Board of Directors

Linda Sampson is the Chief Operating Officer and General Manager for Global Operations within Microsoft’s Small, Medium, Enterprise & Channel (SME&C) organization, where she leads global strategy, operational excellence, and transformation initiatives. In this role, she oversees end‑to‑end operational rhythms, strategic planning, governance, and the execution systems that accelerate growth, improve customer experience, and strengthen organizational capability across markets.

Linda joined Microsoft in 2017 as the Chief Financial Officer for Microsoft Canada before taking on global leadership roles. Across her tenure, she has built a reputation for uniting diverse teams around clear priorities, driving complex reinvention at scale, and stewarding financial and operational disciplines that enable sustainable long‑term growth.

Linda holds a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University and an MBA jointly from the University of Alberta and Grenoble École de Management. She is also a Certified Management Accountant.

Passionate about conservation and environmental stewardship, Linda has been a long‑standing member of WWF‑Canada’s Board of Directors, previously serving as Chair of the Audit, Finance & Investment Committee, and board member before being elected Chair of the Board. She brings to the role a commitment to collaborative governance, strategic clarity, and ensuring WWF‑Canada’s mission is delivered with transparency, accountability, and ambition.

Outside of work, Linda and her family enjoy spending time in nature, reading, and travelling.

Julie has more than 35 years of experience working in the fields of environment, sustainable development and corporate social responsibility across government, non-government organizations and the private sector before becoming the federal Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development.

She currently serves as the Kinross Chair of Environmental Governance for 2025-2026 at the University of Guelph. She is also a Distinguished Fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and sits on the Board of Directors of Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping.  She chairs the Departmental Audit Committee (DAC) for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

As federal Commissioner in the Office of the Auditor General of Canada she reported to Parliamentarians on the implementation of their legislation and policies. She led the first collaborative audit on climate change with the Auditors General of all the provinces and territories which tabled in 2018. She also led audits on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the National Energy Board, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the federal gas tax fund, aquaculture and fisheries management, fossil fuel subsidies, environmental monitoring of the oil sands, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, biodiversity conservation, severe weather preparedness, ‎pesticides and chemicals in consumer products.

She served on the International Expert Panel reviewing the German government’s sustainable development plan and she worked internationally with Auditors General from around the world on the implementation of the SDGs (Agenda 2030).

In the private sector, Julie was Vice President of Environment and Social Responsibility for the Rio Tinto Iron Ore Company of Canada where she co-led the company’s negotiations with first nations on Impact Benefits Agreements and she managed greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, and fish habitat and water effluent issues. As Vice President of Sustainability with the Mining Association of Canada she worked to improve the environment and sustainability of the mining sector leading the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative.

Julie spent 20+ years working for various nature conservation groups at the staff and board level, nationally and internationally. She was President of Nature Canada for 16 years and on the Global Council for Birdlife International for 10 years. During that time, she:

• advocated for the Canada’s Oceans Act and the Parks Canada Agency Act
• co-led the 9-year campaign for the Species at Risk Act
• lobbied for the creation of many new national parks and for the strengthening of Canada’s national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries
• helped with the establishment of Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
• co-led one of Canada’s first Traditional Ecological Knowledge projects in working with Cree and Inuit around Hudson’s and James Bay
• founded the Green Budget Coalition which has been lobbying to remove perverse subsidies since 1999
• served as a Board member of Wildlife Habitat Canada, the Sustainability Network and a member of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative.

Meena Ballantyne retired from the Public Service of Canada as Deputy Minister of Status of Women Canada in 2017 after more than 30 years of experience in senior executive positions, predominantly in Health Canada, Privy Council Office and Canadian Heritage.

Meena has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Health Administration from the University of Ottawa, as well as Director designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Meena is the Immediate Past-Chair of the World Wildlife Fund of Canada and also serves on the Boards and various Board Committees of the Renfrew Victoria Hospital and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Meena’s deep knowledge of the machinery of federal government, her experience in leading organizations and her policy/governance skills bring a unique perspective to advance the work of these organizations over the coming years.

Passionate about giving back and propelling organizations to their fullest potential, Jessica is a well-respected accounting professional and philanthropist, recognized for her extensive board leadership in the non-profit sector.

Born and raised in the greater Montreal area, Jessica was the first in her family to pursue higher education. She earned her Bachelor of Commerce with honors in Accounting from McGill University in 2005, followed by a Graduate Diploma in Chartered Accountancy. In 2007, she obtained her CPA Auditor, CA designation.

Jessica began her career in audit services at Ernst & Young, where she progressed to manager while also leading training programs and mentoring junior staff. After leaving in 2010, she then spent 3 years as a full-time sessional lecturer at McGill University’s Faculty of Management in both the graduate and undergraduate programs in public accountancy, teaching courses in financial analysis, management accounting and auditing.

A dedicated advocate of strong governance, Jessica has completed the ICD-Rotman NFP Program. Currently, she serves on several prominent boards, including World Wildlife Fund Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee), the Marie Vincent Child Advocacy Centers and its Foundation (Chair of the Board), and PLUS1/PLUS1 USA. Her previous board engagements include Apathy is Boring, L’École Buissonnière, and the David Suzuki Foundation.

Fluent in both English and French, Jessica is committed to lifelong learning and continually expanding her expertise. However, her greatest source of pride and joy remains her three children—Jackson, Margot, and Luke.

Thao Pham is a former civil servant with the Government of Canada, with extensive experience in leadership, executive management and governance. She last served as Deputy Minister, COVID-19 Recovery, and Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Operations), in the Privy Council Office. In the field of nature conservation and environmental protection, Thao was Senior Vice-President of Operations at Parks Canada where she oversaw the network of Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and marine conservation areas. She also held senior executive positions at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and at Environment Canada. Fluent in English, French and Vietnamese, Thao holds a B.Sc. in Biology from McGill University and an M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).

Kluane Adamek-Aagé is a citizen of Kluane First Nation and honours the Matriarchs who welcomed her into the Dakl’aweidi (Killer Whale) Clan. Family grounds her work and values. She lives in Whitehorse, Yukon, with her husband Scott and their daughter, Tayāna Copper-Jane, and holds close their wider family.

The teachings of her grandparents, to stay grounded, be consistent, and never compromise integrity, have shaped her ability to walk in what her Grandmother called “both worlds.” These teachings remain the foundation of how she shows up: with humility, courage, and a deep sense of responsibility to future generations.

Kluane’s work centres on bringing people together and creating space for voices too often left out. As the Assembly of First Nations Yukon Regional Chief from 2018–2025, she helped lead the advancement of a national First Nations climate strategy and represented northern and Indigenous perspectives in key national and international policy discussions.

In all of her work, Kluane brings forward perspectives rooted in her values, lived experience, and the realities of northern and Indigenous peoples. Whether serving on the Indigenous Advisory Council to the Major Projects Office or as a Trustee for the Kluane First Nation Trust, she works to make complex systems more accessible, inclusive, and responsive. She is deeply committed to creating space for women, young people, and the next generation to shape decisions that will impact them most — always grounding her leadership in values, relationships, and responsibility.

An experienced and well-respected tax professional and philanthropist with international experience in large organizations, both for-profit and non-profit. She earned her law degree from the University of Montreal (1989) and her master’s in Tax from the University of Sherbrooke (1995).

She was a founding partner of one of Montreal’s fastest growing law firms, BCF, where she practiced tax and corporate law, specializing in tax and succession planning for most of her career. As a director of the Quebec Association of Tax and Financial planning she was part of a delegation of Canadian experts including two Provincial Deputy Ministers from Quebec and Canada, mandated to assist the Government of Brazil with their tax reform. She taught tax and estate planning for several years at University of Montreal, University of Sherbrooke, and McGill University.

Today, she remains of counsel to BCF, a firm with close to 300 professionals, and is a founding investor and member of the investment committee of BCF Ventures, a very successful early-stage venture capital fund. She also provides active oversight of the holdings and investments of the Garber-Boucher Family as part of Iconiq Capital, the San Francisco based global multi-family office. She is an investor and Board member of Lynx Air, Canada’s newest airline led by esteemed private equity groups Indigo Partners and TorQuest, as well as a board member of Carebook technologies inc., an industry leader in providing powerful digital health solutions.

She has a formal education in Board governance and best practices from the Corporate Directors College and sits on a number of leading Montreal, Canadian and international Boards, including the prestigious Weizmann Institute of science in Israel, Alpine Canada, the McCord Museum, the Jewish Community Foundation, the World Wildlife Foundation and the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation as the immediate Past Chair.

She is an active athlete and former triathlete. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish, is a former member of the Canadian’s arm forces, has lived and worked in more than 8 countries, including Spain, Peru, Brazil, Israel, England, Gibraltar, Canada and the USA. She currently lives in Montreal with her husband and two adult sons.

Kate is currently based in Calgary, Alberta, which is situated in the beautiful traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, including the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Stoney Nakoda, and in the homelands of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. She comes to these eastern foothills via Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Cotonou, Halifax, Iqaluit, Melbourne and Inuvik and is grateful for the time she has been able to spend in each place.

Today, Kate runs Living Tree Law, a boutique firm specializing in Indigenous rights; treaty, self-government and benefit agreement negotiations; co- and Indigenous-led environmental and resource management and regulation; Indigenous corporate structuring and governance; and public international law. Previously, Kate worked as General Counsel for the Inuvialuit Corporate Group, as legal advisor for Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and as legal counsel for the Government of Nunavut. Though her work is wide-ranging, it has always centred on finding common ground and practical solutions to advance seemingly incongruent interests.

Kate holds a B.A. (International Relations) from the University of British Columbia, an LL.B. from Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, an LL. M. (Public International Law) from the University of Melbourne and a Protection Learning Program Certificate from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Kate is a member of the law societies of Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Alberta and the Nova Scotia Barristers Society.

A lifelong skier, biker, hiker, surfer and paddler, when released from the confines of her office, Kate can normally be found on some ocean, river or mountain with her husband, two teenaged boys and their dog (if she promises not to chase the pheasants).

Rod Girard is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of investment management, law and public service. He is currently Senior Vice-President, Corporate affairs and Chief Legal Officer at SMS Equipment.

Previously, he served as Chief Legal Officer at Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), helping guide the organization through a decade of transformational growth. Throughout his career, Rod has been recognized for his steady and principled leadership, his ability to cultivate high-performing and inclusive teams, and his skill managing complex multi-party negotiations.

Rod holds an MBA from Cornell and Queen’s University, a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto. He also earned a Master of Arts from McMaster University and a Bachelor of Arts (honours) from the University of Alberta. He is a member of the Law Societies of Alberta and Ontario and holds ICD.D and CPA, CMA designations.

A lifelong Albertan, Rod lives in Edmonton with his family and is a committed supporter of youth hockey.

David Oxtoby is the current chair, founder and former CEO of CarbonFree Technology Inc., which specializes in the development and financing of solar energy projects across North and South America. CarbonFree has built more than 130 solar projects with a total capacity of 780 megawatts (MW), enough clean electricity to power 98,000 typical North American homes. Prior to founding CarbonFree David was the vice-president of investments for OPG Ventures Inc., a cleantech venture capital fund that invested $80 million in 10 early-stage companies. David holds a BA in Philosophy and Economics from Trinity College at the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.

Dr. Tammara Soma MCIP RPP is an Assistant Professor at the School of Resource and Environmental Management (Planning program) at Simon Fraser University and is the Research Director of the Food Systems Lab. Tammara holds a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies (Honours) from York University, and a Master’s of Science in Planning and PhD from the University of Toronto where she was selected as a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholar (2014). Hailing from West Java, Indonesia, Tammara conducts research on issues pertaining to food loss and waste (FLW), food systems planning, food security, and the circular food economy.

Dr. Soma is a co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of Food Waste, and co-founder of the International Food Loss and Food Waste Studies group, a global network of food loss and waste researchers and practitioners.

Dr. Soma was selected as a committee member of the US National Academies of Sciences and co-authored the consensus study, A National Strategy to Reduce Consumer Food Waste.  She is routinely featured in international and local media to discuss food systems issues (BBC, The Guardian, CBC, TVO, CTV, Huffington Post, National Observer, Chatelaine and more). The Food Systems Lab was recognized as one out of the four women-run projects that are redefining agriculture by the Canadian Organic Grower. Tammara was a 2021 YWCA-Scotiabank nominee for the “women of distinction award” in the sustainability category, named in Chatelaine magazine as one of the 10 inspiring Canadian women saving the environment, and a Style Canada 30 Changemakers. In addition to food systems research on earth, Tammara is a Research Affiliate with Project Galileo at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics where she contributes her expertise to exploring the societal implications of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. She is a registered professional planner and a proud mother of three.