Staff

ALLYSON BRADY | B.A.

Executive Director

Allyson (she/her) has worked with the Saskatchewan Environmental Society to protect and preserve the province’s precious natural world since 1991. For 14 years, she served as SES’s Information Coordinator, sharing with schools, businesses, institutions, and municipalities her extensive working knowledge of environmental issues, with a specific focus on grassland and forest ecosystems. In 2005, Allyson was promoted to the role of Executive Director, with expanded responsibilities including policy and procedural development, fundraising, financial oversight, networking and organization development, and administrative supervision. In addition to several appointments to government and industry advisory bodies on forest issues, Allyson served for 11 years on the Canadian Environmental Network Forest Caucus steering committee, several years as its chair. Allyson is an alumna of the University of Saskatchewan and has also been a contributing author and researcher to books about the environment and forests.

MEGAN VAN BUSKIRK | B.A. with Distinction, B.Sc.

Director of Policy & Communication

Megan (she/her) has been with SES since 2011, first as a summer student working on SES’s pesticide-reduction initiatives, followed by over 10 years of providing administrative support to staff and the board of directors, coordinating volunteers, managing communications, and helping facilitate environmental education programming. Throughout 2023, she grabbed the helm of the organization, taking on the role of Acting Executive Director throughout Allyson’s sabbatical. Now she focusses on SES’s policy and issue work through the lens of environmental communication, as well as overseeing SES’s administrative operations. She holds two environmental studies degrees – a B.Sc. in Physical Geography and a B.A. in Northern Studies, and she is working towards an M.A. in Environmental Education & Communication. Megan volunteers with the Girl Guides of Canada where she currently leads a unit, previously serving as the Deputy Provincial Commissioner and the Public Relations & Communications Advisor for Saskatchewan Council. Megan has also represented civil society at the United Nations international climate negotiations (UNFCCC) four times.

ROWAN F. NEUFELD | B.A. HONS

Administrator

Rowan (he/they) provides administrative support to the board, staff, and volunteers at SES. He has a B.A. in English from the University of Saskatchewan and spent five years coordinating a wide range of literary and community events for an independent bookstore. In September 2022, Rowan took on the role of Office & Communications Coordinator while Megan served as SES’s Acting Executive Director. He is excited to continue working with SES in an administrative capacity (and as a volunteer plant dad). Rowan loves to wander the Northeast Swale, bird watch, and appreciate all of the beauty of Treaty lands in Saskatchewan. Their favourite indoor activities include paper crafts, writing, and movie marathons.

JELYN RIVERA | MM, BSBA, BSA

Bookkeeper

Jelyn (she/her) provides bookkeeping and financial administration to SES. She has over 15 years of experience in bookkeeping and financial administration, as well as a B.Sc. in Business Administration and a B.Sc. in Accountancy from Holy Angel University, and a Master of Management from the University of the Philippines. Bookkeeping and financial administration doesn’t really feel like a job to Jelyn, since she loves working with numbers. She says it is an honour to be a part of SES’s team because of our mission to protect natural spaces for us, our children, and future generations to come. Jelyn and her family love travelling, exploring nature, and experiencing different cultures.

ANGIE BUGG | P.ENG., C.E.M., B.E.

Energy Conservation Engineer

Angie (she/her) is an advocate for environmental sustainability through the practical application of energy conservation. She coordinates SES’s energy conservation projects including Building Operator Training and Efficiency for Organizations, among others, where she educates building operators, non-profit organizations, teachers and students about reducing energy consumption and waste, aligning her professional background with her passion for environmental stewardship. A mechanical engineer by trade, she expertly blends technical expertise with community engagement, contributing to both the adoption of sustainable practices and advancement of environmental literacy. The University of Saskatchewan honoured Angie in 2017 by recognizing her as one of ten Canada 150 Citizens for her dedication to environmental work and for being a female role model in the traditionally male-dominated engineering profession. Angie was also recognized for both her professional and volunteer work in the environmental field with a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal in 2023.

MARK FERARO | E.Eng. Tech., C.E.A., RHLG

Building Efficiency Coordinator

Mark (he/him) supports SES’s energy conservation projects as they relate to building efficiency, including coordinating Building Operator Training for the Community Housing Sector. He graduated from St. Lawrence College in Energy Engineering in 2014, where he studied energy efficiencies used in commercial, industrial, and residential optimization, with detailed study on energy minimization of HVAC equipment, controls & automation, and lighting. He is also a Certified Energy Auditor and a Certified Residential Heat Loss/Gain Analyst. Mark has expertise in renewable energy technologies and sustainable building design, as well as education in graphic design. Mark’s hobbies include travelling (he has been to 5 of the 7 wonders of the world) and DIY projects such as wood working, building computer rigs, and home renovation projects.

AMBER BURTON | B.SC. HONS

Education Coordinator

Amber (they/them) coordinates SES’s education programs, Student Action for a Sustainable Future and Smarter Science Better Buildings. They have a deep passion for the natural world, sustainability, and the role education plays in inspiring youth to create just and sustainable futures. Amber has a B.Sc. in Land Use and Environmental Studies with a minor in Urban Planning and is currently working towards both their Forest School and Heritage Interpreter Certification. They have over ten years of experience working in the environmental education field, including working for the Meewasin Valley Authority and Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin. For fun, Amber enjoys gardening, reading, and nature adventuring with their family whenever possible.

Alima Zhu | B.A.

Garden Support Coordinator

Alima (she/her) is supporting garden maintenance at two gardens SES helped develop at Walter Murray Collegiate and Howard Coad Community School in Saskatoon this summer. Alima is a second-year master’s student in Regenerative Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan. She is passionate about sustainable land management, ecological restoration, native plants cultivation, and environmental education. She loves to connect with people through native plants, community events, and sustainable educational workshops. She has experience in volunteer coordination and organic farming from her family’s greenhouse in China.