Aerin Jacob is a senior environmental leader with more than two decades of experience advancing conservation, policy engagement, and governance through evidence-informed leadership. She serves as Chair of MakeWay’s Board and has been a board member since 2019, providing strategic oversight to strengthen governance and impact in support of community-led change. Aerin is Director of Science & Research and Weston Family Senior Scientist at the Nature Conservancy of Canada, where she leads national research partnerships and ensures evidence informs conservation practice and policy engagement. She contributes to public dialogue through speaking and writing, sharing evidence to support informed decision making across sectors. Her work is grounded in respect for Indigenous rights, support for reconciliation, and approaches to conservation rooted in partnership, equity, and shared stewardship.

Caroline Merner (she/her) is a climate, nature and youth advocate. Caroline co-founded Youth4Nature (formerly Climate Guides), a youth-led non-profit mobilizing youth to advocate for intersectional solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises. For the past five years, Caroline has worked in public engagement on climate action and conservation through government, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations, including the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices, the University of British Columbia, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ocean Wise, and Parks Canada. For her work, she was named among the Top 25 under 25 Environmentalists in Canada, Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leaders in Canada, and a Young Women for Nature by Nature Canada. Caroline holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability and International Development from Dalhousie University. She is currently a Master’s candidate and McCall MacBain Scholar studying to advance equitable climate and environmental policy at the Max Bell School of Public Policy in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal) on the unceded territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Nation.

Emily Cabrera is Ojibway/Mexica and a member of Fort William First Nation. She is the Executive Director of RAVEN, and the founder of Iikaa Philanthropy. 

She brings a grounded, relational approach to leadership that reflects her values and lived experience and she deeply understands the challenges, exclusions, and opportunities that exist within systems not built with Indigenous communities in mind. This insight shapes the heart of her work.

Through her work, Emily brings her skills, strategic clarity, and decolonized approach to support Indigenous-led and Indigenous serving organizations in building sustainable, culturally rooted, and abundance-driven fundraising practices. She is committed to ensuring that Indigenous organizations receive the resourcing, recognition, and partnership they deserve, on their own terms and in alignment with their sovereignty and long-term vision. 

Erica is Global Head of Innovation & Sustainable Finance at SecondMuse Capital, the finance and investment management arm of SecondMuse, a global innovation agency dedicated to building inclusive economies around the world. As part of SecondMuse Capital’s leadership team, Erica oversees strategy, ESG integration and impact across various funds and the development of blended finance mechanisms to support large asset owners and investors in mobilizing capital to advance the SDGs and connect with new economies around the world.

Erica joined SecondMuse Capital after a decade as Director of Solutions Finance at The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, where she led strategies for financial innovation and integration of the Foundation’s financial assets to support social and economic system’s transformation. Erica spearheaded the Foundation’s impact investing practice, overseeing the management of a multi-asset impact investing portfolio ($130M AUM), including blended finance approaches; and ESG integration within the Foundation’s endowment ($650M AUM). She also led a portfolio of national market-building initiatives. Erica joined the Foundation with 13 years of global professional experience in the private sector and international development, primarily in Latin America, Canada and the UK. She sits on Advisory Boards of various investment funds in Canada, and is adviser for international development projects. She co-founded Educating the Streets-Building Society, an award-winning program for capabilities development of youth and working children in Bolivia. She completed undergraduate studies in behavioral psychology and neuroscience, holds an MPA in Public and Economic Policy from the London School of Economics & Political Science. She specializes in innovation and systems dynamics for inclusive economic development.

Jayla is an Anishinaabe woman, mother and wife from Whitehorse, Yukon. Throughout her career, Jayla has used her voice to amplify First Nations voices and perspectives in the health and social services systems. As a social worker, she has worked with and supported people across the life span with a particular focus on addictions and mental wellness work. Jayla has a Bachelor’s of Social Work from the University of Regina, Master’s of Social Work from the University of Calgary and a Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Victoria.  

Lauren Ravon is a feminist and social justice advocate with over 20 years of experience in human rights and international development. She is currently the Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. 

Throughout her career, Lauren has led human rights advocacy programs, worked to tackle gender-based violence, and conducted extensive policy research and campaigned on the right to food, economic inequality and tax justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the role of women’s movements. She is passionate about building alliances across sectors to protect and advance human rights. 

Lauren holds Master’s degrees in international affairs and development studies from Columbia University and the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po). She lives in Montreal with her partner and their two young kids. 

An engineer and MBA by education, and an investor by profession, MJ hopes to use his skills and experiences to help build a fair, just, and equitable world.

Over the last decade, MJ has worked with Canadian and international asset owners across all aspects of the investment lifecycle. Through this work, he has helped deploy over C$400M through private-market impact investing and another C$500M through responsible-investment strategies for foundations, family offices, governments, and others. Additionally, MJ has served as the inaugural Chief Investment Officer of one of North America’s largest affordable-housing acquisition vehicles. MJ also has prior experience in oil and gas risk management in Asia, microfinance in India, global-health investing, and corporate strategy in Canada.

MJ enjoys working at the intersection of social change and financial returns, and helping asset owners understand the difference their capital can make. He greatly enjoys running the complete investment lifecycle and feels grateful to do work that aligns with his values.

He is a Board Director and Treasurer for the Definity Insurance Foundation; Board Director and Investment Roundtable Chair for Philanthropic Foundations Canada; Board Director for MakeWay Foundation and Tapestry Capital (and its Weave Community Capital Fund); and a member of the Impact Investment Committee for the Laidlaw Foundation.

MJ loves reading, travelling, cooking, staying active, history, and following global politics. He has his own personal library and has traveled to over 80 countries so far.

MJ’s take on life: “The only things you regret are the things you don’t do.” — Michael Curtiz

Rebecca (Becky) Mearns is an Inuk from Panniqtuuq, Nunavut, now based in Iqaluit. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Arctic and Subarctic Futures at the Labrador Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Prior to entering her PhD, she spent six years in progressive leadership roles at Nunavut Arctic College, serving as President from 2020 to 2024. In this role, she advanced Inuit-centered education, strengthened institutional partnerships, and supported community-based programming across Nunavut.  

Outside of her academic and professional work, she enjoys sewing, baking, and crafting, and practices Inuit tattooing as a form of cultural expression and resurgence. These activities reflect her connection to land, culture, and community, and are an important part of how she maintains balance and carries forward Inuit knowledge in everyday life. 

Riley Yesno (she/her) is a queer Anishinaabe scholar, writer, and commentator from Eabametoong First Nation who grew up in Thunder Bay, ON. Riley is a Distinguished Fellow at the Yellowhead Institute, as well as a regular guest and contributor to media platforms including CBC, CTV, and others. She is currently completing her PhD in Indigenous and Canadian politics at the University of Toronto. She currently lives in Toronto with her wife and two dogs. 

Sean Burke, the son of Denise and Terry Burke is a fifth generation settlor with my ancestry from Ireland, France and the UK.

As a serial entrepreneur, he founded and lead three successful organizations over the past 10 years with a  passion and reputation for building socially responsible products, integrated teams and scalable cultures.

He is the founder of CheckingIn, a team that works alongside First Nation communities to create customized community health and wellness apps in order to nurture healing through language and culture. They build digital tools to support community members in removing barriers to gain access to detox, treatment and after care supports.

He has served as a member of the SFU Board of Governors Responsible Investment Committee, was a member of the SFU Alumni Association Board and the Hong Kong Canada Business association board.

He has been recognized by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada as the Most Exemplary Young Professional and was awarded the PwC CEO award, recognized as the employee of the year for the Canadian practice.

Sean is a husband and father of two girls, with a purpose in life; to distill moments with kindness and together make it happen.