Youth Advisory Council 

Christine Coutinho, Ontario (she/her)

Christine is from Brampton, Ontario and has a passion for reducing our ecological footprints and learning about the environment. During her time at university she dove into climate change and was encouraged to take action with JGIC. She has since graduated with a political science degree and has completed an MA in global politics. She continues to work at spreading awareness and encouraging young adults to take action as well.

Elaina Cox, Ontario (she/her)

Elaina Cox has her Master’s from the University of Waterloo with a thesis in Indigenous Conservation; while simultaneously working at Parks Canada’s National Office in Indigenous Stewardship and Engagement and is assisting on a developing book regarding First Nations Treaties and the SDGs.  She has a Bachelor in Honours Environmental  Governance and a double minor in Honours Political Science and Geographic Information System and Environmental Analysis from the University of Guelph. She is involved in volunteering efforts regarding Indigenous rights, LGBTQ+ and the environment, including working with well-known groups such as Ontario Nature, Sustainable Forestry Initiative and The Climate Reality Project. Elaina has a variety of work and volunteer experience working with international and national targets including Canada’s NDC, UNDRIP, ILO 169, UNEP FI disclosures and Sustainable Development Goals. Elaina’s future aims towards working to reach national and international targets and objectives through promoting Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas. In her free time, Elaina loves hiking with her dog and drinking a hot tea in the sun.

Haley Down, Ontario (she/her)

Haley is a words enthusiast. A recent graduate from the Masters of Wild Writing program at the University of Essex, her work focussed on climate change and chronic pain. She will be continuing to explore her love of words coupled with environmental justice by pursuing a PhD in literature at the University of Waterloo, from which she also received an undergraduate degree in Knowledge Integration. She is an assistant editor and contributing writer of Blank Spaces, a Canadian literary arts magazine, and previously served as co-editor of the University of Essex Wild Easters graduate student blog. Haley’s ideal day includes two cups of coffee, playing frisbee in the park, marking up a book with pen, and having creative quiet time—whether that be through writing poetry, sewing, knitting, or baking. Growing up in the country, Haley spent a great deal of time by the river where her love for nature began. She looks forward to contributing an artist’s perspective to the Youth Advisory Council, advocating for the interests and perspectives of creativity-minded folks. 

Lauren Hill, Ontario (she/her)

Lauren is from Ottawa, Ontario on the unceded lands of the Anishinaabe and Algonquin nations and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environment and Development at McGill University. She is passionate about sustainability, fighting environmental inequity and learning about the impact of climate change on people and places. Lauren has spent time volunteering on an arts-based community development project with Waterlution Canada focused on water activism, as well as serving as an executive for her high school’s environment club. Lauren is excited to be a part of the Youth Advisory Council where she can combine her passion for the environment with youth-led action to make a positive impact on the planet. In her free time, you can usually find her playing sports, watching NFL football, reading or taking nature photos on a long walk. 

Zaynab Karimjee, Ontario (she/her)

Zaynab Karimjee is a student in the Concurrent Education program at Queen’s University, pursuing a Bachelors of Arts in Languages, Literature, and Culture alongside a Bachelors of Education in Primary/Junior Teaching. As a future teacher, she aims to empower  students and inspire them to be changemakers within their community. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors, whether it’s embarking on a rigorous hike or creating a picnic spread with my friends. As an artistic person, she often enjoys baking, crochet, and pottery making. Having recently returned to Canada from a full year study abroad at the University of St
Andrews, in Scotland, she sees life as an adventure, and is eager to explore the world, continue
learning, while helping to inspire hope in others.

Victoria King, Ontario (she/her)

Victoria King is a lifetime learner, traveller, and lover of the outdoors, combined with a deep concern for the well-being of future generations animates all aspects of my professional and personal life. As a youth and human being, she wants to be the agent of positive change in a world that often feels grim. Hoping to be a spark of hope that ignites future generations to aspire to do more than just for themselves.

Rae Landriau, Ontario (they/them)

Rae Landriau is a Master’s student at Carleton University, studying contaminant transport in permafrost. Their work deals with the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, community governance, climate change, and environmental remediation. Rae’s passion for the environment is what drove them to pursue a career in science. They actively seek out opportunities to educate others, using their environmental and scientific knowledge in community outreach settings. Rae’s passion for collective action and radical collaboration is what drove them to found Create Change Collective, a community environmental organization which seeks to educate and engage folks in conservation and climate action. In their free time Rae loves swimming, canoeing, being outdoors, getting creative in the kitchen and volunteering!

Noor Latif, Ontario (she/her)

Noor recently graduated from McMaster University with her Bachelors in Honors Environmental Science and Minor in Sustainability. She will be pursuing her Masters of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto. She grew up in Lahore, Pakistan and after moving to Canada, she became more passionate about the field of environment, energy and sustainability. Her interest mainly lies in the arena of environmental justice, planning and equity due to her lived experience in both the Global North and the Global South. She is very keen on incorporating her lived experience with her professional/academic experience to work towards shaping a more resilient future. She loves to travel and explore different cultures! And she is really looking forward to spending an amazing year being a part of the Youth Advisory Council!

Maggie MacDonald, Ontario (she/her)

Maggie is passionate about sustainability, environmental conservation, and environmental justice. She enjoys wildlife photography, hiking, camping, skiing, sailing, surfing, birdwatching, yoga, and reading. Maggie completed her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from Queen’s University in 2022. Her studies allowed her to gain a deeper appreciation for the natural world and become more informed of the urgency of climate change and the biodiversity crisis. Since graduating, Maggie has gained a variety of work experience in the environmental sector. This includes working with the charity Bee City Canada as an Environmental Educator, the non-profit Earth Day Canada as a Waste Auditor, and most recently with the organization Soy Canada as a Sustainability Officer. In September, Maggie is excited to return to Queen’s University to begin her Master of Environmental Studies degree. Maggie previously had the privilege of volunteering with the Jane Goodall Institute on the ‘Uncovering Common Ground’ project, which focuses on reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians through youth-led community action. Maggie is thrilled about the opportunity to join the Youth Advisory Council and looks forward to working with like-minded individuals to promote environmental sustainability, climate justice, and reconciliation.

Mei-Ling Patterson, British Columbia (she/her/elle)

Mei-Ling was born and raised in North Vancouver, British Columbia, on the unceded territory of the Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and Musqueam Nation. She recently graduated from the Environment and Urban Sustainability program at Toronto Metropolitan University with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and a minor in French Studies. She will be pursuing a Master of Applied Science in Environmental Applied Science and Management at the Yeates School of Graduate Studies this fall and has been awarded a Canada Excellence Research Chair Graduate Student Stipend as she will be conducting her research amongst racialized newcomer populations. She is driven by her passion for climate justice and connections with nature. In her spare time, Mei-Ling enjoys yoga and meditation, listening to music, and trying out new plant-based restaurants. She is eager to be on the Youth Advisory Council this year to learn and volunteer alongside other like-minded youth to help shape a just and sustainable future.

Sara Perry, Alberta (she/her)

Sara was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, the Stoney Nakoda, and the Métis Nation of Alberta Region 3. She is currently completing her Bachelor of Science – Honours degree in Zoology, with a Minor in Anthropology, at the University of Calgary. She has a lifelong passion for wildlife and conservation and is especially interested in biodiversity preservation, human-wildlife conflict and co-existence, and the ways conservation projects can help communities alongside the environment. Sara’s honours thesis and summer work focus on her research into three-spined stickleback fish morphology and ecology. In her free time, Sara enjoys observing nature, devouring new books, sketching and painting with watercolours, and hanging out with her fluffy dog! Sara is eager to spend her time on the council working with like-minded folks to raise awareness on biodiversity loss, spotlight youth voices on environmental issues, and continue to share JGIC’s message of hope with Canadians.

Meghan Scott, British Columbia (she/her)

Meghan grew up on Vancouver Island, in the unceded Coast Salish territories of the ləkw̓ əŋən (Songhees), Xwsepsum (Esquimalt), and T’Sou-ke peoples. She will be finishing her undergraduate degree from The University of Western Ontario in Integrated Science and Physics next year, a program that has also allowed her to study the interdisciplinary nature of climate change and biodiversity loss. She is passionate about environmental justice, conservation, and atmospheric and ocean protection, all stemming from her upbringing on
the shores of the Salish Sea. She believes youth engagement and action will be at the heart of getting through the climate crisis, and finds hope in Jane Goodall’s lifelong work to foster a love of nature in young people. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, and playing volleyball.

Rebecca Seward-Langdon, Ontario (she/her)

Rebecca is a Chinese-Canadian adoptee living on the shared land of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. She holds a Master of Global Affairs from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in African Studies and Political Science from Carleton University. With a passion for human rights, social justice, and anti-colonialism, Rebecca intends to use her various positions and platforms to disrupt systems of coloniality and status quo.