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Alison Shaw

Executive Director, SFU Climate Innovation

As both a scholar and practitioner, Dr. Alison Shaw brings over two decades of experience in pioneering climate and sustainability action and innovation across diverse sectors and scales.

As the first authorized researcher to study science-policy interactions in the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Third Assessment Report (2001), she saw firsthand the complexity of communicating science to policy and policy to science. Since, she has worked to develop pioneering approaches and models to encourage exchange and learning across diverse sectors and communities to co-create knowledge-for-action.

Alison spent a decade in academia, co-designing and managing three large-scale interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary research projects aimed at accelerating climate change and sustainability action in communities. These projects applied different research approaches and tools for action - using evidence-based data visualization to express climate risk in the , linking with municipal and First Nations policy objectives and priorities in the , and embedding risk, emissions, and co-benefits data into municipal and First Nations planning and decision processes in the Integrated Climate Action for BC Communities Initiative (2018-2021).

In 2012, Alison founded and for a decade co-created leading research-to-practice approaches with both public and private sector clients at international, national, and local scales. From 2018-2021, she worked as Research Lead at ACT – Action on Climate Team, SFU, co-creating leading low carbon resilience approaches with and for BC communities, and in 2022 became Executive Director of ACT, with a focus on implementing and refining low carbon resilience approaches and nature-based solutions. She brings a wealth of experience in interdisciplinary collaboration, cross-sector partnership-building, and operationalizing sustainability transitions research, policy and practice.

As the inaugural Executive Director of SFU Climate Innovation, through this platform Dr. Shaw is excited to operationalize SFU’s #1 research priority - community-centred climate innovation. Positioned in SFU’s Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, SFU Climate Innovation’s goal is to leverage SFU’s capacities and reputation as a leading research university to create effective and impactful climate action & innovation research with, and for, communities across Canada and beyond. 

alison_shaw@sfu.ca

James Raymond

Director, SFU Climate Innovation

As a data analyst, strategist & innovator, James Raymond brings over two decades experience in strategic planning, partnership development, and mobilizing high-impact funding.

After graduating from one of Europe’s Top 10 Business Schools, James has gained unique experiences working in public, private and non-profit sectors for leading-edge organizations around the world such as Innovate BC, the Vancouver Economic Commission, the New South Wales Government and Dunnhumby.

Before joining SFU Climate Innovation, James worked as the Director of Data & Policy at Innovate BC where he was responsible for directing the research, data & policy work of this provincial Crown Corporation. Prior to this, he worked for 13 years at the Vancouver Economic Commission, the city’s economic development agency, heading up their research efforts which were geared towards making Vancouver the most sustainable and prosperous economy in North America. In this time, Vancouver became the fastest growing economy in Canada, doubled its numbers of green jobs, and successfully decoupled its greenhouse gas emissions from its economic growth. Other career highlights include producing the Vancouver Economic Commission’s ‘Beyond GDP Economic Framework’ which has been recognized as global best practice for cities by C40 for centering sustainability, indigenous knowledge and equity within a traditional economic framework. James also led the regional Metro Vancouver bid for the Amazon HQ2 project, with the proposal directly resulting in an additional 3,000 high paying jobs for the region. While at Dunnhumby, an early pioneer of the concept of ‘big data’, James managed the largest targeted marketing campaign in Europe, distributing over 100 million coupons each year, generating over $125m in revenue for the company.

At SFU Climate Innovation, working closely with Dr. Alison Shaw - the Executive Director - James will be responsible for advancing the strategic plan for this enabling platform set up to connect high impact climate solutions with communities in Canada, and beyond. He’ll also be responsible for developing new internal and external relationships, including funding & research opportunities, as well as overseeing the platform’s brand & marketing efforts.

james_raymond@sfu.ca

Jennifer Temple

Strategic Grants Writer, SFU Climate Innovation

Jennifer (she/her) brings over 20 years’ of project management and transdisciplinary facilitation experience to her role with the SFU Climate Innovation team. Jennifer’s training includes a B.Sc. in general science, a Post-Graduate diploma in environmental sciences and an MBA with an energy and sustainability lens. Professional development and experience in facilitation, participatory/impact evaluation and human behaviour have informed her understanding of the social dimensions of innovation and systems change. 

Most recently, Jennifer worked with the Marine Plan Partnership of the North Pacific Coast  (MaPP) as Regional Projects Coordinator, supporting the collaborative regional marine implementation activities of 17 First Nations and the Province of B.C. Previously, she worked on a portfolio of low carbon, resilience and resurgence projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Canada and the United Kingdom. 

Jennifer brings to her strategic grants writing role a blend of ecological knowledge, scientific research management experience, writing and editing expertise, a successful track record of proposals and grants, and a passion for working with individuals, networks and communities for the health and well-being of all.

jennifer_temple2@sfu.ca

Skye Vallance

Program Coordinator, SFU Climate Innovation

Skye (she/her) brings a decade of non-profit communications and community engagement experience to the SFU Climate Innovation team. Since completing her BAH in Health Studies at Queen’s University, she has contributed to advocacy campaigns advancing Indigenous-led conservation (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - British Columbia), agricultural food systems resiliency (Canadian Organic Growers), and youth-led climate action across Canada and globally. Skye enjoys connecting with neighbours through volunteer work and sits as Community Outreach Director for her local community garden. 

Skye brings a spirit of collaboration to support SFU’s community-centred climate innovation network through communications, sustainability research and project coordination. She enjoys spending time with Nature by cheering salmon upstream, studying natural textile dyes or canoe tripping.

skye_vallance@sfu.ca