OUR TEAM
Leading Change Team
Carolyn Hotchkiss (she/her/elle) is an emerging sustainability leader and events professional, energized by her love of nature and enthusiasm for bringing people together.
Carolyn has a proven track record of creating meaningful connections, successfully managing the events programs for the COP28 and COP29 Canada Pavilions, and co-developing programs at events such as GLOBExCHANGE 2025 and Climate Week NYC.
At Leading Change, she strives to foster a vibrant community of Canada’s next generation of sustainability leaders, designing experiences that empower them to advance their purpose-driven careers. Across all her work, she is committed to creating diverse and impactful programming that amplifies the voices of historically underrepresented groups and drives real change.
Carolyn is an avid traveler and adventure seeker. From camping in Algonquin Park and paragliding in the Alps to hiking in the Andes and surfing in the Algarve, the time she spends outdoors fuels her commitment to making a positive impact on the planet. She is a proud daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend. Of Belgian descent, Carolyn was born in the Greater Toronto Area and now resides in Montreal, situated on the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Nation.
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, 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.