Where are they now? Catching up with our past Clean50 Emerging Leaders (Part Two)

Each year, Clean50 recognizes 20 Emerging Leaders across sectors who are moving Canada’s sustainability transition forward. This second installment of our new weekly series catches up with past honourees whose impact just keeps growing. This week, our leaders’ work includes creating Canada’s clean energy and critical minerals strategies, tackling the problem of aquatic pollution from fishing gear, turning CO2 emissions into high-value chemicals, EV policy advocacy, researching sustainable food transitions, expanding Canada’s clean energy network, climate finance, and promoting climate-responsible investments. Also featured is the only pair of Emerging Leader winners from the same organization that we have recognized in the same year. In their own words below, you’ll see how Clean50 recognition helped open doors, sharpen strategy, and build lasting connections and community. We’re proud to have played a part in their journeys, and prouder still to amplify the work they’re leading now. We’re thrilled to share where they are today, and what’s next. Check back again next week to hear from more leaders.

Alida Burke and Corey Ellis, 2021 Winners

Roles: Alida Burke – Prior COO and Co-Founder, Current CFO and Co-Founder. Corey Ellis – CEO and Co-Founder.

After witnessing firsthand the challenges of securing fresh, sustainable food in remote Northern locations, Alida and Corey founded the Growcer to provide modular vertical farming solutions to communities across Canada. Alida and Corey are the only Emerging Leaders the Clean50 has ever recognized from the same organization in the same year. Since then, they have grown Growcer from 20 farms across Canada to 125 farms across North America and almost tripled the size of their team. They’ve also launched an impact investing fund, called Growcer Fund, to make their technology accessible, where organizations “subscribe” to a farm for a lower monthly payment, eliminating the large upfront cost. They developed Canada’s first wheelchair-accessible modular farm, a multi-farm Farmplex, an education farm that can serve as a classroom, an Arctic farm suitable for far north conditions, and various storage hubs so communities can store perishable food. They are collaborating with Carleton University and La Cite on R&D projects to expand crop selection like testing year-round strawberries, and launched training and support services for growers to help everyone find their “green thumb.” In April 2024, they closed a $3 million CAD Series A funding round to accelerate expansion, signing on strategic investors like Modern Niagara, cleantech investor Jeff Westeinde, and Jeff York, the former co-CEO of Farm Boy. In July, they acquired the assets of U.S. competitor Freight Farms, increasing Growcer’s network by 500+ farms from across the world in over 30 countries. A true powerhouse team, Corey and Alida are not just contributing to more sustainable community food systems, they are delivering Canadian agritech to the world. 

We met some great peers [through the Clean50], many of whom have since become friends and who we look to for guidance, advice and support.

Claire Seaborn, 2023 Winner

Prior Role: Chief of Staff at Office of the Minister of Natural Resources

Current Role: Counsel at Torys LLP

Canada’s clean growth depends on clear policy and efficient permitting to get projects financed, approved and built. As Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Claire helped develop and implement the Clean Electricity Strategy, the Critical Minerals Strategy, the Sustainable Jobs Plan, and a Cabinet Directive on Regulatory and Permitting Efficiency for Clean Growth Projects. In 2024, she joined Torys LLP’s Infrastructure & Energy Group in Toronto, advising project proponents, investors, and public-sector clients on regulatory processes, transactional risk, disputes, and moving major projects forward. She also volunteers with the University of Oxford Climate Policy Monitor, the Canada Climate Law Initiative, and the Clean Economy Fund. Clean50 expanded her network and perspective across the sustainability sector, supercharging her work in environmental and climate law and public policy.

Clean50 has helped me expand my network and learn about the many facets of sustainability, which is relevant to growing my expertise in environmental and climate change law and public policy.

Joel Baziuk, 2017 Winner

Prior Role: Operations Supervisor at Steveston Harbour Authority

Current Role: Associate Director, Global Ghost Gear Initiative at Ocean Conservancy

Discarded fishing gear is a huge source of pollution, making up a significant portion of the trash in our oceans and waterways. Joel Baziuk is part of the fight against “ghost gear”, pushing for a cohesive, global drive to better understand and tackle this issue. Before winning his Clean50 award in 2017, Joel was working at Steveston Harbour Authority while helping the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) establish itself. Shortly after being presented with his Clean50 award, the role of GGGI Secretariat opened up, and Joel landed the position. Since then, Joel’s role has evolved into that of Associate Director. GGGI now has 154 member organizations from around the world across a variety of sectors. Joel has spoken at dozens of international conferences, including the United Nations Ocean Conference and the World Conservation Congress. Joel credits his Clean50 win with helping him to land his role as GGGI Secretariat, which he says completely changed the trajectory of his career.

I’d like to sincerely thank Gavin and the team at Delta Management for giving me this amazing opportunity, and encouraging me to take that next step.

Christine Gabardo, 2022 Winner

Prior Role: Co-Founder and Director of Technology at CERT Systems Inc.

Current Role: Co-Founder and CTO at CERT Systems Inc.

CO2 pollution is one of the most-discussed issues in the sustainability sector. Christine Gabardo is aiming to address this issue with her company, CERT, where CO2 electrolysis is used to convert harmful emissions into high-value chemicals using only water and electricity. They are able to produce sustainable ethylene using a one-step process without using costly feedstocks such as hydrogen, ethanol, or syngas. Since winning her Emerging Leader award in 2022, Christine and her co-founder have been recognized as Breakthrough Energy Fellows. CERT’s operations have expanded, with the team growing to 18 and the completion of a new pilot plant. CERT has formed collaborations with multiple major corporations and raised $6M in non-dilutive funding. Christine is doing this work alongside her co-founder, Alexander Ip, who was also recognized as a Clean50 Emerging Leader in 2023.  

Winning a Clean50 Award really helped connect me to the Canadian cleantech ecosystem, I have made some connections with other winners and still connect with them at events across Canada.”

Audrey Dépault, 2015 Winner

Prior Role: National Manager at The Climate Reality Project Canada

Current Role: Director, Energy & Transportation at Sussex Strategy

Canada’s shift to clean mobility and power accelerates when policy clears the path for EV adoption, charging, and storage. Since receiving her 2015 Clean50 Emerging Leader award, Audrey has focused on policy-driven impact. As a board member of AVEQ, she advocated for measures to speed EV uptake. At Tesla, as Managing Advisor for Public Policy & Business Development, she championed policies to expand EV adoption, grow charging networks, and facilitate battery recovery and recycling, while supporting grid-scale battery storage. Today, as Director for Energy & Transportation at Sussex Strategy, she helps clients navigate evolving clean-energy and transportation policy with strong stakeholder engagement. Audrey says Clean50 recognition boosted her confidence to pursue policy-focused roles, including service as a municipal councillor in Terrasse-Vaudreuil and her policy work at Tesla, and remains a helpful milestone in her advocacy journey.

The Clean50 Emerging Leader award was a welcome recognition of my work at The Climate Reality Project. It gave me a bit more confidence to pursue policy-focused roles, such as my time as a Municipal Councillor in Terrasse-Vaudreuil and later at Tesla.

Truzaar Dordi, 2023 Winner

Prior Role: PhD Candidate, University of Waterloo

Current Role: Lecturer (Assistant Professor), University of York

Shaping sustainable financial systems is critical to accelerating the global transition to a low-carbon economy, and Truzaar Dordi has made that mission his own. Soon after his 2023 Clean50 Emerging Leader recognition, he moved to the United Kingdom to join the University of York, a world-leading Russell Group institution. His role quickly expanded: he now leads a Masters in Sustainable Business and serves as Director of Partnerships and Engagement, building collaborations across academia, industry, and policy. A major milestone was securing a $1.6M CAD Open Research Area grant, only the second awarded at York, to study how financial markets can drive sustainable food system transitions. Truzaar credits Clean50 with validating his work, boosting international visibility, and helping him secure these opportunities at a pivotal stage in his career, stating that this recognition was undoubtedly a contributing factor to the opportunities that led to his current position at the University of York.

The Clean50 community’s ethos reinforced my commitment to impact-oriented work…I am dedicated to fostering the exact kind of collaborative, solutions-focused work the Clean50 champions.

Kai Fahrion, 2022 Winner

Prior Role: Co-CEO at Virtuoso Energy

Current Role: Co-CEO at Zeno Renewables

Expanding access to clean energy is essential to Canada’s net zero transition, and that is the mission driving Kai Fahrion. Following his 2022 Clean50 Emerging Leader recognition, he led Virtuoso Energy through a major rebrand to Zeno Renewables, positioning it as a national solar brand. Since then, Zeno has expanded to four locations across Canada, completed nearly 5,000 solar installations, and grown to a team of more than 100 full time solar professionals. The company also marked its tenth anniversary, placing it among Canada’s longest standing solar firms. Beyond installations, Zeno has raised more than $100,000 for local non-profits and launched scholarships to support students in sustainability. Kai credits Clean50 with opening doors to new partnerships, deeper conversations with industry leaders, and reinforcing his belief of being on the right path.

Clean50, more than anything, gave me the confidence to think bigger. Being surrounded by others who are working to solve climate challenges reinforced the importance of collaboration and long-term thinking.

Rebecca Francolini, 2024 Winner

Prior Role: Manager, Environmental Strategy at Mackenzie Investments

Current Role: Manager, Climate and Sustainability at Manulife Financial Corporation

Finance moves faster on climate when risk and opportunity are built into core decisions. Since her 2024 Clean50 recognition, Rebecca has worked across asset management, consulting, and now a global financial services firm. She has focused on climate risk management and worked cross-functionally to embed climate and sustainability priorities in day-to-day decisions. Across these contexts, she has seen strategy become practice, and how small shifts in process or mindset add up to meaningful change. Her Clean50 award expanded a cross-sector network, connecting her to people tackling sustainability from very different angles and industries. That exposure sharpened her understanding of how diverse priorities shape climate action and the need to build bridges between them. It didn’t change her path overnight, but it provided support and inspiration to stay focused when the work is complex and progress isn’t always linear.

Winning a Clean50 Award in 2024 gave me a meaningful push—it opened up space to connect with others working on sustainability from very different angles and industries. That exposure to cross-sector collaboration helped me see how diverse priorities shape climate action, and how important it is to build bridges between them.