Action Canada announces 2025-26 Fellows 

OTTAWA, JUNE 5, 2025 — Action Canada welcomes the 2025-26 cohort, 17 emerging leaders from across the country, spanning diverse backgrounds and sectors, selected from over 200 applicants. 

Over the next 10 months, Fellows will explore how Canada can strengthen the resilience of communities to extreme weather. Through study tours in four regions, they will engage with local leaders, communities, businesses, and institutions to learn about regional differences in the challenges and policy solutions to ensure climate resiliency. In small groups, they will also conduct their own research on this theme, to develop recommendations on how policymakers can address this challenge in the next ten years. 

Fellows will emerge from the program with a deepened understanding of the country and policymaking, honed leadership skills, and a network of peers with whom they can work to be impactful leaders. 

In partnership with Indspire, Action Canada reaffirms its commitment to developing emerging Indigenous leaders. Five Indigenous Fellows—representing the Dene, Cree, Haudenosaunee, and Saulteaux Nations—will contribute their perspectives to the cohort and this work.  

“On behalf of everyone at Indspire, I would like to congratulate the new cohort of Action Canada Fellows,” said Mike DeGagné, President and CEO of Indspire. “The five Indigenous Fellows are emerging leaders who bring a wealth of experience in energy, nursing, social work, economic development and Indigenous governance to the program, as well as bearing knowledge from the Dene, Cree, Haudenosaunee, and Saulteaux Nations. We are eager to learn from their diverse range of perspectives and witness the contributions they will make.” 

The Public Policy Forum’s CEO, Inez Jabalpurwala, emphasized the impactful nature of the Fellowship: “The Public Policy Forum is cultivating Canada’s next generation of policy leaders through this transformational experience. Our 17 new Fellows will channel their diverse perspectives into bold, practical ideas to make communities more climate resilient to extreme weather. They will graduate with a deeper understanding of the impacts of these phenomena on Canadians’ homes, health, and livelihoods and policy solutions for a better future.” 

Meet the 2025-26 Action Canada Fellows: 

Christopher Caputo is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Tier II Canada Research Chair at York University, focusing on sustainable chemistry and Earth-abundant catalysts. He has R&D experience with the startup Inkbox and co-founded ElectSTEM to promote science policy and civic engagement. 

Fergus Linley-Mota leads the Dialogue on Technology Project at Simon Fraser University’s Wosk Centre for Dialogue, promoting inclusive and accountable AI governance. He co-founded a national climate governance initiative and has researched democratic resilience. 

Gigi Chang is a Strategic Policy Lead on Client Experience at Service Canada, passionate about local service and international collaboration. She co-founded a youth centre in Scarborough and has worked internationally on research in South Africa and digital service standards in Nepal. 

Jenny Albers is a seasoned community builder with over 15 years of experience at the City of Edmonton; as General Supervisor of Planning and Permitting, she is working to enhance public spaces. She also chairs the City’s Community Service Advisory Board. 

Jimmy Lou is an economist at Finance Canada, leading analysis on trade policy and international tariffs. A first-generation Canadian, he supports businesses through global disruptions and has held roles at Global Affairs and the Privy Council Office. He is also active in community and wellness initiatives. 

Joseph Tootoosis is a proud member of Flying Dust First Nation and the Lands & Economic Strategy Advisor at Kihew Consulting & Research. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in First Nations land and economic development strategies, governance, and business models. He has expertise in the Additions-to-Reserve process in Saskatchewan (Treaty Land Entitlement Framework) and works with unceded First Nations lands in British Columbia. 

Leif Douglass is currently with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, developing a culturally responsive evaluation framework and writing his Master of Public Administration thesis at the University of Victoria on the public fiscal impacts of decarbonization in British Columbia. He has expertise in policy analysis, community engagement, and utilization-focused evaluation, with a strong focus on rural public policy and climate action. 

Magnolia Perron is Director of Strategy and Partnerships at the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA), leading Indigenous economic development initiatives. A member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Magnolia holds a Master’s in Indigenous Nationhood. Her work centers on Indigenous governance, self-determination, and community-driven policy. 

Maha Achkar has over 10 years of public service experience and has been working at the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner since 2015. She specializes in political science and international studies and is passionate about politics, current events, and government operations. Maha is originally from Lebanon.  

Nadia Green is a Saulteaux First Nations Registered Nurse from Berens River First Nation, Manitoba, and a doctoral student at the University of Alberta researching First Nations digital health care experiences. She teaches nursing and is committed to advancing Indigenous health and well-being through research, education, and policy, with a focus on rural and remote northern communities. 

Rafaël Provost is the Executive Director of ENSEMBLE for Respect for Diversity, a Canadian organization combating bullying. He is recognized for his compassionate leadership and is an influential LinkedIn creator in Quebec, passionate about social justice and communication. 

Rizwan Desai is an educator and public servant currently serving as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Ontario Ministry of Education. He has teaching experience in Toronto and the United Arab Emirates, designing inclusive and culturally responsive programs. 

Sweta Daboo is a dynamic policy professional based in Prince Edward Island, working as a Senior Policy Analyst at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) Faculty of Medicine. She has experience in federal politics and previously led the PEI Coalition for Women in Government, advocating for equity and inclusion. 

Taylor Behn-Tsakoza is a Dene and Dunne-zaa woman from Fort Nelson First Nation, with roots in Prophet River First Nation (Treaty 8, BC). Raised in her traditional territories, she serves as an elected Councilor and Community Liaison for Tu Deh-Kah Geothermal. A community leader and youth advocate, she previously represented female youth at the BC Assembly of First Nations and joined the delegation that met Pope Francis about Indian Residential Schools. 

Terri Cardinal is a nehiyaw iskwew (Cree Woman) from onihcikiskwapiwinihk (Saddle Lake Cree Nation), Treaty 6 territory. She is a Community Learning Coordinator/Instructor for the Social Work program at University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills, with a Master of Indigenous Social Work from the same institution. She has a deep passion for working with children and the community. 

Thomas Hannaford is Vice President of Sustainability at Power Sustainable, focusing on embedding sustainability into investment decision-making. With a background in mechanical engineering and strategic consulting, he aims to reform economic institutions to operate within planetary boundaries and facilitate community climate literacy workshops. 

Wilma Shim is a Commissioner with the Alberta Human Rights Commission and a sports law instructor at the University of Calgary. A former prosecutor, she is a University of Calgary Senator, a Special Olympics volunteer, and holds board positions with several legal and sports organizations. She is a former competitive powerlifter, winning a Bronze medal for Canada at the World Jr. Championships. 

Read the Fellows’ full biographies on the Action Canada website.   

Thank you to our generous partners: Indspire, the Government of Canada and the Donner Canadian Foundation. 

About the Public Policy Forum and the Action Canada Fellowship 

The Public Policy Forum is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank, and a registered charity. Our members include a diverse range of private, public and non-profit organizations who share insight on policy challenges and developments. We believe good policy is critical to making a better Canada — a country that’s cohesive, resilient, prosperous and secure. Since its inception in 1987, PPF has contributed by researching challenging policy issues, convening roundtables to foster frank and honest dialogue, and celebrating exceptional public policy across Canada.  

The Action Canada Fellowship falls under PPF’s Academy and is the flagship leadership development and citizenship engagement opportunity within our organization. The Action Canada Fellowship is a 10-month public policy leadership program that aims to enhance emerging leaders’ understanding of the country and public policy choices for the future. The Fellowship includes four study tours to different regions in Canada. 

For more information, please contact Alison Uncles, Vice-President of Media and Communications, Public Policy Forum, auncles@ppforum.ca