Our Team

Helen Burstyn

Board Chair

Helen Burstyn has enjoyed a 35-year career in government, business, academia, broadcasting and community service. She is currently the Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Social Venture Zone at Ryerson University and the co-host of Toronto Files, a weekly public affairs program on RogersTV.

The former Chair of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Helen also served for several years as the Government of Ontario’s Special Advisor, Social Enterprise and Chair of the Partnership Forum, the province’s advisory body on the not-for-profit and voluntary sector.

Helen is a director of many non-profit and charitable organizations, including Evergreen, which she has chaired since June, 2014, the Canadian Opera Company, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Toronto Public Library Foundation, Luminato, The Walrus Foundation, Harmony Hall Centre for Seniors, The Learning Partnership, and the Koffler Centre for the Arts. She is a co-founder of The Pecaut Centre for Social Impact and Gilda's Club Greater Toronto, and was a founding member of Equal Voice. She served for nine years as a Trustee of CAMH and is a past-president of the Canadian Club of Toronto. 

Helen is the author of Eleven Out of Ten: The Life and Work of David Pecaut. She is the recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Community Leadership and the Ontario Citizenship Award for Volunteer Service.

She has four daughters and three granddaughters, and lives in Toronto.

George F. Dark, FCSLA, ASLA

Chair Emeritus

George is a senior partner at Urban Strategies Inc., an international award-winning planning and urban design firm that works to shape and enhance urban places through strategic action, holistic design and progressive policies. He has over 35 years of professional experience as an urban designer and landscape architect, and is a member of the College of Fellows of both the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects and the American Society of Landscape Architects. George was also founding chairman of the Toronto Parks Foundation, on the Honour Roll of the Toronto Region Conservation Authority, a member of several City of Ottawa Design Review Panels and has received over 40 national and international awards for his work.

Anne Brace, MBA, CPA-CA

Vice Chair, Treasurer, Chair – Finance and Audit Committee

Anne currently sits on the board and audit committee of Strongco Corporation (TSX:SQP) and is a director of three not-for-profit organizations: Evergreen, Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) and the Huntington Society of Canada. She serves as Treasurer and Chair of the Audit and Finance Committees for both Evergreen and OTN. Prior to retiring, she was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Softchoice Corporation. During her 11-year tenure there, the company grew annual revenues from US $70 million to US $1.2 billion. Anne spearheaded several acquisitions, took the company public and managed an evolving capital structure. She achieved her CA designation while at Ernst & Young and also served as CFO to Applanix Corporation, prior to her employment at Softchoice. Anne obtained her MBA at York University and her BA from Trinity College, University of Toronto.

John D. Coyne

Secretary

John has been with Unilever Canada since 1992 and today works with professionals and multi-disciplinary teams in law, sustainability, corporate and government relations, regulatory affairs, quality assurance and safety.  He is a member of Unilever Canada’s board of directors as well as the Canadian Leadership Team, and is also chair of the company’s Pension Committee.

John is well known for his leadership in corporate sustainability.  He is a passionate activator of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, designed to help Unilever deliver its objective of growing the business while reducing its environmental footprint and increasing its positive contribution to society.  John is Executive Chair of the Board of Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance, Inc. and is a director of Evergreen.  In addition, John is co-chair of the Partners in Project Green steering committee, a major environmental initiative of the Toronto Region Conservation Authority.  He is also director and past Chair of Stewardship Ontario. In 2012 John has been recognized for his leadership in corporate sustainability by being named by Clean 50 as one of Canada’s top sustainability leaders.  Earlier this year, John was appointed as a member of the Ontario Government’s Climate Action Group.  This group will advise the Ontario Minister of the Environment on effective climate change actions that will help Ontario meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals and transition to a prosperous, low-carbon economy.

John also works closely with industry groups and other organizations.  He is Chair of the board of Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Foundation and is director and past Chair of the Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association. 

Alan Dean

Chair—Governance and Nominating Committee

Alan Dean is president and executive director of Brookfield Partners Foundation, the charitable arm of Brookfield, an international asset management company based in Toronto. Alan retired from Brookfield in 2008 after 20 years in communications, governance and shareholder relations. Before this, he worked in business planning for Cadillac Fairview, a leading North American real estate developer, and as an urban planner for the City of Toronto. Alan’s board experience includes acting as a director of Brookfield Investments Corporation, trade committee chair for the Canadian Council for International Business, vice-chair of the Canadian Council for the Americas and chair of the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce. He is also on the Woodsworth College Campaign Cabinet at the University of Toronto. Alan has degrees from the University of Toronto in Architecture, Geography and Business.

Joyce Barretto

A strategic leader with over 25 years of success in the private, public and non-profit sectors, Joyce began her career in real estate and development, and subsequently joined the Ontario Public Service. She served in multiple ministries including the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, lastly as the assistant deputy minister of four large provincial agencies responsible for public policy issues and agency liaison between external Boards and the Province. She is past president of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and is currently a board director for the Parkinson’s Society of Canada. Joyce is a management consultant with broad functional expertise spanning board governance, complex project management, government relations and human resources. Her current work is in the area of environmental sustainability and board start-up. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario.

Julie Bowen

Julie joined the Canadian Museum of Nature (CMN) in 2012 as VP – Experience and Engagement after four years at TELUS Spark, and 18 years at the Ontario Science Centre. At the CMN she is responsible for the retail and revenue-generating operations as well as programs, exhibits and the web. Throughout her career, Julie has facilitated and led teams in the development and implementation of programs, interactive exhibitions and activities in the science centre and museum field, including Canada's first purpose-built science centre in 25 years—TELUS Spark (opened 2011). She has consulted for science centres and not-for-profit institutions around the world helping them to develop innovative approaches to delivering their missions to their audiences. Julie holds a Master of Science (Biology) and a Bachelor of Science (honours) – Biology from Queen’s University.

Andy Chisholm

Andy is an Advisory Director of Goldman Sachs. Andy in previous roles was Senior Strategy Officer of the firm, head of the Global Financial Institutions Group in the Investment Banking Division and co-Chairman of the Commitments Committee which oversees the firm’s equity underwriting procedures globally. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1985 and worked in Mergers and Acquisitions in New York before moving to London in 1987 to focus on M&A and capital raising for European financial institutions. He returned to New York with Goldman Sachs in 2003 to head the Global Financial Institutions Group from 2002 to early 2012, at which point he became Senior Strategy Officer for Goldman Sachs globally.

Andy holds a B. Comm. from Queens University (1981) and graduated with an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University in 1985 where he is Chairman of the Advisory Board. He lives in Toronto with his family.

Saleem Dedhar

Saleem is the founder and president of S2S Environmental Inc., an environmental consulting firm providing a broad range of environmental due diligence services for the real estate sector. Previously the vice chairman and president of a private multinational environmental consulting firm with offices across North America and abroad, he has served on numerous Boards of Directors, including chairing the Markham Board of Trade, the Board of FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance Canada and the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement. He was also the lead director on the Board of a publicly-traded multinational manufacturing company. Saleem has a Bachelors of Applied Science degree in civil engineering from UBC, a Masters of Applied Science degree in environmental engineering from UBC, and graduated on the Dean’s List with an Executive MBA from the University of Toronto.

Renée Gomes

Renée is the Director of Development at Waterfront Toronto, the agency tasked with transforming over 2,000 acres of land as part of one of the world's largest waterfront revitalization projects. Renée oversees a range of development projects in the West Don Lands and East Bayfront communities. She works to attract private-sector investment in the waterfront and to ensure that development advances Waterfront Toronto’s objectives for design excellence, sustainability, and the establishment of precedent-setting, mixed-use communities. Her notable project experience includes Athletes’ Village for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games. She is an enthusiastic champion of creative, multi-sector approaches for achieving public policy objectives.

Prior to joining Waterfront Toronto, Renée was an Associate Planner at Urban Strategies Inc., where she led municipal approvals processes and prepared a range of planning and development strategies for public- and private-sector clients in the GTA and in England. Renée holds a Master of Science in Planning degree from the University of Toronto. She is a Registered Professional Planner and a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners. Renée frequently guest lectures and has taught at the University of Toronto. She enjoys riding the streetcar, is passionate about singing, and is a proud member of Toronto’s Choir! Choir! Choir!

Andrew Graham

Andrew is co-founder and CEO of Borrowell, a Canadian marketplace lending platform serving consumers with good credit scores. He leads a dynamic team dedicated to bringing better rates and service to borrowers as well as attractive returns to investors.

Before founding Borrowell, Andrew led the insurance business at PC Financial. He has also held roles in corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions. Earlier in his career, Andrew served as a political staffer in Ottawa. He is co-founder of Toronto Homecoming, a profitable social enterprise that has connected hundreds of talented Canadians abroad with job opportunities in the region. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MA in economics from the University of Edinburgh. The Evergreen Brick Works Farmers' Market is a favourite weekend destination for Andrew, his wife and daughter.

Andy Macaulay

Andy built two of Canada’s most recognized advertising agencies on business success created for leading marketers like IKEA, Pfizer, Unilever and Molson. As a partner in Roche Macaulay & Partners, he helped it become Canadian Agency of the Decade for the ‘90s (Marketing Magazine) and International Agency of the Year for 1998 (Ad Age). He then started Zig with two partners, growing it to 120 people before stepping aside. Andy is now chairman of a successor organization, Union, founded in December. Andy has supported Evergreen for 20 years. He is a co-founder of Metapurpose, a purpose-driven brand strategy firm, and co-founder of Citizen Capitalism, a passion project aimed at helping people change the world with their daily decisions. He is also on the Board of the Macaulay Child Development Centre. He has a BBA from WLU.

Jamison Steeve

Executive Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, two of Canada’s leading think tanks. With a background as a teacher and a lawyer, Jamison has spent the last decade committed to developing and implementing impactful public policy. That work continues here as he aims to build upon the successful legacy of the institutes while blazing an exciting future. Jamison holds a B.A. (Honours) and a B.Ed from Queen’s, along with a LLB from Dalhousie.

Geoffrey Cape

Chief Executive Officer

gcape@evergreen.ca
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Geoff Cape is the founding CEO of Evergreen since 1991. Day to day, Geoff is focused on the development and acceleration of good ideas that advance Evergreen’s mission. With a background in real estate development, sustainability and urbanization trends globally, Geoff helps to evolve Evergreen programs to offer leadership solutions for cities and citizens.

Selected in 1999 as one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40” by The Globe and Mail Report on Business magazine, Geoff has also been honoured with the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in recognition of “Canadians who have made outstanding and exemplary contributions to their communities or to Canada as a whole.” In 2005, Geoff was inducted into an International Fellowship by Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. In 2007, Geoff won the prestigious Schwab Foundation’s “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” award. Geoff was founding Chair of the Sustainability Institute, Deputy Board Chair, Development for Downsview Park, a crown corporation in Canada, and a past member of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation Selection Committee. Geoff has been a regular participant and speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and is on the “Future of Urban Development Advisory Board” and the “Technology Pioneers Selection Committee” for the World Economic Forum. Geoff lives in the Annex neighbourhood in Toronto with his wife Valerie and three boys Toma, Ben and Sebastien, and cycles to work every day—even in blinding snow storms.

Seana Irvine

Chief Strategy Officer

seana@evergreen.ca
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Seana joined Evergreen in 1997 and was the Chief Operating Officer from 2010–2016, helping Evergreen through its major growth and expansion to Evergreen Brick Works. As COO, Seana helped Evergreen balance its creative and entrepreneurial effort with the number of hours in a day. This included helping to set strategic direction and priorities and delivering through operational  planning and budgeting.Seana also oversaw Evergreen's staff and volunteers, as well as risk management planning, policies and procedures.

For 13 years, Seana was Evergreen's Program Director, leading the millenial-phase growth of Evergreen's national programs and the design of community programs at Evergreen Brick Works. She was also a key team member in the development of the Brick Works, including program development, art and interpretation, community consultation, site design and fundraising. Seana has a Masters in Environmental Studies (Planning) and an Honours Degree in Environmental and Resource Studies.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Equality Effect and volunteers with Girls Rock Camp Toronto, and previously served on the Board for The Stop Community Food Centre and the Sustainability Network. She lives in Toronto’s Lower Don watershed with her husband and two children.

Sarah Heynen

Chief Operating Officer

sheynen@evergreen.ca
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Sarah joined Evergreen in 2009 as Manager, Capital Campaign for Evergreen Brick Works and was promoted to Director of Development in 2012. In 2013, Sarah became Evergreen’s first ever Chief Development Officer in recognition of her broad leadership role in Evergreen’s capital and operating sponsorship and charitable fundraising programs. Her 12 years fundraising experience includes past positions at WWF-Canada, Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation, and as a former board member of the Planet in Focus International Environmental Film and Video Festival.

Sarah holds an LLB from the University of Alberta and an Honours BA in Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario. She lives in Toronto with her husband and young son.

Cam Collyer

Executive Director, Programs

ccollyer@evergreen.ca
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Cam is the Executive Director, Programs at Evergreen, overseeing and developing Evergreen’s evolving national suite of programs that connect Canadians with nature. This includes the award-winning national school ground greening program—Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds—as well as Evergreen’s programs that engage Canadians in restoring health to public lands and communities. He has overseen the establishment of a national network of school ground design professionals, the creation of a large suite of print and web-based publications, the establishment of pioneering partnerships with schools boards across Canada and the distribution of over $3 million in grants to schools.

Cam is on the board of directors of Green Teacher magazine, Green Schoolyards America and is a co-founder of the International School Ground Alliance. Cam is a regular presenter at conferences, universities and in the media on topics of school ground greening, environmental education, and the connection between children and nature.

Robert Plitt

Executive Director, Collective Impact

rplitt@evergreencityworks.ca
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Robert oversees Evergeen Cityworks, Evergreen’s suite of programs focused on tackling critical urban infrastructure issues. He has worked for two decades in Toronto co-creating transformative civic asset revitalization projects including the redevelopment of Evergreen Brick Works, the Wychwood Barns and the Distillery District.

Prior to his role as Executive Director of CityWorks he was Director of Collective Impact where he developed Evergreen’s Action Lab program and curated multi-sector collaborations focused on systems change at national and regional scales.

Lois Lindsay

Executive Managing Director, Programs

lois@evergreen.ca
416-596-1495 x227

Since joining the Evergreen team in 2002, Lois has played a key role in many aspects of Evergreen programs, from volunteer engagement strategies, to municipal partnership development, to authoring a number of Evergreen’s signature guidebooks. Lois has provided senior administrative and strategic support behind the national growth of Evergreen’s Children and Greenspace programs, as well as helping to establish Evergreen Brick Works as a destination for green living, design, and urban sustainability.

As Executive Managing Director of programs, Lois puts the teams and resources in place to help advance Evergreen’s strategic direction. Lois holds a Master’s Degree in Geography, and an Honours degree in English and Environmental Studies. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons.

Luuk Postuma

Director of Facility Management, Evergreen Brick Works

lpostuma@evergreen.ca
416-596-1495 x288

Luuk joined Evergreen in 2012, bringing a wealth of business operations and project and process management experience. In 2014, Luuk was promoted to Director of Facility Management, ensuring that Evergreen Brick Works operates as an environmentally sustainable facility while overseeing all aspects of Building Operations, including flood readiness.

Prior to his employment at Evergreen, Luuk spent 15 years working in the professional services industry as a technology and project manager at Arthur Andersen and Goodmans LLP.  Luuk is a nature enthusiast, and when not at work, can often be found bird-watching in the Lower Don Valley while hiking with his dogs.

Kathleen Buzek

Director of Finance

kbuzek@evergreen.ca
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As Director of Finance, Kathleen is responsible for Evergreen’s internal and external financial reporting.  Kathleen is a Chartered Professional Accountant who started her career in public accounting, spending seven years in audit at KPMG, with three years specialized in not-for-profit organizations. In her spare time, Kathleen volunteers on the board of a Toronto youth mental health organization.