Meet the Team

We are a team of educators, communicators, scientists with expertise in facilitation, project management, program and leadership development. 

Samantha Rogers

Executive Director

Samantha is a dedicated leader with a robust background in business and a passion for making a positive impact.

Combining her formal education and experience in the non-profit sector, Samantha seamlessly integrates good business practices into organizations committed to making a difference for both people and the planet. Raised in British Columbia, Samantha has a deep appreciation for the natural environment, considering environmental respect a fundamental aspect of daily life. During her education, Samantha was recognized with the Dean's Award for her undergraduate class, and she holds a Master of Environment and Business from the University of Waterloo, showcasing her commitment to excellence and expertise in the field.

Samantha's experience in the non-profit sector spans more than a decade and includes small and large organizations at both the local and national levels. Since joining Elements in 2019, Samantha has contributed to the organization's strength, resilience, and the expansion of programs that inspire Canadians to take environmental action.

Cailey Meuse

Manager, Education Programs

Growing up in Calgary, Cailey developed a strong connection to the land and outdoors as she explored the nearby mountains, foothills and prairies with her friends and family on the traditional territories of the Treaty 7 people of Southern Alberta and Métis Nation, Region 3.

This connection to place is what led her to complete a B.Sc. in Geography before pursuing a B.Ed. Combining her passions and skills, Cailey’s goal has been to empower young leaders by creating authentic experiences that build capacity and understanding - especially around environmental issues. She has been an educator in many settings: swimming, rock climbing, science-based summer camps, forest and wetland ecosystems field trips, and more recently as an elementary school teacher in Cochrane. These previous experiences and her passion for taking climate action now support her current work as the Manager of Education Programs at Elements Society. When she is not in the classroom, Cailey can be found cuddled up with her cat, cooking a new recipe, doing a puzzle, or soaking up some sunshine outside.

Danielle Tan

Educator, French Programs

Having completed a Master of Education with a focus on environmental education at UBC, Danielle is passionate about educating youth to become leaders for sustainability.
Born and raised in Fuzhou, a city famous for banyan trees, Danielle’s love of stewardship and environmental sustainability emerged from spending time on her grandmother’s balcony garden.

With a background in English Literature and teaching English as an additional language, Danielle seeks ways to integrate language, storytelling, and social justice with sustainability.
She has helped develop and lead educational programs and projects that aim to empower youth through gardening, community-building, and environmental justice, having previously worked with the Amir Project, and interned at UBC farm and WWF-Canada.
Danielle is excited about her work as a bilingual facilitator at Elements Society. She speaks three languages, English, French and Mandarin.

Daniel Gregorash

Educator

Growing up, Daniel idolized Bill Nye the Science Guy. As an educator, he is now living his dream of making science engaging, entertaining, and easy to understand. With a background in physics and mathematics, Daniel has always been interested in science and the natural world, but he also has love for the theatre and a flair for the dramatic. Through roles at museums, zoos, parks, and as a full-time teacher, he has found a way to merge these two passions and bring science to life, be it through classroom lessons or guided fossil hunting expeditions or even singing about decomposition while dressed as a mushroom. In all of his jobs, he has connected with learners of all ages, encouraging them to—as another of his idols, Miss Frizzle, would say—“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”

Daniel is a worldwide traveller and loves going to exotic destinations to take in the amazing landscapes and wildlife. He has sunbathed with penguins in Africa, swam with whale sharks in Australia, and chilled with komodo dragons in Indonesia. He has also seen firsthand the impact our choices have on the environment, like plastic waste floating in the oceans and wild animal habitats being taken over by people. He understands how our choices may not seem impactful when we don’t see the consequences, and he wants to generate more awareness and more urgency, but also more hope.

Abdo Souraya

Educator

An environmental advocate and lover of plant-based cooking, Abdo feels right at home as an EcoCooks educator. Meandering down different academic disciplines, Abdo became fascinated with the socioeconomic, nutritional, and environmental complexities of food. This lead him to pursue an interdisciplinary B.Sc focusing on community food security. He has held research assistant positions in nutritional epidemiology and rural maternal health evaluation.

Abdo is inspired by the transformative power of unified communities, believing that all individuals have influence on the food system. Having worked with youth across a number of local non-profit food settings, he feels particularly privileged to get to tap into that yearning for impact that so many young people carry.

When not in the classroom, Abdo can be found in the forest listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops against the forest’s myriad surfaces, looking under the duff for fungi, or climbing rocks and trees with friends.

Anna crandall

Educator

Anna’s love of nature and curiosity about the world led her to study Biology and International Development and sparked her desire to work towards a more just and sustainable world.

Her experience as an educator is diverse, with the through line being one of youth empowerment. She has been a classroom teacher, an outdoor educator, and an overseas trips facilitator. Anna continues to be inspired by the ability of young people to understand and innovate when making positive change.

In addition to her work as an educator, Anna has participated in cultural exchanges and cycling theatre tours, worked at a remote research station, and lived in a sustainable farming community. Anna loves growing and cooking vegetables, and has tried her hand at farming in four countries.

After growing up in Vancouver on the ancestral, unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples: Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Nations, Anna travelled and lived across Canada and internationally before realizing that the south coast of BC will always be home. When not in the classroom she can usually be found in the local mountains or at her local library.

Ella Walmsley

Educator

Tēnā koutou katoa

Ko tēnai taku mihi ki ngā tāngata whenua o te rohe nei.

Nō reira, tēnā tātau katoa.

Hailing from Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Ella is new to Vancouver and acknowledges the indigenous people of this area the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Spending childhood around Aotearoa’s coastline created a lasting connection to the world around her. Through volunteering opportunities in local parks Ella realized that working for nature was her passion.

Ella’s next step was achieving a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Applied Conservation. During her degree she volunteered with a local waste wise community group, gaining knowledge in community organising and zero waste practices. Following her studies, Ella worked as an educator in the freshwater and marine spaces where for several years she has engaged with a variety of people to tackle these issues head on.

Alongside her work, Ella has been part of Forest & Bird youth and has coached mountain biking. Working with enthusiastic environmental and outdoor individuals who inspire and support their peers has filled Ella's cup. In her own time Ella can often be found in a forest, mountain biking, poking around in a river or hiking up a mountain.

EMILY CLARK

Educator

Growing up in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta, Emily developed a strong connection to the land and all beings who make their home here. Her love of wildlife and passion for conserving the natural world led her to pursue a BSc in Conservation and Outdoor Recreation. Emily's academic and professional background equips her with a deep understanding of conservation and environmental challenges in Canada, particularly in human-wildlife coexistence, protected area management, and species-at-risk legislation. She is dedicated to weaving together Indigenous Ways of Knowing and western science in her work and continually improving her cultural competency as an environmental professional.

With facilitation experience in environmental interpretation, education, and outdoor recreation, Emily is eager to share her passion and commitment to plant-based and low-waste living as an educator in Calgary. She is excited to support and empower learners in building their own knowledge and capacity as stewards of the environment, and in recognizing that our well-being is inextricably linked with that of the natural environment. 

Emily enjoys exploring the diverse landscapes of Alberta and B.C. on her bicycle, skis, or with her backpacking gear. She is active in the Calgary queer community and volunteers as a program facilitator for social events. In her downtime, she can usually be found curled up with a cup of tea and a good book. 

Saige Patti

Educator, bilingual programs

Delving into the fascinating world of plants and soil during university, Saige was inspired to unearth the links between science and society. This led her to complete an interdisciplinary BSc, examining how food and the environment can shape society and impact social justice. As an energetic and committed educator, she has brought the art of storytelling into the classroom to inspire curiosity and facilitate question-based and play-based learning with students as young as two and as old as thirty. After teaching English to francophone students in a town in Quebec, Saige is excited to continue her French journey as a bilingual facilitator at Elements Society.

Saige believes in the power of education to create strong communities that can work together toward practical and accessible solutions to complex issues. She uses this philosophy to empower youth to take action, whether big or small, knowing that every drop in every stream gives rise to the surge of the ocean. 

As a lover of both food and nature, Saige spends time outdoors hiking and cycling, trying new things in the kitchen, learning mending and repair skills to conserve materials, and finding new ways to bring sustainability into day-to-day life.

Jasmine Bal

Educator, bilingual programs

As a current Master of Community and Regional planning Student at UBC, Jasmine hopes to bridge her experiences and passion in environmental and food systems education into building resilient communities. She grew up exploring the trails of Burns Bog and the Watershed Park, in one of the province's largest agricultural communities on the traditional lands of the Tsawwassen and Musqueam Nations, in Delta. She feels her childhood combined with her ancestral roots in the farming region of Punjab, India compelled her to pursue a BSc. in Applied Biology, Food and Environment major. 

Jasmine brings experience working with Fresh Roots, a non profit, as part of the inaugural Delta schoolyard farm team. For three years, she facilitated the 6-week summer leadership and empowerment program where youth developed employability skills and connection to the food system. She spent the last three years on the traditional and unceded territories of the Malahat and Quw’utsun Nations to manage a geodesic growing dome greenhouse and develop an agricultural education program at the Shawnigan Lake School. She is excited to be back In Vancouver, riding her bike on the Musqueam and Squamish territories she currently calls home. Jasmine is passionate about the power of education to empower and is excited to teach the EcoCooks program as a bilingual facilitator at Elements Society.

serena bonneville

Coordinator, marketing & communications

Serena is a communications wiz, passionate about sustainability, youth engagement, outdoor-ed and all things nature. Her experiences in facilitation have shaped the strong belief that youth have the power to not only make meaningful change, but take resilient action - and she tends not to surround herself with those who agree otherwise.

Following university, Serena worked two years as a professional communications consultant with FleishmanHillard Highroad, one of the world’s top ranked global PR agencies, where she developed a deep understanding of the strategies that succeed in engaging and connecting with communities. After getting a strong feel for life in corporate PR, Serena then moved on to private consulting for various non-profits in and around BC including the C2C BC Education Network, eMotive, Recycle BC, Youth4Action and the BC Parks Foundation. 

She now specializes solely in community engagement with a focus on connecting local organizations to people, place & planet. She currently works at the Elements Society as a Communications and Engagement Specialist, supporting the programs that work to facilitate, inspire and empower youth climate action.

Kate’s commitment to community, fellowship, and connectedness is what truly sets her curriculum development strategy apart. Born in North Vancouver and raised in a rural village in Wiltshire, Kate has been immersed in land stewardship and environmental sustainability from a young age. Kate strives to make more sustainable choices at a personal level through her plant-based diet and commitment to a low-waste lifestyle. Kate is excited to work with the Elements Society team and to contribute to the important work of educating, supporting, and empowering the youth within our network.

andrew yang

IT

Andrew is a freelance Marketing + Sales Architect at the forefront of intersecting science, mathematics, and marketing based in the downtown core of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Coming from academia as a former astrophysics and mathematics major from Queen's University, he applies logical and longstanding scientific methodologies to enhance marketing and sales departments in driving higher returns without losing sight of the human condition.

His mantra is Be Human™ as a result of the world's overwhelming dependency and reliance on technology to solve problems to the point where we are losing sight of what it is to be truly human and connected at a deep emotional level. His strong belief and evidence behind leveraging technology and data with purpose aligns with our mission here at Elements Society: solve real-world human problems for the greater good of communities by connecting and collaborating with youth and individuals.

Andrew supports us in managing our technology and data infrastructures to ultimately better connect and deepen our relationships with our trusted family of clients.

Board of Directors

april shaw

April Shaw is a community engagement specialist for an environmental consultancy. April has 17 years experience working in the energy utility industry and has worked with BC municipalities on community energy and emission planning and is currently leading on indigenous relations and engagement on major infrastructure projects. April also spent time working in Africa with Sustainability Cities International where she focused on local economic development by facilitating relationships and negotiations between local governments, local community groups, and stakeholders to address municipal solid waste, urban planning and economic development issues. April led capacity building initiatives in the areas of business and financial management, strategic marketing, and technical training for local entrepreneurs and marginalized youth. April is experienced in implementing growth through innovation and change management business solutions and partnerships.

April is passionate about environmental sustainability, leadership and purpose driven community and cultural initiatives. April strives to empower youth to be the leaders of sustainability today and for our future.

Ben Hartshorn

Ben is a creative thinker with a longstanding passion for renewable energy and clean transport. As a person who likes a challenge, he has combined his love of arts and science into numerous self-taught learning endeavours. Driven by understanding, improving and encouraging education, Ben is known for his creative experiments.

An early triumph for Ben was building his own mode of transportation that met all his communing needs powered 100% by the sun. Putting his money where his mouth is, Ben now drives an electric vehicle and is the founder of Charge Alberta, a website and initiative to help facilitate the adoption of the electric vehicle through improved infrastructure.

Ben’s formal education and work history are also diverse. A graduate of the University of Northern BC with a degree in Computer Science, Ben brings work experience in both the public and private sectors, including project management and the development of an online e-learning platform. Ben also takes part in volunteer work aligned with sustainability and education.

As someone with an immense passion, driven to have a net positive impact. Ben currently applies his diverse skill set towards renewable energy, zero emission transportation and education.

Dr. Ovo Adagha

Dr. Ovo Adagha is a seasoned energy and environmental systems specialist with over 10 years of academic experience, public sector work, non-profit leadership and corporate practice at the international level. Through his work-related and academic activities, he has investigated and published extensively on sustainable energy and climate change. His research work has been used in various USA, Canada, Caribbean, Asia, Africa and EU energy policy planning and implementation.

He is currently a Principal Consultant with Bethel Systems where he leads energy efficiency and environmental conservation research and evaluation projects. Ovo also volunteers in non-profit organizations, hoping to inspire members of the public to share his passion for a more sustainable future for the world. He serves on the board of The Elements Society – where he provides strategic leadership to promote the conservation of natural resources through community education and stakeholder engagement.

He holds a Doctorate degree in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary, Canada and a Masters degree in Renewable Energy Futures from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Dr. love-ese chile

Dr. Love-Ese Chile is the Owner and Managing Director of the circular economy research consulting firm Regenerative Waste Labs. Dr. Chile moved to Vancouver in 2012 from Auckland, New Zealand. She completed her doctoral research on biodegradable plastics at the University of British Columbia in 2017. During her studies, Love-Ese became a vocal supporter of sustainability, green chemistry, and community-driven science. After finishing graduate school, Love-Ese started her entrepreneurial path and now advises businesses on circular product design, closed-loop organic recovery strategies, and how to communicate the value of sustainable materials.