WWF-Canada welcomes Ryan Baillargeon, David Oxtoby and Thao Pham to its Board of Directors
Toronto, Jan. 28, 2025 – World Wildlife Fund Canada is proud to announce the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors: Ryan Baillargeon, David Oxtoby and Thao Pham, all of whom bring a wealth of experience, expertise and passion to advance the organization’s environmental mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan, David and Thao to our Board,” WWF-Canada’s President and CEO, Megan Leslie, said. “Their diverse perspectives and outstanding track records in business, leadership, technology and finance will strengthen our ability to deliver on our 10-year strategic plan, Regenerate Canada, developed to make a meaningful impact on the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change.”
WWF-Canada offers its sincere gratitude to outgoing board members Jamie Biggar and Bruce Poon Tip, for their years of dedicated service, leadership and invaluable contributions to the organization’s growth and success.
About the New Board Members
Ryan Baillargeon is the founder and CEO of Grassriots, a digital agency dedicated to supporting the non-profit sector. His work focuses on leveraging digital tools to enhance organizing, campaigning and fundraising efforts. Recognizing the critical role of fundraising in sustaining movements, Ryan has guided Grassriots in developing expertise in digital acquisition, monthly donor programs, and performance marketing. Grassriots emphasizes the importance of cultivating digital talent to address the complex issues non-profits confront.
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.
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).
As WWF-Canada continues its journey to Regenerate Canada — a bold plan that would see it protect 100 million hectares of critical habitat, restore 1 million hectares and sequester 30 million tonnes of carbon in nature, the addition of these new board members will play a pivotal role in ensuring our success.
About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.
For more information, contact [email protected]
