including NGO’s and private companies to design and implement sustainable business practices.
Her background in marketing and event management has been instrumental in creating engaging and effective campaigns to promote sustainable development. She is a member of Community Climate Council where she facilitates conversations around climate anxiety and has been an active member of Leading Change prior to joining the team. Laj is passionate about continuing her work of intersecting business functions with sustainable development and engaging young leaders in the sustainability space.
Aish Mann
Programs & Marketing Coordinator
Aish (she/her) (pronounced ‘Ash’) is a dynamic sustainability advocate with a rich blend of experience in economics, writing, and environmental advocacy. Originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and now residing on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories (Vancouver), she is deeply committed to social and environmental justice. Aish holds a Graduate Diploma in Green Business Management and Sustainability from Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
Her passion for a circular economy and clean technology is reflected in her leadership of initiatives such as the Fair Fashion Festival and facilitation of impactful educational webinars. Aish has been a Leading Change delegate for two consecutive years, nurturing her dedication and active participation in climate leadership.
At Leading Change, Aish coordinates programs to build youth capacity for climate action, develops marketing strategies, and fosters partnerships. Her commitment to climate justice is rooted in community-driven solutions and creating a sustainable, equitable future.
Aish is dedicated to advancing Leading Change’s vision of a sustainable, prosperous, and socially just future by inspiring and mobilizing the next generation of climate leaders.
Steering Committee
Sebastian Chavez
Co-Director of Programs
Sebastian Chavez is a Senior Associate in the Corporate Innovation team at MaRS Discovery District, focusing on Climate. In his role, Sebastian works with corporate partners from across the Americas, Asia and Europe to accelerate the adoption of Canadian innovation in the climate technology sector. He helps diverse partners navigate decarbonization pathways and emerging climate technology, and facilitates connections across ecosystem stakeholders to help innovators achieve their climate ambitions. Sebastian specializes in hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, and energy.
Prior to joining MaRS, Sebastian worked in the Innovation & Technology group at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). At RBC, he worked in Data & Analytics Product Management as well as Data Strategy, collaborating with technical teams across the bank to build advanced analytics products and capture strategic opportunities to create value from data.
Sebastian holds an Honours Bachelor in Business Administration (HBA) from the Ivey Business School at Western University. While at Western, he served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Western’s University Students’ Council and completed academic research in Behavioural & Decision Science as a Research Assistant to Dr. Laurel Austin.
Fatou Dieng
Co-Director of Participants & Delegates
Fatou is a dedicated Climate Strategist at Manifest Climate, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field of climate risk management and climate-focused initiatives. Her passion for climate action and advocacy led her to join the Leading Change Steering Committee as the Co-Director of Participants.
Fatou holds a Master of Science in Environment and Sustainable Development from Université de Montréal, with a focus on climate action, sustainable finance, and climate justice. Additionally, she holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies: International Affairs and Environmental Studies and an Associate of Arts in Business Administration.
As a Black Senegalese immigrant womxn, Fatou is deeply committed to advancing climate justice and adaptation in Africa. In her spare time, Fatou actively contributes to a family-owned agriculture project in Senegal, advocating for sustainable practices. She is a Youth Council Member for Canada LCOY under the UNFCCC and a member of Comité Jeunesse in Montreal, championing youth engagement and climate action. Fatou also serves as a Committee Member for Réseau Environnement’s Comité Vecteur Environnement.
Aubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias
Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Aubrey-Anne Laliberte-Pewapisconias (she/her) is a nêhiyâskwew from Canoe Lake Cree First Nation and Little Pine First Nation. Aubrey is a graduate from the University of Saskatchewan with her Bachelor of Commerce in Finance, a Global Business Certificate, and an Indigenous Governance and Politics Certificate. Continuing her studies in her home territory, she is now pursuing her Master of Sustainability in Energy Security.
Aubrey is an Indigenous Youth Advocate and Environmentalist following her ancestral teachings of protecting Mother Earth for our future generations. Furthering this and promoting collaboration with Indigenous Peoples in a clean energy future, she has attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP27, was Canada’s 2023 Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction negotiator at the G20 Youth Summit, and has graduated from Generation Power.
Her work extends through her roles involved with numerous organizations such as SIGA, Tatâga Inc., Canadian Roots Exchange, the Indigenous Leadership Circle, and more. Aubrey is proud to be taking on the role of Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Leading Change to work within this powerful community so we can build a future that’s more sustainable, prosperous, and socially just.
Shaniece Mitchell
Director of Partnerships
Shaniece is the Senior ESG Specialist at Meridian Credit Union where she leads the company’s ESG initiatives and programming, communications and employee engagement. She also supports with ESG reporting and additional projects for the ESG team.
She pursued her Masters of Science in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto, Mississauga shortly after completing her Bachelors of Science in Geography and Agribusiness at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. She’s worked in sustainability positions at Uniqlo Canada and Bayer Crop Science where she managed a number sustainability programs, conducted sustainability research and assisted with ESG reporting. In addition to that, Shaniece has a background in non-profit management having worked for organizations like Habitat for Humanity Canada & Habitat GTA as well as The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
In her spare time, Shaniece enjoys her weekly fitness workouts and is a huge proponent of adopting a whole foods plant based lifestyle!
Ashley Bock
Co-Director of Participants
Ashley has a long-standing passion for environmental sustainability, specifically in the sectors of energy, transportation and innovation. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at McGill University in the Alternative Fuels Laboratory. Her research is focused on the design of a continuous aluminum-water reactor for the in-situ generation of energy. This system would allow aluminum to be used as green substitute to replace polluting diesel energy in remote communities and marine transportation.
Ashley is also very involved in the local community and has received a Scarlet Key award for her contributions to Shelter Movers, a volunteer organization supporting victims of domestic abuse. She believes strongly that everyone possesses a unique view and deserves to be heard. Ashley values the powerful impacts of interdisciplinary works and has tried to branch out her knowledge into management, policy and pollical leadership, visual arts, and AI.
As a previous Leading Change youth delegate, Ashley highly recommends applying and looks forward to meeting the unique individuals from across country who will make up the next generation of changemakers.
Shared Services
Leading Change is part of Profoundry, a collective of like-minded sustainability and climate experts who help organizations create value and have a positive impact on society. Our group includes GLOBE Series, Delphi, and CBSR.
Our shared vision is to achieve a sustainable, prosperous and socially just future in a generation – and to have fun while we’re doing it. Together, we provide services and platforms that empower business, government and youth to improve performance while accelerating the clean economy.
If you share our values and are looking for a workplace that will support your professional growth, challenge you intellectually and inspire you to help us change the world, our constellation may be the employer for you.