OUR FELLOWS — BIPOC Fellowship

Our Co-Chairs

Jean Ked Neptune

Ked Neptune is the Deputy Director at SEO (Sustainable Eastern Ontario). He is originally from Haiti, and has his professional background in the environmental sector. He spent 15 years working on issues such as climate change, reforestation and vulnerability. From his experience, he believes that to improve the environmental footprint in a country, leaders need to effectively communicate with many diverse individuals externally as well as internally. It is essential for them to understand how to manage diverse individuals and possess cultural intelligence to succeed in their goals.
Nasha Choudhury

Nasha Choudhury is the Program Manager at both Ottawa Biosphere Eco City (OBEC) and Biosphere Eco-Cities (BECC). Nasha has Bengali roots and is working to build her leadership in the sector. She studied International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa and since graduating, has been passionate about working in community organizing and engagement on social justice and sustainability issues. She believes working at a grassroots level is the best way to connect diverse individuals to big issues by listening and amplifying their voices.

Our Current Fellows

Tyjana Connolly

Tyjana co-founded, and is now the executive director of Black Eco Bloom - a space where Black women and gender diverse individuals can be nurtured and warmly welcomed into the environmental sector. She carries African ancestry from Nigeria & Ghana. But she grew up in Mohkinstsis (colonially known as Calgary) where the community’s relationship with their natural environment is skewed by the success of the surrounding oil industry. Thankfully, she learned about the true importance of the environment through her education and family. Since she decided to pursue this path, she has been making big strides in the field of Black empowerment and climate justice.
Erica Ellis

Erica is the Co-Executive Director of Programs & Operations for the Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) which operates on the unceded, shared territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as Vancouver, BC. She always knew that she wanted to work in the environmental sector, healing and strengthening the relationship between people and land, as much of her youth was spent out in nature. EYA strives to empower youth from equity-deserving communities to become environmental stewards. Their programs are centred around three main themes: native plant horticulture, habitat restoration, and Indigenous foods/medicinal plants. They involve hands-on stewardship projects in urban green spaces.

Our Alumni

Jacqueline Lee-Tam

Jacqueline Lee-Tam (she/elle) is a settler of Chinese descent currently residing in Tio’tia:ke (Montreal) on Kanienʼkehá꞉ka territory. Jacqueline’s entrypoint to organizing was in the resistance efforts to Trans Mountain. To her, movement work is how we dream into practice the world we want to live in. Jacqueline is the director of the Climate Justice Organizing HUB, a support structure designed around the needs of grassroots social movement organizers in Canada. The HUB’s mission is to help organizers find their way to building a critical mass of engaged people who are working towards a just transition.
Julie Servant

Julie Servant is a scientist living and working in southeastern Ontario. She earned a degree in Biology from Vancouver Island University and is influenced by her Anishinaabe and French cultures. Her interest in nishnaabemshkiki has driven her to move easily between the fields of human health and ecology. Julie is the Executive Director at the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network and Runner for the Indigenous Circle for Canadian Biosphere Regions. She spends her time researching health, learning land-based skills and playing lego and Minecraft with her two children.
Jasveen Brar

Jasveen experienced a life-changing moment on an expedition in Antarctica when she saw a plastic water bottle floating among the untouched environment and felt a devastating sense of responsibility. She ended up finishing her undergraduate degree with a double major in biology and sustainability. Jasveen has been an Executive Director at the Youth Climate Lab for over a year, where she has been reshaping what the climate movement looks like for youth. The program is global, and focuses on creating and supporting spaces for youth to come together and better understand environmental challenges.
Nelly Leo

Nelly has been an Executive Director at Embark for nearly two years, where she has been a driving force in creating diverse, welcoming spaces and nurturing the sustainability journeys of university students. Growing up in Indonesia, Nelly was instilled with a deep-rooted understanding of the intricate relationship between people and the environment. Her educational journey has taken her around the world, allowing her to gain a broad understanding of what it means to be an environmentalist. All of these experiences enhance her world and allow her to act on her core values.